When Scout insisted on being a “scary witch” for Halloween, I knew I had to take Halloween Witch Family Photos. And of course I didn’t want to do the typical, ordinary Halloween photos. Instead, I thought I’d be extra and create some surreal Halloween Witch Family Photos.

We photographed our Halloween Witch Family Photos on-site at Alyeska in Girdwood, Alaska, when visiting last week. Because that location has become such a special place for me and my family, I thought it only fitting that we use the property to take some surreal Halloween photos.

How I Captured These Surreal Halloween Witch Family Photos

For these surreal Halloween Witch Family Photos, I knew I was going to need my studio lighting, so I carried it on the airplane. It’s obnoxiously bulky for a “travel” lighting kit, and super heavy, but I brought it anyway. It was the only way I could get the shots I envisioned in my head, and I wouldn’t have been happy with anything less.

To make it look like Scout was really flying on her broom, we placed her on a ladder. Later I later photoshopped out of the final image. Then I changed the background coloring in photoshop. The pink lighting on us is from my studio light with a gel over it. The light also had a grid insert (for all you photography nerds like me out there). That allowed us to be pink/purple, but the wall behind us to not be hit with the pink light.

Finally, I added the “magic” smoke effect in photoshop. I used blending modes, and then lowered the opacity, to make it look photo-realistic.

Back in the hotel room, I set up the light again so I could photograph just Tyler as a witch. We pulled a page right out of Wicked’s playbook (or should I say Playbill… lollll), and turned my wife into Elphaba. Cool right?

Time for a Refresh

I’m really thankful for weeks like the one I just had. Not only was Alaska great, but it gave me the opportunity each day to be creative. From shooting star trails in Alaska, to these spooky and surreal Halloween Witch Family Photos, to our pregnancy announcement, to my cool before and after drone footage. As a photographer and creative director, weeks like last week are few and far between, especially between September and Christmas. But I feel refreshed and inspired heading into the last two months of 2022.

Talk to you soon,
Dale