best solution for semi-permanent white background?

Home · Register · Search · Software · Hosting · Software · Join Upload & Sell

FM Forums \| Lighting & Studio Techniques \| Join Upload & Sell
end

StevenPalowsky
Offline
• •
Upload & Sell: Off

p.1 #1 · best solution for semi-permanent white background?

I've been shooting in my living room for the last several years and it's been a real blessing. I have mounting brackets for a chain roller system installed where I can hold 2 rolls of paper (the vaulted ceiling called for the modification of the metal bracket, which translates into cutting off the top one.)

Anyways, I shoot mostly on white and not too long ago, I started putting down the white tile board from lowes/home depot and that has really been great too. Even still I had some paper that needed to be rolled down a few feet and since the paper had been down for a long while, there was a bow near the top. bummer, but not totally shocking.

So I'm working what would be the best way to semi-permenatly hang a background and what material I should use?

I have looked into some of the vinyl backgrounds and those sound interesting, but I assume that over time, they will also have some sort of warping going on under its own weight. Whether I would go with the savage, cowboystudio or DIY vinyl background, eventually, they would droop or have their own issue. However, I would love to be wrong!

Remember, I am not worried about the floor part (for white) since I also use the tile board on the floor.

FYI, painting the wall behind it white isn't an option either since there is a door right smack-dab behind it...

Would that be an option or should I just stick with paper and make a point to always roll it up...and give it an occasional half roll?

Side note...I know that paper is supposed to be stored vertically, but unfortunately I don't really have the space for that, so leaving the background hanging is one of the only solutions.

Jul 14, 2012 at 03:56 AM

John Skinner
Offline
• •
Upload & Sell: On

p.1 #2 · best solution for semi-permanent white background?

I have... and use the LastoLite HiLite background with white train.

6 X 7, internally lit, and any differences i the floor can be done with a curves adjustment in Ps.

It folds up into a bag. I can take it anywhere I need to shoot HiKey or low.

I can GEL the head inside to produce a different color background.

There are optional "Bottle Tops" that can be purchased for gray, chroma green/blue, or you can fabricate a bottle top yourself. Either way, one of the most flexible pieces of kit here

Jul 14, 2012 at 12:34 PM

hondageek
Offline
• • •
Upload & Sell: On

p.1 #3 · best solution for semi-permanent white background?

Are you using an aluminum core for your paper rolls? I have the Manfrotto Expan system with the alum cores and I can leave the paper up for a couple of weeks in a pretty humid environment with no sag. Without the cores, the paper would be junk in a day.

Jul 14, 2012 at 01:14 PM

BrianO
Offline
• • • • •
Upload & Sell: On

p.1 #4 · best solution for semi-permanent white background?

StevenPalowsky wrote: ...I know that paper is supposed to be stored vertically, but unfortunately I don't really have the space for that, so leaving the background hanging is one of the only solutions.

Paper should be stored vertically if it's not on a roller, because leaving it flat on the floor will cause compression deformation. Leaving it on the roller system is even better; just rotate it from time to time.

Leaving a section hanging down isn't the best practice, though, as you've found. It only takes a moment to roll it up.

Jul 14, 2012 at 02:21 PM

StevenPalowsky
Offline
• •
Upload & Sell: Off

p.1 #5 · best solution for semi-permanent white background?

hondageek wrote:
Are you using an aluminum core for your paper rolls? I have the Manfrotto Expan system with the alum cores and I can leave the paper up for a couple of weeks in a pretty humid environment with no sag. Without the cores, the paper would be junk in a day.

I am not, but I am curious about what you're talking about

When I did a quick search I found a few mentions of aluminum cores, but they seemed to all be for "uncored" paper. Mine is still on the core. Am I missing something here? Is there a way to make this work?

I've toyed with the idea of seeing if poles for cyclone fencing would be able to slip inside of the cardboard core, but that assumes that the pole would be really straight itself and that I would have a way to keep it from core from spinning around the chain drive.

Jul 14, 2012 at 03:09 PM

hondageek
Offline
• • •
Upload & Sell: On

p.1 #6 · best solution for semi-permanent white background?

I use these:

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/546388-REG/Manfrotto_047_2_047_2_Alu_Core_for_Uncored.html

They work fine with paper on cardboard cores. I also have the 12' version and have had really heavy rolls of paper hanging with no sag whatsoever.

Jul 14, 2012 at 03:44 PM

StevenPalowsky
Offline
• •
Upload & Sell: Off

p.1 #7 · best solution for semi-permanent white background?

i think ill pick up one to see what happens

Jul 14, 2012 at 05:53 PM

hondageek
Offline
• • •
Upload & Sell: On

p.1 #8 · best solution for semi-permanent white background?

Just remember that you need to have the Expan rollers to go with it. The aluminum core is just slightly smaller than the cardboard cores that paper comes with. I wrapped a layer or two of gaffer's tape around the aluminum then took a small piece of coarse sand paper, folded it in half so both sides were rough, and tucked it between the gaffers tape and the cardboard core. Without doing this, the cardboard core will spin on the aluminum core and your paper will unravel. You only need to do this on one end.

Jul 14, 2012 at 06:03 PM

hondageek
Offline
• • •
Upload & Sell: On

p.1 #9 · best solution for semi-permanent white background?

...or, if you don't switch paper colors often you could just re-roll the paper from the cardboard core onto the aluminum one.

Jul 14, 2012 at 06:05 PM

StevenPalowsky
Offline
• •
Upload & Sell: Off

p.1 #10 · best solution for semi-permanent white background?

re-rolling sounds really, really un-fun

thanks for the heads up about making it stick!

i am pretty sure that what i have is some knock off system that someone gave to me several years ago. works like a charm and i assume it will fit

i assume that if i ever wanted to try a vinyl background, this is exactly what id need, correct?

Jul 14, 2012 at 06:14 PM

hondageek
Offline
• • •
Upload & Sell: On

p.1 #11 · best solution for semi-permanent white background?

Yup. It'll work with pretty much anything that rolls up. Re-rolling the paper isn't that bad. It only takes a minute. Just tape the free edge of the roll onto the aluminum one, lay the two together, and roll them across the floor.

Jul 14, 2012 at 06:18 PM

StevenPalowsky
Offline
• •
Upload & Sell: Off

p.1 #12 · best solution for semi-permanent white background?

that doesn't actually sound bad...

just out of curiosity, do you think if i re-rolled my older white straight onto the aluminum, that eventually it would straighten it out?

not a big deal to reorder a new roll, since with my NAPP membership, shipping is free from B&H

Jul 14, 2012 at 07:38 PM

hondageek
Offline
• • •
Upload & Sell: On

p.1 #13 · best solution for semi-permanent white background?

It depends. If it's curved badly (more than 1" in the center) it probably won't. The paper along the long side of the curve stretches and once you unroll it, it kind of looks like an alligators belly. If it's a mild curve it may. I've fixed some paper by unrolling as much as I can and putting a few spring clamps on the bottom and letting it hang. A day or so later it's flat again.

Jul 14, 2012 at 07:45 PM

StevenPalowsky
Offline
• •
Upload & Sell: Off

p.1 #14 · best solution for semi-permanent white background?

the current bow i have near the top of mine isn't bad, in the final pics, but it is there. i am trying to let it hang though to see if anything comes of it.

my suspicions are exactly what you mention, though and that its not evenly stretched from edge to edge...

Jul 14, 2012 at 07:47 PM

hondageek
Offline
• • •
Upload & Sell: On

p.1 #15 · best solution for semi-permanent white background?

I get 9' seamless for about $35/roll locally, so it's not usually worth putting too much effort into saving it. I cut up the bad rolls and let my son draw huge pictures on it.

Jul 14, 2012 at 07:52 PM

markd61
Offline
• •
Upload & Sell: On

p.1 #16 · best solution for semi-permanent white background?

I have used vinyl in the past and even on an aluminum core it sagged. Moreover, it stained and would not clean up despite being able to be scrubbed.

I have reverted to using white BG paper from Savage and just accepting that it is a consumable product.

I also use the bathroom ceramic coated masonite from the hardware store for the floor and that works great and has lasted me for years.

Jul 15, 2012 at 12:59 AM

unknown_photog
Offline
•
Upload & Sell: Off

p.1 #17 · best solution for semi-permanent white background?

Check out Peter Hurley's new ProBoard. In theory you would be able to hang it up permanently and it's extremely easy to clean and such!

Jul 18, 2012 at 01:44 AM

hondageek
Offline
• • •
Upload & Sell: On

p.1 #18 · best solution for semi-permanent white background?

That "ProBoard" is only 4ft wide. I don't think it would fit the bill as a seamless background.

Jul 18, 2012 at 03:36 PM

end
FM Forums \| Lighting & Studio Techniques \| Join Upload & Sell end