Halloween is just around the corner. Be sure to capture those special memories with these tips!
1. Get Your Portraits First
Just like in a session, you want to get your most important shots done first. You want the cute shot of your little one posing in their outfits right? Do it first thing when you walk out the door. Or if you want a better chance, dress them up early.
ISO 1000 | 2.8 | 1/200
*All shoot with Canon 5D Mark II 
2. Don’t be Afraid to Bump up your ISO
This is not the time to worry about grain. It’s going to happen. These were all shot at ISO 1000 or higher. If you nail exposure it will greatly help with grain so bump it up to get the shots.
ISO 1000 | 2.8 | 1/200
3. Get Low
Be at their level and see everything through their eyes. All but one photo I took that night was with me squatting or laying on the ground. I knew that being at her level would tell such a better story.
ISO 1000 | 2.8 | 1/200
4. Get the Details
Does your kid’s outfit have a special detail about it? Obviously with my kid being Dorothy, I needed a shot of those cute red shoes. This is when the ‘get low’ tip came in handy. I ran ahead and lay on the ground till she got close enough.
ISO 3200 | 2.8 | 1/200
5. Interact with the Them
This is one of my favorite shots, I asked her if I could have a piece of candy. She was so willing to share and her reaching into her pumpkin is too cute.
ISO 1600 | 2.8 | 1/200
6. Get Them Going to and FROM the door!
I got a lot of shots of my daughter walking up to the door. While cute, I realized I need to capture her afterwards. Every time she came away from a door, she would stare at her pumpkin wonder as her loot got larger.
ISO 1000 | 2.8 | 1/200
ISO 2000 | 2.8 | 1/200
7. Capture their Excitement.
My daughter could not get from door to door fast enough. I will admit that this photo was pure luck but the excitement that I caught is perfect.
ISO 2000 | 2.8 | 1/200
8. PUT THE CAMERA DOWN
My husband actually told me to put my camera down and take my daughter up to the door. It was slightly embarrassing. I was so caught up in documenting the moment that I wasn’t part of my daughter’s first time trick-o-treating. This year I won’t make the same mistake.
ISO 6400 | 3.2 | 1/200
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Melissa Noste - Contributor
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At Click it Up a Notch you will find tips and tricks to improve your photos one click at a time. 
I love this! Thanks so much for sharing. I’ll be taking your advice if it means I’ll be getting pictures as beautiful as yours.
Twitter: SmithPrishsmith
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Love your hints. Thank you.
Great tips, Melissa!!!! I will try to take your advice!
Great pics! Why did you keep changing the ISO? I am just learning all the settings on my camera.
Hi Christina! The pictures are actually not in order of the times taken. The higher the ISO the later in the night it was taken. As the evening wore on I had to increase my ISO for proper exposure. I apologize if that confused you.
Melissa recently posted..Artist
Thanks so much for the tips! Your pics are great!
I saw your post through Pinterest and came to take a look. Great tips! Your photos brought me back to taking my girls for their first time. Their candy bags got too heavy after a bit. It was so fun. They are 10 and 13 now. Time flies!
Hey! I found you on Pinterest and liked you on Facebook. These are very useful tips. I can’t wait to use them. Thank you for putting the camera settings on the pictures. That helps so much! You’ve got a great blog (and a beautiful daughter).
Leigh Ann recently posted..What I’m Etsying Lately
Great tips! Last year I just used my iphone for pictures (that was before I got a nice camera). I hope to get cute pictures of my boys this year.
Amy
Amy Shaughnessy recently posted..Navy and Orange
I just love these simple AND useful tips. My family always jokes about me lying on the ground to take pictures…maybe I should print this out and show them that a professional says so, LOL!
Hi Melissa, I loved your photos and they have given me good ideas on how to take portraits. I’m only weeks at my photography and have so much to learn!! Can I ask, how do you put a copyright signature on your photos?
Hi Tess! Here’s a link to a blog post Courtney did with links to different tutorials for each editing program on watermarks. Hope you have a fantastic night and Happy Halloween!
http://www.clickitupanotch.com/2011/03/how-to-make-a-watermark-why-didnt-i-think-of-that-wednesday/
Thank you very much Melissa for that, and so quick!! Happy Halloween to you also, I’m all set to watch “Nightmare on Elm Street” the re-make!!!