Uploaded March 2023 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
I love using gels, it’s one of the most powerful ways to add super saturated colors into your photographs. Whether it’s to add a kiss of color to the background, fill to the shadows, or maybe just as a rim light.
For this 5 light setup I use gels for all of the above!
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The image shown here was taken during my Fashion Intensive Workshop that I hold annually. Learn more about the workshop here: https://lindsayadler.photo/fashionintensive
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💡 Let’s dive into the lighting!
1. The main light here is a Westcott Optical Spot with a kit lens focused on the model’s face.
2. The 2nd and 3rd lights are 1x4’ strip soft boxes used as rim lights to help separate the model from the background, otherwise she’d just be a floating head since the Optical Spot creates such a tight slice of light. The strips also are gridded to control the spill of light and using an orange gel (note: not CTO, but rather a much stronger orange).
3. Same as above
4. I added a medium umbrella with diffusion and cyan gel as a fill light to make the shadows rich with color.
5. The final strobe here is for the background using a bare bulb and magenta gel to add a gradient effect combined with the color from the fill light hitting the background.
🖌️ Post Processing
Straight out of Camera: 7:14
Raw Processing: 8:20
Post Processing: 9:35
👇 Drop a comment below and let me know what you think about the final result!
⚙️ Camera settings:
✅ 1/200th
✅ F11
✅ ISO 200
📸 Gear Used:
✅ Westcott Optical Spot: https://prf.hn/l/G9DRROp/ (Comes with a free 40 minute tutorial)
✅ Canon EOS R5: https://prf.hn/l/7oZobqW/
✅ Canon 24-105 4.0: https://prf.hn/l/deZLnJq/
✅ Tiffen 4 Point Star Filter: https://prf.hn/l/xE1AW0N/
✅ Profoto D2: (discontinued, linking to new D3): https://prf.hn/l/K9ENnmk/
✅ Profoto Medium Umbrella: https://prf.hn/l/Kmgoye0/
✅ Medium Umbrella diffuser: https://prf.hn/l/lQAV1JW/
✅ Profoto 1x4' Strip Softbox: https://prf.hn/l/7gzpRAa/
✅ Savage Seamless Fashion Gray Background: https://prf.hn/l/7gzpjPy/
✅ Savage Background Stand: https://prf.hn/l/550gD9R/
✅ Avenger D600 Boom Arm: https://prf.hn/l/EJDBPD2/
✅ Avenger C-Stand: https://prf.hn/l/7Dw9qjz/
✅ Gel Kit: https://prf.hn/l/7gzpR9a/
✅ Tethertools Cable: https://prf.hn/l/vwzRaoJ/
🔥 For more creative setups that utilize gels you'll definitely want to check out my Magic of Gels class: https://lindsayadler.photo/gels
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👉 Portfolio: lindsayadlerphotography.com
👉 Instagram: instagram.com/lindsayadler_photo
👉 Facebook: facebook.com/lindsayadlerphotography
👉 Twitter: twitter.com/lindsayadler
👉 Education: learn.lindsayadlerphotography.com
Some of the links in this description contain affiliate links to partners.
I love using gels, it’s one of the most powerful ways to add super saturated colors into your photographs. Whether it’s to add a kiss of color to the background, fill to the shadows, or maybe just as a rim light.
For this 5 light setup I use gels for all of the above!
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
The image shown here was taken during my Fashion Intensive Workshop that I hold annually. Learn more about the workshop here: https://lindsayadler.photo/fashionintensive
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
💡 Let’s dive into the lighting!
1. The main light here is a Westcott Optical Spot with a kit lens focused on the model’s face.
2. The 2nd and 3rd lights are 1x4’ strip soft boxes used as rim lights to help separate the model from the background, otherwise she’d just be a floating head since the Optical Spot creates such a tight slice of light. The strips also are gridded to control the spill of light and using an orange gel (note: not CTO, but rather a much stronger orange).
3. Same as above
4. I added a medium umbrella with diffusion and cyan gel as a fill light to make the shadows rich with color.
5. The final strobe here is for the background using a bare bulb and magenta gel to add a gradient effect combined with the color from the fill light hitting the background.
🖌️ Post Processing
Straight out of Camera: 7:14
Raw Processing: 8:20
Post Processing: 9:35
👇 Drop a comment below and let me know what you think about the final result!
⚙️ Camera settings:
✅ 1/200th
✅ F11
✅ ISO 200
📸 Gear Used:
✅ Westcott Optical Spot: https://prf.hn/l/G9DRROp/ (Comes with a free 40 minute tutorial)
✅ Canon EOS R5: https://prf.hn/l/7oZobqW/
✅ Canon 24-105 4.0: https://prf.hn/l/deZLnJq/
✅ Tiffen 4 Point Star Filter: https://prf.hn/l/xE1AW0N/
✅ Profoto D2: (discontinued, linking to new D3): https://prf.hn/l/K9ENnmk/
✅ Profoto Medium Umbrella: https://prf.hn/l/Kmgoye0/
✅ Medium Umbrella diffuser: https://prf.hn/l/lQAV1JW/
✅ Profoto 1x4' Strip Softbox: https://prf.hn/l/7gzpRAa/
✅ Savage Seamless Fashion Gray Background: https://prf.hn/l/7gzpjPy/
✅ Savage Background Stand: https://prf.hn/l/550gD9R/
✅ Avenger D600 Boom Arm: https://prf.hn/l/EJDBPD2/
✅ Avenger C-Stand: https://prf.hn/l/7Dw9qjz/
✅ Gel Kit: https://prf.hn/l/7gzpR9a/
✅ Tethertools Cable: https://prf.hn/l/vwzRaoJ/
🔥 For more creative setups that utilize gels you'll definitely want to check out my Magic of Gels class: https://lindsayadler.photo/gels
----
👉 Portfolio: lindsayadlerphotography.com
👉 Instagram: instagram.com/lindsayadler_photo
👉 Facebook: facebook.com/lindsayadlerphotography
👉 Twitter: twitter.com/lindsayadler
👉 Education: learn.lindsayadlerphotography.com
Some of the links in this description contain affiliate links to partners.
