15 Halloween costume photo poses that actually look good

A good costume photo shows two things: the whole outfit, and the character wearing it. The most common mistake is standing straight and smiling at the camera, which turns a great costume into a passport photo. Pose as the character, show the full outfit, and shoot from a slightly lower angle.

Here are 15 poses that work for solo, couple and group costumes, plus how to frame each one on iPhone. For more ideas beyond poses, see our 25 Halloween photo ideas.

Solo costume poses

1. Mid-action. A witch casting a spell, a pirate drawing a sword, a superhero landing. Ask the person to move and shoot a burst (swipe the shutter button left and hold). One frame will have the energy.

2. The over-the-shoulder look. Turn the body away from the camera and look back over the shoulder. It shows the back of the costume, which is often the best part (capes, wings, tails), and it feels mysterious.

3. The full-length stance. Feet apart, weight on one leg, hands on hips or holding a prop. Frame head to toe with a little space above the head and below the feet. The Portrait 1 guide sets this frame at 1.5x from about four metres.

4. Hands to the face. For makeup-heavy costumes, frame from the chest up at 2x or 3x and have the person bring their hands near their face: claws, a finger on the lips, a hand shading the eyes. Hands give the frame something to do besides a face.

5. Sitting on steps. Sit on porch steps, knees apart, elbows on knees, leaning slightly forward. It is relaxed, it suits most costumes, and steps add lines to the frame.

6. Looking up and away. Chin up, eyes on something out of frame. It works for ghosts, angels and anything dramatic, and it avoids the awkward camera stare.

Couple costume poses

7. Back to back. Classic for duos like Bonnie and Clyde, salt and pepper, or two villains. Shoot from slightly below at 1.5x.

8. The diagonal. One person a step closer to the camera than the other, so their heads sit on a diagonal. It adds depth and reads more naturally than two people side by side. The Two-Point Vertex guide draws this line.

9. The interaction. Have the pair act out their characters: one chasing the other, a vampire leaning in, a doctor checking a patient. Story beats posing.

10. The silhouette pair. Stand them in a lit doorway or against a bright sky, expose for the background and let the costume shapes do the work.

Group costume poses

11. The poster line-up. Everyone in a straight line, tallest in the centre, same expression, arms crossed. Shoot at eye level from far enough that nobody gets cut off at the edges.

12. The triangle. For three or five people, put the main character in front and centre, the others behind and to the sides. Triangles are calmer to look at than a row. The Triangle 1 guide places the points.

13. Staggered heights. Some standing, some sitting, some kneeling. Nobody's head should be at the same height as their neighbour's.

14. The walk. Have the group walk towards you slowly, talking. Crouch low and shoot a burst. Walking shots look candid and show every costume.

15. The jump. Count to three and have everyone jump. Shoot a burst and pick the frame where most people are at the top.

How to frame costume poses on iPhone

• Shoot at 1.5x or 2x, not 0.5x. Wide lenses stretch bodies near the edges and distort faces.
• Lower the camera to chest height. Shooting from your own eye level makes people look shorter. Chest height is flattering for full-length shots.
• Leave space around the costume. Do not crop at the joints (ankles, knees, wrists). Crop mid-thigh or show the whole body.
• Keep the background simple. A plain wall, a dark doorway or an open sky lets the costume stand out.
• No flash. Use porch lights, string lights or pumpkins as your light.

slay shows the frame for each of these poses on the live camera. Pick a guide, step back until the person fits the zone, and it locks when the costume is framed.

Frame every costume

slay overlays composition guides on your live iPhone camera and locks when the person lands in the zone.

Get slay on the App Store: https://apps.apple.com/app/id6807513456?utm_source=slaycamera&utm_medium=article&utm_campaign=halloween-costume-photo-poses