Halloween photography ideas that involve creativity and fun will help you capture creepy and lovely moments. Whether you want to shoot a cute photo or an image to frighten the viewers to trembling knees, trying to add amusement and implement innovative approaches is the key to success.
Costumes, props, and appropriate location are not enough. To take really impressive pics, it is necessary to experiment with sophisticated photography techniques. Speaking about Halloween photoshoots, the bright makeup, light sources, and composition are crucial as well.
If you experimented with pumpkin head photoshoot last Halloween, why not become a ghost this time? The simplest way to become a ghost is to cover yourself with a white sheet. Besides, you’ll need to place yourself in some quirky situations to finish off your look. Such a simple costume will let you create either a creepy or cute appearance depending on your preferences.
A long black witchy outfit and a pointed witch hat are the props you’ll need to implement such an idea. Apply terrifying makeup and include several other props to complement the dark atmosphere.
This is an amazing best friend picture idea that can be implemented in such locations as forests, gardens, or parks. If you want to add a special touch to the atmosphere, include candles in your photo session. But choose the LED ones to make sure that no accident will happen.
To realize this creative photography idea, place a model against the background and expose for the background casting a shadow on a model. It would be a great idea to conduct such a photoshoot at the sunset, as it offers vibrant colors.
It is possible to achieve the same effect indoors in conditions where the background is better lit (which you’re exposing for) than the subject. You can easily create a phantom-like Halloween pic by shooting through a see-through piece of material with the light behind you.
This is one of the most interesting spooky photoshoot ideas, as it involves colored smoke bombs or smoke machines. Experiment with smoke bombs of different colors. Try blowing smoke into the background or focusing attention on a specific object. You can also add smoke to a pic at the photo-processing stage using free overlays.
Use Photoshop to implement even the bravest ideas and create a fabulous pic. Do not hesitate to add dust, scratches, or grain to add a special touch to your photo and create a vintage look. Adding flying objects, scary silhouettes, or gloomy birds to an image is a good thought as well.
Examine Photoshop tutorials on YouTube or, if you don't have time to learn the program, leave your photo editing tasks to the professionals.
Capture yourself hovering above the surface or a mystical figure in black attire looming over you. To do this, first, you need to photograph the scene without an object to get the background of your image.
Then climb onto the chair or any other object that is above the surface. Experiment with different female poses to look attractive when floating above the room. Combine two images in Photoshop using masks and layers.
Such photos look especially eye-grabbing when taken outside. Use this prop to cover some of your body parts or reflect a shooting location. At the post-production stage, you can add a mirror reflection of a mystical cat, silhouette, or smoke.
When looking for Halloween picture ideas, think of adding flame to the frame to attract the viewers’ attention. From a standard campfire and dancing around it to more creative burning of bouquets and letters in the hands – any of these ideas will work well. If you want to conduct a safer photo shoot, then use free overlays to feature fire in the photo at the processing stage.
To show the Halloween mood, it is not necessary to dress up in scary costumes at all. Pumpkin is a real symbol of this holiday. Select a pumpkin prop or capture a real pumpkin while taking happy Halloween pictures.
Select some creepy or cute attire for your furry friend and experiment with different Halloween photography ideas. You can also experiment with makeup and create an image for your animal that matches yours.
To realize this fall photoshoot idea, you’ll need candles and a card deck. Arrange the props inside the circle and choose some interesting shooting angles like from above.
Don't limit your imagination to just the classic images of the witch and the Black Widow. Find inspiration in movies or interpret the classics in your own way. Use accessories such as horns, feathers, skulls, jewelry like a crown, and a fabulous pair of earrings. Gloomy birds, such as crows, can also become part of the image.
Leaving your home or purchasing some expensive decorations to shoot your original Halloween pics. This indoor photography idea only involves creating a memorable image to produce several portrait shots. Or let your imagination run wild and create a double exposure effect by merging 2 photos.
To create a spooky look, buy Halloween makeup kit or look for makeup tutorials on YouTube. Contacting a professional stylist is a great thought as well.
Hint a new element with a shadow to introduce it to your composition in a fun and creative way. Following the rule of thirds can help you create a well-balanced composition.
Such vivid shadows on a photo will induce viewers to give freedom to their imagination extending the boundaries of the image to the world outside.
You can even remove unwanted objects or add a shadow using Photoshop to create a dark and slightly spooky photo.
Adding a vignette is a simple but effective way to turn a simple pic into a vintage composition. This tool is suitable for dark and moody scenes and is the best fit if you are into a Victorian Halloween look. Use Photoshop or other photo editing software for PC and Mac to make this effect.
When shooting in low lighting conditions, the minimum shutter speed should be 10 seconds. Start the exposure and set the timer. Once the half of the exposure has elapsed, remove the subject out of the frame. As a result, you’ll get a semi-transparent image of the model or object that looks like a ghost.
To achieve an ideal composition, install your camera on a tripod for enhanced stability. By doing so, you can make sure that the image is sharp and crisp and the subject floats through a pic like a phantom.
If you shoot unmovable subjects or locations, you can try to move the camera blurring the required image parts to achieve a similar effect. When the exposure is still in progress, move your device and the photo will become blurred. The intensity of the ghostly look depends on how long your camera is in the move and how long it is steady.
Usually, Halloween images feature gray and desaturated colors. You can achieve such an effect by decreasing the saturation in photo editors like Lightroom. The selective color tool in your editing program will also come in handy. By editing your photos this way, you can make some colors stand out more than others. You can go even further and apply a zombie Photoshop action for a wow effect.
You can hold an antique candlestick or candle in your hand, or decorate the location with candles. This is one of the basic props for Halloween. The following accessories will also help create a mystical atmosphere: witches' accessories, skeletons, gravestones, coffins, spider webs, black cats, and ghosts.
Another fabulous children photo idea is to place a baby in a pumpkin a la Anne Getty style. But pay attention to the fact the pumpkin should be quite big.
Or let your children play with a prop in a decorated Halloween setting. The bright color of the pumpkin will add a special touch to your pics. This Halloween family photoshoot idea can be implemented both outside and inside.
If you cannot find the appropriate idea for Halloween, look for inspiration in some popular horror movies. Try to interpret them in your own way, including some recognizable elements of the movie in a composition. Then, create some intense cinematic-style images.
To complete the overall look, implement the Halloween photo booth idea to suit your image.
Involve all family members in the photo shoot, and do not forget to bring to life all your family photo outfits ideas. These could be characters from the same movie or animals from the same area.
A perfect setting for a Halloween photoshoot is a park or a forest with old trees with dead leaves. The shape and texture of old trees make them look weird and spooky especially if complemented with the appropriate props.
The right light is very important in this case. Conduct such a photoshoot during the blue hour just before sunrise or just after sunset, as the light is soft and bluish at that time. So, you won’t have trouble taking ominous feeling photos.
Spot a spooky-looking location to organize your future photoshoot. This can be a place in front of an old mansion or overgrown backyard. A poorly illuminated image is a good option as well. Pick the Halloween props that align with your attire. For instance, you can pose plastic or foam skeletons in various positions, hang them from trees, or place them around your home. Moreover, you can incorporate fake rats, bats, crows, and other creepy creatures into your decor.
Lighting influences the mood of a pic considerably. For example, a bright room full of warm colors is a bad option if you want to take a spooky shot. A dim space with occasional soft light beams penetrating it is what you need to create a terrifying atmosphere.
Another piece of advice is to shoot in the blue hour so that a photo will feature cool tones. Besides, it will be great if you install bright lights on the ground to illuminate the scene from below making harsh shadows.
To highlight the contrast between the subject and the background use low-key lighting. A natural light cast from the window is the most optimal source of illumination in this case.
If you want to realize Halloween photoshoot ideas outside, make sure that the weather conditions won’t spoil your session. A cloudy day with a bit of wind is what you need to capture terrifying Halloween scenes and create an appropriate atmosphere.
As it was already mentioned, the appropriate lighting is crucial for creating the desired scene in your Halloween images. For instance, colorful lights will help you achieve a joyful mood when implementing your Halloween photography ideas. Acquire lightweight lights to tweak the colors to contribute to an overall atmosphere in your images.
To create a special mood and make the colors more crispy on your Halloween photos, experiment with these free presets. The collection contains 250 tools that can help you create a special atmosphere in your images. All the filters are compatible with Lightroom Mobile, Lightroom 4, 5, 6, and CC.
