Carmon

There's a difference between taking so-so pictures and getting some eerily fantastic shots for Halloween photos. You should take the time to understand your camera, whether it's a film camera or digital one, and practice taking photographs during the day, in the evening with indoor lighting, and outside at night using your nighttime settings. Here are some additional tips to ensure that you capture a wonderful array of Halloween moments that will provide long-lasting Halloween memories.

1. Be Prepared With The Right Equipment

There are several things that you should have on hand to capture those perfect moments.

2. Overshoot The Scene or Subject

Sometimes we get lucky and capture a "perfect" picture on the first try. Usually, thought, that's not the case. Professional photographers will take several shots of one subject or scene in order to get the one great image that they want. You should do the same. Using a film camera can cost you a small fortune in developing all that film, so you may want to invest in a digital camera if you don't already have one.

3. Take Portrait Pictures and Spontanious Moments

Of course we all want the traditonal picture of our child in there favorite Halloween costume. However, don't just stop at staged pictures. Keep your camera handy for those spontanous moments, such as when they're carving a pumpkin or getting their Halloween makeup on. Those candid moments when they're not "posed" will often give you some of your best photos.

4. Use a Fast Setting or Fast Film

Try not to keep your use of the flash to a minimum. Instead, set the ISO on your digital camera to 200 to 400. For film cameras, purchase ASA 400 film for night shots.

5. Twilight Is Your Friend

Rather than trying to take Halloween pictures after it gets real dark, employ a trick of the trade used by photographers - shoot your pictures at twilight. This is a perfect time to get wonderful photos of jack-o-lanterns. Since you won't need a flash, the candle's glow inside the pumpkin will light the jack-o-lantern nicely, yet the background will appear dark. It's also a good time to get the spooky details of a Halloween decorated home without lighting the area up by having to use a flash.

6. Get Up Close and Personal

Too many of us stand back and take full body or scene photographs, which capture uninteresting scenery around the subject. Get up close and focus on a interesting feature of your subject, then pull back just enough to keep the person or the item in the full frame. It's okay to have whatever you're shooting off to the side as well if there's some great decor directly behind them and you want to capture a part of it.

7. Make Your Subject Come Alive

Instead of a posed and "smile" photograph, get your subject to act the part of their chosen costume. If they're a pirate, get them to act like a pirate and begin taking lots of pictures. You'll capture some wonderful candid moments in this way. And remember... go for closeups as well!

8. Get Level With Children

We're tall, kids are short... squat down to their level. You'll get much better shots in this way. If you're taking pictures looking down at your subject, it tends to distort the image.

9. Group Hug!

As we've all noticed, when trying to take a picture of a group of people, they all tend to spread out. Then comes the rearranging and trying to convince them to move in closer together. For perfect Halloween group shots, you need to get your subjects to move as close together as possible. Try the "group hug" command. Then they just need to turn and face you right where they're standing. No stepping back allowed! Move shorter people out in front or have tall people sit so you can clearly see everyone in the back row. Then move in very close to the group and slowly back up until the whole group fills your lens frame. Keep the background behind them to a minimum.

10. Spooky Lighting Effects

Add drama and spooky effects to your subjects or scenery with interesting lighting effects. Have someone hold a camera light under their chin about chest level to capture a ghoulish glowing face. Use spotlights to create interesting shadows on walls or behind scenery. Put extra candles in your pumpkins to really make them stand out. However, never use a backlight on your subjects as it makes them hard to see and floods the background of the photo with unwanted light.

Being prepared is the main key to taking those memorable Halloween pictures. Remember to keep your camera nearby at all times, even when heading out for the evening. You never know when you'll drive by that Halloween decorated house that makes you say "awesome!"

(c) 2006. Rose Smith. It's Halloween fun for all ages! Halloween party ideas, unique costume and decorating suggestions, games, graphics, crafts and more. Come visit us at: http://www.halloweenhowl.com/