7 Creative Halloween Content Ideas (And the Ulanzi Gear You'll Need)

Halloween is the perfect time to get creative with your camera, but sometimes it's hard to think of new things to shoot. At Ulanzi, we believe making awesome photos and videos should be fun and easy for everyone. So, if you want to move beyond the usual pumpkin pictures, we've put together seven fresh ideas and some special deals to help you capture some real Halloween magic this year.

Make a Cool Pumpkin Carving Time Lapse

A time lapse video is a great way to show off your pumpkin carving from start to finish. It turns a long activity into a short, exciting video that's fun to watch and share.

What's the Idea? You'll record the entire carving process and speed it up so it looks like the jack-o'-lantern appears in just a few seconds.

• Your Simple Steps: Find a spot with low light and put your pumpkin on a table. Set your camera on a tripod, because it must not move at all. Set your camera to time-lapse mode (a 1 to 5-second interval works well) and start recording. When you're done, put a light inside the pumpkin for a cool final shot.
  
  
  
  
• Gear That Helps: The Ulanzi F38 Quick Release Travel Tripod (3131) is perfect for this project. Its lightweight build (weighing just 1.1 kg) makes it easy to move and set up in different locations. The quick-release system allows you to attach and detach your camera swiftly, ensuring you can focus on capturing the perfect shot without delays.

Get Spooky Low Light Pictures with Fog

You can create amazing, movie-style photos with just a single light and some shadows. Adding fog is the secret to making your pictures look truly professional and mysterious.

• What's the Idea? You'll use dramatic, off-camera lighting and a layer of fog to create a spooky feeling in your photos.
• Your Simple Steps: Start in a very dark room. Place a small light below your subject's face for a classic horror look, or from the side to create deep shadows. Then, use a fog machine to add a light mist to the air, which will catch the light and add texture.
• Gear That Helps: Worry about not having enough fog to create the wanted scenario? Try the Filmog ACE Portable Fog Machine (R001) to create an atmosphere. Its extended duration (5 to 30 minutes per session) allows you to maintain the desired atmosphere throughout your shoot, instantly giving your photos that cinematic, eerie feeling.

Film a Magic Jump Cut Costume Change

A jump-cut is a video trick that makes it look like you instantly change into your Halloween costume. It's a popular effect on social media that looks like magic but is very simple to do.

• What's the Idea? You'll film two clips—one in your regular clothes and one in costume—and edit them together to create a seamless transformation.
• Your Simple Steps: Put your camera on a tripod. Record yourself doing an action, like a clap or a spin. Then, change into your costume, return to the exact same spot, and repeat the same action. In your editing app, cut the two clips at the same point in the action and put them together. The clap provides a loud sound cue that makes finding the perfect edit spot super easy.
• Gear That Helps: A light and steady tripod, like the Ulanzi Zero Y Travel Tripod (3028), is great for this. Whether you're shooting indoors, in your backyard, or at a Halloween party, this tripod adapts to different environments. Its compact design allows for quick transitions between scenes, and it will keep your camera perfectly still, which is the key to making this trick work.

Capture Bubbling Potion Close-Up Shots

You can make cool, close-up videos of a bubbling "potion" with simple things from around your house. This idea is all about focusing on the small details to create a video that is fun to watch.

• What's the Idea? You'll film a close-up of a glass of water as you add things like food coloring and glitter to create swirling, magical-looking effects.
• Your Simple Steps: Place a glass of water on a table against a dark background, which will make the colors pop. Get your camera very close to the glass. Use your camera's slow-motion mode, start recording, and then add your items to the water.
• Gear That Helps: The Falcam TreeRoot Quick Lock Travel Tripod is a great choice here. You can flip its center column to get your camera very low and close to the action, perfect for steady, detailed shots.

Shoot a Found Footage Scary Scene

This idea copies the style of scary movies like The Blair Witch Project. It uses a shaky, first-person view to make the audience feel like they are right there in the middle of the action.

• What's the Idea? You'll film a short, spooky story from your own point of view, using realistic camera movement to build suspense.
• Your Simple Steps: Plan a simple story, like hearing a strange noise outside. Hold the camera yourself and use small, natural movements—do. Don't shake it too much. The goal is to make it look real, not messy. Walk around, peek around corners, and react to things to tell your story.
• Gear That Helps: A great combo is the DJI Osmo Pocket 3 for its smooth, stabilized video, paired with the PK-01 Black Mist Filter. The filter softens the lights and gives your footage of that classic, hazy movie look. Use the F22 Quick Release Expansion Frame if you need to add light or a microphone.

Master the Floating Ghost Picture Effect

This is a classic photo trick that makes a person look like a see-through ghost. It's a fun illusion that's easy to create with just two pictures and a simple editing step.

• What's the Idea? You'll take two photos—one of an empty background and another with a "ghost" in it—and blend them together.
• Your Simple Steps: Put your camera on a tripod. Take a picture of your background. Then, have a person covered in a sheet stand in the shot and take a second picture without moving the camera. Tell the person to stand as still as possible to keep the ghost shape from getting blurry. In an editing app, put the ghost picture on top of the background picture and lower its opacity to about 50%.

A tripod ensures your two shots align perfectly, so the ghost shape stays sharp and doesn’t blur. Want gear ideas? You can browse Ulanzi’s full tripod collection for options that suit your budget or shooting style.

Film a Fun Candy Monster POV Shot

A point-of-view (POV) video is a great way to share your Halloween night. It puts the viewer in your shoes and makes them feel like they are part of the adventure.

• What's the Idea? You will film your trick-or-treating experience from your own viewpoint to create a fun, personal video.
• Your Simple Steps: Use a wide-angle lens to capture more of the scene. Instead of just pointing the camera forward, move on purpose. Show the decorations, your friends' reactions, and of course, all the candy you get. Smooth movements are better than fast, jerky ones.
• Gear That Helps: The DJI Osmo Pocket 3 is perfect for smooth POV video. Pair it with the PK-12 Mini Quadpod Battery Handle for a better grip and extra power to last the whole night.

Grab Your Gear with Ulanzi's Boo-tiful Halloween Sale

Feeling inspired to try these ideas? Having the right tools makes all the difference, and our Boo-tiful Halloween Sale is the perfect chance to build your kit. We're offering major discounts on some of our most popular gear to help bring your creative visions to life. The following are just a few of the featured deals you won't want to miss:

And that's just the beginning! The sale will also feature other treats like mysterious Blind Boxes and specially curated Good Bundles. Don't miss out on the chance to upgrade your gear for less.

Get Creative with Ulanzi This Halloween!

We hope these ideas get you excited to go out and shoot this Halloween. Ulanzi is here to support your creativity with clever and reliable gear for any project. You can check out all our tools on our website and follow us on social media for more great tips.

To help you get started, keep an eye out for our Boo-tiful Halloween Sale! It's the perfect time to build your creator kit.

FAQ sabout 

Q1: What is the biggest mistake people make with spooky lighting?

A common error is using light that is too flat or direct because it removes shadows. Spooky pictures need high contrast and deep shadows to create mystery. Instead of pointing a light straight at a person, place it to the side, below, or behind them. This will cast long shadows that add to the spooky feeling.

Q2: How can sound for scary videos be improved with little money?

Good sound needs more than just talking. Creators can use a smartphone to record their own sound effects, like creaking doors, footsteps, or strange whispers. Adding these sounds into the video's background creates a rich and scary audio experience. This can be done without buying costly equipment.

Q3: Is a travel tripod strong enough for long time-lapses?

New travel tripods, especially carbon fiber ones, are very strong and steady for their size. For the best stability during a long time-lapse, you should extend the thickest leg parts first. You also should keep the center column as low as you can. Putting a weight, like a camera bag, on the tripod's center hook will also add a lot of stability against wind or bumps.