Photo gallery - Halloween portraits

Ever notice that chill that comes about every October? The rustle in the trees, the hair on your arms standing on end and the sense of dread the comes over you. As the witching hour approaches, the world of the living merges with the dead. Ghostly ghouls come out to party for some Halloween havoc across town. But why hide under your covers when you can join them? All Hallow's Eve is a fantastic opportunity to don creepy costumes indulge in the autumn fright fest! If you have a camera to hand, even better... A spot of fancy dress creates spooktastic opportunities for a bit of fun with portraiture.

Halloween photo gallery

Here is a collection of images I created with two friends along with some portraiture advice to help you celebrate 31 October with your camera.

Have a pathway in your park? If so, use it. Leading lines in portraits are your friend! See how the wooden walkway helps to draw the observer's attention to the sitter. Plus, Halloween won't the what it is without a pumpkin. I filled the Jack O'Lantern with a light up balloon and ask my model to hover her hand over it as if she's casting a spell. And alakazam, here are the results.

Be mindful of your subject's best features. In this case, it is her eyes. To make them appear bigger, I stood on a platform and shot downwards. Thus, capturing more whites in her optics. Colour also plays a role in making your photos pop. As you can see, the shade of red evokes passion and accompanies the historic look and feel of the narrative.

Sometimes a good old fashioned close up gets the job done. This approach is especially handy when you're frequently interrupted by foot traffic. If this happens, simply create a tight cropped portrait while people walk buy. You can then resume shooting the wider scene as intended. The setting in this photo was as follows

Think of props to tell your story. A book lends itself well to the narrative of a witch reading through her wicked catalogue of spells. I especially like this photo as it frames the model's arm, hat and scenery well without the need for cropping.

Zombie All Hallow's Eve also marks a time for the undead to rise from their graves. During a night out, my friend donned some spooktacular makeup. The urge to bring my camera was irresistible.

Keep a look out for colours and how they echo in within the frame. In this picture you can see the reds and yellows if the fairy lights match the blood stained face-paint. This approach can be repeated with other items, such as...

Crisp autumn leaves! You can see that the colours again echo on the model's face. Plus, placing objects in the foreground helps to create depth to your captures.

Although Dutch angles can be a cliche, they are used for a reason. They add a feeling of disorientation to your photos which is perfect for Halloween.

Keep your eyes peeled for more items in your scenery that match with the theme of your portraits. Here you'll notice that the standard decor of a pub doubles up as a haunted house. Just add a model in the right costume and the context will fall into place.

By experimenting with lighting, settings, and poses, you can capture the spirit of Halloween in your holiday portraits. Gather your friends, set up your camera, and let your Halloween creativity shine through every shot. This year, make the celebration about not only the costumes but also creating lasting memories through the art of portrait photography. Enjoy your Halloween festivities!

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