Tips for "horror" still life shots? Got a great location,but never actually composed 'scen

*ElfHybridMarielle Jul 9, 2012 Hobbyist General Artist

SO,I've got a great location (my latest shots will show where) It's an old,open,decaying boarding school. I really want to use it as much as I can, but since it's a two hour drive, I need to plan shots in my head before I go. There are several classrooms, a basement, and an upstairs without a roof.

I really want to plan a still life/crime scene shot, without models (seeing as I don't have one, and am camerashy) but any tips or pointers to a n00b would be greatly appreciated.

If you yourself have still life horror shots you want to share for my inspiration, please feel free!

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~easwee Jul 30, 2012 Hobbyist Photographer

One idea that pops to my mind might be to use a long exposure - than walk trough the scene - if you do it correctly you might get a cool ghost effect.

*ElfHybridMarielle Aug 13, 2012 Hobbyist General Artist

will try that

`RockstarVanity Jul 25, 2012 Professional Photographer

Just to add to everyone else's awesome suggestions, how about bringing some (fake) blood-stained clothes or bed sheets with you as props? Those could introduce a human element without actually involving models and would hint at something sinister having gone one...inspiring the viewer's imagination without actually showing the event is a great horror technique to play with

*ElfHybridMarielle Jul 30, 2012 Hobbyist General Artist

excellent idea

*Tomhurst Jul 25, 2012 Student Photographer

I went to an abandoned mental institution, and just took pictures of the building. If it's anything like the place I went to, there will be holes in the ceiling allowing sunlight to come through. This gave a good look, illuminating certain areas for me, so I stuck to natural lighting.
Of course it was still dark, so I did long exposures up to 30 seconds sometimes, so take a tripod.

If you're camera shy, you can still incorporate yourself into the shots, if you're doing long exposures, move infront of the camera slowly. When recorded you can be 'ghost like.'

These are my images from the abandoned mental institution: [link]

Of course you may hate them, just an idea

*ElfHybridMarielle Jul 30, 2012 Hobbyist General Artist

no,they were awesome!!
Loved that idea

)

*Tomhurst Jul 25, 2012 Student Photographer

Just realised you said still life. Ignore me

~Shurakai-Stock Jul 24, 2012 Professional Photographer

Example of creepy prop: [link]

*ElfHybridMarielle Jul 30, 2012 Hobbyist General Artist

sweet..

~Shurakai-Stock Jul 24, 2012 Professional Photographer

More creepy props: antique photos or old and yellowed newspaper clippings, either scattered around a floor (and shot with the camera very low to the ground and on a bit of a dutch angle) or pasted to a wall; vaguely satanic-looking symbols painted on walls, floors, ceilings (preferably with a paintbrush – using spraypaint will undermine the crazy factor); a single plain chair in an otherwise dark and empty room with a strategically-focused beam of light on it (and don’t forget to throw dust into the beam or it will be invisible to the camera); old and rusty tools, preferably saws, hammers and pliers, with dark brown or black spots on them; splashes of dark brown paint on walls, floors, ceilings, etc.

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Tips for "horror" still life shots? Got a great location,but never actually composed 'scen

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