It’s Halloween and it usually falls to the moms and grandmas to take photos of our cute lil’ creatures all decked out for fun. But it can be tricky. No pun intended. Here are some helpful tips for taking great Halloween phone photos.
(Since I’m ‘that’ generation that struggles with technology, I decided to do some research and get tips from younger folks on taking phone photos.) Here are some good ones that I gleaned.
Specifically for Halloween:
Shoot at dusk instead of nighttime. At dusk, you can get away without flash that could overexpose. Without flash, you get some cool lighting effects that add to the theme. With flash, everyone will be evenly and boringly lit, but possibly overlit. You will have to turn off your phone flash; otherwise, it will automatically flash in low light.
Look for other sources of light to light up your subjects. Jack-0’-lanterns, bonfires, glow sticks, even a flashlight.
Brace your hand on a steady surface if you decide to use slow shutter speed apps like Slow Shutter Cam app for iOS or Camera FV-5 for Android
Practice beforehand in low light so you know how your phone performs.
From Asurion https://www.asurion.com/connect/tips-and-tricks/how-to-take-spooktacular-photos-this-halloween/
My adds for Halloween success
Do a dress rehearsal two days before Halloween at dusk. The kids will be happy to play in their costumes and they’ll be less distracted by all the activities that will be taking place on Halloween night. You can practice and possibly get one of your many jobs for Halloween done early.
Take some images without masks so you’ll have a record of their cute faces.
Take some in front of or beside your front door each year to show their growth.
Simple background like a wall is best for such a ‘busy’ subject like costumes with bright colors and patterns. If you’re using flash, bring the kids away from the wall as far as possible to avoid hard shadows unless that’s the look you’re going for.
Great Tips for Phone Photos in General (I learned a lot!)
Clean your phone lens often- Of course your phone lens is dirty!
Don’t use the optical zoom- whoa! I was surprised at this so I did some tests. Getting physically closer instead of zooming really does produce a higher quality image.
One blog recommended an app called camera+. It allows you to adjust your settings before snapping. She also likes an app called pictapgo for post processing.
Use the grid to help compose before shooting.
She also recommends no flash. But I feel that sometimes you just gotta have it. It can be harsh, but sometimes a bright photo is better than a way too dark one.
From Lorrin Sell https://ittybittybylorrin.com/blog/7-tips-for-taking-better-pics-of-your-kids-with-your-smartphone/
Family Shots- If you’d like to be present in family shots: timelapse apps are better than built-in phone apps because they take multiple shots on an interval. Hyperlapse free from Instagram or Microsoft Hyperlapse for Android. My note: you’ll need a tripod to hold your phone. ( Or some hair rubber bands to secure your phone to something stable.)
Too Bright- For overly bright scenes (If it’s super bright, the details will be blown out and they can’t be restored.) tap the screen and move the sun icon down the line on the right side to make photo darker. The details are recorded and you can edit it in post processing to brighten it up. Or you can put your sunglasses over the phone camera lens. My note: If you have to shoot people in super bright light, have them wear sunglasses so they aren’t squinting with dark shadows under their eyes. Have them lift their faces to the sun to avoid strong shadows under nose and lips. This can be done without sunnies, too. Just have them close their eyes while facing the sun.
Blur the background Portrait Mode on iPhone blurs background if you’re 8 feet or closer to your subject. For landscape shots, try setting your phone upside down on the ground and shooting up. It blurs the foreground. I found the android option to blur background very awkward with less than desirable results.
Sharp Images- To get way better focus, tap your screen where you want it to focus. A circle will appear showing where it will focus.
Super Photo- To get outstanding images, do a little editing on your phone with the Lightroom app after shooting.
https://www.usatoday.com/story/tech/columnist/2017/08/15/take-best-smartphone-pics-these-7-tips/549073001/
Camera angle- get eye level with your subject
Simplify the background- walls, sky, floor, grass
Shoot during the hour before sunset for beautiful outdoor light. Cloudy days are good because the light isn’t harsh.
https://www.usatoday.com/story/tech/columnist/saltzman/2014/06/07/how-to-take-better-smartphone-photos/9904509/