Strike a Pose

• All right, so the guys are dressed in their finest polyester leisure suits or Angel Flight suits, shirts unbuttoned to the navel with a big gold chain dangling from their necks, while the ladies are dolled up in minis, midriffs, flowing Halston dresses or bell bottoms. Don't settle for your standard party shots. Strike a pose straight out of the era. Check out the DVD cover for "Saturday Night Fever." The John Travolta stance is a classic and should be emulated by every male guest. As for the ladies, have them fawn all over their guys, or strike a coy but adoring pose while he stands there like a peacock. The Travolta pose is so stereotypical that it works best if the guy is surrounded by several ladies, all acting as if they are as enamored with him as he obviously is with himself. For the ladies, pose like disco queen Donna Summer or borrow from a slightly later dance movie, "Flashdance," and give your best Jennifer Beals stance. Add a few admiring males to make the pose complete.
  
  

Dance Steps

• If disco was all about the dance beat, why not do the original dances while the camera guy snaps away? Turn up the Bee Gees, Donna Summer, Chic or Silver Convention and get down to The Bump or The Hustle. Be sure the lens captures the disco ball in the background; for additional authenticity, get a Studio 54 sign in honor of the disco era's most celebrated nightclub and put that up, too.
  
  

Wheels

• If anyone you know has access to a 1970s car, you're in luck: Use the car as a background prop for some outdoor disco party photos. Nothing says 1970s like a gold or brown Gran Torino, although any vintage late 1970s or early 1980s vehicle would do, from a convertible Eldorado to one of those vinyl-roofed sedans everyone seemed to drive in those days. Contact a local car club and you're sure to find someone who'd be more than happy to lend you his car, for a nominal fee.
  
  

For Those Who Don't Comply

• Every theme party has one--the random guest or guests who don't come in costume because they couldn't find the right attire or simply didn't have the time. Don't jeopardize your group shot because of one or two spoilsports--stock up on some classic disco-era duds, from Afros (available at any party supply store) to those outlandish faux-silk shirts or blouses (visit your friendly neighborhood thrift store) so you can make sure everyone is dressed appropriately before the photographer begins snapping away.