For film cameras, make sure you have plenty of film and extra batteries. For digital cameras, make sure you have an extra or fully-charged battery and a spare or large memory card. For timed shots a use of a tripod is handy.

People & Group Photos

Photograph everything! Decorations, pets, children, houses and groups. Candid’s can turn out especially good.

Closer is better!

The closer you can get to your subject, the better the photo. Try to take pictures of people at eye level. For shots of children, get down to their level.

Position your subjects so they are illuminated by the best light source in front of them, not behind them. If you use the flash make sure you are within its effective range, typically between six to twelve feet. Digital users can increase your ISO to around 1200 to 1600. Shooting this way will lighten up the background and prevent those “black” backgrounds.

Jack O' Lanterns

The light used to illuminate the outside of the pumpkin and that of the candles inside is actually a delicate balance. Ideally, your photographs will want is to capture the candles glow from within the pumpkin, but still be able to see the outside of the pumpkin itself.

If you use a flash, you'll over light the surface of the pumpkin and drown out the light from the candles inside. Turn your camera flash off, then place your camera on a tripod or solid subject. To help avoid the light inside the pumpkin from being to faint, use two or even three candles.

The best technique is to take your pictures around dusk, before it becomes totally dark.