We have recently explored using gels with our photography both at night and during the day. One of the beautiful options with this concept is the variety of pictures that one can create for their portfolio. Using gels, add a dimension that totally enhances the wedding photography portfolio.
We used gels in the past on soft-boxes as we tapped transparent colours onto the light source, placed the soft-box back onto the flash unit and fired away. With newer technology, this approach becomes easier and more doable especially in a wedding scenario.
One of my favourite photos is this lovely Bride and Groom standing in the middle of the banquet hall during the dinner hour. The Banquet facility had a beautiful chandelier in the middle of the dance floor but all the lights were on during the dinner hour.
Flash photography not only emits light but it when used wisely, it can also eliminate light too. Using a higher shutter speed, you can reduce the ambient light and just have the brightest light exposed (e.g. chandelier-see below). The next step in this process was to illuminate only the Bride and Groom. My assistant held a flash unit over the Bride and Groom to precisely illuminate them.
The result is a dramatic photograph during the supper hour. Using a high shutter speed, all ambient light was reduced and the image was illuminated capturing the lovely chandelier and the Bride and Groom.
Using this concept of illuminating the bride and groom was adapted by throwing a coloured gel into the background. For the next photo we blasted a purple gel using a AD200 flash from Godox. This powerful flash illuminated a nice magenta backdrop while another flash illuminated the bride and groom. This photo was taken at Spencers on the Water in Burlington, ON. This was the last photo taken in the evening as guests departed. The enthusiastic bride and handsome groom kindly gave me one more photo...lol....before the night's end and it definitely is a keeper!
