October Monthly Assignment: Halloween

HALLOWEEN

This month's challenge can include (but not limited to) the annual traditions observed around this theme; Trick-or-treating, dressing up (costumes), decorating/carving of pumpkins, bonfires, or anything that gives the impression on being haunted.

Assignments are designed to help you grow your photography skills and creativity, and have fun doing so. Assignments are to make all of us photographers think outside the box also. ​

The Rules

1. Any photo submitted for a monthly assignment must be taken during the month specified in the assignment thread and taken by you! Because not all EXIFdata can be verified, we will use the honor system.
2. Photos must be posted to the thread in order to be considered for the challenge. Links to photos will not be considered an entry.
3. Only three photo entries per member, for each assignment, unless otherwise indicated.
4. Assignments will be judged solely by the panel. Individual voting via post "likes" will be incorporated into the final selection of the winning photo.
5. Judging criteria is based on the Twelve Elements of a Merit Image.
6. The panel will select 5 shots to be displayed in the Monthly Challenge forum and homepage of the site.

Any photo will be accepted for the assignment.
​Edited/straight out of the camera, it does not matter. You are left with complete freedom to do whatever genre of photography you wish to do, and your own interpretation of the assignment subject.

My first submission in the Halloween Challenge.

​


This is a foam rubber pumpkin I carved around twelve years ago.
The wife hauls this one out every year to put on the front porch.
The locals seem to like it.

Enjoy
Pete

This is my second submission.

This was carved at the same time as the witch and has been put out every year with the witch.

This is the Raven and the Skull.



Enjoy

​Pete

I only see this guy around this time of year. He chases all the squirrels away.

I would like to encourage everyone to leave their comfort zone this month. New photographers often cling to what they know best: things in their backyard, or other interesting "stuff" that catches their eye. Some of you will post up photos of "stuff", others may even venture out and find a scary looking house in the neighborhood.

These assignments are designed to challenge you, not keep you in your comfort zone. Push yourself. For most of you, that means tossing caution to the wind and photographing actual people. The most beautiful photograph of the most awesome sunset in the world fails to elicit any real emotion, which is what photography and art is all about: emotion.

If you post a photo of a scary house, most people looking at it are going to think, "Meh. Yeah, that's kind of nifty." Halloween is your chance to really scare the crap out of someone. Make their skin crawl. Make them have trouble falling asleep at night. Don't just settle for creepy. This is your chance to really go out on the edge and make someone pee their pants.

There are make-up artists and models out there who are very willing to create a scary photo shoot with you, and do it for free. Most amateurs will do TFP (Time for Prints) and work with you just to build their portfolio. Nearly all of them would love to do a scary halloween shoot because it's a great way for them to showcase their abilities, and it can be for you as well.

My First Entry...

#1 entry

Entry #2


D600, 24-70 2.8, iso 1000, 1/1000 f 5.6

A photo of my son taken in the backyard with my D3100 and a 50mm f/1.8G AF-S lens. He's 2 and I also taught him to say "Aaargh, Matey!"

In case you are wondering where all the posts went. I deleted all posts that were not entries. Especially photos that are not entries. Please people, limit posts in this thread to entries only. Thanks.

Use the like button for the ones you really like instead of commenting.

Entry #1
Under the Leaves....

Entry #1

Ladies of the Zombie Prom



D600, 24-85 @24mm, ISO 200, 1/200 w/flash, f5.6

My first time participating in a site challenge

Took a few shots on a very popular street in Romeo, Michigan. Tillson Street goes all out through October.

First time entry for a challenge.
For three weeks in the month of October the California State Parks and the volunteers at the California State Railroad Museum will operate the “Spookomotive” train rides. Whimsically-Decorated "Spookomotive" Trains To Treat Old Sacramento Visitors for Three Weekends in October
Just by chance we were in Sacramento on one of these weekends and I took some photos of this spooky train.

Sacramento Southern 2030 makes up the train for the Sunday trips.

jkinzel said:

First time entry for a challenge.
For three weeks in the month of October the California State Parks and the volunteers at the California State Railroad Museum will operate the “Spookomotive” train rides. Whimsically-Decorated "Spookomotive" Trains To Treat Old Sacramento Visitors for Three Weekends in October
Just by chance we were in Sacramento on one of these weekends and I took some photos of this spooky train.

Sacramento Southern 2030 makes up the train for the Sunday trips.
View attachment 56652


Southern Pacific observation car all decked out in a ghoulish theme.
View attachment 56653

Click to expand...

You will need to limit each post to just one photo. You can have three entries total but they each need to be in a different post. You can delete one of these and put in a different post.

Entry 1

Entry #1 (was limited at work so printed a background - single exposure)

Entry #2 (Single exposure)

entry #1
kind of Halloween-ish with the fall foliage and creepy graveyard..

At first cock-crow the ghosts must go back to their quiet graves below.