5 TIPS FOR BETTER HALLOWEEN VIDEO & PHOTOS
The problem most people have taking videos and photos during Halloween celebrations is that it’s usually DARK. Learning to take good photos at night will completely level up your Halloween content. Great content = great family films! See below for our five favorite tips!
1. Take photos of kids in costume before they're sugared up
And preferably outdoors in natural light! This is hard but HUGE. I know the day of Trick or Treating can be incredibly stressful and there’s not a ton of time to eat dinner never mind take photos. But - you want cute pics? Make time to take them at the beginning of the night before it gets dark. Or even better - days before.
2. Turn your flash off!
Unless it's absolutely necessary, just say no to flash. It' not flattering and your photos will be super bright. Or, if your kids are like mine, they’ll be all squinty in the bright light of the flash resulting in a not so great photo. Try this instead: If it’s pitch black and you have someone to help, have them stand near you (but not right next to) and shine their phone flashlight on your subject. Then take your video/photo with your flash OFF. Side lighting is so much better than direct lighting!
3. Try to get as much footage as possible in or near porch lights & street lamps.
The best thing to do is learn how to use the light available to you. When your kiddos are on someone’s porch grabbing candy - have them stop for a cheesy photo or even better - record them in action getting their candy. This shot is a must in a year’s worth of videos!
4. Embrace the blur.
The image below is one of my favorites from 2 years ago. It's blurry and grainy and makes me FEEL that night. It was cold & rainy and our kids ran as fast as they could to get from house to house. You don't want EVERY image to be blurry, but embrace the ones that are!
5. Make sure to get the details.
Think little chubby hands holding candy, costume details, hair, shoes, counting candy at the end of the night - whatever! Details matter when telling the story of the night.
One final note - if your kid totally melts down at the end of the night - as many do - you know the whole overstimulated, sugared up, overtired thing? Don’t be afraid to take a quick video (while obviously loving on them!). They can be hard to watch/take at the time but end up being such adorable seconds in your final film. Here’s an example of my little guy that melts my heart because all he wanted was to be snuggled by his mama.
