With the goal of becoming an annual event, Jeff Sedden – owner and promoter of the Morgue and Krypt Horror Fest – planned the first one t in Albuquerque two years ago. A trustworthy team, Sedden said, has been the most important part of the Horror Fest’s success.
Albuquerque has other conventions, but the overall goal of the horror convention, Sedan said, is to ensure that it becomes a staple in the community.
“There’s a lot of people that you thought you could count on, and there’s a lot of people that you didn’t know you could count on and you found you can. So building a team from people you have known your entire life to people that you barely met yesterday (was important),” Sedden said.
His first event as a vendor – Alan Higgins, the owner of Lithium Dreams Photography – started his business 25 years ago with his wife, Rae Ann Higgins, a graphic designer. He has priorly worked events as a photographer.
Higgins specializes in horror, gore and gothic photography. His experience in theater sound and lighting informs the characteristics of his work that mimics cinematography, Higgins said.
“I think I'll always be doing horror because it's creative and it's different and it does sell … To me, it's more challenging, more fun. It's why I became a photographer – to do something that was fun and different and kind of pushed the limits,” Higgins said.
At the Horror Fest, Higgins sold his photos and three books that he published. He said he was surprised by the photos that attendees bought, selling one of his first horror photos.
“I had a couple (photos) that I thought would sell really well because they'd sold before (at) other shows, but they didn’t. … The one that I was excited to sell was one of the very first pictures that I'd ever done in that horror genre. It was cool that I actually sold it. I've had it since the very beginning,” Higgins said.
Higgins said he learned about Horror Fest from a friend that thought his work would fit in. He originally worked in fashion photography but started concentrating in the horror genre in 2007 – a passion that he doesn’t plan on giving up.
Higgins enjoyed meeting people who had similar interests to him at the Horror Fest as it allowed for many people to connect, Higgins said.
“My favorite part about it was talking to the people in general. … It didn't matter if they sold or if they didn't sell, (or) if they did buy or didn't buy, it was just the fact that they were interested in my work and they could relate to it,” Higgins said.
Higgins, who is based in Alamogordo, said he plans on returning to Albuquerque if the Horror Fest returns.
Get content from The Daily Lobo delivered to your inbox
Addison Key is the culture editor at the Daily Lobo. She can be reached at culture@dailylobo.com or on Twitter @addisonkey11
Tristan Huffman is a freelance photographer at the Daily Lobo. He can be reached at culture@dailylobo.com or on Instagram @thuffmanphotos
Addison Key is a senior reporter at the Daily Lobo and served as the Summer 2023 culture editor. She can be reached on Twitter @addisonkey11.
