A while back, I made a ghetto gel holder for my speedlight. After looking at products like the Lumiquest, and at other DIY holders, I knew I could do it.

I ended up taking a simple clear nametag holder that you can get at any office supply store and modding it.

I cut off the metal clamp on the back. Next, I measured one of my Rosco gels from the sample book. I then used a straightedge and folded the nametag along the measured line. I applied a strip of velcro where the clamp was.

The rosco sample gels slip into the tag and the tag velcros on to my speedlight (I already had velcro on my flash for a diffuser attachment). I've found that static holds the gel in there. It works very well. I have noticed that at full power, the nametag and gel have curled a bit from the heat.

i like this. i have numerous nametage holders sitting around from attending industry classes/functions

why not just put the velcro on the gel and use what's on the flash already?

this way you have one piece of velcro and can change the filters easily, velcro on the gel itself would nececitate two pieces of velcro per gel

ibbendoesntdoflashwork

Originally Posted by danm

ibbendoesntdoflashwork

yeah, that's why I'm asking. But wouldn't a piece of velcro on each side (the 2 you mention) still be pretty quick?

yeppers

Make sure there is an air gap between the filter and the flash tube. Otherwise you will end up with a full time colored flash.

Originally Posted by jacobsen1

why not just put the velcro on the gel and use what's on the flash already?

I felt the sample gels were a bit too small to attach to the flash directly. Plus, I would have to put velcro on like 500 sample gels! This way offers much more flexibility.

Originally Posted by thomps6s

Make sure there is an air gap between the filter and the flash tube. Otherwise you will end up with a full time colored flash.

Definitely! I position the gel about 1/8 to 1/4 inch away from the flash surface.

What I do
First, I'm not a fan of velcro on my flash.
I take four ~1.5" pieces of electrical tape to make two "strips," one for each side of the gel.
I use a rubberband to hold the strip to the flash head.

not to hijack, but I saw this http://photography-on-the.net/forum/...d.php?t=683062 and thought it was the cat's meow