Photographer
Gibson Photo Art
Posts: 7990
Phoenix, Arizona, US
I'm having the hardest time when using seamless paper looking good throughout a shoot. I have tried mats and wet to dry towels but they get bad fast. Any ideas?
What about using plexiglas? I have never tried it so any tips?
Photographer
BlindMike
Posts: 9594
San Francisco, California, US
Plexiglass helps if it's the look you're looking for, but treat paper as a consumable. It's going to wear out regardless.
Photographer
Yuriy
Posts: 1000
Gillette, New Jersey, US
BlindMike wrote:
Plexiglass helps if it's the look you're looking for, but treat paper as a consumable. It's going to wear out regardless. ^^^
Basically, buy paper in the bigger rolls if you do shoots that are hard on the paper.
What problems are you having with the paper; foot prints (i.e. dirty shoes), tears (i.e. soft floors), wrinkles (i.e. moisture, un-uniform unrolling, etc.)?
Photographer
Gibson Photo Art
Posts: 7990
Phoenix, Arizona, US
Yuriy wrote:
^^^
Basically, buy paper in the bigger rolls if you do shoots that are hard on the paper.
What problems are you having with the paper; foot prints (i.e. dirty shoes), tears (i.e. soft floors), wrinkles (i.e. moisture, un-uniform unrolling, etc.)? Foot prints and wrinkles.
Photographer
Yuriy
Posts: 1000
Gillette, New Jersey, US
ADGibson wrote:
Foot prints and wrinkles. Wrinkles - Get hardwood flooring!
Foot prints â Have the model wash his or her feet!!!
That was half a joke. But really the best you can hope for is to have a piece of paper (that is being stood on) to be clean for 2-3 sessions, and thatâs with light use. If you have long lasting sessions where the model spends hours on the paper you better prepare to throw a fair amount away.
One solution I know some photographers use is using small scraps of carpeting and Plexiglas which the model steps on when walking to his/her position on the paper (to keep from messing it up before getting into position).
Describe your usual shoot (that has you burning through paper) and Iâll reply with some more tips tomorrow (Iâm pretty sure I wonât be the only one).
Good night,
Yuriy âDâ
Wardrobe Stylist
stylist man
Posts: 34382
New York, New York, US
To expand on what Yurly stated,
Rip off sheets of the paper to make strip paper planks so to speak to walk on while getting set up.
Extra socks(make people or at least the assistants wear them until you are ready-ready to shoot or in between shots, washing the bottom of the shoes/feet, keeping a clean studio in general and not letting the models walk around in the mess of the studio can help.
plexiglass is fine but often will not give you the look you want.
That still needs to be cleaned and care needs to be taken not to scratch it up too much.
Photographer
Gibson Photo Art
Posts: 7990
Phoenix, Arizona, US
Yuriy wrote:
Wrinkles - Get hardwood flooring!
Foot prints â Have the model wash his or her feet!!!
That was half a joke. But really the best you can hope for is to have a piece of paper (that is being stood on) to be clean for 2-3 sessions, and thatâs with light use. If you have long lasting sessions where the model spends hours on the paper you better prepare to throw a fair amount away.
One solution I know some photographers use is using small scraps of carpeting and Plexiglas which the model steps on when walking to his/her position on the paper (to keep from messing it up before getting into position).
Describe your usual shoot (that has you burning through paper) and Iâll reply with some more tips tomorrow (Iâm pretty sure I wonât be the only one).
Good night,
Yuriy âDâ I'm actually shooting on concrete floor so I'm pretty sure it's not that. I would call them more "waves" than wrinkles.
The footprints are certainly a real problem. I think the only way to make it easier is to wipe down the shoes before they step on the paper. I have use a towel like a door mat but after 3 hours it doesn't seem to help. I was thinking there might be a "industry secret" that I might be missing out on. I guess experimentation is a better way to go. Plus bigger rolls of paper.
Photographer
Vector 38
Posts: 8296
Austin, Texas, US
ADGibson wrote:
having the hardest time when using seamless paper looking good throughout a shoot (...) What about using plexiglas? considering the price for a good-size roll of seamless, it's better to just tear off the dirty part & unroll onto a new, pristine section ...
... whereas plexiglass too can scuff. and for my best work i found i had to keep a nice sized (read: large) piece of it around the studio. not always feasible for many.
F
Photographer
BlindMike
Posts: 9594
San Francisco, California, US
ADGibson wrote:
I'm actually shooting on concrete floor so I'm pretty sure it's not that. I would call them more "waves" than wrinkles.
The footprints are certainly a real problem. I think the only way to make it easier is to wipe down the shoes before they step on the paper. I have use a towel like a door mat but after 3 hours it doesn't seem to help. I was thinking there might be a "industry secret" that I might be missing out on. I guess experimentation is a better way to go. Plus bigger rolls of paper. Plywood underneath. Get it as flat as possible.
Photographer
Ray Cornett
Posts: 9207
Sacramento, California, US
Isn` t there a reason it is made of paper and on rolls?
Photographer
Yuriy
Posts: 1000
Gillette, New Jersey, US
ADGibson wrote:
...
I have use a towel like a door mat but after 3 hours it doesn't seem to help. I was thinking there might be a "industry secret" that I might be missing out on. I guess experimentation is a better way to go. Plus bigger rolls of paper. My secret is to have everyone (including myself) wear socks unless I have to shoot full body shots, lol. 
Photographer
Tog
Posts: 55204
Birmingham, Alabama, US
Photoshopping footprints is becoming my #1 time consumer.. Love having a larger space.. Hate the fact that it sucks in dust like a dust buster with a black hole inside..
I've named my studio Sooty Foot because of it..
Photographer
Le Beck Photography
Posts: 4114
Los Angeles, California, US
ADGibson wrote:
I'm having the hardest time when using seamless paper looking good throughout a shoot. I have tried mats and wet to dry towels but they get bad fast. Any ideas?
What about using plexiglas? I have never tried it so any tips? Use plastic hairnets on the feet. Just like the booties we use in the Operating Room when we have to photograph a procedure, but cheaper and easier to get. It's gonna get dirty but you can minimise.
![https://www.hairnet1.com/images/plastic_showercap.jpg]()
Or these:
http://www.twinsupply.com/safety/catalog20_0.html
![https://www.twinsupply.com/safetypics/BPD3-XL-5.jpg]()
Model
Lapis
Posts: 8424
Chicago, Illinois, US
Le Beck Photography wrote:
Use plastic hairnets on the feet. Just like the booties we use in the Operating Room when we have to photograph a procedure, but cheaper and easier to get. It's gonna get dirty but you can minimise.
![https://www.hairnet1.com/images/plastic_showercap.jpg]()
Or these:
http://www.twinsupply.com/safety/catalog20_0.html
![https://www.twinsupply.com/safetypics/BPD3-XL-5.jpg]() These look hawt as hell in full body nude shoots.....
Photographer
Tog
Posts: 55204
Birmingham, Alabama, US
![https://mk23.image.pbase.com/o6/66/672266/1/70671177.dm7cJb35.Stacy11222006095.jpg]() Freakin footprints EVERYWHERE!
Model
Lapis
Posts: 8424
Chicago, Illinois, US
LMAO. I believe it. maybe we need maids to keep our floors clean so our seemless will be cleaner....my wood floors are just hell dirty no matter what, so even if the model is walking around in slippers off set, it just doesn't matter.
Photographer
Leonard Gee Photography
Posts: 18096
Sacramento, California, US
Concrete floors aren't smooth and don't have any give. A clean, smooth piece of wood is better and has give. The paper shows off every grain of grit & sand as well as the cracks on concrete.
Standard assistant's job - tape the bottom of the model's shoes. If you wipe the shoes, the slightest moisture on the bottoms messes up the paper and the bottoms have sharp things embedded in it. Others walking on to the paper take off shoes and wear socks only, putting shose back on when walking off - otherwise you track grit on the socks back on to the paper next time.
Photographer
DigitalNoise Photo
Posts: 193
Sacramento, California, US
W.G. Rowland wrote:
![https://mk23.image.pbase.com/o6/66/672266/1/70671177.dm7cJb35.Stacy11222006095.jpg]()
Freakin footprints EVERYWHERE! I'm sorry, off topic i know, but that's just awesome, adorable, and hot all at once. Great shot! 
Photographer
Mark Anderson
Posts: 2472
Atlanta, Georgia, US
I recently saw a "mat" that has replaceable inserts - I think it was at Calumet Photo. The idea is that the model walks over the mat and it pulls off all the stuff on the shoes or feet. But it's expensive and mainly made to keep a cyc clean. My solution was to figure out the cost of the seamless, figure how long they last, then charge the cost within my pricing structure - just like electric, insurance, depreciation, etc.
Photographer
ward
Posts: 6142
Toronto, Ontario, Canada
ADGibson wrote:
I'm having the hardest time when using seamless paper looking good throughout a shoot. I have tried mats and wet to dry towels but they get bad fast. Any ideas?
What about using plexiglas? I have never tried it so any tips? 1/8 inch white sheet of plexiglass. If you get the thin 1/8 plexiglass, you can also shoot light through it as you would a light table. So, it can serve a dual purpose. I buy it in 4x4 sheets and use them on the floor for the model to stand on. It also makes for a great clean white look, without ruining an $80 roll of seamless.
Photographer
Darkroomist
Posts: 2097
Saginaw, Michigan, US
If it's white seamless, go to HomeDespot and get a 4'x8' sheet of "Thrifty White" paneling, should run you about $10. Footprints can easily be delt with using a swiffer. Considerably more durable than paper, but not impossible to scratch and much cheaper than plexi.
Photographer
Gibson Photo Art
Posts: 7990
Phoenix, Arizona, US
W.G. Rowland wrote:
Photoshopping footprints is becoming my #1 time consumer.. That's the issue I have been having as well. I was hoping to minimize that issue.
Dammit! I want a magic bullet!
Photographer
Yuriy
Posts: 1000
Gillette, New Jersey, US
ADGibson wrote:
...
Dammit! I want a magic bullet! I have a few cases of glow in the dark developer here. I can send it by courier on a charter flight as soon as you want itâ¦
Haha
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