Ghost Hunting Tips
While ghost hunting can be fun, it can sometimes be frustrating as well when you leave with high hopes and come back disappointed. There are only two things worse than doing everything right and coming home with nothing to show for your efforts. One is is coming home with nothing and realizing that it was because you didn't do adequate advance. The other is not coming home at all because you were hospitalized or arrested.
In order to avoid these and other unpleasant possibilities, and also to make ghost hunting endeavors as successful as possible, here are some things that we all need to be aware of:
Familiarize yourself with the site
Never go to a site for the first time at night. Schedule a visit during daylight hours to familiarize yourself with the area and any potential hazards. Things to look for include unstable parts of a structure, holes, wells, dangerous objects on the premises, and land features like steep drops, tripping hazards or loose rocks. In short, take note of anything that might potentially cause injury to somebody in your party. It's also a good idea to know the safest way in and out and the location of the nearest emergency medical facility.
Plan ahead
Decide in advance what you want to accomplish and make sure that you have the right equipment. Are you going to want to take photos, videos or both? Will you be shooting outdoors or indoors? If outdoors, what weather conditions are expected? If shooting at night, do you have proper lighting? What AC power sources are available? Will you need extension cords? Are your batteries fully charged? Do you have an adequate supply of spares? Are you going to randomly take photos or videos or are you looking for something specific? Will you need gauss meters or thermometers to help direct your efforts? Will you be making EVP recordings? If so, what other sources of noise need to be considered? If several people are participating, who will be responsible for what? Are you dressed appropriately for the environment? Do you have a first aid kit?
Never trespass
Regardless of whether it's an abandoned building, a public area, or a piece of unoccupied land, you should never assume that it's OK to be there. Many people don't realize, for example, that most cemeteries close at dark. Even if there's no sign posted you can still be arrested for trespassing if you don't have permission to be there after dark. The same is true of most historical areas, such as forts and battlefields. If you want to gain access to private property, or to public property outside of normal hours, contact the appropriate person, organization or agency and request it.
Be Specific in your requests
It's always best to obtain written permission to do whatever it is that you're planning. Depending on your lead time you may want to make a phone call to obtain the name of the person who can give it, or you may want to just send a letter or email. Either way your correspondence should include the following:
* The name and address of your organization
* The name and telephone number of a contact person
* The location you wish to visit
* The intended purpose of your visit
* The date and time you want access
* How long you wish to stay
* A statement that you will not hold the owner liable for any injuries sustained
* A statement that you will be responsible for any damages resulting from your visit
* A request for written authorization to be at that location on the date and time requested
To be on the safe side have a copy of your authorization with you in case you're questioned by security or law enforcement personnel. Don't assume that they'll have advance notice of your presence or your authorization to be there.
Keep complete records
Record the date, time, location, weather conditions (including temperature and humidity if possible) names of participants and observers, and the exact locations that photos and videos were taken. This is extremely important for paranormal investigations, and less important but still helpful for ghost hunting excursions.
Be aware of your environment
This is especially important if you're shooting indoors in an area like an attic or basement. Dust and airborne particles can create false orbs, so try to enter an area slowly and carefully. If you suspect that you may have disturbed dust, give it time to settle before shooting. It's also a good idea to avoid conditions like light rain or snow, high wind gusts or high pollen counts which can also create false images when a flash is used.
Use multiple cameras if possible
Orbs and apparitions tend to be almost transparent, so it's often difficult to judge their distance or exact location. If you're shooting the same area with two or more cameras or camcorders it becomes a lot easier because you may capture a phenomenon from different angles. By comparing the image from different vantage points you have a much better chance of determining the size and location of anything that was recorded.
Don't use laser thermometers
Many people think that laser thermometer are the latest high-tech way to record temperatures and locate cold spots. While they may impress onlookers, the reality is that they will most likely give you false readings. Laser thermometers may be high tech, but they were developed for the purpose of measuring surface temperatures of things that were too hot to touch or located where they couldn't be easily or safely reached. The fact is that laser thermometers can't measure air temperature. The temperature of the surface upon which the laser dot appears is the reading that you'll get. You could shoot right through a cold spot, hit a warm wall and get a normal reading. You could also shoot through normal temperature air, hit an outside wall, or place on an inside wall that has a water pipe or air conditioning duct behind it and get a cold reading.
Trust your intuition
Spirits are very limited in the ways that they can make contact or make you aware of their presence. Sometimes you may just get a feeling about where you should point your camera or in which direction you should walk. If you get those feelings, go with them! They may be the result of a spirit trying to make itself known to you.
Make voice contact
This is always a good idea, whether you're taking photos or videos or trying for EVP messages.
If you're taking photos or videos and believe that there may be paranormal energy or activity, speak clearly and calmly. State that you don't mean to intrude and that you're there to learn, understand and make contact. If you see anything through a viewfinder (especially if you're shooting infrared video) acknowledge the presence and ask it to stay.
If you're interested in EVP it's often best to be silent after making the original announcement of your purpose. You may very well receive a response. Try to ask short, specific questions, after which you should allow five to ten seconds for a reply. EVP responses are generally brief - just a word or a few words. After a pause, ask another question, or move to a different location. Also keep in mind that most EVP messages are inaudible at the time they are given unless you're using special equipment that lets you hear what's being recorded. Don't assume that just because you didn't hear a response you didn't get one.
Be patient and respectful
We believe that spirits and other paranormal entities are often quite attuned to your energy and emotions. Try to be calm, positive and welcoming. If you become frustrated, edgy, impatient, fearful or angry you're likely to discourage any paranormal contact, or worse yet, encourage the kind that you don't want. If you begin feel any of these negative emotions and aren't able to control them, quietly and calmly leave the area.
Also, keep in mind that you aren't automatically entitled to apparitions or responses just because you're looking for them. Just be grateful if something presents itself to you. If you do become aware of an apparition or EVP response, always remember to say "thank you".
Leave things as you found them
If you've moved anything, put it back. If you've disturbed anything, try to restore it to the way it was. If you dropped a candy wrapper, pick it up. There are two reasons for this. First, you're on somebody else's property and you owe it to them to leave it as you found it. Second, if there actually are spirits or entities at the site you visited, you should respect them by leaving their habitat undisturbed.
Carefully review your results
Very often things are missed when photos or videos are first viewed, or when EVP tapes are first played. Give them a second or third review. Better yet, have them checked by more than one person. Often one will see or hear something that another has missed.
Digital photos taken at night often seem to show nothing unusual. Try lightening them or changing the gamma setting. While these techniques may result in what appears to be a discolored or washed out image, they often reveal things that weren't visible on the original photo.
With EVP recordings it's often useful to upload them to a computer and analyze them with audio software. You'll be able to see sounds that you couldn't necessarily hear and then enhance them to the point where they become audible. Also, an unintelligible EVP message may become understandable if it's played in reverse. This was discovered in the early days of EVP recording when reel-to-reel tapes were used, and messages sometimes became understandable when the tape was being rewound.
We hope that you'll find this information useful, and we wish you ever success in your pursuit of the paranormal.
In order to avoid these and other unpleasant possibilities, and also to make ghost hunting endeavors as successful as possible, here are some things that we all need to be aware of:
Familiarize yourself with the site
Never go to a site for the first time at night. Schedule a visit during daylight hours to familiarize yourself with the area and any potential hazards. Things to look for include unstable parts of a structure, holes, wells, dangerous objects on the premises, and land features like steep drops, tripping hazards or loose rocks. In short, take note of anything that might potentially cause injury to somebody in your party. It's also a good idea to know the safest way in and out and the location of the nearest emergency medical facility.
Plan ahead
Decide in advance what you want to accomplish and make sure that you have the right equipment. Are you going to want to take photos, videos or both? Will you be shooting outdoors or indoors? If outdoors, what weather conditions are expected? If shooting at night, do you have proper lighting? What AC power sources are available? Will you need extension cords? Are your batteries fully charged? Do you have an adequate supply of spares? Are you going to randomly take photos or videos or are you looking for something specific? Will you need gauss meters or thermometers to help direct your efforts? Will you be making EVP recordings? If so, what other sources of noise need to be considered? If several people are participating, who will be responsible for what? Are you dressed appropriately for the environment? Do you have a first aid kit?
Never trespass
Regardless of whether it's an abandoned building, a public area, or a piece of unoccupied land, you should never assume that it's OK to be there. Many people don't realize, for example, that most cemeteries close at dark. Even if there's no sign posted you can still be arrested for trespassing if you don't have permission to be there after dark. The same is true of most historical areas, such as forts and battlefields. If you want to gain access to private property, or to public property outside of normal hours, contact the appropriate person, organization or agency and request it.
Be Specific in your requests
It's always best to obtain written permission to do whatever it is that you're planning. Depending on your lead time you may want to make a phone call to obtain the name of the person who can give it, or you may want to just send a letter or email. Either way your correspondence should include the following:
* The name and address of your organization
* The name and telephone number of a contact person
* The location you wish to visit
* The intended purpose of your visit
* The date and time you want access
* How long you wish to stay
* A statement that you will not hold the owner liable for any injuries sustained
* A statement that you will be responsible for any damages resulting from your visit
* A request for written authorization to be at that location on the date and time requested
To be on the safe side have a copy of your authorization with you in case you're questioned by security or law enforcement personnel. Don't assume that they'll have advance notice of your presence or your authorization to be there.
Keep complete records
Record the date, time, location, weather conditions (including temperature and humidity if possible) names of participants and observers, and the exact locations that photos and videos were taken. This is extremely important for paranormal investigations, and less important but still helpful for ghost hunting excursions.
Be aware of your environment
This is especially important if you're shooting indoors in an area like an attic or basement. Dust and airborne particles can create false orbs, so try to enter an area slowly and carefully. If you suspect that you may have disturbed dust, give it time to settle before shooting. It's also a good idea to avoid conditions like light rain or snow, high wind gusts or high pollen counts which can also create false images when a flash is used.
Use multiple cameras if possible
Orbs and apparitions tend to be almost transparent, so it's often difficult to judge their distance or exact location. If you're shooting the same area with two or more cameras or camcorders it becomes a lot easier because you may capture a phenomenon from different angles. By comparing the image from different vantage points you have a much better chance of determining the size and location of anything that was recorded.
Don't use laser thermometers
Many people think that laser thermometer are the latest high-tech way to record temperatures and locate cold spots. While they may impress onlookers, the reality is that they will most likely give you false readings. Laser thermometers may be high tech, but they were developed for the purpose of measuring surface temperatures of things that were too hot to touch or located where they couldn't be easily or safely reached. The fact is that laser thermometers can't measure air temperature. The temperature of the surface upon which the laser dot appears is the reading that you'll get. You could shoot right through a cold spot, hit a warm wall and get a normal reading. You could also shoot through normal temperature air, hit an outside wall, or place on an inside wall that has a water pipe or air conditioning duct behind it and get a cold reading.
Trust your intuition
Spirits are very limited in the ways that they can make contact or make you aware of their presence. Sometimes you may just get a feeling about where you should point your camera or in which direction you should walk. If you get those feelings, go with them! They may be the result of a spirit trying to make itself known to you.
Make voice contact
This is always a good idea, whether you're taking photos or videos or trying for EVP messages.
If you're taking photos or videos and believe that there may be paranormal energy or activity, speak clearly and calmly. State that you don't mean to intrude and that you're there to learn, understand and make contact. If you see anything through a viewfinder (especially if you're shooting infrared video) acknowledge the presence and ask it to stay.
If you're interested in EVP it's often best to be silent after making the original announcement of your purpose. You may very well receive a response. Try to ask short, specific questions, after which you should allow five to ten seconds for a reply. EVP responses are generally brief - just a word or a few words. After a pause, ask another question, or move to a different location. Also keep in mind that most EVP messages are inaudible at the time they are given unless you're using special equipment that lets you hear what's being recorded. Don't assume that just because you didn't hear a response you didn't get one.
Be patient and respectful
We believe that spirits and other paranormal entities are often quite attuned to your energy and emotions. Try to be calm, positive and welcoming. If you become frustrated, edgy, impatient, fearful or angry you're likely to discourage any paranormal contact, or worse yet, encourage the kind that you don't want. If you begin feel any of these negative emotions and aren't able to control them, quietly and calmly leave the area.
Also, keep in mind that you aren't automatically entitled to apparitions or responses just because you're looking for them. Just be grateful if something presents itself to you. If you do become aware of an apparition or EVP response, always remember to say "thank you".
Leave things as you found them
If you've moved anything, put it back. If you've disturbed anything, try to restore it to the way it was. If you dropped a candy wrapper, pick it up. There are two reasons for this. First, you're on somebody else's property and you owe it to them to leave it as you found it. Second, if there actually are spirits or entities at the site you visited, you should respect them by leaving their habitat undisturbed.
Carefully review your results
Very often things are missed when photos or videos are first viewed, or when EVP tapes are first played. Give them a second or third review. Better yet, have them checked by more than one person. Often one will see or hear something that another has missed.
Digital photos taken at night often seem to show nothing unusual. Try lightening them or changing the gamma setting. While these techniques may result in what appears to be a discolored or washed out image, they often reveal things that weren't visible on the original photo.
With EVP recordings it's often useful to upload them to a computer and analyze them with audio software. You'll be able to see sounds that you couldn't necessarily hear and then enhance them to the point where they become audible. Also, an unintelligible EVP message may become understandable if it's played in reverse. This was discovered in the early days of EVP recording when reel-to-reel tapes were used, and messages sometimes became understandable when the tape was being rewound.
We hope that you'll find this information useful, and we wish you ever success in your pursuit of the paranormal.
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