1. A recording-material identifying apparatus comprising: an illuminating unit configured to illuminate a first surface of a recording material with light; an image-pickup unit configured to pick up, as an image, the light being emitted from the illuminating unit and being reflected by the first surface of the recording material; a pressing unit configured to press a second surface of the recording material, the second surface being opposite the first surface, wherein the pressing unit presses a first area of the second surface with a first force, and a second area, which is different from the first area, of the second surface with a second force, which is smaller than the first force, and a control unit configured to identify a type of the recording material based on an image of an area of the first surface corresponding to the second area of the second surface, the image being picked up by the image-pickup unit.