5 Tips for Creative Halloween Photography

Getting creative photography out of a ghoulish holiday like Halloween is as easy as following a few simple tricks and guidelines.   But first…

Start with the right settings

Halloween at night can be a little tricky on your camera.  If you’re on a point and shoot camera look for your “scene” settings and use the “night setting”.  Just remember that you’ll want to brace yourself and your camera as often as possible as this setting increases your ISO and uses a longer shutter speed.

If you’re using a DSLR adjust your camera for night time photography by upping the ISO and using a longer shutter speed.  Bringing along a flash helps tremendously.  Try dragging the shutter for better exposures, just remember to keep that camera steady!

Party pics at Halloween can be great, but remember that there’s more to Halloween than trick or treating and bad costumes.  It’s about ambiance and mood.  Getting creative with your photography means opening your mind to looking at it from different perspectives.

TIP #1 – Go Hollywood

Some of our best memories of Halloween involve things that go bump in the night.  We can thank Hollywood for that.   So if you’re buddies are all vintage with their costumes, use vintage plugins and filters, or better yet real expired film!  It’ll really add to the mood.

Tip #2 – Let Nature be Your Guide

Yes, Halloween can be all about fake blood, face paint, and wigs, but don’t forget that nature provides creepy crawlies year round.  And nature can be a stunning thing to behold.

Tip #3 – Eerie Camera Tricks

Great spooky backdrop…check.

Old wedding dress…check.

Willing model….check.

Camera set to high shutter speed…check.

Tip #4 – Kids Can Be Scary

Some great Halloween makeup and a little selective de-saturation in Photoshop can make a big impact.  Reminds me of those Children of the Corn movies.  Scary.

Tip #5 – Kids Can Be Cute Too

Halloween is a great time to capture kids in their costumes.  Plus you can use them against them later in life, like on their first dates!  Use natural light from a window if available and try to avoid shooting down on them.

Photographs:

someone said his name is jason by pretty life photography

Just like diamonds… by Wayne’s World 7

ghost train by Jesse Draper

Free Goth Baby Belladonna Creative Commons by Pink Sherbert Photography

Who dressed YOU? by juhansonin

Popularity: 3% [?]

Related posts:

1. Weekend Perusing: Happy Halloween 2008
2. Finding the Right Creative Exposure
3. Basic Tips for Photographing the Stars
4. 5 Tips for Photographing Children
5. What is Shutter Speed?