5 Scarily Good Tips for Taking Photos this Halloween

The long, dark nights have begun to set in by the time Halloween rolls around at the end of October. For photographers, capturing images in low light conditions can be frightening but with these tips and tricks (or treats) you will be able to up your spooktacular photography game and take some great shots.

1. Make the Aperture wider (small f-stop number)

Having a wider aperture is better for taking photos in low light without having to use the flash, as it will allow additional light to enter your camera.

2. Increase the ISO Value (800, 1600 or higher)

The higher the ISO number, the more sensitive the camera is to the light. This will aid you in low light situations when you need the camera to capture more light for a better exposed photo.

The right aperture and ISO settings will allow your photos to be less noisy, even when shooting in the dark.

3. Turn On White Balance

White balance is a setting on your camera that controls how colours are captured in certain lights. With this setting, you could make a warm photo a lot cooler. This will give your photos a perfectly creepy Halloween feel.

4. Slow Down the Shutter Speed

If photographing people, try slowing down your shutter speed to make them appear ghostly. Here’s how to achieve this:

1. Use a tripod, or something to prop your camera up with, to reduce camera shake.
2. Set the shutter speed to between 8 and 10 seconds.
3. Have your subject stand still in the middle of the frame for at least 2 seconds.
4. Then your subject must move away out of the frame quickly.
5. Play around with the amount of time they stay still for until you get your desired effect.

Top Tip: Why not try wearing ghost-like clothing to add to the effect!

5. Use Props and Backdrops

Use any decorations you already have as props for a photoshoot; pumpkins work well and a white sheet would make an excellent ghost outfit. Decorated houses ready to welcome trick or treaters is another great subject. There is no need to buy anything! Just increase the aperture and ISO values, activate the white balance and your subject will be captured in the spooky spirit of Halloween.

Finally, here are some Halloween photo prompts:

1. Decorations
2. Pumpkin-carving and the results
3. People in costumes
4. Trick or treating
5. Apple bobbing
6. Halloween food and bakes

With our technical advice and creative direction, we hope you feel able to take some fantastic photos this Halloween. Your Halloween could become even more frightening (not in a good way!) if something were to happen to your camera; insure your camera equipment now to avoid this scary possibility. Happy snapping!