| There she was in all her glory. Long white lab | | | | 3. Get in Their Face -- Halloween was made for |
| coat, frizzy hair, safety goggles -- and a face | | | | pretend. Kids love to make faces, don costumes |
| smeared with the black ash of an experiment | | | | and assume a new personality. It is the ultimate |
| gone terrifically wrong. She was, at least on this | | | | form of exhibition. You just can't let the |
| Halloween night, Dr. Abby Normal. But for most of | | | | opportunity pass. They WANT to be noticed. |
| her life I had known her as Abigail, my daughter, | | | | Most point-and-shoot variety cameras have |
| and I had just taken some of the most legendary | | | | wide-angle lenses. While this helps them to get |
| photos of her life. | | | | sharp results and to work well in lower light, they |
| These weren't your garden-variety portraits. Not | | | | tend to move the subject matter further away. |
| exactly Wal Mart studio stuff either. They were | | | | Most have a minimum shooting distance of around |
| pictures taken of my kids in their natural element | | | | three feet. Don't be afraid to push that limit at |
| -- being kids. That is the real photo opportunity of | | | | Halloween. Get in close, have them make faces, |
| a holiday like Halloween. | | | | ask them to talk to the camera. They will. It is, |
| For treasured images this Halloween, here are | | | | after all, Halloween. |
| some quick tips to remember to get | | | | 4. Let Them Call the Shots -- It's their party. Ask |
| once-in-a-lifetime photos: | | | | them what kind of pictures they want. When my |
| 1. Stop Posing -- Halloween is not a formal affair. | | | | son was Harry Potter a few years back he |
| So don't bother with the wedding style shots. | | | | wanted to jump off the roof on his Nimbus 2000. |
| Engage the kids in the play associated with their | | | | We had to reason with him a bit. But a little leap |
| costumes -- and THEN shoot the pictures. Candids | | | | from a lawn chair to the grass did the trick and |
| reveal the smiles much more than a "Hold still, | | | | we got the shots of Harry in flight. Chances are |
| honey!" moment. | | | | your kids have an idea of the persona they are |
| 2. Shoot Early, Shoot Often -- Film is the | | | | adopting. Let them call the shots to document the |
| cheapest part of photography. And in this digital | | | | experience. |
| age, there just isn't a reason not to shoot several | | | | 5. Use the set -- Most of us decorate for the |
| images. There are many good reasons for being | | | | season. There could be haystacks, a bubbling pot, |
| trigger happy with the camera. First, if kids are | | | | a roaring fireplace. Use these props, even if they |
| use to you constantly firing away they won't | | | | don't fit the theme of the costume. Down the |
| bother with the plastic smiles. But most | | | | road the memories you cherish will include all the |
| importantly, shooting more simply increases your | | | | fun that went into creating the holiday |
| chances for great pictures. With Halloween | | | | environment in your home. |
| pictures some of the best images are taken while | | | | Good candid pictures of children require active |
| the costuming is in process -- don't wait for the | | | | participation and putting them at ease. Halloween |
| finished product in getting out the camera. | | | | is the easiest of seasons in which to do this. |