Boo!

My favorite holiday, if you can call it that, is Halloween. Love the whole concept of people dressing in scary costumes, carving jack-o-lanterns, and the overall sense of fun that accompanies all of this. But most of all I am fascinated with the displays people create in their yards; all manner of witches, ghosts, skeletons, clowns, and on and on. From the simple to the over the top elaborate, I am amazed at the creativity and imagination that people put into these things. And most of all that it is filed by a desire to scare and celebrate horror. As a photographer, I make a special point of capturing not just the creations, but the feeling they convey. My talents are particularly well suited to these forays into the dark side. These visions have been a part of my imagination since I was a kid. It's immensely rewarding as an adult to have found an outlet to present them to others. 

Scarecrows have always fascinated me, even in summer when they are intended to scare only birds. But it gets even better at Halloween as one can easily imagine scarecrows coming to life. Probably goes back to watching the Wizard of Oz as a kid. Most of my early impressions of fright arose from that film.

Jack-O-Lanterns are another all-time favorite. Sometimes benign happy faces, but then there's the dark side. Menacing pumpkin heads offering more trick than treat.

Witches are one of my favorite Halloween themes, and I watch for them and photograph them at every opportunity. Again, a throwback to the Wizard of Oz.

Over the years I've visited places that definitely felt haunted. One sensation is I often experience is a fleeting glimpse of movement from the corner of my eye. That's the feeling I had looking at this inexpensive Casper-style Dollar Store ghost blowing in the wind. Even simple things can be frightening in the right circumstances.

The Hine House in Mantua; not decorated for Halloween, nor did it need to be. I just captured it under a very ominous sky.

Skeletons, skeltons...found this scene in Mantua at the old Livery building.

This amazing yard decoration was designed to blow in the wind and would sway and spin about in highly animated fashion. Nothing more than some chicken wire, cheesecloth, and an old wig.

Trick-or-treaters who stop at my house are highly likely to have their portrait taken if their costumes are effective. One look at this had me grabbing my camera!

Creepiness is one element of fright; this display did not dissapoint

These simple cloth ghosts put me in mind of a procession of flying nuns.

Testing my off camera flash resulted in this eerie image...

The aging techniques I use for historical reenactment photos work very well on Halloween displays.

This yard display was among the best I found this year. The crow put it over the top. This one really chills me.

Clowns and dolls....