1. Take Pictures of Events Leading up to Halloween
Make the most of the moments leading up to Halloween. Take pictures at the pumpkin patch of you and your family selecting the perfect pumpkin. Capture the fun and joy of the racing through the corn maze or taking a trip in a hayride. And don’t forget to get a photo of all the scared faces running out of the haunted house!
2. Take Pictures of Carved Pumpkins ASAP
Be sure to take photos of your pumpkin as soon as you carve it. Don’t wait because pumpkins can riot very quickly. Take photos during different times of the day to get a variety of looks. Find a subdued background like out in the grass or in front of a bush or tree. Take photos of the pumpkin during the day to get a detailed look. Take a picture at dusk with the candle lit inside, which will allow for a subtle glow. Finally, take a photo at night with a couple candles lit inside. This is the trickiest photo to get right. Taking this photo with the flash will wash-out the glow of the candle and taking the photo without flash only shows the glow but no pumpkin. The key is a blend of pumpkin and candle glow. Try lighting large candles behind and around the pumpkin. The back-lighting will show off the shape of the pumpkin and the candles around the pumpkin will show off the front details of the pumpkin. Do not use flash for this photo.
3. Take Pictures of Kids before Halloween
Young children can get anxious on Halloween. The last thing they want to do is take a million pictures before trick-or-treating. They want candy NOW! Pick a weekend before Halloween and dress up the kiddies in their costumes. This allows you to take as much time as you need getting the perfect shot. This also acts as a run-through; you can see how long it will take to get them dressed and you can practice putting on their makeup. When actual Halloween rolls-around, you won’t feel rushed trying to get the kids ready and take pictures before sending them out for candy.
4. Have a Great Background
Fall is an amazing background! If you live near the woods, use it to your full advantage. The colorful leaves will pop! If you don’t have the access to nature, create your own backdrop. You can glue old wallpaper or wrapping paper to a large piece of cardboard. From there, add Halloween decorations like plastic spiders and glitter pumpkin cut-outs. And because it’s flat you can easily store it for next year. Having your kids stand in front of the backdrop is more exciting than a blank wall.
5. Get Low
Get down to a kid’s level. Taking a photo from an adult’s height makes them appear small. Being on the same level makes the child look more proportionate and fill-up more of the frame. If they have a scary costume, having them look bigger will make them look more menacing.
6. Get Artsy
This is the best time to get artsy. Try black-and-white for the first time. Halloween is perfect for moody and creepy photos. Black-and-white can allow makeup to pop and to make an impact. You can also experiment with spooky lighting. When you are taking your pre-Halloween photos, take pictures at different times of the day. Take some during a sunset, some around dust and some in the dark with candles or use a flashlight for ambiance.
7. Prepare and have a Plan
Prepare for group shots. Getting a good picture of a group of children can be difficult. Have a game-plan ready to go. Choose the location ahead of time and set up the camera accordingly. Select one parent to take the photos while another parent arranges the group. Have each parent make a list of the shots they want: silly faces, serious faces, jumping up, etc. Then you can make sure everyone’s needs are met. You should also take multiple photos of the same pose; this way you can be sure one of the pictures will look good (there is always that one person who blinks).
8. Before and After Pictures
On Halloween take a before trick-or-treating and an after trick-or-treating picture. This makes a great side-by-side photo. Try having your little one laying on the floor and spread-out all their candy on the floor around them. You can also do a before makeup and after makeup picture or a series of pictures showing the transformation.
I hope these tips will help you have a fun and successful Halloween! Don’t be scared to leave a comment or question below!
Sources:
https://photography.thefuntimesguide.com/halloween-costume-photos/
https://www.nyip.edu/photo-articles/holidays/how-to-take-great-halloween-photos
https://digital-photography-school.com/halloween-photography-tips/
https://digital-photography-school.com/how-to-take-great-group-photos/
Images from Squijoo