Halloween 2025: Photographs & Behind the Scenes

Brrr…if it seems colder than usual outside, it’s either Halloween or you’re possessed by a vengeful ghost. Let’s just hope it’s Halloween.

Hey, wanna see something scary? Get on the hayride and take a look at this.

For the past two or three years, I attempted to create a miniature haunted village. Last year, I didn’t have enough grains of time to complete the project because I messed up a few paint jobs. Severely. You see, I had a bright idea. Instead of using ordinary paint and ordinary light, I used specialized paint that glows when it’s exposed to a black light. Let’s just say that not all paint is the same, especially the glowing variety.

The first time I powered up the scene with a black light, I was horrified and mortified by its magnificent dullness. For some mystical reason, some types of paint appear to absorb UV light. In other words, some of the paint I used didn’t glow. Yes, I should have checked if the paint glowed before starting the project. Lesson learned. Try again next year.

Ehh, painting those damn pumpkins still gives me nightmares.

The entire village is a bit larger than what’s portrayed in the photograph. The scene was shot from a particular low angle that doesn’t include all the structures. There’s about two more small houses that’s not visible in the photograph, and three more that will be added to the scene next year…maybe.

I painted the Tree of Skulls a few times. The last attempt was a rush job. However, the layers of paint added a bark-like appearance to the tree which I didn’t plan for. But I’ll take it.

Do you want to see the difference between this year’s photograph and last year’s? You can adjust the slider below this paragraph to time travel into the past and future. Pretty cool, huh?

I used two different types of black lights. Recently, I used a specialized flashlight, and last year I used a black light panel. Each photograph looks a bit different because I’m still experimenting with black lights and editing parameters.

Piecing together random individual elements is basically playing with fire, and I got burned more than once. The scale is far from perfect. Whatever.

Alright, I made this next photograph on a whim. I cobbled together “spare parts” and created a different concept—a collision between two distinct horror eras—crammed into a single frame. I already owned a Freddy Krueger figurine that my coworker discovered at Goodwill. All I needed was a victim…wait…all Freddy needed was a victim. You get the picture. Hopefully.

Of course, I ran into some of the same problems as before: scale. When you create scenes like this, you soon realize that some props are either too large or too small, especially when you gather random miniatures. It’s helpful to know what kind of scale you’re working with, that way you can specifically buy (or make) the appropriate items needed for the scene.

Or you can just wing it and see what happens.

I attempted to create a dream-like effect by highlighting Fredrick Kruger’s back with a blue flashlight. I would have preferred to use more blue light, however, too much light reflected off the Bride’s dress, so I had to make adjustments. A technical compromise deflated my original idea, and sometimes that’s just the way it goes.

Also, I added a few Easter eggs to the scene.

Gross, do you see that nasty specimen in the large glass bottle? Yup, that a certified chestburster from the first Alien movie! Apparently the Bride owned some superhero literature, because below the chestburster, can you can spot a Marvel comic. Of course, the table contains a few goodies.

Allow me a moment to dispel some of the magic.

I’ll show you what the scene looked from my perspective. As you can see, it’s pretty much just a mini movie set. Space was quite lacking. Obviously. I didn’t plan too much in advance. I imagined a scene or scenario, made a few crude measurements, and then had faith that something would come together, despite having to make technical compromises that may or may not support my original vision.

Wait, do you hear that? Sounds like someone or something is at the front door. I gotta go fork over some fun-size candy to a few ghosts and devils. Either that, or a desperate vampire is trying to cross the threshold without yet having explicit permission to do so. You know how it is. Well, wish me luck! Don’t judge me if I end up sleeping inside a coffin. Please.

Happy Halloween, and if you happen to be possessed by a vengeful ghost, I wish you the best of luck!