How to store a velvet/cotton background?

[DocFrankenstein]

I've got myself a black velvet background and now playing around with it.

It's stapled to a wooden plank and I just roll it up. The problem is that it doesn't roll evenly and will be wrinkled very soon.

It's not a big problem for me right now because it's black and doesn't show anyways the way I light up my subjects. But I want to know how you keep your cotton gray and white backgrounds from wrinkling when rolled up.

Thanks.

[Ronald S. Jr.]

I wish I knew. I just roll mine up. They're wrinkled, but it usually doesn't have a big impact on the images. It'd be nice to keep them "Good", though.

[FlashZebra]

I've got myself a black velvet background and now playing around with it.

It's stapled to a wooden plank and I just roll it up. The problem is that it doesn't roll evenly and will be wrinkled very soon.

It's not a big problem for me right now because it's black and doesn't show anyways the way I light up my subjects. But I want to know how you keep your cotton gray and white backgrounds from wrinkling when rolled up.

Thanks.
My advise is to go the other way, stop trying to inhibit the wrinkles and encourage in a grand manner. Stop fiddling with rolling them up, carefully folding them up, steaming them, ironing them, etc.

For storage, stuff all of your cloth backdrops into a tight cloth bag. Then you end up with an infinate number of random "micro wrinkles" that are easy to deal with.

This is sort of a "go with the force, Luke" deal.

If you must have very smooth and even backdrops, go with roll paper.

Enjoy! Lon

[DocFrankenstein]

At least I'm not the only one who can't figure out how to fold a piece of fabric. lol

[Don Powell]

I'm with Lon all the way on this. I just wad it up and stick it in the cabinet. The last thing I want, is deep visible creases. This stuff soaks up light so, that creases probably won't show at -3 stops.

[charlesu]

Lon is right.

[DocFrankenstein]

Lon is right.
So you're not using cotton for white/gray backgrounds? It's all giant toilet paper rolls?

That should be expensive!

[Ronald S. Jr.]

Seems an awful lot do use the huge seamless paper for white. It's just easier.

[Woolburr]

This topic came up a while back...when I mentioned that most of the shooters I know just stuff their backgrounds in a bag and don't worry about wrinkles at all, several people were shocked. Sounds like more and more are seeing it as trendy.;)

[charlesu]

Actually seamless paper did just go up from like $45 to $60 at my local shop so yes, seamless is expensive. Probably a bit more than TP though. However, I do also have a number of other backdrops.

[FlashZebra]

This topic came up a while back...when I mentioned that most of the shooters I know just stuff their backgrounds in a bag and don't worry about wrinkles at all, several people were shocked. Sounds like more and more are seeing it as trendy.;)
It seems to me that most of the humans worring about wrinkles in cloth backdrops are mostly the inexperenced or those contemplating their first backdrop purchase (again realize that I have purposely inserted the word "mosty" in there, as I am positive there are exceptions).

I can assure you that just stuffing the cloth backdrop in a bag is not a trend. This is the prevailing way to deal with them by most humans that have been using them, not just contemplating using them, or just started using them.

There is a perception of a problem that is not really a problem.

If you can hang your backdrops up and leave them hanging, you have some reasonable ability for most of the wrinkles to to be gone, but if they have to be stored, just stuff them in a bag or other container (I use both bags and large poly bins).

Enjoy! Lon

[DocFrankenstein]

Admittedly, the only cotton backdrops I have used is a black one.

londuck: Are you saying wrinkles won't show up in white/gray backdrops too?

Do you stretch it somehow or just light the background with two lights from both sides to make sure you're lighting "everything"?

[Ronald S. Jr.]

You can get A clamps and stretch it on the support system (assuming you use one) to smooth some wrinkles. Very easy.

[FlashZebra]

Admittedly, the only cotton backdrops I have used is a black one.

londuck: Are you saying wrinkles won't show up in white/gray backdrops too?

Do you stretch it somehow or just light the background with two lights from both sides to make sure you're lighting "everything"?
You are missing my point.

Carefully read my first post in this thread as it answers your follow up question before you asked it.

Enjoy! Lon

[DocFrankenstein]

Sorry. I thought you were giving advice specifically on black backdrops. My bad.

[charlesu]

Actually, a lot of backgound manufacturers like PeoplePoppers and Westcott, etc. recommend you stuff the backgrounds tightly and NOT fold them. Lots of random wrinkles are easily handled by shallow DOF. However, big, heavy creases are NOT!

[DocFrankenstein]

LOL

This means I have to rip off my velvet background from the wooden plank.

Thanks everybody. Very practical advice

[Knightshade]

You can always use the healing tool in PS to get rid of wrinkles too if it's really that big of an issue. I had to do this with a recent shoot because there wasn't uniformity w/the wrinkles. For some reason, the top area's wrinkles larger and more sparse. The bottom looked horrible.

[DocFrankenstein]

You can always use the healing tool in PS to get rid of wrinkles too if it's really that big of an issue. I had to do this with a recent shoot because there wasn't uniformity w/the wrinkles. For some reason, the top area's wrinkles larger and more sparse. The bottom looked horrible.
NO way.

[Lonnie]

I was discussing this with my wife tonight. I just bought a support and 3 muslins. I will iron them once, just to get the big square creases out that are due to the packaging they came in. From there on out, I will become a stuffer.

[FlashZebra]

I was discussing this with my wife tonight. I just bought a support and 3 muslins. I will iron them once, just to get the big square creases out that are due to the packaging they came in. From there on out, I will become a stuffer.
Unless they are backdrop that have been painted, just throw them in a dryer at very low heat, or even no heat for 15 minutes or so when you get them, beats ironing.

Enjoy! Lon

[Titus213]

I believe they refer to those bags as 'Stuff bags' for that precise reason. I've picked up some zippered pillow protectors (my wife is a neat freak) for my stuff bags. Never thought a 10x20 muslin would fit in a pillow protector but it does.

[FlashZebra]

I believe they refer to those bags as 'Stuff bags' for that precise reason. I've picked up some zippered pillow protectors (my wife is a neat freak) for my stuff bags. Never thought a 10x20 muslin would fit in a pillow protector but it does.
Actually I think the term "stuff bag" originated from when polyester and down sleeping bags replaced previous bags that had cotton (or other) batting as fill.

The older cotton batting bags were typically rolled up and secured with a string (or some such device), but the newer polyester and down bags were more easily dealt with by stuffing them into a "stuff bag".

So, I do not think backdrop storage spawned the origination of the term "stuff bag".

Enjoy! Lon (practicing homebrew etymology for decades, often without any underlying factual basis)

PS - buy the way, smaller inexpensive nylon mesh laundry bags make dandy stuff bags for backdrops, they already have that nifty drawstring and you can get them in groovy colors.