Walking through the streets, you discover terrifyingly perfect decorations and costumes! Here’s how to immortalise the moment and take amazing Halloween photos. Remember the basic rules of digital photography. And, because it’s Halloween… don’t be afraid!

Respect the Rule of Thirds

What’s the focal point of your photo? What’s the main interest for the viewer? These are the first questions you should ask yourself. Once you’ve got your answers, taking the shot will be a lot easier. The rule of thirds is a great guideline to help you frame your shot: imagine two vertical and horizontal lines crossing each other in the composition, like a tic-tac-toe board. Place your main subject or subjects where the lines intersect.

Find the Right Angle

The day after Halloween, you’ll see hundreds of shots of pumpkins that all look the same. This is your chance to innovate and shoot something different. Find an unusual angle, play with your zoom, change up the framing, and enhance textures. In short, try to create a shot that’ll make your pumpkin really stand out in the patch.

Shooting in Low Light

The real action at Halloween happens after dark. Avoid the stark, harsh light of flash photography. There are a number of ways to use natural lighting to your benefit, so turn off your flash and try these three tips:

• Increase your ISO: The higher your number, the more sensitive your image sensor is to light, so the easier it will be to get proper exposures in low-light conditions.
• Reduce your shutter speed. That way your aperture will stay open longer, letting more light in. The camera has to be perfectly still to avoid blur, so using a tripod is a good idea.
• Use a wider aperture. This enlarges the hole in your lens and lets more available light in. Some photos will appear grainy, which is all the more fitting for a day like Halloween!

Remember: you can always adjust your photos later to increase exposure or contrast if you don’t get the shot you want.