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Of course, you will need your camera. You have to capture the wonderful moments associated with this holiday. Whether you have an expensive Olympus digital camera or just a little Kodak disposable, you can take an array of beautiful photos that will surely be treasured by loved ones for years to come. We’ve included some great tips for snapping to-die-for pictures with all the finesse of a pro photographer and some little secrets to keep that shutter button snapping all day long on October 31.
Pictures of You Favorite Trick or Treater
Your son looks darling in his Superman costume and your niece is just the cutest witch around. You’ve got your camera in hand. Now, how should you do this? Here are some suggestions for adding pizzazz to your pictures:
- Take pictures of your child both alone and with other kids or adults.
- Get down on a child’s level to take his or her picture.
- Add ambience to your pictures with a few props.
- Don’t forget your favorite pet at photo time.
- Take both posed shots and some candid photos.
- Allow yourself to be in the pictures.
First, take pictures of your son alone and then of your niece. Then, pose them together. Add a few props to your photos like a carved jack o’lantern or that spooky ghost that’s hanging on your front door. Have the kids stand on your porch surrounded by the beautiful mums that are decorating the step. Kneel down or sit at eye-level to get your little monsters to look even more frightening!
Snap photos in different locales so that you don’t have several of the same shots in front of your laundry room door. For example, take a few pics of the kids inside your home with the family dog or cat. Then, let the children stand outside in your garden or next to the scarecrow on the front lawn or sitting on the porch swing.
Another great idea is to take pictures with children – and adults, too – when they have their costume masks on, but snap a few photos with the mask off as well. Years from now, you’ll love looking at pictures of your four-year-old both in full skeleton regalia and also, without the scary mask.
You might be the photographer for the day but that doesn’t mean that you should always be posed behind the camera. Instead, hand off your picture snapper to another adult and allow him or her to take a few photos of you with the children.
In addition to the typical posed shots, snap a few candid photos. Let the kids examine the jack o’lantern on the front steps and snap away or grab a wonderful moment when the kids are giggling together. Those pictures of candid moments are sometimes more precious than the posed ones.
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Jack O’Lantern Tips
That carved pumpkin is truly a work of art and one that you hope you will have photos of forever. Show off that creative talent – both the carving techniques and the camera angles – by taking dynamic pictures of your work. Here are a few suggestions to take memorable photos of your jack o’lantern:
- Turn off all unnecessary lights.
- Turn off the flash on the camera.
- Use several candles within the pumpkin. Try lighting two or three candles and placing them inside the jack o’lantern.
- Take the picture outdoors at dusk rather than during bright sunlight hours or after it is completely dark.
- Consider the use of a tripod and set your film speed to 400.
When taking pictures of a jack o’lantern, think about illuminating the pumpkin from the inside and keep the outside lighting to a minimum. You will get better effects and nicer snapshots. Also, if you photograph your glowing creature outside at dusk when the sun is setting and the sky is just starting to darken, you will create the perfect touch for your picture with developing shadows.
A final suggestion for you to try when snapping some pictures of your pumpkin masterpiece is to mount your camera on a tripod to capture the maximum features. Also, you may want to set your camera to ISO 400 to ensure that you get a great snapshot in the dark when you don’t have your flash on.
A Few More Tips
You have gathered all of the neighborhood kids together to snap a few pictures that you hope will be mementos that their parents can always treasure. But lining them up doesn’t look right. How can you make these few shots less silly and more spectacular?
- Don’t pose a group in a straight line.
- Keep the camera away from the feet.
- Lighten the mood and let your subjects have fun.
- Snap lots and lots of pictures.
Photographing a group of people should be a fun experience, so don’t take a picture that makes the crowd look like they are having anything less than a wonderful time. If you have three people in a picture, position them into a triangle shape. For bigger crowds, let some in the group kneel down, some stand and perhaps even have a few sit. An uneven head line makes for a more interesting picture.
Since most people will spend a fortune for a great costume, only to wear it with their everyday, beat up sneakers, keep your camera focused from the knees up. You can certainly take a full figure picture, capturing the entire body (and costume) but you’ll have a nicer shot when the photo isn’t focused on the feet.
Allow the kids and adults to have fun. After all, this is a holiday dedicated to Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups and Kit Kats. Let the crowd enjoy themselves and you will have more relaxed shots.
Also, make sure to take lots of photos on Halloween. Don’t just snap one shot of each pose and expect all of your pictures to look dynamite. Instead, take a large number of pictures to ensure that you have some great ones.
Work It Like a Pro
Now that you know all the tips from the experts, don’t be surprised if you become the family photographer or the neighborhood pro picture taker. Your shots will become legendary from the perfectly placed props like pots of mums, scarecrows, and hay bales to the originality of the group pictures. Everyone will suspect that you are a photography wiz, but only you know will know the secret – this article.
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