Capture the mood

Halloween is a spooky good time, use the warm glow of late afternoon or the glow of a pumpkin to create the right mood.

When dusk falls, try turning off the flash (see the owner's manual if you don't know how) and take a few pictures. Hold the camera very steady or use a tripod to avoid blur from the slow shutter speed needed to get a low-light picture.

Take a photo of your kids against the sky to create a cool silhouette effect or use the light from the pumpkin to give a spooky glow to your child's face.

Set your camera right for night

Most of your Halloween photos will be taken at night, so switch to night mode to make the most of the available light. Night mode adjusts the camera settings for low-light conditions, allowing for a slightly longer exposure.

On Kodak cameras, there are two night modes. Night Portrait should be used to take pictures of people or animals. Night Landscape should be used for scenery or shots of people far away.

When photographing in low light, images are prone to camera shake. To avoid blur, press the shutter button gently and smoothly or use a tripod for these shots. You can also use self-timer mode to minimize the chance of shaking the camera as you take the picture.

Don’t forget the pumpkin

Carving a bigger opening for eyes or mouth on your pumpkin will cast more light, giving you a better photograph. The bigger the pumpkin, the bigger the holes!

Once carved, capture the eerie glow of your pumpkin. Turn off your camera's flash and let the natural orange light take over. When photographing in low-light without a flash, your camera's shutter will stay open longer. This means that to avoid blur, you have to keep the camera very still. Use a tripod for extra sturdiness.

If the glow from the pumpkin isn't enough, play around with other available light. Try turning on porch lights or lamps in adjacent rooms. You can also ask a helper to shine a flashlight ON your pumpkin like a spotlight.

Also try taking the picture outside around dusk to take advantage of natural light and set the perfect mood.

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