How To Take Great Halloween Photos : Buzz Off : Alpha Mom™

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How To Take Great Halloween Photos

Published 10.16.2007 | Permanent Link | Comments (4)

I have had varying degrees of luck getting halloween photos of the kids in the past. Usually the evening passes in a blur resulting in shots like this picture of my wound up little devil.

I thought it might be worth while, now that we're exactly half way (!) to halloween to share some Halloween photography tips. My favorite photography newsletter, Photo JoJo published this list of tips last year and surprisingly they're still relevant today!

I think the most important tip they offer is to get your little goblins outside in costume before the sun sets when you'll still have enough natural light to get shots without the flash to wash out their small faces. As they put it, "The rich, dark colors characteristic of Halloween are essential in setting a spooky mood, so make sure your flash doesn’t overpower them."

They also suggest using some lighting tricks to get spooky effects from your photos. Try holding a flashlight up at the subjects face to get that 'Telling A Ghost Story' effect in your shots. Using the glow of your pumpkin (lit up with safer flashlights rather than candles) to light your subject will also make for a lovely shot.

Kodak also has a great 10 item list of things to think about and do to get great Halloween pictures. Some of these tips are general rules for photographing children, like 'Get Close'. But I love their idea to tell a story with your pictures, showing the entire transformation of your kid into whatever character (hopefully non-licensed) they've picked this year.

I also love their idea of using natural light at dusk to create moody (and spooky) silhouettes. Finally, using a long exposure setting, Kodak shows you how to make a double exposed photograph which looks like a ghost photo. Use this method to show my kids a picture of a 'real' ghost and I will never forgive you. Ever.

Comments (4):

Melanie said:

One additional tip that's worked for me (especially with small children): put them in front of a mirror. Just stand behind them and at an angle (so that your reflection is not in the shot) and shoot their priceless expressions as they check themselves out in costume.

Here's an example from last year:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/melanief/291947130/in/set-72157594365828911/

Posted on October 16, 2007 19:03

MelissaS said:

Oh! I love that idea. So cute!

Posted on October 18, 2007 10:53

SAHMmy Says said:

Thanks for the tips! Last year I took 200 photos and got maybe 3 good shots. Why are licensed costumes bad?

Posted on October 19, 2007 11:26

melissaS said:

I just like costumes which don't rely on television characters, I like it when my kids are a little more creative. It's just a personal preference.

Posted on October 30, 2007 09:52

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Melissa Summers was one of five Melissa's throughout her schooling, in her everyday life she is the only Melissa who folds laundry. The name Melissa is derived from the Greek word for Honeybee. The Buzz Off is published weekly on Tuesdays. She writes almost nearly everyday at Suburban Bliss.

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