Most Halloween snapshots are taken at night (a difficult time to photograph), which can lead to common photo mistakes such as red-eye and underexposure. We'll show you how to fix Halloween pictures haunted by photo flaws using an HP Photosmart printer, photo editing software, and a few simple tricks.
Tips for boo-tiful Halloween photos
In lieu of flickering candles (which may not offer enough lighting), try a flashlight inside your pumpkin.
The HP Photosmart A646 Compact Photo Printer offers over 300 creative effects, including Halloween clip art.
Follow these suggestions to make the most of your Halloween snapshots:
When taking pictures of smaller children, get low to the ground so you can capture all the details of their costume, from head-to-toe.
Instead of a candle (or multiple candles, which can pose a fire hazard), place a flashlight inside your jack-o-lantern for a more luminous, less blurry picture.
Boost the spooky factor: Make some of your photos black-and-white. It's easy with an HP Photosmart printer that lets you add color effects without using a PC. Learn more about making photo edits in-printer.
If you're hosting a Halloween bash, delight guests by using your HP Compact Photo Printer to provide them with personalized snapshots as memorable party favors.
Red-eye is a common photo flaw, especially on Halloween when many pictures are taken in low lighting.
Using the HP Photosmart Premium Fax All-in-One, you can remove red-eye from your Halloween photos with just the touch of a button.
Monster masks are the only place you should spot red-eye this Halloween. Try these techniques for eliminating—and preventing—this common photo mistake:
With your camera
Turn on the red-eye reduction feature offered on many digital cameras. You can also avoid red-eye by turning off your camera's flash. If it’s too dark to forgo a flash, ask your subject not to look directly into the camera, which can sometimes help reduce the amount of red-eye. Using software
Photo editing software, including Windows Live Photo Gallery, can also help you eliminate red-eye, plus give you tools to color correct, crop, and adjust the lighting in your photos. In your printer
Most HP Photosmart All-in-Ones allow you to remove red-eye without using a PC—some will even do it automatically! The HP Photosmart Premium Fax All-in-One features a one-touch Red Eye Removal button for flawless photos every time you print.
Find additional tips to remove red-eye from your photos.
A dimly lit porch makes for an ideal Halloween setting, but not an ideal photo.
Rather than taking your pictures at night, try shooting some Halloween photos at dusk.
Halloween is full of spooky shadows just waiting to conceal your subject and ruin an otherwise-great photo. Follow these tips to fight the effects of dark lighting:
With your camera
Many digital cameras offer a Night or Night Portrait mode for shooting in dark or dimly lit environments.
You can also try taking your photos at dusk (before the sun has set) instead of at night. You'll be less likely to end up with a photo that is too dark, and your picture will convey an eerie light that's perfect for Halloween! Using software
Use the Adjust exposure tool featured in Windows Live Photo Gallery to alter your photo's brightness, contrast, and highlights to bring your subject out of the shadows and into the spotlight. In your printer
An Instant Photo Fix feature is included in many HP Photosmart All-in-Ones. This helpful function will automatically adjust your photo's lighting—no PC needed. Find out more about this and other in-printer photo editing techniques offered by many HP Photosmart All-in-Ones.
In this before image, you can see that some spooky shapes have made their way into photo…
…but after just a little cropping, shown here in the after image, any unwanted visitors are easily eliminated from the picture!
Halloween is filled with things that go bump in the night—sometimes they even bump right into your photo! Use the cropping tools in HP printers and photo-editing software to remove unwanted portions of your photos.
With your camera
Before you take your photo, decide what the focal point of the picture will be. Then get as close to your subject as you can, either by physically moving or using your camera’s zoom feature.
You may also want to use the "rule of thirds": Imagine your field of view is divided into vertical and horizontal thirds (like a tic-tac-toe grid). Then, place your subject on one of the four lines to create a more interesting composition for your picture. Using software
Photo editing software like Windows Live Photo Gallery makes it easy to crop your photos and bring the focus back on your main subject. Learn more about cropping your photos in Windows Live Photo Gallery. In your printer
Watch this short demo on cropping photos with in-printer editing tools available on select HP Photosmart printers, including the HP Photosmart Premium TouchSmart Web All-in-One Printer.
A dark setting or excited trick-or-treaters on the move (or both) can lead to blurry Halloween photos.
Use in-printer features or editing software to sharpen focus and revive your fuzzy images.
Those aren't apparitions floating through your Halloween picture, just the victims of a blur. Luckily, there are several easy ways to help remedy this common flaw:
With your camera
To help prevent blurry photos, use a tripod for Halloween shots taken at night. If you don't have a tripod, try steadying your camera on a flat surface while taking pictures, or set down your camera and use the self-timer feature. Using software
Most photo editing software, including Windows Live Photo Gallery, offers help for fixing blurry pictures. Look for Sharpen or Enhance tools to increase the focus of your photo (this should be the last photo edit you make to you image). In your printer
Many HP Photosmart printers and All-in-Ones offer an Instant Photo Fix feature, which automatically sharpens the focus of your photo in addition to optimizing the color, adjusting the lighting and removing red-eye.
Check out the HP Photosmart photo printer buying guide to find an HP printer or All-in-One that offers in-printer editing features to boo-tify your pictures all year long!
Printable version
