Lots of personality in Karla's family in this candid Halloween Family Portrait in my Albuquerque New Mexico home portrait studio - Nikon D750 with Tamron 15-30mm @ f/8 1/160th ISO 100 - Strobist: Westcott Stroblite Plus in 55" octagonal softbox and a 43" brolly with speedlight on each side (see setup photo below)
Karla and her family came over in costume to my home studio in Albuquerque, New Mexico for a Halloween family portrait session. This was my first time to photograph 4 people in my home studio. Using a 10' x 12' white Muslin background everyone fit easily and it was all lit up by my huge new 55" softbox! I told everyone to act like your costume and the above is the result! There was no lack of expressions to choose from, but I liked this one for the mix of serious and silly. I told Karla I wanted this to be a fun, no stress shoot and after everything was setup and the last costume detail put on, that's what we had.
Action Halloween portrait in costume in Albuquerque! - Nikon D750 with Tamron 15-30mm @ f/8 1/160th ISO 100 - Strobist: Westcott Stroblite Plus in 55" octagonal softbox and a 43" brolly with speedlight on each side
This was Karla and her husband's idea for their Halloween costume shot together! It was my favorite shot of the session. Lots of playful action in this shot which we got on just the second take. I had Karla switch to holding the dagger in her left hand to reveal more of her costume and that was that! Cut and print!
This is what happens when you add a bloody background! - Nikon D750 with Tamron 15-30mm @ f/8 1/160th ISO 100 - Strobist: Westcott Stroblite Plus in 55" octagonal softbox and a 43" brolly with speedlight on each side
Shooting on a white background allows another image to be inserted into the background pretty easily in Photoshop. Add a little blood splatter for more of a horror Halloween effect? Done!
The kids got in on the action too during this Halloween portrait session in Albuquerque - Nikon D750 with Tamron 15-30mm @ f/8 1/160th ISO 100 - Strobist: Westcott Stroblite Plus in 55" octagonal softbox and a 43" brolly with speedlight on each side
The kids of course got in on the action in their own shot. I have never seen a SWAT Team member handcuff himself to himself before, but it is your photo shoot so do what makes you happy! It will show in the photos like the one above.
It was a very fun Halloween family portrait session in my Albuquerque home studio - Nikon D750 with Tamron 15-30mm @ f/8 1/160th ISO 100 - Strobist: Westcott Stroblite Plus in 55" octagonal softbox and a 43" brolly with speedlight on each side
We did settle down for a nice smiling Halloween family portrait shot too! The camera picks up personality very much, and the more you show the more your personality will show in the photographs. Such was the case with Karla and her family. It was a very fun shoot!
This is the setup for all the shots. Two speedlights SB-800 and SB-600 in the 43" brollies to the left and right, and a 55" gridded octagonal softbox high and in front with a Westcott Strobelite Plus powering it. That background is a max of 10' x 12' so I am glad I have vaulted ceilings in my apartment to fit it as high as it can go with room to spare!