If you want to capture some truly eerie images this Halloween then you must master the dark arts of light and shadow.
(CNN) -- Taking photographs means drawing with light, even at times like Halloween when it's all about the dark. Spooky shadows and glowing pumpkins can be a challenge, but most smartphones and compact cameras will let you capture Halloween night a treat, if you develop a few simple tricks.
Master the dark side
There's nothing like
bright flash for lighting the eerie out of an atmosphere, so switch it
off. Or try holding a small piece of cellophane over the flash -- red is
great for adding ghoulish ambience.
One of the photographer's
favorite Halloween friends is the humble torch -- don't leave home
without one. It will offer you all kinds of creative and practical
solutions, including simply lighting up your subject so you can focus in
the dark.
Freelance photographer Teri Pengilley
The ISO setting is also
crucial for low light -- increasing the ISO will increase your camera's
sensitivity to light. However, the higher the ISO, the greater the
"noise" -- flecks in solid-colored areas of the image. Some cameras and
smartphones can handle high ISOs better than others, so test your first.
Celebrating Halloween this weekend? Send us your scariest shots
Steady your claws
Low light also means
longer exposures, which brings in camera shake. Wherever possible put
your camera on a tripod, or rest it on a steady surface like a wall. Try
to use a shutter release cable, or if not make sure you squeeze the
shutter button as gently as possible whilst supporting the camera from
underneath, keeping as still as possible.
Dance with the devil
A tripod, self-timer and
long exposure will give you a whole gallery of tricks and treats. Play
with walking through a long-exposure frame to capture a ghostly outline,
or get your friends to stand as still as possible under a light whilst
you run around them drawing ghastly creations with a bright torch. The
long exposure will capture your torch drawings and your frozen friends,
but, as long as you keep moving, you won't be visible (it helps to wear
dark clothes).
Focus on your prey
Fast lenses are another
must -- set your aperture as wide as it will open to let in as much
light as possible on each exposure. Wide apertures give shallow depth of
field -- meaning that only the part of the image you focus on will be
sharp. Bring your camera in as close as it will focus on a diabolic
Halloween detail, such as a painted eyeball, and fill the frame for a
dramatic shot.
Know your ghosts from your goblins? Take the Halloween quiz
Summon a ghoulish glow
Try putting your camera inside your pumpkin, using the jagged eyes and teeth to peer through
Teri Pengilley, photographer
Teri Pengilley, photographer
Anyone familiar with
"The Blair Witch Project" knows about the deeply unsettling power of
holding a light under the face. It's time for that trusty torch again.
Our eyes are accustomed to overhead light, like the sun, and any light
source from underneath is an instant spine-shiverer.
Concoct creepy compositions
Once you've got to grips
with spooky lighting, it's time to think about composition. Halloween
is filled with demonic delights to frame your image, or add that extra
creepy texture. Try putting your camera inside your pumpkin, using the
jagged eyes and teeth to peer through (set it on self-timer first) or
place the black net of a costume spider's web in front of the lens, with
a well-positioned spider to one corner of the frame. Make sure you
throw some light onto your framing devices as well as your subjects.
Read: Move over, kids. Halloween is for grownups
Practice makes (paranormal) perfection
Finally don't forget
that preparation is key. Practice night-time shots with your smartphone
or camera and have it all set up before the big night - you really don't
want to be fumbling with the dials through the confines of your Freddy
Krueger gloves
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