Thanks to this thread, I made my own light box!
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She double wraps themā¦ It is her signatureā¦
Howād ya get the bird to sit there long enough to take a pic?
I was laughing about the knots. Yeah, I figured Iād leave the strings on, especially in that way so people can tell my photos apart from others. I donāt want them to look like āstockā photos with the white background.
Oh snap Logi, that light box is nice and big too. That guy in the youtube video, when he made the light box, he cut all those strips of posterboard and glued them inside so the inside of the box is totally white. I think a better idea is to take some white duct tape (comes in all colors these day) and go around the edges on the inside (quicker). It will give you even more of a white background.
Also, Iām wondering if you tweaked it with the auto adjust in the Windows software on your computer, cause it gives the photo a little extra pop. I just open the photo in the Windows software and click the auto adjust button and it makes the colors pop a bit more. I was shocked to see you had a birdie sitting in there. That is so cool. He looks like he posed for the photo too. Heās a bird model. Great job, Iām glad someone else had fun with this. ;D Also, Iām going to follow up with the type of bulbs that worked best for me. I will post that soon. I found the right bulbs by watching even more Youtube videos. 
Tell us your setup Logi, what kind of camra, and if you used standard bulbs, florescent or so on. I hope you donāt mind, I put the birdie pic in the software to see how it would come out with clicking the auto adjust buttonā¦got this:
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I took some screen shots of how Iām tweaking the photos. I donāt play with contrast and cropping and all that, I just use that one auto adjust button. In the first screen shot is what I see when I double click photos to view them on my computer, standard Windows software pops up. Then, the second shot is zoomed in whatās on the top menu. I hit the āfixā button at the top. Then, a side menu bar opens up and I hit the āauto adjustā on the rightā¦then, done. It tends to clean up any issues with the background and make it āpopā a bit more. That is for those who donāt have Photoshop or any other software on their computers. You can use what you have already that comes with your computer. I love Photoshop, but have an old version that was loaded on an older computer, and I never put it on my current laptop.
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I used a nikon d70, three random desk lamps, and I guess the bird enjoyed being in a nice warm box. I used this Lightbox tut http://ohsheglows.com/2011/01/26/how-to-make-a-light-box/
Also edited them.
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Totalartist, you are such an inspiration to the rest of the forum members. Outstanding work on your yo-yo photography. I mean that sincerely, you have done such a wonderful job capturing your collection of return tops. And what an enviable collection it is! Your cache contains so many beautiful yo-yos I have never seen before and wish I had as I may have endeavored to pick up a few of those myself.
I confess I did not finish reading your entire post before I clicked on the link to view your pix. I was thinking as it was playing what a great choice you had made in including your double looped black string in the shots. Itās like your own esoteric signature on each photo. You know right away, āOh, these are part of Saraās collection.ā Keeping the string on gets my vote.
Thanks so much TA, you make the forums such a fun place to come and peruse about. 
Yah Iām surprised you not a forum expert you seem to give lots of good advice.
Awesome thread, thanks for sharing! I have been meaning to also start a thread with some yoyo photography tips. Using a light box with a good background is one of the keys to great photos.
Hereās the setup I used to use. Square Perfect SP200 lightbox with included lighting and stand (FYI, Iām selling this setup for $35 shipped, check my BST):
Iāve since upgraded to a solid one piece box with flourescent lighting.
Those look great Logi, thanks for sharing those! Wow Banjospins, Jason Wong and Abby, thanks for all the kind words. I have to thank my Bestie mgiroux77 for being patient with looking at all my photo mess ups and giving me his opinion in the PMs. He is the one who suggested that I start a thread for the photos, share with all of you, and get your help too. I say that, even though he likes looking at naked throws with no engraving and no string. Special thanks to himā¦always. Thanks to everyone posting in the thread (lopazopy too), as I am now happy with getting some great yo-yo photos, on a budget.
I often sell on Ebay, the BST, post photos in the forum, on Facebook and so on, so I think the small amount invested in this setup was well worth it. Iād like to thank jasonwongzero and Stickman for being the inspiration for the photography. All the beautiful photos they have posted encouraged me to step up my presentation, and create a better catalog of my collection too. I have to admit that I keep a case of about 12 mains, and I took their photo too, but they were played, and I just showed their best side in the photos. The yo-yos get a bit more love than it seems.
Also, to Jason, I bought a Square Perfect brand light tent too, so the brand is definitely worthy of recognition. I recommend that anyone looking for a setup take advantage of his deal, if they buy all that, the box, lights and stand for only $35 shipped, he is practically giving it away. That is a steal. If you guys have not jumped on itā¦I probably will.
Thanks again all you guys, and Iāll be experimenting with other items in the box, and Iāll let you know how it turns out. Iām having so much fun, that when I have a little extra money, Iāll buy a camera with the custom white balance, and new version of Photoshop software, but for now, you guys have helped me get great results with what I have.
Thanks againā¦and if anyone has some great photos to share with a similar setup, continue to post, Iād love to see them.
For a look at Jasonās photos (linked in his signature):
Quick question for Jason:
How do you photograph the yo-yo spinning in the box? The top of the box is not open, so how do you get to drop a spinning yo-yo down into the top of the box? Maybe Iām not thinking outside the box hereā¦no pun intended.
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Ahh! I donāt use that setup anymoreā¦ It would be awfully difficult to photo a spinning yoyo in the box without cutting the top.
Hereās a hasty photo of my āyoyo roomā. You can see the one piece solid photo box on the table. Itās open top, so I can drop spinning yoyos in right past the light. Itās still kinda awkward though because the reflector reaches out so far.
Wow, Jason thanks so much for sharing that. I think I will take that very first homemade box I made, and modify it with a hole in the top to get some photos of spinning yo-yos. I will set the timer on the camera, so I donāt have to worry about pushing the button on the camera. This will give me something new to try out. I donāt buy as many colorway yo-yos as solid colors, but I will have fun getting a few of them in action. Iāll post the results here soon. Great setup!
Try playing with the speed priority setting when you take spinning photos. Setting the shutter just right will get a really nice blur of color that preserves some of the splash pattern in the spin. Too fast of a shutter and you basically get a still photo of the yoyo, too slow and you get a solid, āfully blendedā, single color image.
Thanks Jason, Iām still experimenting as much as my camera will allow. So far, I think these are looking good, but Iām not getting them consistent just yet:
Chief (blizzard):
Genesis 2012 (black w/gold splash):
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BOOM! Those are looking great! Donāt know how such an off-axis throw (the Genesis) ended up looking so crisp, but thatās a great shot.
Wow! That Genesis looks amazing!! :o
Thanks Gregā¦and Shadowzā. Odd thing is, right now, Iām getting these shots āby accident.ā I have to figure out how to get the camera to focus just right at the moment I want it to. Iām just snapping away, and hoping to get some good shots in the mix. I liked those three best, of all the ones I took today.
As a minor suggestion, I would boost the ISO (youāre shooting at 64, which is really low) and move the light sources back toward the camera so there is more light in front. Eventually you may also want to get more into editing and learn that auto-level is never right. As far as software goes, Paint.NET is a good piece of software if you are running Windows and darktable is an amazing opensource alternative to Adobe Lightroom for OS X and Linux.
I think weāre revisiting lighting issues because I went back to the old box, just so I could cut the top out to drop the yo-yo in. That box does not allow you to push the yo-yo too far back, so the light is too close up. Iām going to make another box altogether to put the spinning yo-yos in. Iāll get rid of that box soon.
I wanted to get some good pictures without investing too much time and money. Iām tempted to get deeper into the editing, but I think Iāll take baby steps to get there. Paint.net and darktable sound interesting, and Iāve never heard of them, but I will look them up. I will play with the ISO too. Thanks for the suggestions.
Photography is another hobby of mine, and itās not a cheap one. The combination of a camera that can shoot RAW and editing software that can process it (I use Lightroom, but itās not the only one!) can set you back a bit of $. Then if you get a DSLR as the camera, you get interested in lenses. Then flashes. Then lightboxes and backdrops, etc etc etcā¦
Itās easy to get sucked into it (like all fun pursuits)! If you have room in your life for another hobby and expense, it sure is a good one, though. Iāve taken great photos of my kids and vacations ever since I became keen and got my Canon T3i.
With the minimal equipment youāve purchased thus far, I think youāve achieved incredible and very professional-looking results. No need to go wacky with gear the way some of us knuckleheads do. 
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