I headed out to Halloween Horror Nights at Universal with my niece this past weekend. After we powered through all 10 houses, she took a well-earned break while I pulled out my camera for some photography fun. Since it’s the season, here are a few tips if you’re thinking about photographing events like this.
First rule - no flash. Seriously: no flash, no flash, NO FLASH. Scare actors are working in low-light environments. A sudden burst of light not only ruins the atmosphere but can blind and disorient them. At best, you’ll get yelled at by security; at worst, you’ll be escorted out.
That said, if you respect the actors and the rules, the actors usually respect you back. Many will pose if they see you setting up a shot. But be prepared before you lift your camera. Each time I entered a scare zone, I stopped and asked myself three things:
What’s the story being told here?
What’s the available lighting?
Where is that light coming from?
Once I had those answers, I dialed in my settings and moved in with intention.
Gear and settings matter. Low-light situations are where prime lenses shine. Fast glass at wide apertures will outperform most telephoto zooms that lock you into higher f-stops. For these shots, I dropped the aperture as low as possible, pushed my ISO up (but kept it under 4000), and balanced that with a manageable shutter speed. Yes, higher ISO introduces noise, but I lean into the dark mood in post-processing rather than fight against it.
And finally, a call-out: if any scare actors come across this, reach out. I’d love to collaborate and help showcase your event at its best.