Don't be Spooked this Halloween...4 Photo Phobias NOT to be afraid of

During the Halloween season, there's lots of talk of the things that scare us.  But when it comes to yearbook photography, we need to overcome our fears and hesitations to be able to let our creativity shine through and fill our pages with fabulous photos.  So instead of ghosts and goblins, let's talk about four photo phobias that we should not be afraid of.

1. Ommetaphobia (fear of eyes)

Get in their space and get in their face.  Nothing tells a story more than emotion, and nothing shows emotion more than a person's eyes. Getting into someone's confined space by using a zoom lens or by getting the courage to walk up and talk to them will allow you to capture and convey their true personality. Practice by taking close-ups of your closest friends, and then branch out to classmates until you feel more comfortable with people you don't even know.  If they ask, tell them you're doing a story on eyes for the yearbook!

2. Enochlophobia (fear of crowds)

Conquer the hallway hysteria.  As a yearbook staffer, it's up to you to own your hallways.  While the professional photography studio might capture much of your sports action at games and many of your special events, it's the job of the student photojournalist to document the day to day hallway happenings in the school, and what’s going on in the crowd at those games and events.  Make sure to have your camera with you at all times to get comfortable capturing people in candid moments. Try picking a spot with an interesting background and a lot of foot traffic, and sit there for an entire period waiting for the action to come to you.  You can even experiment with slow shutter speeds to convey the activity of the students around you.

3. Nyctophobia (fear of the dark)

Don’t be afraid to take or experiment with photos in low light situations. 

Use your flash,  ambient light, stage lights, street lights, cell phone light, 

or anything you can find to add a creative touch.  Have a flashlight or glow stick?  Use it with a longer shutter speed for some cool effects.  Try using silhouettes or shadows to your advantage.  Highlight key focal points with whatever light you have to create drama, suspense, or mystery.

4. Catoptrophobia (fear of mirrors)

Here's something to reflect upon.  Mirrors, puddles, sunglasses, windows, and brass

instruments can all be used to capture people and places in a new and interesting way. Afraid to point the camera directly at your subject?  Photograph them by shooting their reflection in the glass or a mirror.  Looking to create repetition of patterns and colors? 

Place your camera on the ground in front of a small puddle.  Want to capture a person's face close-up while also seeing what's going on around them? Carry around a pair of reflective sunglasses to put on your subject in various situations.