Who doesn’t love a good murder mystery party? Getting dressed up in a crazy fun outfit, slipping into character, and trying to unmask a killer is all fantastic fun, and it is also a chance to snap a few pictures of your friends and family looking fabulous, frightening, or absolutely fantastical!
Far too many times have we heard the words – I wish I took more pictures! So here are a few tips to help you get the best pictures possible to help you remember a truly memorable night…
1 – Start as you mean to go on
The first and most important suggestion we can give you is to take a picture at the very beginning of the night. It is a fact that as the game progresses props will be misplaced, fake moustaches will fall off, and you will be too hot to wear that incredible faux fur coat any longer.
Our games begin with a general introduction time where your characters meet each other, grab a drink and mingle. Get a picture then. We have also included a reminder to do so at the top of our How to Play Guides.
Get a group shot of everyone bringing their A game at the start. This will also give you something to compare your later shots to as the evening goes on.
2 – Incorporate pictures with your theme
One great way to remind yourself to take more pictures is to think about how they can be incorporated with the theme. In our Bridgerton game, for example, you could take head shots of everyone as pretend miniatures to help with your choices in the marriage market!
In our 90s music awards mystery Spice Up Your Death, on the other hand, you could take red carpet pics or ones for each award. For our other 90s game Clue-less Killer, the deceased is the head of the yearbook committee so go for pics of each character as they might appear in the yearbook. There are tons of ways to make photos even more fun!
3 – Lights, camera, acting…
Many of our games also have a character that is a photographer, so why not use them to get those fab candids? Even if you are not a photographer, plenty of the characters involved are outgoing types, It Girls, band members, celebrities, and people that would be likely to take plenty of shots.
You can also have a lot of fun using different types of cameras. While everyone may have a camera on their phone these days, a murder mystery party is the perfect time to dust off that Polaroid camera for instant pics that your guests can take home as souvenirs. However you choose, get plenty of pictures in character as well as out and try and strike a truly killer pose.
4 – Get that killer shot
When you have reached the end of round 3 and made your accusations, it is time for the killer to announce themselves, explain how they did it and why. This is a prime moment to get your mug shot of the murderer if you guessed correctly, and you can even use the classic background showing height to add authenticity as groups have done who have played our games in the past!
If they managed to avoid detection, you could use the picture to create a ‘Wanted’ poster, offer a reward and inspire your guests to try again with another murder mystery in the future.
5 – A photo finish
Much like you did at the start, end your mystery night with a group picture. You will be able to see the contrast in costumes (and perhaps who was a little worse for wear!) but we guarantee you will also be able to see the excitement of a really fun evening!