Wrinkly backdrop paper

Denyerec

Denyerec

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Denyer
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Unless a backdrop roll is fresh out of the box, they always end up like this:

http://denyerec.co.uk/stuff/.screencaps/2015-05-27_08-43-06.png

2015-05-27_08-43-06.png


After use I roll them as tightly as I humanly can (Which never seems to be tight enough) and store them in my house, vertically. Yet when I unroll them, voila, evil wrinkles.

Anyone got any tips on how to roll / store these beasts to avoid such problems? I'm certain that not every paper-backed shot I've ever seen has been photoshopped to death, but maybe I'm wrong?

Please note that I shoot almost always full-length, so the paper *must* be rolled out onto the floor, so a weighted strip to hang off the bottom such as this http://www.wexphotographic.com/buy-...d-cutting-edge-for-2-72m-wide-paper-/p1026771 is not a viable solution.

Also subject to background distance cannot be increased to the extent required to kill this with bokeh, I've tried. :(
 
What brand of paper are you using? I use Creativity Papers paper and never had that issue, stored or left hanging.
 
Brand is Calumet, which you'd expect to be OK.
Sharky - how do you roll them up when you're storing them? I just roll it up hands shoulder width apart, gripping as tight as I can and alternating left and right - maybe I'm damaging the paper by trying to roll it too tightly?
 
Maybe you are putting the creases in when you're tightening the roll, what's the humidity level like? That'll do more damage than anything.
You're also not helping it by the way it's lit.
 
Humidity is "UK" - I don't have a hygrometer so I can't give a quantified reading, but the house where it's stored and the location it was used are not especially significant in either direction, neither damp nor especially dry.

I picked out a crosslit shot to exaggerate the problem so people wouldn't respond with "Can't see anything mate" - though naturally hard crosslighting wouldn't be an issue if the paper were flat. Even softlighting the damn thing makes no difference, you can still see the wrinkles. For this shoot I'm resigned to photoshopping it out, but I need to figure out what I'm doing wrong because otherwise I'm stuck using a new roll for every shoot which is absurd.

Anyone got any tips on "how to roll it up" ? Sounds silly, but that might be all that's up, though given the wrinkles are across the whole width and not focussed on the middle section where I roll it up I'm not convinced.
 
I roll mines up whilst it's on the stands, and don't roll it tight, only enough so it fits back in the box.
 
I roll mine up and store them in the garage, vertical... I always put them back in their bag and then in the box. Never had an issue. But I always cut off 3/4's of what was on the floor after most shoots... so I tend to be using fresh paper most times.
 
Bobsyeruncle - assessing "tightness", is that to say that when standing on end, the paper can feel kinda "loose" on the roll? I'm so nervous about an upcoming shoot that I'm ordering a brand new roll just to be sure, but this issue is killing me (financially and otherwise).
 
Denyerec said:
Bobsyeruncle - assessing "tightness", is that to say that when standing on end, the paper can feel kinda "loose" on the roll? I'm so nervous about an upcoming shoot that I'm ordering a brand new roll just to be sure, but this issue is killing me (financially and otherwise).
Click to expand...
It doesn't feel too loose, or I wouldn't get it in the box. To be honest, until now, I've never really thought too much about it.
I room it up whilst on the stands, only making sure that it rolls up "straight", then pop into the box.
It sounds like you are trying to roll it up too tight.
 
It will be changes in humidity. paper stretches and shrinks as the humidity changes. Keep it sealed.
 
Denyerec said:
Sunnyside - You'll notice the issue is not the paper that's been in contact with the floor, but the hanging paper that's gotten knackered.
Click to expand...
Yes I noticed that... but what I'm saying is that what was my background from one shoot, becomes my floor for the next... so I'm always using fresh unrolled paper. I'm not saying that's your answer. I'm only saying that's what I do.
 
Denyerec said:
Humidity is "UK" - I don't have a hygrometer so I can't give a quantified reading, but the house where it's stored and the location it was used are not especially significant in either direction, neither damp nor especially dry.
Click to expand...

Could be down to just the room you're storing them in, I have one room which thanks to being sealed too well ends up with problems and a dehumidifier was a good investment.
 
Bobsyeruncle said:
It doesn't feel too loose, or I wouldn't get it in the box. To be honest, until now, I've never really thought too much about it.
I room it up whilst on the stands, only making sure that it rolls up "straight", then pop into the box.
It sounds like you are trying to roll it up too tight.
Click to expand...

I too am starting to think that my paranoia about getting it back in the box "factory wrapped" is what's at play in terms of wrecking it.

sunnyside_up said:
Yes I noticed that... but what I'm saying is that what was my background from one shoot, becomes my floor for the next... so I'm always using fresh unrolled paper. I'm not saying that's your answer. I'm only saying that's what I do.
Click to expand...

Gotcha! I thought you meant you were chopping just a little off each time. I might just have to unroll the lot to see if the damage is only on the re-rolled paper or the whole roll. If it's the latter then it must be a storage issue rather than a rolling issue. Only problem for me then is if I unroll the lot and reroll it, I'll knacker it!

Terrywoodenpic said:
It will be changes in humidity. paper stretches and shrinks as the humidity changes. Keep it sealed.
Click to expand...

Sealed as in "inside the plastic it shipped in" ? I'd not considered this, but will keep the supersize condoms from any new rolls in good order, and toss in a 250g bag of silica gel for good measure.

simonbarker said:
Could be down to just the room you're storing them in, I have one room which thanks to being sealed too well ends up with problems and a dehumidifier was a good investment.
Click to expand...

They're in a draughty but heated hallway (Only space in the house tall enough to store them vertically) - so I don't *think* that's it, but without a hygro to get an absolute value I could be totally wrong. I might look on Ebay for a portable one to determine if I'm up the wrong tree.
 
I've not suffered from this. I roll mine on the stand, secure with tape and then put them back in the original bag and box. I then store them horizontal on a full width shelf in my garage, which although is an integral garage is still cold and damp. I can't imagine that the bag I put them back in is anything like air tight so you think if I was going to have issues I would have?
 
Tunbridge said:
I've not suffered from this. I roll mine on the stand, secure with tape and then put them back in the original bag and box. I then store them horizontal on a full width shelf in my garage, which although is an integral garage is still cold and damp. I can't imagine that the bag I put them back in is anything like air tight so you think if I was going to have issues I would have?
Click to expand...

I know this is a huge ask, as getting them in and out is a royal pest, but I'd *really* appreciate a side-lit shot of your backdrop. If you have one on file that'd be awesome, or if you could think to snap one next time you're shooting it'd be a great help. No-one I know seems to have this problem and yet I'm getting it on every goddamn roll I use :( Some people might think it's "all in the lighting" but I don't buy that, the paper should be flat to crosslighting IMO, as it is on day 1.
 
Denyerec said:
I



Sealed as in "inside the plastic it shipped in" ? I'd not considered this, but will keep the supersize condoms from any new rolls in good order, and toss in a 250g bag of silica gel for good measure.


.
Click to expand...

In my past life I bought hundreds of tons of large sheets of Printing paper on Palettes.
Our Printing paper store and print room was fully air conditioned.
When the air in the suppliers warehouse differed to our own temperature and humidity settings
the paletted paper could react in two ways. It could develop tight edges or loose edges as it contacted the new conditions. this would cause creasing if printed at that stage. we always conditioned our paper.

As you have no control over the paper storage before you get it, It would be best to Keep it "Unopened" in the room where you are going to use it, so that it can "Condition". In the case of large wide rolls, that could take up to a couple of weeks. You can not do a lot about the humidity in a domestic situation, but keeping the temperature steady helps a great deal.
 
Denyerec said:
I know this is a huge ask, as getting them in and out is a royal pest, but I'd *really* appreciate a side-lit shot of your backdrop. If you have one on file that'd be awesome, or if you could think to snap one next time you're shooting it'd be a great help. No-one I know seems to have this problem and yet I'm getting it on every goddamn roll I use :( Some people might think it's "all in the lighting" but I don't buy that, the paper should be flat to crosslighting IMO, as it is on day 1.
Click to expand...
Apologies on the delay as I've been away this week.
The best I can find is this, I've pushed the exposure up 3 stops as you couldn't see the background on the original photo. I can't remember exactly how it was lit but I think it was a large gridded softbox camera left at 90 deg to the camera.

TPBackgroundExample-1 by Tunbridge on Talk Photography
 
Seems like similar lighting, and a pair of knees to boot! :D Yeah that looks like the backdrop paper I'd expect to see - thanks for posting the image. How tight do you try to roll it up? Casually, or really gripping it and trying to get it tight?

Current humidity is 55% RH @ 16.6°C, if anyone has a comparative measure that'd be great!
 
Denyerec said:
Seems like similar lighting, and a pair of knees to boot! :D Yeah that looks like the backdrop paper I'd expect to see - thanks for posting the image. How tight do you try to roll it up? Casually, or really gripping it and trying to get it tight?

Current humidity is 55% RH @ 16.6°C, if anyone has a comparative measure that'd be great!
Click to expand...

I roll it reasonably tight but nothing excessive, it's pretty difficult on a 2.7m wide roll to roll it yourself anyway, and I only secure it with masking tape so it's not that tight. I don't have any temp or humidity measurements but I know it gets way colder than 16 deg c in my garage.

Oh and I'm glad you liked the knees [emoji4]
 
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