October 15, 2012

Halloween Photo Tips

Take Halloween from scary to cheery with these MailPix photo tips

Huntington Beach, CA – MailPix.com, the newest online photo-printing site, has five suggestions for better Halloween photos. “Halloween has become one of the most popular picture-taking opportunities of the year,“ says Fred H. Lerner, president and CEO, MailPix Inc. “With these tips and great deals from MailPix, now’s a great time to make those Halloween festivities into lifelong memories.”

Kids grow up fast, so here are some “tricks” to capture those great memory “treats.”

  1. Tell the whole story! Too many Halloween pictures just have the kids posed on the porch, but the fun lasts all day! Take pictures during the entire make-up or dress-up process. Sometimes those pictures of your child half in-costume are the most precious. Photograph them while trick or treating or at the party, at different times.
  2. Make sure your camera’s ISO setting is on the fastest setting. This is will allow you to have a faster shutter speed while shooting in the dark.
  3. Mind your mode. Many cameras these days have a night-time portrait mode. This can be great to use – especially since it reduces red-eye, but you have to think ahead. In most cameras, this mode works by taking two flashes: a quick pre-flash, then a full flash. Remember to warn your subject there will be to flashes or they will start to move after the first one. (This can sometimes, however, result in some cool effects!)
  4. Get creepy on a budget. If you don’t have time or expertise to set up a scary scene, here’s an easy way: Turn your camera vertical and upside down! The flash will come up from the bottom, making some interesting shadows on the child’s face. Another trick is to put a piece of cellophane over the flash to give it a little different color; try green or red.
  5. Get that Jack O’Lantern just right. Jack O’Lanterns can be difficult to photograph when lit. The camera’s exposure sensor can get fooled, and when the flash goes off, you get a harsh and unpleasant photo. Turn the flash “off,” and try again. Hold the camera steady (or use a tripod) and you should get a nice picture of the lit Jack O’Lantern design, with the rest of the photo dark.

After the night’s fun, why not send a mug or a flipbook to grandma or a favorite aunt? A complete selection of Halloween photo treats await at MailPix.com.

For more photo tips and inspiration, visit the MailPix blog.

About MailPix.com

Founded in 2012, MailPix.com is the pre-eminent site for preserving photo memories as photo books, 4×6 prints, 5×7 prints, photo cards, enlargements and other tangible products. The goal of MailPix is to keep costs low and to pass savings along to consumers. Founder and CEO Fred H. Lerner has had a long career introducing thousands of people to the importance of “Turning Images into Memories.” He worked his way through college at Berkey Film Processing, spending his early career in New York City, Alexandria, Va., and Long Beach, Calif. Lerner led several photo businesses, including Lerner Photo Inc., Lerner Processing labs Inc., Kodak Processing Labs Inc. and was active with Australia photo businesses like Pacific Film Labs, Rabbit Photo Inc. and Metro Photo Inc. Most recently, he was president and CEO of Ritz Interactive Inc., parent company of RitzCamera.com, WolfCamera.com, CameraWorld.com and PhotoAlley.com. Lerner is a Life Member and past president of Photo Marketing Association International (PMAI) and serves on the board of the International Photographic Counsel (IPC), a United Nations NGO, where he is a Hall of Fame member.

The MailPix board of advisors includes James Joaquin of Catamount Ventures, formerly president and CEO of Ofoto; Ted McGrath former President of Fujifilm, USA and General Manager of Kodak’s Consumer Imaging Division; Gary Pageau, of InfoCircle and former Publisher, Content Development and Strategic Initiatives at Photo Marketing Association International (PMAI); William A. Roskin, board member of Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia, Inc. (NYSE: MSO) and is the former Executive Vice President of Viacom, Inc. (NASDAQ: VIAB); Oscar B. (Bud) Marx III, chairman of Amerigon (NASDAQ: ARGN) and is the former President & General Manager, Ford of Mexico and CFO of Ford, Europe; Bruce Charles, a founder of the law firm, Charles, Kane & Dye LLP; Gary Kramer, the founder and a co-managing partner of Kramer & Olsen Accountancy Corp.; and Peter Tahmin, an advisor to Powsumer.com and former vice president, RitzPix.com.