How I Created a Spooky Halloween Self Portrait Session at Home (with Some Foggy Surprises)

Halloween was the perfect excuse to go a little over-the-top and play, making a creative photo self portrait session. Gathering a Profoto A2 flash, a Background Town fleece backdrop, a fog machine, and my Nikon Z6ii paired with a Lensbaby Double Glass II lens (and it's on sale for 25% PLUS an extra 10% using my Lensbaby Ambassador Code WEDNEY at checkout), I set out to capture some spooky images with a cinematic twist.

The Setup

The Background Town fleece backdrop was my base, adding a subtle vibe to the scene—think ghostly party at midnight, which paired well with my Baltic Born Dress. I wanted to add a supernatural, misty atmosphere, so I brought in a fog machine. (Spoiler alert: this would later become the most chaotic element of the shoot!) The Profoto A2 flash gave just the right amount of light to enhance the fog’s texture without losing the shadowy mystery. I also used a Newer panel light with purple gel behind the scene to illuminate the fog. 

The Lensbaby Touch

I chose the Lensbaby Double Glass II for its soft-focus effects and unique blur, dropping a creative bokeh disk for unique edge blur, creating that dreamlike mood that’s perfect for Halloween. The Nikon Z6ii’s self timer with nine images at a press of the button paired with the Lensbaby made it easy to capture ethereal, eerie images with plenty of depth and moody atmosphere. The fog with the blurred focus from the Lensbaby, gives the photos a surreal, haunting atmosphere.

The Real Horror? The Smoke Detectors!

Everything was going perfectly…until the fog machine went off a little too long, setting off the smoke detectors and filling the room with so much mist that I had to open every window and grab a fan to clear the room. Lesson learned: even a fog machine needs moderation indoors! After a brief panic and some emergency ventilation, I managed to get the perfect balance of fog for these haunting images.

Takeaways for a Spooky Shoot

1. Be mindful with fog indoors: It doesn’t take much to set off alarms—literally!
2. Embrace the blur: The Lensbaby’s beautiful blurry distortion added an eerie moody effect you don't get with a standard lens.
3. Layer your lighting: The Profoto A2 was essential for spotlighting me in a way that didn’t overpower the background or fog, adding dimension to the scene.

In the end, the fog-induced chaos only added to the fun. The result? A Halloween session that’s eerie, haunting, and memorable, with a little added excitement along the way. 🎃

Want to see a video from behind the scenes? Check out my reel on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/p/DBzGmebSz9q/