Fun Tips and Tricks To Elevate Your Halloween Photography !
Autumn is here, which means Halloween is just around the corner. What better way to celebrate the spooky holiday than with a creative Halloween photoshoot?
Halloween is about so much more than eating candy and putting on a scary costume. It’s a chance to get creative, spend time with friends and family, and have some fun. And we want to help you capture that fun this October.
In this article, we will look at a few fun Halloween photoshoot ideas to get the whole family involved and some essential tips about photographing Halloween.
Why Do a Halloween Photoshoot?
It’s not often that we get to dress up in life! It’s also not very often that we take time to be silly with family and friends, making Halloween a special time of year. You’ve carved the pumpkin, shopped for the candy, and set up the decorations. You probably spent hours getting your Halloween costume ready! Why not take advantage of the effort you put into making some spooky Halloween pictures?
But why settle for your average Halloween photo surrounded by pumpkins? When you can go all out to create eerie and inspiration-filled images.
You may wish to create a new fun family photo or to capture spooky Halloween pictures with friends. Either way, there are loads of ways you can take your Halloween
9 Halloween Photoshoot Ideas
Halloween is about so much more than silly props and giant pumpkins. These ideas are here to elevate your Halloween
1. Get Creative with Silhouettes
There’s nothing like a bit of mystery in Halloween photos! And what better way to emulate that than with chilling silhouette pictures? Shoot through a see-through piece of material with the light behind you to create a phantom-like Halloween photo.
Alternatively, you can have fun making some shadows on the wall. You might even want to get some puppets involved, like a cut-out haunted pumpkin. For this idea, you will need a harsh light like a flashlight or studio light. Grab some scissors and get creative!
2. Organise a Spooky Witch Photo Shoot
Make use of those beautiful autumn colours and live your best witch life. A witch costume is pretty simple to pull off. All you need is a long black witchy outfit and a pointed witch hat. Perhaps add some dark make-up and a couple of props. And voila, you are ready to cast your first spell in no time. This is an excellent idea if you have a group of friends to shoot with. If you are planning to take candles into the forest, make sure they are LED ones to prevent accidents while shooting.
3. Take Eerie Self-Portraits at Home
You may not even need to leave the house or invest in decorations to get creative Halloween pictures. There are several camera techniques you can use at home with yourself and a blank wall. For instance, try using a slow shutter speed to give your image a ghostly feel. Or bring in some basic props like a candle or jack o lantern. You could even play around and create silhouettes. There are loads of ways to get Halloween-style photos with little more than you and your camera.
If you’re looking to practice some creative self-portrait photos, we have all the tips! Take a look at our article on photographing self-portraits. We also have an epic self-portrait course designed to help you capture your best (or scariest) side. Take a look here.
4. A Halloween Photoshoot with a Baby & a Pumpkin
The great thing about Halloween is that it’s a holiday that the whole family can enjoy. And if you have a baby, there are loads of cute Halloween
If that sounds too messy, let your kids play with a pumpkin in cool surroundings. The orange colour of the pumpkin will help your photos pop! You could take these photos either inside or outside in a Halloween setting. Either way, you will no doubt treasure these Halloween baby photos for years to come!
5. Take Part in the Hipster Ghost Trend
This year, a viral trend that overtook social media was a simple but effective idea of becoming a classic sheet ghost. People throw a white sheet over their heads. Then, they place themselves in unique and sometimes quirky situations. It’s one of the simplest of costumes, which can be either cute or creepy. It all depends on how you want your Halloween photos to look. We love the idea of incorporating props like pumpkins into these costumes, which are easy for the whole family.
6. Get Your Pets Involved For Your Halloween Photoshoot
If you don’t have a baby or kids to photograph, but you still want to take some cute Halloween pictures. Consider getting your furry friends involved in a themed photo. Dress your pets in something cute or creepy, and play around with some different Halloween photoshoot ideas.
7. Head on a Platter
It’s a classic but impressive trick that is bound to impress everyone this Halloween! This photo takes a little bit of organisation, but the results are worth the effort. Find a cardboard box and cut a neck-shaped section out of one side. Do the same with a paper plate. Place a piece of material like a tablecloth around the hole. Set it with some LED candles and props. Then, get someone to stick their head in the neck hole while the bottom of the box covers their body. These pictures will definitely impress.
8. Set Up a Spooky Still Life Photo
If you’re looking to photograph the Halloween spirit, you may not even need people in your shots. Put together some exciting props, dull the light, carve a pumpkin, and let your jack-o-lanterns glow! There are loads of ideas within this shot that you can play around with. For instance, you may wish to pick a specific theme for your Halloween still life photo.
9. Document Your Halloween Day
One of the simplest
Tips for Shooting Halloween Photography
There are many ways you can make your Halloween photos really stand out. Here are a few of our favorite tips for unique images.
Think About Your Background For Your Halloween Photoshoot
There is no point in having next-level, super scary costumes if the background of your photos doesn’t match! Try to organise your shoot to be in a spooky-looking location. For example, in front of a run-down house or an overgrown backyard. Even a dimly lit room will do. Try to think about Halloween decorations that might match your costume. There are so many ideas besides the generic pumpkins and spiders.
Think About Lighting & Weather
As you probably know, lighting makes a huge difference to the mood of your images. If you’re trying to get a scary shot, you won’t want to be shooting in the bright and warm colours of the golden hour. Here are a few lighting ideas to help create a Halloween atmosphere.
- Find a dimly lit room with specs of light coming through for a ghostly feel.
- Consider shooting in the blue hour for cooler tones.
- Shining light from below creates harsh, scary shadows.
- Low key lighting creates a dramatic contrast between the subject and the background. A simple way to do this is to use natural light like that coming from a window.
Don’t be afraid of getting creative with the light for your Halloween shots.
If your ideas are outside, the weather should also come into consideration. A grey and stormy day would be perfect for some darker Halloween shots. A little bit of wind would also be helpful to get some movement in the dress and hair.
Invest in Some Creative Lighting
Think about the scene you are trying to create with your Halloween pictures and invest in the lighting to match it.
For example, if you are going for a zombie post-apocalypse look, you might want dimly lit, grey-coloured lighting to create a ‘sick’ portrait. These lightweight lights can change colour to suit all your photography ideas. This makes them a great investment, no matter what you plan on capturing. You may even want to try sticking them inside a carved pumpkin to make jack-o-lanterns extra fun.
If however, you are going for something with a bit more impact, you might consider using a flash. A flash can create good harsh lighting with lots of contrast.
Take Inspiration From Your Favourite Scary Movie For Your Halloween Photoshoot
If you are stuck on creative ideas for Halloween, take a look at some of your favourite Halloween films for ideas. Then, make some intense cinematic-style images. Not only is this a great way to find inspiration for your costume. But it’s a great idea for a Halloween photo too! Look at the scenery, costume, and lighting and try to recreate the same ambiance.
Use a Slow Shutter Speed
No matter where you have chosen to shoot or what your subject matter is. The use of motion blur is a great trick to add a ghostly effect to your images. This is easily achieved by using a slower shutter speed and having your subject move within the frame. Ideally, you should have your camera on a tripod so that it will be stable. This way, the rest of the image remains sharp and in focus while your subject flows through the photo like a phantom.
Tips For Editing Your Halloween Photos
Use Special Halloween Presets
We have launched a new collection of Halloween presets just in time for the special October holiday! These Halloween presets are designed to give your pictures an instantly spooky look. With the click of a button!
These presets automatically adjust things like lighting, colours, and saturation. So you don’t have to worry about getting those perfect cool tones.
Get X-Ray Vision
Give your images a scary X-ray look. You don’t need decorations for this one! Just start shooting and add the edits in post-production. You simply have to invert your photo in Photoshop and then change it to black and white. For a more detailed explanation, check out this video.
Desaturate Your Photos
You may notice that most Halloween pictures have a grey, desaturated look. This can be easily achieved by taking down the saturation of your image in Lightroom (or your chosen editing software). You may even want to use the selective colour tool in your editing software. This way, you can edit your photo so that some colours stand out more than others.
Add a Vignette to Your Halloween Pictures
To create an old-themed photo, a simple tip is to add a vignette to your image. This is an excellent tool for dark or moody scenes where you might be going for a bit of a Victorian Halloween look.
Play Around with Photoshop
Let your imagination run wild and create a fantasy-filled photo with Photoshop. Consider adding details like dust, scratches, or grain. These will give your Halloween photos an older feel. Creating a faux double exposure can give your image a ghostly feel. Or try playing around with textures and layers.
Conclusion – A Halloween Photoshoot is all about the Fun!
Halloween
Do you have any other ideas for awesome Halloween photos? Please let us know in the comments!
