5 Tips for Photographing Lit Pumpkins

You’ve been planning your jack-o-lantern for months. You want to be known as the great pumpkin carver in your neighborhood.  Before your masterpiece turns to mush, let’s carve out some time to photograph your lit pumpkin. No tricks here, just five tips on how to get your creative juices flowing this Halloween.

1.Get Stable

The whole point of photographing a lit pumpkin is to have a dark feel to it so the light can shine through it. To snap in the dark, you want to slow down your shutter speed to allow for more light to hit the sensor. If you use a tripod or even a table to stabilize your camera, then this will reduce the risk of movement with a lower shutter speed. Side note, don’t use flash this will blast out the moody ambiance you are trying to attempt.

2. Get Lit

Put as much light inside the pumpkin as you can and then play with lighting around the pumpkin. You can use flashlights, lights from your phone, etc. the main thing is to experiment. You are going for a moody vibe so although you don’t want to completely wash out the shadows; you want to have enough light to create highlights.

3.Fill Er Up

The pumpkin is the hero of your photo so fill up the frame. Avoid distractions in the background by getting in close. Fill the frame with your orange work of art and don’t be afraid to crop in tight. You want your eye to go to the face of the pumpkin, not the Starbucks cup you have sitting on the table.

4. Different Angles

Your subject is not going to run off, throw a temper tantrum or be distracted so have fun and try some different angles. Go low, go high or go to the side for contrasting perspectives. You might find that certain angles with light cast shadows in different directions. Playing with the light and angles will eventually give you the winning shot!

5.Inside Outside

Now that you have mastered the inside shots head outdoors. Try photographing the jack o lantern at different times of the day outside. Dusk is a perfect time to try to capture the image as there is still some light out but the murky sky will give you a nice backdrop. If you want to try it when it’s completely dark outside, try a porch light, street light or flashlight to add extra ambiance.
Now that you have the jack o lantern photography down, let’s take a look at how to photograph you mini goblins and ghouls while they trick or treat. Read more on our blog by clicking HERE.