Getting Great Halloween Shots

Photographing excited (and constantly moving)costume-clad children at night can pose a few challenges, but getting great Halloween pictures can be a snap if you use a few simple techniques.

Use that Jack-o’-lantern! Jack-o’-lanterns can serve as great props as well as a creative light source for super-spooky shots. You can pose your children close to the jack-o’-lantern—either with the pumpkin below their faces or in a silhouette pose, and the light coming from inside will cast a soft and scary light on their faces.

Go for the Action: Go beyond the traditional ‘say cheese’ shot and snap pictures of your trick-or-treaters on the go! Consider photographing them from behind as the run down the sidewalk, fully costumed with treat bags in tow, or walking up the steps to a neighbor’s house. Have them act the part of their costumes and keep snapping!

To Flash or Not to Flash: Most trick-or-treaters try to hit the trail before dark, and using natural light as the sun goes down can yield some wonderfully warm Halloween images. Turn off your flash and use natural light to capture the rich colors of the costumes and painted faces. If possible, snap a few shots before the sun goes down; your Halloween photos will have contain a nice range of moods between the dusk and nighttime hours.

Nighttime Shots: The right flash can make all the difference when it comes to creating that perfect image. Most cameras have a flash that is effective somewhere between five and ten feet from the subject; just don’t stand too close or else you may find your picture looks too bright or overexposed. You’ll also want to set your camera to a ‘nighttime’ mode, and this will give you a slightly longer exposure time, which will help you when shooting in a low-light environment.