Booray's Ugly Gels - How I gel my flash

<p>I've been using B.U.G.'s for some time now and I really love them. My problem with gel holders is that it always takes two hands to change a gel, which leaves no hand free to hold the camera. I created a video that shows you how to make your own B.U.G. at home. Their cheap and it only takes about 5 minutes to do. </p>

<p>boorayphotography.blogspot.com/2010/03/boorays-ugly-gels.</p>

<p>Nice. Quick and cheap what else does a person need.</p>

<p>How often are you changing gels that you need another hand? Can't the strap hold the camera?</p>

<p>Very creative! I love velcro! Useful for so many things! Great idea! Thanks for sharing!</p>

<p>Matt,<br>

I use a Black Rapid Strap so my camera actually hangs upside down at my side. I have to swing it up in front of me to use it or change a gel. Even if I used a regular neck strap, I found that changing gels with a holder that stays in place (I bought one from a popular accesory maker) was just to dicey. My big hands and fingers were having a hard time dealing with those tiny, thin gels and you can forget about trying to swotch gels while walking!</p>

<p>When using an off-camera strobe I can change gels without having to lower the tripod as long as I can reach the flash head.</p>

<p>I use name badge holders (for ID tags)--they are already about the right size--and add velcro. I still change the gel inside the holder because it isn't very difficult, and everything fits into one slim paper envelope down the side of my shoulder bag.</p>

<p>Have you noticed any heat problems, Booray? I usually leave a bit of space (bubble it) between the flash head and gel holder.</p>

<p>Nicely done, thanks for sharing.....really enjoy the quality of work on your website!</p>

<p>David, that's very nice of you to say. When another photographer compliments my work it really means a lot to me.<br>

I was browsing your gallery here on Photo.net (I couldn't find your website). I really liked that shot you have of the dress with the yellow wall. It really jumped out at me on the page. I often find that shooting the dress in a new or creative way is a challenge so I really notice a good dress shot!</p>

<p>Nadine, I haven't noticed any heat problems at all. Because of the lip on the flash there is always a small space for air and it's open on both ends. I've shot all day and never had a problem.</p>

<p>Thanks Booray, I discontinued my website last year when I began to downsize my pro-photography efforts but I do still have my smugmug site and a link to it on my member page here at P-net. The homemade ingenuity with the gels reminds me of what we used to do when we physically modified our Vivitar 283s to accept the Quantum battery cords and the filters we would modify for various special effects. I predict you have a bright future ahead of you, looks as if you're doing alot of the right things from your images to your marketing strategies. Good luck.</p>

<p>It's frustrating sometimes the effort we put in to achieve what we want with the equipment only to have someone produce something to make it obsolete! For example, I had my 580EX modified to accept a plug from my Alienbees remote and now Pocket Wizard is producing a new remote that makes my work-around unnecessary. I believe Nikon is making a series of solid gels that snap on to your flash and automatically set the camera's white balance to match. I'm happy that people are fulfilling our needs, I just wish they would do it a little faster! :)</p>

<p>Booray--there will always be a ton of things for which to come up with creative solutions. I constantly am visiting the hardware store, office supply store, etc., working on some project or another. I wouldn't worry.</p>