TRI-CITIES, Wash. – For 15 Halloweens, Scott Butner has captured the spirit of the season through his photography. What began as a spontaneous idea has turned into a cherished Tri-Cities tradition.
Butner has been photographing Halloween costumes for 15 out of the last 16 years, taking a break only for COVID-19.
“I’d say I photograph, on average, about 300 kids every year,” Butner said.
In 2009, Butner began taking costume pictures at a local bagel shop. The following year, he invited trick-or-treaters, friends and neighbors to stop by for free portraits, dubbing it “A Picture Fairy Halloween.”
These portraits have created lasting memories for hundreds of families. Children who once posed as superheroes or princesses now bring their own children for photos.
“It’s an almost every year tradition for us,” one participant said. “We always save those and share them with our families.”
Despite his passion, Butner revealed that this Halloween could be his last behind the camera.
“In 2016, I found out I had chronic leukemia, and we’ve got it under control with medication. But I definitely feel it,” Butner said. “I don’t know, this could be the last year, but I’ll keep doing it as long as I’m okay getting up and down.”
Butner remains dedicated, offering the portraits for free. Each Halloween, he captures 2,000 to 3,000 photos, edits them over three days and posts them on his Facebook page for families to download.
“Oh, I just enjoy seeing all the kids in their costumes,” Butner said. “A lot of the families that come in here, they tell me that these are the only professional pictures they have taken all year.”
You can find more information about Butner’s photography on his Facebook page.
