# Show me your photo op!



## QueenHalloween (Oct 9, 2013)

Hi Stochey,

I have the same question! Someone had suggested it in my "how did you take your party to the next level" thread and I loved the idea!

Ours is indoors too, so we were looking for something that would look good but not take away from the costumes of those in the photos. I found one on Pinterest that utilizes balloons (orange/black) and creepy cloth. I still need more ideas myself


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## Stochey (Sep 22, 2009)

Not making it too cluttered/busy as to not take away from the guest's costume is a good point QueenHalloween!


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## Jenn&MattFromPA (Sep 4, 2013)

What about some pillars or stands that you put a carved JOL or silver platter of battery-operated or DIY Halloween candles onto? A tall candleabra with spiderwebs on it, or some framed scary/haunted portraits? You could buy some dollar store plastic tablecloths and drape them like curtains to frame the photo area. Wrap some cardboard boxes in Halloween printed paper or in colors that you like, and pile them into a rustic looking edge to your backdrop, with maybe a pumpkin or skull lying on top. You could make a life-sized dummy prop sitting on a bench or chair that people could stand next to. 

If you could wire it into your apartment, some purple or green icicle-type lights would look neat hanging behind some black gauze or creepy cloth. Two simple, cheap chairs from the thrift store that you maybe spray-paint black and even a tiny little table with "dead" flowers or black ones from the dollar store would be awesome too.


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## halloweenjon (Jul 17, 2014)

The first thing that popped into my head is getting one of those Friday the 13th scene setters with the dark forest/camp background and a lifesize cutout of Jason. People are much more apt to pose for photos if there's a character to stand by. A lifesized standing dummy would be better but it sounds like you're concerned with theft/vandalism with it being out front.


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## marigolddesigns (Sep 5, 2010)

I'm setting a photo op area also with a lifesize grim reaper holding a sign " don't even bother...come with me"( to fit our theme....50th birthdays/annual halloween bash). 
A few options for backdrop:
Newspaper (cheap, cool black and white look in blacklit room)
Striped wall covering: Cut a few plastic tablecloths up in your colors and stripe an area of the wall. Light enough hangs with 2 sided tape.
Goodwill sheet? Sometimes I go in there and find really unusual printed sheets....looks like wallpaper,, anything gothic would do!


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## nathancarter (Aug 7, 2012)

Some more ideas:
A big sheet of white paper, and a can full of markers - have all the guests sign and draw on the backdrop. Pre-decorate around the edges with your own drawings, stickers, etc. I did this last year, it was fun, but I ran out of time to do any drawing on it beforehand.

If you're going glitzy/glam, a foil "fringe" style doorway curtain in gold, silver, black, iridescent. Party City and Oriental Trading have some, not too expensive. I might go with black foil this year, and maybe a banner or some other swag draped down from the top. You might need about four doorways' worth - so that it's wide enough for more than one person at a time, and doubled up so that it's not too thin and sparse to make a good backdrop - especially outside where there may be a breeze.

If you're going creepy, jute netting makes a great base - add on some spiderwebs, little cheap plastic spiders, moss, grime, etc. Maybe not big things like body parts, as those will detract from the photo. Again, hang a main piece vertically, then have a swag draped from the top corners.


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## dkberg (Aug 31, 2012)

We do an indoor party and have a small area near our entry way that we take photos in. In 2012 we had a Zombie Prom, so I did a balloon column, no room for a full arch, but you could do the same thing with black and orange balloons to make it more Halloween-ey. In 2013 we used our zombie lady as a background and made call-out type signs that said Brains and Grrr...to have people hold up, worked pretty good. This year is a TV or Movie character zombified theme, so I will probably just make some more photo props, maybe one that looks like a tv they can pose their faces through and one that looks like one of those clapboards they use in movies, but my Zombie woman will probably still be in the corner behind them. She works pretty good.


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## dawnski (Jun 16, 2012)

Not sure how large a space you have in that area. You only need one good prop. Most people stand, so maybe a pillar with some dead floral arrangement. spray paint some dollar store flowers black. Or a chair with sheets on it and some macabre framed pictures on the wall as the backdrop. Here's a link to some Halloween photo backdrops. http://www.pinterest.com/zim2/halloween-photo-backdrops/ and a link to creepy pictures you might use. http://www.pinterest.com/zim2/halloween-creepy-pictures/


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## Halloween Scream (Sep 29, 2010)

Replying on this thread too!

Ah, I was wondering if people would try to change settings or just follow the instructions. I think I'll arrange for "photographers" now! I'm either going to use the large blank wall in our entryway or set up a PVC frame on the back porch with a canvas drop cloth. I want a few simple decorations, or maybe even a sign that says "6th Annual Halloween Scream". If I have enough time, I'll put basket of props nearby for people to use. I'm hoping this will encourage everyone to get their picture taken and give everyone an "activity" to do.


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## nathancarter (Aug 7, 2012)

Halloween Scream said:


> set up a PVC frame on the back porch with a canvas drop cloth. I want a few simple decorations, or maybe even a sign that says "6th Annual Halloween Scream". If I have enough time, I'll put basket of props nearby for people to use. I'm hoping this will encourage everyone to get their picture taken and give everyone an "activity" to do.


From personal experience, I can guarantee that this will be a hit, and keep people busy.


Last year I set up an automated photo op using my laptop and my backup camera. I mentioned it earlier in the thread, but didn't have any pics at that time. I used a big piece of white paper for the background, and provided markers for the guests to write on it. To automate the photos, I used the DSLRbooth software:
http://www.dslrbooth.com/

I wasn't ever able to get it to print properly. It was supposed to print two strips on a single 4x6, and guests could use scissors to cut down the middle for two souvenir strips. But the printer just wouldn't line up the images with the paper... I didn't test it in advance, ended up struggling with it for about 45 minutes of party time, then gave up. But the digitals were great, and the guests could see them right there on the screen.

I plan to repeat approximately the same setup this year, though with a different backdrop that's more themed to my party. I don't know if I'll have time to troubleshoot the print problems (I only have procrastinated for 360 days already), digitals will probably have to be good enough.

I'll try to do a little bit better documentation of my setup this year, including some behind-the-scenes and setup-area photos.


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## StanFam3 (Oct 5, 2009)

In our "no scare zone" we do some sort of photo-op. Last year, it was Horace, the Giant Pumpkin:










This year, it's a backdrop with face cut outs. There will be corn, and hay, and pumpkins... A a five foot fire and ice blow up pumpkin in this area. It's not quite finished, but here's a pic anyway! You can't tell in the pic, but Donkey is dimensional - he puffs up off the canvas! 










Here's a pic where you can tell what I mean about Donkey:


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## Halloween Princess (Sep 23, 2008)

Is there a party theme? We always do a setup to match our theme. For heroes & villains, we had a giant comic book page with white board paint speech bubbles so people could write things.


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