Get better Halloween pictures to scrapbook – Foto Friday

Just a quick Foto Friday today – a few quick tips to get better Halloween pictures to use in your scrapbooking.  Luckily good Halloween pictures aren’t that much different then other good photography tips.

The flash is NOT your friend: generally the best time to take pictures of your little ghouls and goblins is at twilight – when there is still enough light in the background so you can see and photograph it.  Once it gets dark, the flash overpowers the close objects and leaves the background black – like this picture. (Remember the flash is only good to about 10-12 feet.)

Get the details: it’s the details that make great pictures so get close up!  Use you zoom and move closer to capture the important parts of a costume or event that shows the special touches that your kids and you put into them.  Be comfortable using your zoom and macro features of your camera so you don’t miss a shot.

Glowing pumpkins: It’s not hard to photograph a carved pumpkin.  You’re going to use a slow shutter speed ( because candles don’t give off a lot of light) so use a support like a table or a tripod.  Just for the picture, use 2-3 candles in the pumpkins to really get a good glow (but don’t set the pumpkin on fire!).  And don’t forget the outside of the pumpkin – it’s needs some light too!  Photograph at twilight so you get a good mix of the glow inside and the detail outside.  If it’s too dark outside already, use a flashlight or two to add some light to the outside of the pumpkin to get the detail.

Show kids (and grownups) doing things: We all have tons of “line-em-up-and-shoot-em” Halloween pictures.  Capture the real story and fun by letting the kids get involved in an activity and doing some candid shots – they’ll be great and really tell the story for your layouts!

And as I’ve said many times before – Just Take The Picture!  It’s really more important to have fun with your kids and friends then it is to get perfect pictures.  Enjoy the festivities – whether Halloween or any other time.

And some pictures are best left untaken:

Just saying.. (yup that’s Jenn!)

Let us know how your Halloween pictures turn out!