My first studio backdrop. Need help!

So I purchased the Impact Varipoles and a Savage Thunder Grey seamless backdrop and finally got around to setting it up last night. I'm super impressed with everything so far, BUT, I have one question! In the photo below, you can see that I have pinched 4 clamps onto the end of the roll to weigh it down/keep it straight. when rolling the background down, alone, it gets difficult once it touches the ground to pull it out across the floor with out crinkling the paper. I'm hoping that there something that exists to assist with this. What I have in mind is 2 pieces of thin material, perhaps 9ft long x 1" x 1/4". The idea would be to sandwich the end of the roll between the material and fasten them together, 'pinching' the backdrop and adding weight and a rigid edge to grab and pull down on.

Does something like this exist? Did I lose anyone with my terrible description? :P

Links please and thanks in advance!

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anyone??

I like your shelves to the right.

other than that I can't help ya, sorry.

You have the right idea. Wood strips from Home Depot or some place like that. Use the clamps you already have to hold the 2 strips in place with the paper sandwiched in between.
When you pull the paper out, pull it straight out, then let it lower to floor. Walk back first, then walk forward to let the paper gracefully settle on the floor

Looking at your photo I would reverse the roll on the rod. Have the paper come off the back (closest to the wall) so you don't have go against the natural curve of the paper. At least that's what I can glean from the photo.

Ryan: To directly answer your question, yes. Manfrotto make a 2 section background paper counterweight http://www.manfrotto.c​o.uk …round-paper-counterweight which basically you wrap the end of your paper round and clip under the 'C' section cover.

Two other points of which you may not be aware.

1. As 'flowrider' mentions, the paper is back-to-front. Despite appearances (sometimes) there is definitly a front and a back to rolls of paper. The side intended to be used is on the inside of the curl. Hence, you've got it set up a*se about face.
   
2. There is a tensioning device built into the 'Expan' roll holders so that you can adjust the tension and stop the paper unrollng by itself. As below (at least, that's how the original Expan is designed, clones etc may vary).
   

flowrider wrote in post #16695384
Looking at your photo I would reverse the roll on the rod. Have the paper come off the back (closest to the wall) so you don't have go against the natural curve of the paper. At least that's what I can glean from the photo.

good catch, and agreed.

i usually roll out enough to cover the floor at one time, allowing it to roll back up on itself when it hits the floor, lock the roll down and then roll out the length remaining on the floor.

Edit to add, I have a stick that I use to help unroll the stuff on the floor but I just drop it in and start unrolling. Doesn't have to be the full width of the paper. After it unrolls I leave it at the end of the roll while I secure the rest of the paper.

Ahahaha. Oh man, thanks you guys. Can't believe I had it backwards. Despite the whoops, I ha a chance to take a test shot of my brother last night and am happy with the results despite my backwards roll, hehe. Lemme know what you think! Just one light in a large softbox. Will add more lights as I learn.

Looks good. Are you using a speedlight in the box?

i'd put the light up a bit higher. Also the positioning of the shadow on the background kinda bugs me, either pull the subject off the background a bit or push him back towards it. Another way to accomplish the same thing is to skew the angle you are shooting towards the backdrop. For example, rotate camera, subject and light to the right, and the shadow will move left, and vice versa.

hes gone wrote in post #16696129
=he's gone;16696129]Looks good. Are you using a speedlight in the box?

i'd put the light up a bit higher. Also the positioning of the shadow on the background kinda bugs me, either pull the subject off the background a bit or push him back towards it. Another way to accomplish the same thing is to skew the angle you are shooting towards the backdrop. For example, rotate camera, subject and light to the right, and the shadow will move left, and vice versa.

No speed light. It's a an elinchrom ranger on the lowest possible power setting. I wish it went lower actually. it's being fired through a photoflex 3' x 4' softbox. I still have to move stuff around and need to setup a proper subfloor so that I have more room to pull my subject away from the background. I'd eventually like to get a couple strip boxes and setup a separation and background light. Baby steps... a light meter is on the wish list too!

nice selection of moustaches on the fridge!

Aressem wrote in post #16696289
It's a an elinchrom ranger on the lowest possible power setting. I wish it went lower actually.

They go pretty low when on channel B. Only reason I need it lower is when using with ambient, then I'll through some ND gel on.

the manfotto paper end weight that was link work really well, but are a little tricky to put on, along with the cost being a little high.

windpig wrote in post #16696893
They go pretty low when on channel B. Only reason I need it lower is when using with ambient, then I'll through some ND gel on.

the manfotto paper end weight that was link work really well, but are a little tricky to put on, along with the cost being a little high.

Ya. Still not low enough, even on channel B at 1.5 (lowest power setting). I'm trying to shoot wide open with my Siggy 35. Settings were ISO 100, 1/250 (not that this matters) and f/1.8. Subject was hot. Had to stop down to f/2 to f/2.8.

Aressem wrote in post #16696977
Ya. Still not low enough, even on channel B at 1.5 (lowest power setting). I'm trying to shoot wide open with my Siggy 35. Settings were ISO 100, 1/250 (not that this matters) and f/1.8. Subject was hot. Had to stop down to f/2 to f/2.8.

Why shoot wide open against grey seemless? Shoot at f/8. The background is grey, you're not going to get better bokeh wide open.

As far as subject separation, you can do that with one light. If you feather the light across the subject so that the subject is in the front of the beam spread, the rear of the beam with hit the background on the opposite side of the subject. Just check my avatar, that was one light. Adding a reflector for fill will open up the shadows a bit as well.

If you pull them farther from the background you can use a smaller f-stop. I usually shoot at f/6.3 and higher as there's less need to blur out the background.