You spend weeks prepping for this night.
Weeks.
There is glitter everywhere. In every. single. nook. and. cranny. Glitter. How it got into the Honey Nut Cheerios, is a mystery.
Your fingers might be permanently superglued together.
You worked hard to get this Halloween costume perfect for your kid (whether big or little!) and you want to get just 1 photo that doesn't look like the Hulk snapped the shutter in between smashing an enemy and running to the next house for candy. (uhm, what does this even look like?!? haha).
3 Tips to better Halloween photos whether you have big or little kids
1. Don't wait until 5 minutes before trick or treating
Are your kids big or little? Either way, this is going to work for you, but especially if you have little kids, this is a must.
I always do smash cake (first birthday tradition) and birthday pictures a few weeks before the actual birthday for the same reasons.
She's a princess for Halloween and can't get enough of this dress. She might just wear this for 2-3 Halloweens. ;)
I encourage you to "test out" the costumes so that a) mom doesn't have to worry about getting those pictures while running around taking care of business, b) mom gets to enjoy the night of Halloween, c) you get to have an extra activity and enjoy the outfit more than once.
My number 1 reason for doing an entirely different time for photos? The time with my kids to create special memories. That's truly why I go through lengths to create experiences for my kids. I want the memories. The smiles. The laughs. And I know that I just do not have the energy to do it all on one night. Even if your kids aren't little anymore and they are middle or high schoolers this is typically something they will enjoy. They probably helped with the costume and would appreciate an hour of undivided time laughing and taking photos with you.
2. Sunset
The best time to take photos is in the 30 minutes before sunset. Plan your "testing" session during this time of evening. Also, head out for trick or treating a little before sunset to get a few fun shots of your kids walking through your neighborhoods. Just take photos during this time and then put your camera down and enjoy the time with your family! ;)
A few ideas of neighborhood shots:
Walking hand in hand with sibling from behind
Just their feet on the sidewalk (this would be super adorable to do one every school year!)
Picture of their entire outfit with their candy bag
3. Bend your knees & change your perspective
This is especially true for those that have littles or even big kids that are short. Don't photograph every picture looking down at them. Bend down. Especially if you have boys, this will make them look larger than life.
Check out the photos above. There are some from straight on at her height to one where I had her sit down, we fluffed out the dress, and I shot from above. With this dress, it is super cute.
But change your perspective. You might find a shot that you love!
Happy Halloween!