Presentation Submitts from me.

1. HALLOWEEN HORROR NIGHTS PHOTOGRAPHY
Halloween Horror Nights Photography
Posted By: Mark Massaroneon: May 02, 2016In: Halloween
Horror Nights: Orlando, Howl-O-Scream: Tampa,
One thing that comes up all the time regarding Halloween
Horror Nights, whether it be on our forums, social media, or at
the event is how can you take good photos and/or video at
Halloween Horror Nights? What are the tips, tricks and
equipment we use?
I’m going to try and give everyone some basic information
regarding low-light photography and videography, now I’m no
so called professional or get paid for any photography that we
take at Halloween Horror Nights but hopefully this information
will help some of you.
Equipment:
In 2015 for photography I shot with a Nikon D7100 and a Sigma
30mm f/1.4 lens. For videography I film with a Canon
XA10. This will more than likely change for 2016 as I have my
eye on a new setup/rig.

2. We’ll leave out Point-And-Shoot cameras, so that leaves you
with Mirrored (DSLR) or Mirrorless. What’s the difference?
Cameras
Mirrored (DSLR) vs. Mirrorless:
DSLRs use the same design as the 35mm film cameras of days
gone by. A mirror inside the camera body reflects the light
coming in through the lens up to a prism (or additional mirrors)
and into the viewfinder for you to preview your shot. When you
press the shutter button, the mirror flips up, a shutter opens and
the light falls onto the image sensor, which captures the final
image.
 DSLR camera bodies are comparatively larger, as they
need to fit in both a mirror and a prism.
 DSLRs use a technology called phase detection, which
quickly measures the convergence of two beams of light
for autofocus.
Mirrorless cameras, light passes through the lens and right onto
the image sensor, which captures a preview of the image to
display on the rear screen. Some models also offer a second
screen inside an electronic viewfinder (EVF) that you can put
your eye to.
 A mirrorless camera body can be smaller than a DSLR,
with simpler construction.
 Mirrorless cameras have both phase and contrast
detection sensors built into the image sensor, and can use
both to refine their autofocus.
Shaky hands make for blurry pictures, and the effects are
magnified the longer your shutter speed, or the more you zoom
in. Both DSLR and mirrorless cameras offer image-stabilization
systems: Sensors measure camera movement, and the camera
slightly shifts either part of the lens or the image sensor in a
direction that’s opposite to the shake. Some mirrorless models
shift both the lens element and the sensor in a synchronized
pattern.

3. The differences between these approaches are minimal. The
main advantage of sensor stabilization is that it works with all
lenses. Lens stabilization only works with lenses that have it
built in, which are often more expensive. Either way, most
modern cameras can deal with a small amount of camera
shake to produce a sharper picture, but can’t compensate for
larger movements.
Both types of camera can take high-quality pictures, with similar
resolutions and amounts of graininess, known as noise.
Mirrorless cameras’ smaller image sensors used to mean lower
quality (as they couldn’t capture as much light), but that is no
longer the case. Camera manufacturers have learned to
produce more sensitive chips and to better suppress noise.
Furthermore, several mirrorless camera makers, such as
Samsung and Sony, now use the same APS-C sensors found
in the majority of DSLRs. Sony’s A7 line of cameras use the
even larger full-frame sensor type found in the best
professional DSLRs.
Because of their on-chip focus sensors, higher-end mirrorless
cameras are generally better suited to video shooting. DSLRs
can’t use phase detection with the mirror up while recording
video, so they have to use the slower, less accurate, contrast-
detection focus method. This leads to the familiar blur-blur look
in the middle of a video when the camera starts hunting for the
right focus. However, some newer SLRs are adding phase
detection on the sensor.
Mirrorless cameras, such as the Sony A6300 and the Samsung
NX1, can capture 4K, or Ultra HD, video with four times the
resolution of HD footage. The technology is slowly trickling
down to lower-priced mirrorless models. Currently, only higher-
end DSLRs, such as the Nikon D5 and Nikon D500, shoot
4K/Ultra HD video. Video professionals, if they use a still-photo
camera at all, tend to prefer DSLRs, because the cameras
have access to a huge range of high-end lenses. Autofocus
isn’t a concern for pros because they can often focus in

4. advance, knowing where their subjects will stand in a scripted
scene.
Both camera technologies can shoot at very fast shutter speeds
and capture a burst of images quickly. With the exception of
high-end DSLRs, mirrorless cameras have an edge, though:
The lack of a mirror makes it easier to take image after
image. Although they don’t have mirrors, most mirrorless
cameras still use a mechanical shutter, where a physical
shutter lifts to expose the image, as it produces better results.
They also have the option of using an electronic shutter (just
setting how long the sensor reads the light), which means they
can shoot quicker and silently.
Choosing a DSLR gives you access to a plethora of lenses
from a number of manufacturers, ranging from cheap and
satisfactory to professional and wildly expensive. Mirrorless
models are more restricted, offering access to a small number
of lenses from the camera maker, though the selection is
growing. The proprietary mirrorless systems from
manufacturers like Sony (A series), Pentax (Q cameras) and
Samsung (NX series) have the fewest lenses, because these
companies have only recently introduced mirrorless models.
Sony offers 17 E-mount lenses, for instance, while Nikon has
hundreds available for its DSLRs.
Mirrorless cameras have the advantage of usually being lighter,
more compact, faster and better for video; but that comes at the
cost of access to fewer lenses and accessories. DSLRs have
the advantage in lens selection and an optical viewfinder that
works better in low light, but they are more complex and
bulkier.
A mirrorless camera is better for a casual to semi-serious
photographer who wants a lighter kit to carry around all day. A
serious or pro shooter who wants access to a wider range of
lenses and other gear would be better off with a DSLR.

5. Lenes:
When you’re shooting in low light, you want as much light to
enter the camera as possible within a given shutter release.
Every lens is given an F-Stop rating, indicating how much light
will enter your camera in conjunction with your shutter speed. A
low number like F/1.4 indicates the lens is ‘fast’ and will allow a
lot of light to enter. A high number like F/22 means the opening
is very narrow and minimal light will be able to enter.
Fast lenses require complex manufacturing and are typically
more expensive than their slower counterparts.
Depending on your budget start with a 50mm
f/1.4 or f/1.8 and/or a 35mm f/1.4 or f/1.8. Sigma makes two
great, although a bit expensive low-light zoom lenses with
the Sigma 18-35mm F/1.8 and the Sigma 50-100mm
F/1.8 which are great for photography and videography.
 Aperture Chart
Low-Light Shooting:
The challenge with Halloween Horror Nights is low-light and the
movement of the scareactors which will cause blurry
images. What can you do to help?
A challenge comes in learning how your camera responds to
given ISO settings and how each impacts the quality of the
capture. It’s essential to know shutter speed to aperture

6. relationships. It’s essential to know how subject movement will
be recorded based on a given shutter speed. It’s essential to
show patience while you wait for long exposure noise reduction
to process your file.
 Shoot RAW
Capture all your low-light images in RAW. More detail is
retained in the shadows and highlights than in a compressed
jpg file. Compressed files bundle together thousands of pixels
that otherwise may contain valuable detail. If you discard those
extra pixels that hold data, you lose the potential to restore
valuable picture information. Use Adobe Lightroom to process
the file.
 Flash
Most of us Halloween Horror Night shooters try night to use any
type of flash, however it’s all personal preference and depends
on the type of shot your looking for. If there’s low light and you
use flash, get creative. If your camera has rear curtain or slow
speed sync, incorporate the use of flash, especially if there’s a
subject that moves across the frame during your exposures.
Slow speed/rear curtain sync allows the shutter to stay open
longer and fires the flash at the end of the long exposure.
Another technique is to set your camera to manual mode and
manually trigger the flash any time during the exposure to
illuminate a foreground subject during the exposure. An
external speed light (flash) will always be better than a built in
flash with the mid to high-end flashes able to rotate and
“bounce” off objects.
 ISO
High ISO photography is becoming more and more of a reality.
Full frame sensor cameras do an admirable job to allow high
quality high ISO images to be made. As the technology
improves, it will only get better. This being said, there is a limit
as to how high you can set your camera to capture an
acceptable file. Shoot a series of photos and keep increasing
the ISO until you max out your setting. Download and evaluate

7. all the captures to see where the cut off occurs that determines
a file is unacceptable. Armed with this information, if you
encounter a low-light situation in the field, you’ll know how far
you can go with your ISO. With my Nikon D7100 I shoot no
higher than ISO 3200 to 6400.
 Subject Movement
A big challenge with low-light photography occurs when there’s
subject movement. There’s a relationship between the
aperture, shutter speed and ISO that determines if you can
freeze subject motion. To allow the most light to strike the
sensor, fully open the aperture and raise your ISO to where you
get an acceptable capture. Do this in Aperture Priority mode.
The shutter will now be set to its fastest possible speed. Make
a picture and evaluate subject movement. If motion is still
detected, short of increasing the ISO to a number that produces
unacceptable image quality, it may not be possible to make the
photo unless the use of flash is incorporated. I start with
a shutter speed of 1/30 to 1/50 and the aperture of f/1.4 to
f/2.8 with my Sigma 30mm.
Quick Tips:
1. Shoot in RAW to be able to bring the most out of the file
2. Use fast glass – if you don’t own a fast lens, rent one
3. Use a fast a shutter speed as possible if the subject
moves
4. Bracket if the situation allows
5. Adjust your ISO accordingly but realize that noise
increases as the ISO is raised
6. Open your lens to the widest aperture to let in as much
light as possible
7. If you have it, use Vibration Reduction
8. Use flash creatively to create light
Compose and Shoot

8. Look for areas around the scarezone that might have more light
and less fog. Fog will reflect any light from a flash or speed
light, avoid it. See how the scareactors move and react to
certain things, plan your shot and shoot. It may take time to get
the shot you want. Keep shooting, take lots of pictures, try burst
mode. Chances are you will have a few good shots of the shot
you want. Patience is key when shooting at Halloween Horror
Nights. Most photographers attend multiple nights an dedicate
nights just for photography and videography.
Final Thoughts
It’s most important just to enjoy and have fun. Do not harass
the scareactors by getting in the way of there job of scaring
guests, thank them if they stop and pose for you, they don’t
have to. Be courteous of other guests and the experience they
are trying to get. We hope this helps you get better photos
and/or video at Halloween Horror Nights.
Comments and questions can be posted below or over on our
forums: HHN Photography & Videography.