Trick or Treat – Tips for Jack-O-Lantern Photos!

October 26, 2009 | By admin In Taking Great Photos |

The scary night is almost upon us. The night when frightening creatures roam the neighborhood looking for treats and threatening tricks! It is also the night when kids look so absolutely darling you just have to take some pictures of them! But what makes the perfect Halloween photo?

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Anyone can pick up a camera and take some pictures of kids in costume or the jack o lantern. But with a few tips and tricks you can take your Halloween photos to the next level!

Jack-o-Lanterns: After all the time you spend picking out the perfect pumpkin and then carving it into a scary creature – you want a picture that does it justice, right? It only takes a few little tricks to create the perfect Jack-o-Lantern photo:

: Image via Wikipedia

Flash? – You don’t want to use your flash when taking a photo of a lit jack-o-lantern. You want the lighting to be dramatic and almost scary! So use indirect lighting like candles or a fire in the fireplace to give it a creepy, flickery look.
Add light from the inside! Make sure your pumpkin’s features really show up by putting at least 3 candles inside. This will create a great glow that will really stand out in photos!
Shoot at dusk – If you want pictures of your jack-o-lanterns outside, take the pictures at dusk before the sun has really set. The sky will be a dark purple that will vamp up the spook effect! Plus, you will have more light for your photo.
Setting – don’t take your photos in the same location every year. Switch it up! Put your Jack-o-Lantern next to a bare shrub or a wooden fence. NOTE: Make sure you use artificial light in your Jack-o-Lantern when shooting around leaves, wood, etc.
Use a tripod – any time you are shooting in low light, you should always use a tripod. Use the self timer or a remote shutter for wiggle free shots.
Adjust your aperture – If you have a DSLR, make sure you increase your aperture to let more light into the lens (larger aperture=smaller f stop number). If you don’t have a DSLR, use an automatic setting like ‘sunset’. If you don’t have automatic settings, just make sure you use a tripod and turn off the flash!

It is fun to have great Halloween photos to enjoy later. Next time – cute trick or treat photos!