Halloween Digital Backgrounds

What is in this collection

The spooky outdoor scenes include a purple mansion door under a full moon with fog on the flagstones, two twisted oaks hung with lanterns in a foggy forest, misty wrought-iron gates lit by candles, a crooked witch's cottage at dusk and a moonlit pumpkin field under a huge harvest moon. Darker interiors include a gothic candlelit hall with black roses, a witch's apothecary with a steaming cauldron, a haunted Victorian parlour with a plum velvet sofa, a mad scientist's laboratory and a stone banquet hall under floating candles. For parties there is an orange, black and purple balloon arch, neon arches with glowing fog, a black and white glam sequin wall, a candy buffet, a costume contest stage and a grand staircase lined with pumpkins. Softer options are a pastel spooky-cute studio and a neutral boho set with white pumpkins.

Halloween photo booth backgrounds for every crowd

Pick the mood before the scene. For school events and family parties, the balloon arch, candy buffet and pastel studio are bright and friendly with even light. For adult parties, the neon party room and the glam sequin wall feel like a night out, and the gothic hall suits vampire and masquerade costumes. Photographers looking for Halloween photography backgrounds for costume portraits will get the most from the witch's cottage, the apothecary and the iron gates, which have strong, directional light. For harvest themes without the spooks, see the fall collection, and for print layouts see photo booth backgrounds.

Tips for using these scenes

• Match moonlight or candlelight. The night scenes outside are lit cool, mostly from the left, while the hall, apothecary, banquet hall and stage are warm. Shoot or grade your subject to the same side and colour, and keep their shadows dark so they sit in the scene.
• Choose the scene by group size. The costume stage, pumpkin field, banquet hall and staircase take seven or more people. The witch's cottage, iron gates, apothecary and laboratory are made for one to three costume portraits.
• Use portrait for single costumes. Doors, gates and the cottage are tall, so the portrait file keeps the whole costume and the doorway in frame. Use landscape for groups, and add a thin fog layer over the feet on the misty scenes to hide the join.

Dark scenes show a rough cut-out quickly, so read the Photoshop guide on blending a subject in before the party, and check resolution and print sizes if you are printing posters.