Pumpkin-ing with Sydney Rose Portraits
It’s our favorite time of year over here at Sydney Rose Portraits. Fall brings finally (hopefully) cooler weather, beautiful leaves changing, cuddling up to your loved ones in sweaters, and the ultimate Tim Burton vibes.
It also means fun photography trends. One I am familiar with from years past is the pumpkin head trend. I did this shoot with my partner back in 2022, and it was a fun way to change up our photoshoot routine while also getting in the spirit of my favorite holiday. It always turns out so cute and ends up being a photo shoot filled with laughter and *attempted* scary poses.
In case you’re interested in trying this festive trend, here are some tips from my past pumpkin experience so you can join me in living out your Halloween dreams.
Firstly, be aware of what you’re getting yourself into. Pumpkins are really heavy. Like really. They’re a real live vegetable full of flesh and seeds. That being said... they’re a real live vegetable with flesh and seeds that can make for a delicious snack. Try toasting or baking the pumpkin seeds with your favorite seasonings and oils for a post-photoshoot treat!vBut back to the trend.
Once you’ve acquired your spooky gourd (and given it a name, I like Dave), it’s important to know these things before you carve.
Carve from the bottom and be sure your head fits in it before going to your location (or bring a knife and a spoon). I also highly recommend carving eye holes and a mouth (for breathing purposes, you know). In order to do this safely and with the best results, I suggest trying on the pumpkin once the bottom is open and having a friend use a permanent marker to mark where your eyes sit in the pumpkin head. Then you can take off the pumpkin and carve from there.
Carving tools or a kit may be a worthy investment as the skin of a pumpkin is tough and hard to break through sometimes. You can also find free, printable jack-o-lantern carving patterns online if that’s the vibe you’re going for. To get the perfect circles, I suggest hammering a biscuit cutter into the pumpkin!
While fake carving pumpkins from Michaels are a great alternative, I have found they lack that realistic touch. However, for those looking to move things along or not get as messy, this is definitely the way to go.
Now it’s time to talk about wearing the pumpkin (or Dave, as he’s known to his close friends). It’s gonna be a bit claustrophobic in there and a little bit roasty toasty (but not as roasted as those pumpkin seeds you should be eating 👀). You’ll have to take breaks from wearing the pumpkins because, as previously mentioned, they are heavy. You also may not be able to see super well, so have your poses in mind already before talking a client through posing while wearing a pumpkin. Also, bare in mind that if you are wearing the pumpkin, you may need a hand getting situated in your pose. And don’t be afraid to make your pumpkin people in your vibe. I’ve seen some disco pumpkins, pink pumpkins, goth pumpkins, cute pumpkins, cottage-core pumpkins, the list is endless. Pinterest is a great tool for finding some new looks - here’s my inspo for shoots like this: https://www.pinterest.com/sydneyroseportraits/spooky-season-portraits/
While you’re out and about being spooky, maybe bring sheets to do the ghost trend in between wearing your calabaza for the ultimate fun and haunted time! 🎃🎃🎃