Halloween is one of my favorite times to get creative with photography! Between the spooky costumes, dramatic lighting, and kids getting to pretend they're someone (or something!) completely different, there are so many opportunities to capture some seriously fun photos. And here's the best part: You don't need a fancy camera to create some Halloween magic! Your phone will do just fine. Before your ghosts, goblins, superheroes, and princesses head out to collect their candy, grab your camera and try a few of these fun photography tricks!
1. Get LOW for Those Little Monsters!
One of my favorite photography tips is to change your perspective! When photographing smaller kiddos, get down to their level. And I mean REALLY get down there! Squat, kneel, sit, or even lie on your belly. Photographing from their eye level helps capture their expressions and makes their costumes feel larger than life.
Try this: Have your little superhero stand tall with their hands on their hips while you photograph them from a low angle. Suddenly, that three-foot-tall superhero looks ready to save the world! And don't be afraid to shoot upward a little. It's amazing how powerful a tiny vampire can look when photographed from below!
2. Don't Cut Off the Costume!
Parents, I know those adorable little faces are hard to resist, but don't forget about the rest of the costume! Those sparkly shoes, dinosaur tails, elaborate capes, and handmade accessories deserve their moment in the spotlight, too. Start by stepping back and taking a full-length portrait that shows the entire costume from head to toe. Then move closer and capture the details. Maybe it's the glittery makeup, the tiny vampire fangs, or that homemade cardboard robot your kiddo spent weeks creating.
Photography tip: Hold your phone vertically for full-length portraits, and leave a little breathing room around the costume. Watch those edges so you don't accidentally chop off a witch's hat or the tip of a sword! Years from now, those little details will be part of the story you'll want to remember.
3. Play with Perspective (Especially with Teens!)
Got a teenager who isn't exactly thrilled about posing for costume photos? Time to get a little weird with your camera angles! One of my favorite tricks is forced perspective. It's a photography technique that makes objects or people appear much larger or smaller than they actually are.
Try the Giant Monster Stomp!
Place your camera low to the ground and have your teenager stand close to it. Ask them to lift one foot toward the camera like they're about to stomp on you! With their shoe close to the lens and their body farther away, they'll look like a giant monster taking over the neighborhood. You can also try having them reach toward the camera with creepy hands, loom over the lens, or pretend they're grabbing a tiny person in the distance. The sillier, the better!
Photography tip: Use your phone's wide-angle lens if you have one. It exaggerates the size of things closest to the camera, making those monster feet and creepy hands look even bigger! Just keep the camera out of the actual stomping zone. We want scary photos, not scary repair bills!
4. Get CREEPY with the Lighting!
Now we're talking about one of my favorite photography subjects: LIGHTING! Halloween is the perfect excuse to experiment with lighting that might look a little unusual in everyday portraits. Normally, we try to create flattering light on people's faces. But on Halloween? Bring on the shadows! Here are a few fun lighting tricks to try:
- Monster Lighting: Hold a flashlight below your kiddo's face and aim it upward. This creates those classic creepy shadows you see when someone tells ghost stories around a campfire.
- Mysterious Side Lighting: Place a flashlight off to one side of their face. One side will be illuminated while the other falls into shadow. Perfect for vampires, villains, and mysterious characters!
- Spooky Silhouettes: Have your child stand in front of a brightly lit doorway at dusk. Expose for the bright background so their costume becomes a dark silhouette.
- Colorful Creepy Lighting: Try using colored LED lights or shining a flashlight through a piece of colored translucent plastic. Green, purple, orange, and red can create some fantastic Halloween effects.
Photography tip: Turn OFF your camera's flash when experimenting with spooky lighting. That bright burst of light can wash away all those wonderful shadows you've worked to create. And remember, you don't need expensive lighting equipment. A flashlight, a porch light, or even the glow from a window can create some fantastic results!
5. Let Them Become Their Character!
Sometimes the best way to get a great photo is to stop asking kids to smile. Seriously! Instead, ask them to show you what their character would do. Is your kiddo dressed as a witch? Have them cast a spell! A vampire? Show me those fangs! A zombie? Let's see your creepiest zombie walk! A superhero? Strike your most powerful pose! A princess? Give me your royal wave!
Photography tip: Try taking several photos in a row while they're moving or acting out their character. You'll often capture the most natural and entertaining expressions between the poses. The goal isn't always a perfect smile. It's capturing their personality and the fun they're having!
6. Capture the Whole Halloween Story!
As a photographer, I love capturing the moments that tell a story. And Halloween has SO many of them! Sure, take the traditional costume portrait. But don't stop there. Photograph the excitement of getting ready, the careful application of face paint, the final costume adjustments, and that first peek into the candy bucket. Capture your kiddos walking down the sidewalk, knocking on doors, and running back to show you their latest candy treasures. And don't forget the grand finale: the candy inspection! You know the one. Every piece of candy gets dumped onto the floor, sorted, counted, and possibly negotiated with siblings.
Photography tip: Get a mixture of wide shots, close-ups, and candid moments. Together, those images tell a much richer story than a single posed portrait.
Someday, those little moments may be the photos you treasure the most.
7. Take Those Costume Photos BEFORE the Candy!
Here's a little advice from someone who's photographed a LOT of kiddos over the years. Take your costume portraits BEFORE trick-or-treating begins! Why?
Because costumes are still clean, makeup is fresh, accessories haven't disappeared, and nobody has chocolate smeared across their face. It's also a great opportunity to take advantage of the remaining daylight.
Photography tip: Try photographing your kids outdoors just before sunset. That soft evening light is beautiful for portraits, and as the sky gets darker, you can start experimenting with those spooky lighting techniques. Once the sun goes down, don't be afraid to embrace the Halloween atmosphere. Porch lights, glowing decorations, and colorful Halloween displays can make wonderful backgrounds. Just remember that low light makes it harder to freeze movement, so ask your little monsters to hold still for a moment when needed.
A Little Bonus Trick: Watch Your Background!
Before you snap that photo, take a quick look at what's happening BEHIND your kiddo. Is there a garbage can growing out of your witch's hat? A parked car distracting from your superhero's epic pose? Sometimes moving just a few feet to the left or right makes all the difference. Look for fun Halloween decorations, colorful leaves, pumpkins, fences, or interesting doorways to add to the story. And if you want a truly creepy look, try photographing your little monster with lots of dark, empty space around them. Sometimes what you don't see makes a photo even spookier!
Most Importantly… Have FUN!
Halloween is about imagination, creativity, and letting kids be whoever they want to be for a night. Your photos don't have to be perfect. In fact, some of my favorite images are the silly ones, the unexpected expressions, and the moments when everyone is laughing so hard they can barely stand still. So get down on the ground, play with your angles, experiment with the light, and let your kiddos have a little fun with their costumes. Because the best photographs aren't always the perfectly posed ones. They're the ones that bring back the memories, the laughter, and the magic of being a kid. Happy Halloween, and happy photographing!
