Post by NCSS Fox on Nov 13, 2005 12:33:03 GMT -5
3. Walk around the area to get a feel for the surroundings and allow the spirits to get a feel for you. Do this for about 20 minutes. Log in your start time and weather conditions and any other relevant information. You can also begin to set up any stationary equipment like camera on tripods or motion detectors. Make note of any areas that may cause you to get false readings or false positive pictures.
4. Now go out there and get some pictures and recordings. Be sure to know anything unusual that happens especially meter and temperature readings, visual sightings and strange sounds. Also make notes of any feelings, emotions you feel that may be odd or out of place , Be aware of scents and smells that you may experience Spirits often use scents or different smells to get our attention. . You can compare notes after the hunt and look for similarities in readings and feeling in certain areas or at certain times.
5. Whether you stake out a spot or you walk around try to give everyone the opportunity to try everything and be everywhere. This keeps every one fresh and at attention. Rotate a few times during the investigation.
6. When you are done have everyone meet in one spot and ask the human spirits here not to follow you home and to remain here. Tell the others they must remain here in the name of God (or other good deities). Again this takes 4 seconds, it's simple and it can save you some problems down the road. If we are wrong about these prayers at the beginning and end of the hunt and they are not necessary then you wasted 14 seconds of your time. If we are right about them, you saved yourself from allot of problems and grief.
Additional steps for a house or building ghost hunt/investigation
* Every investigator or team should keep a log of events/times -- everything needs to be logged, not matter how trivial. You sneeze, log it in, it may have sounded like something else to another member elsewhere in the building.
* All members and clients if possible, walk through the location. One members map location noting: air vents, heater, electrical appliances, fuse boxes, computer, etc. Mark down the temperatures in the rooms and any EMF reading you get during this walk through. One member take 5-10 test photos during the walk through. Do not discuss the details of the case during this walk through.
* Any witnesses that have not been interviewed before should be interviewed by 1-2 investigators and taped/video if it's ok with the witness. The other members should walk around the location and record any feelings or observations. Only the interviewers will know the location of events and sightings.
* Make no conclusions. Share no conclusions or opinions with the witnesses or owners until all the reports, photos and tapes are reviewed. You need to see the evidence and correlate it before you can give an educated opinion.
Taking Pictures
* Use at least 400 speed 35 mm film. 400 and 800 speeds work the best. 1000 speed film develops too grainy and I would avoid using it although many investigators do have success with it. Black and White film also works well.
* Make sure you note any other lights in the area so when you view your developed pictures you will not think a street light is an orb.
* Make sure you clean your camera's lens regularly.
* no smoking at the location, this can appear like mist on the photos so you don't want to contaminate your evidence.
* Watch for dust or dirt being stirred up in the area you are photographing. They can give false positive pictures.
* All long hair should be tied back or under a hat, again this is to eliminate any false positive pictures and to give the skeptics less ammunition.
* Remove or tie up any camera straps so you don't take a picture of that, it looks like a vortex when photographed.
* Watch for reflective surfaces and make notes of them. The flash reflected off shiny surfaces such as windows, polished tombstones, etc. can look light an orb or other anomaly.
* Let fellow investigators know when you are taking a photo so that you don't get double flashes and the night scope operators can look away. If you think you have a double flash photo or any other false positive, log the picture number so you can exclude that photo from the batch when they are developed. Night scope operators can get eye damage if they are looking at a flash through the scope so this is important.
* In cold weather be conscious of your breath so you don't photograph that, it'll look like ectoplasm mist. If you think you may have, log that picture number and discard it when you develop the pictures.
* Many people like to ask the spirit if they can take their picture, it can't hurt.
* Take pictures anywhere and everywhere. If you feel some thing or someone else does, take a picture. Did you think you saw something, take a picture.
* You may only get about 1- 2 pictures for every 50 you take, that's about the average, so don't get discouraged. I've been at sites where I didn't get any and others where 30% of the ones we took were positive.
* Don't pay for fancy developing, you can get them developed anywhere. Just let them developers know to process and print every photo. I use the local discount stores photo service.
Digital Photography
Why digital works.
Today's modern 3 to 6 mega pixel cameras are equal to the film cameras for prints up to the 11x14-inch prints. Critics claim that the 16x20 poster size prints lack resolution, so how many people makes 16x20 inch posters when they take their film in for developing and printing?
The CCD array on many Digital Cameras are Infrared (IR) Sensitive! This is why all of the Sony "Nightshot" Camcorders use these exact same CCD arrays. A film camera is not IR sensitive and was not designed to pull from the IR spectrum, so Digital is more designed for this research than film. This is also why people report more "orbs" with digital than film. Orbs are Infrared.
With a digital you are able to preview your pictures this becomes another valuable tool when ghost hunting if you are able to see at the time that you have captured a possible anomaly on film you are able to look more closely at the environment. By the same token it lets you work an area more if you see an anomaly in the preview.
Add to this cost savings on a common investigation it is not unheard of to take around 300 to 400 photos out of these photos we may get 3 or 4 positive anomalies photo's out of these 3 or 4 photos we will be able to debunk at least ½ of them to normal reasoning. (dust, light flair etc.)
Video Recording
We always try to set the camcorder on a tripod for recording. This eliminates the "Blair Witch Project" syndrome that is often experience, walking with a camcorder creates a jumpy picture that makes people seasick to watch. . If you capture anything, the frames are not stable and your anomaly bounces around too much to be observed in detail.
Set your camcorder on the tripod and just let it run. Let the spirits come to you instead of you chasing them. I use a personal strobe light from Radio Shack to attach to the tripod. It seems that the strobe attracts the spirits, perhaps coming to find out why a strobe light is on. It also helps you to keep track of where your camera is at when working an area such as a large cemetery after dark.
I like to record with the Sony Night Shot camcorder because it can record in total darkness.
Focus on something near by and always change from automatic focus to manual focus, else your camcorder will lose lock and the image will become blurry and go out of focus.
If your camcorder does not have an IR light or Night Shot feature, try using your video light. Focus on something in the background that is illuminated by the video light. Now let the camcorder simply run. Wait until something comes into your video light and it will be recorded.
Beginners who have older camcorders may use a flash light to provide the light to record with. Mount the flashlight on your tripod pointed at a nearby object. Point your camcorder at this object and wait until the spirits come within the light and they will be captured on video.
Remember each video has to be watched you cannot fast forward through it and expect to see any thing. If I am viewing video and think I see something such as an orb I write down the counter number than back up and frame by frame the video to see what it is. There have been many times that I have seen an "zip" through on the tape but when I framed by framed the tape I have found it to be an insect of some sort with light reflecting off the body or wings. You will also want to turn up the volume on the video to enable you to listen for EVP that may have been captured.
Audio Recording
Any recorder or tape will work for EVP we use both micro cassette and normal size cassette recorders it is recommended that one use an external microphone to reduce internal tape recorder noise from the motors and gears.
* I prefer not to use OX or Voice Activated recorders as the EVP is so close to the white noise levels (static levels) normally canceled out by a tape recorder that I believe this type of recorder misses many evp's that could otherwise be picked up
* I have also found that digital recorders while they seem to work well have some background noise that can be mis- conceived as EVP.
*We have the recorders running when we enter or walk into an area, most times I have the recorder running as we drive up to an area, it seems that arrival time produces the best EVP.
* You can set up stationary recorders and just let them run or you can walk around with them. During audio recording, you can ask questions whether general ones or one specific to a certain spirit. You can find a few ideas of question on or near the gravestones (i.e. how did you die, ask who left flowers, etc.) I myself have had great success without asking questions as well it seems the spirits will interject them selves into your conversation.
* Make sure you view or listen to the whole tape. EVPs are usually not heard at the time of recording but are heard only after the tape is reviewed.
* If during the recording you hear any normal sounds as well as unexplained ones (dogs barking, cars, etc.) Make a quick note on the tape.This way you can tell what a sound is that wasn't heard by you at the time but is now on the tape. When I am recording I also make it a point to give the time every ½ hour or so this gives you some reference to time when reviewing the tape.
.
Where to Look
These are some places you can start your ghost hunting at. These are suggestions and you should not limit yourself to just these, spirits can be anywhere. Don't let the age of a building or area fool you. The house I lived in for 29 years which had ghostly activity in for 26 years is only 70 years old but it is built on land that was settled and lived on in 1685. Also, remember, do not trespass.
* Cemeteries - The age of the cemetery doesn't matter but the older it is, the more time it has had to accumulate restless spirits. Why cemeteries? Well there are theories such as they are portals to the other side or that some spirits are drawn to their former bodies.
* Schools - Schools and former sites of schools may have the build up of psychic energies and imprints of all the highly emotional events that have transpired there.
* Theaters - The actors have run the gambit of human emotions inside the walls of a theater plus many have interesting haunting attached to them.
* Battlefields - These are great locations simply because of their nature. Many violent deaths in one area will always hold some spirits and psychic energy there.
* Churches - There is a long history of the faithful returning to the church they worshipped at. They may be looking for the salvation they were promised and cannot find.
* Hotels/Motels/Boarding houses - Many dark dealing and highly emotional events take places in these rooms.
* Historic Locations - Many historic buildings, because of their age, have had more time to have spirits attach to it. These buildings are often open the public and can give you an easy place to start. Many even have known histories of haunting.
Final Notes
Keep in mind that many of the people who will request an investigation will want to be comforted, educated and they may even want the spirits to leave. Whatever your approach or beliefs, be prepared for this and if you are not willing or cannot help the people in the way they would like, at least provide them with names of people who may help them. Also try to educate them so they understand what is occurring. After explaining what is happening to a witness, many will no longer be frightened or as concerned and you will have done them a great service. If you are a person or group that does offer more assistance through psychics, spirit rescues, etc. remember that the well being and the feelings of the living come first.
4. Now go out there and get some pictures and recordings. Be sure to know anything unusual that happens especially meter and temperature readings, visual sightings and strange sounds. Also make notes of any feelings, emotions you feel that may be odd or out of place , Be aware of scents and smells that you may experience Spirits often use scents or different smells to get our attention. . You can compare notes after the hunt and look for similarities in readings and feeling in certain areas or at certain times.
5. Whether you stake out a spot or you walk around try to give everyone the opportunity to try everything and be everywhere. This keeps every one fresh and at attention. Rotate a few times during the investigation.
6. When you are done have everyone meet in one spot and ask the human spirits here not to follow you home and to remain here. Tell the others they must remain here in the name of God (or other good deities). Again this takes 4 seconds, it's simple and it can save you some problems down the road. If we are wrong about these prayers at the beginning and end of the hunt and they are not necessary then you wasted 14 seconds of your time. If we are right about them, you saved yourself from allot of problems and grief.
Additional steps for a house or building ghost hunt/investigation
* Every investigator or team should keep a log of events/times -- everything needs to be logged, not matter how trivial. You sneeze, log it in, it may have sounded like something else to another member elsewhere in the building.
* All members and clients if possible, walk through the location. One members map location noting: air vents, heater, electrical appliances, fuse boxes, computer, etc. Mark down the temperatures in the rooms and any EMF reading you get during this walk through. One member take 5-10 test photos during the walk through. Do not discuss the details of the case during this walk through.
* Any witnesses that have not been interviewed before should be interviewed by 1-2 investigators and taped/video if it's ok with the witness. The other members should walk around the location and record any feelings or observations. Only the interviewers will know the location of events and sightings.
* Make no conclusions. Share no conclusions or opinions with the witnesses or owners until all the reports, photos and tapes are reviewed. You need to see the evidence and correlate it before you can give an educated opinion.
Taking Pictures
* Use at least 400 speed 35 mm film. 400 and 800 speeds work the best. 1000 speed film develops too grainy and I would avoid using it although many investigators do have success with it. Black and White film also works well.
* Make sure you note any other lights in the area so when you view your developed pictures you will not think a street light is an orb.
* Make sure you clean your camera's lens regularly.
* no smoking at the location, this can appear like mist on the photos so you don't want to contaminate your evidence.
* Watch for dust or dirt being stirred up in the area you are photographing. They can give false positive pictures.
* All long hair should be tied back or under a hat, again this is to eliminate any false positive pictures and to give the skeptics less ammunition.
* Remove or tie up any camera straps so you don't take a picture of that, it looks like a vortex when photographed.
* Watch for reflective surfaces and make notes of them. The flash reflected off shiny surfaces such as windows, polished tombstones, etc. can look light an orb or other anomaly.
* Let fellow investigators know when you are taking a photo so that you don't get double flashes and the night scope operators can look away. If you think you have a double flash photo or any other false positive, log the picture number so you can exclude that photo from the batch when they are developed. Night scope operators can get eye damage if they are looking at a flash through the scope so this is important.
* In cold weather be conscious of your breath so you don't photograph that, it'll look like ectoplasm mist. If you think you may have, log that picture number and discard it when you develop the pictures.
* Many people like to ask the spirit if they can take their picture, it can't hurt.
* Take pictures anywhere and everywhere. If you feel some thing or someone else does, take a picture. Did you think you saw something, take a picture.
* You may only get about 1- 2 pictures for every 50 you take, that's about the average, so don't get discouraged. I've been at sites where I didn't get any and others where 30% of the ones we took were positive.
* Don't pay for fancy developing, you can get them developed anywhere. Just let them developers know to process and print every photo. I use the local discount stores photo service.
Digital Photography
Why digital works.
Today's modern 3 to 6 mega pixel cameras are equal to the film cameras for prints up to the 11x14-inch prints. Critics claim that the 16x20 poster size prints lack resolution, so how many people makes 16x20 inch posters when they take their film in for developing and printing?
The CCD array on many Digital Cameras are Infrared (IR) Sensitive! This is why all of the Sony "Nightshot" Camcorders use these exact same CCD arrays. A film camera is not IR sensitive and was not designed to pull from the IR spectrum, so Digital is more designed for this research than film. This is also why people report more "orbs" with digital than film. Orbs are Infrared.
With a digital you are able to preview your pictures this becomes another valuable tool when ghost hunting if you are able to see at the time that you have captured a possible anomaly on film you are able to look more closely at the environment. By the same token it lets you work an area more if you see an anomaly in the preview.
Add to this cost savings on a common investigation it is not unheard of to take around 300 to 400 photos out of these photos we may get 3 or 4 positive anomalies photo's out of these 3 or 4 photos we will be able to debunk at least ½ of them to normal reasoning. (dust, light flair etc.)
Video Recording
We always try to set the camcorder on a tripod for recording. This eliminates the "Blair Witch Project" syndrome that is often experience, walking with a camcorder creates a jumpy picture that makes people seasick to watch. . If you capture anything, the frames are not stable and your anomaly bounces around too much to be observed in detail.
Set your camcorder on the tripod and just let it run. Let the spirits come to you instead of you chasing them. I use a personal strobe light from Radio Shack to attach to the tripod. It seems that the strobe attracts the spirits, perhaps coming to find out why a strobe light is on. It also helps you to keep track of where your camera is at when working an area such as a large cemetery after dark.
I like to record with the Sony Night Shot camcorder because it can record in total darkness.
Focus on something near by and always change from automatic focus to manual focus, else your camcorder will lose lock and the image will become blurry and go out of focus.
If your camcorder does not have an IR light or Night Shot feature, try using your video light. Focus on something in the background that is illuminated by the video light. Now let the camcorder simply run. Wait until something comes into your video light and it will be recorded.
Beginners who have older camcorders may use a flash light to provide the light to record with. Mount the flashlight on your tripod pointed at a nearby object. Point your camcorder at this object and wait until the spirits come within the light and they will be captured on video.
Remember each video has to be watched you cannot fast forward through it and expect to see any thing. If I am viewing video and think I see something such as an orb I write down the counter number than back up and frame by frame the video to see what it is. There have been many times that I have seen an "zip" through on the tape but when I framed by framed the tape I have found it to be an insect of some sort with light reflecting off the body or wings. You will also want to turn up the volume on the video to enable you to listen for EVP that may have been captured.
Audio Recording
Any recorder or tape will work for EVP we use both micro cassette and normal size cassette recorders it is recommended that one use an external microphone to reduce internal tape recorder noise from the motors and gears.
* I prefer not to use OX or Voice Activated recorders as the EVP is so close to the white noise levels (static levels) normally canceled out by a tape recorder that I believe this type of recorder misses many evp's that could otherwise be picked up
* I have also found that digital recorders while they seem to work well have some background noise that can be mis- conceived as EVP.
*We have the recorders running when we enter or walk into an area, most times I have the recorder running as we drive up to an area, it seems that arrival time produces the best EVP.
* You can set up stationary recorders and just let them run or you can walk around with them. During audio recording, you can ask questions whether general ones or one specific to a certain spirit. You can find a few ideas of question on or near the gravestones (i.e. how did you die, ask who left flowers, etc.) I myself have had great success without asking questions as well it seems the spirits will interject them selves into your conversation.
* Make sure you view or listen to the whole tape. EVPs are usually not heard at the time of recording but are heard only after the tape is reviewed.
* If during the recording you hear any normal sounds as well as unexplained ones (dogs barking, cars, etc.) Make a quick note on the tape.This way you can tell what a sound is that wasn't heard by you at the time but is now on the tape. When I am recording I also make it a point to give the time every ½ hour or so this gives you some reference to time when reviewing the tape.
.
Where to Look
These are some places you can start your ghost hunting at. These are suggestions and you should not limit yourself to just these, spirits can be anywhere. Don't let the age of a building or area fool you. The house I lived in for 29 years which had ghostly activity in for 26 years is only 70 years old but it is built on land that was settled and lived on in 1685. Also, remember, do not trespass.
* Cemeteries - The age of the cemetery doesn't matter but the older it is, the more time it has had to accumulate restless spirits. Why cemeteries? Well there are theories such as they are portals to the other side or that some spirits are drawn to their former bodies.
* Schools - Schools and former sites of schools may have the build up of psychic energies and imprints of all the highly emotional events that have transpired there.
* Theaters - The actors have run the gambit of human emotions inside the walls of a theater plus many have interesting haunting attached to them.
* Battlefields - These are great locations simply because of their nature. Many violent deaths in one area will always hold some spirits and psychic energy there.
* Churches - There is a long history of the faithful returning to the church they worshipped at. They may be looking for the salvation they were promised and cannot find.
* Hotels/Motels/Boarding houses - Many dark dealing and highly emotional events take places in these rooms.
* Historic Locations - Many historic buildings, because of their age, have had more time to have spirits attach to it. These buildings are often open the public and can give you an easy place to start. Many even have known histories of haunting.
Final Notes
Keep in mind that many of the people who will request an investigation will want to be comforted, educated and they may even want the spirits to leave. Whatever your approach or beliefs, be prepared for this and if you are not willing or cannot help the people in the way they would like, at least provide them with names of people who may help them. Also try to educate them so they understand what is occurring. After explaining what is happening to a witness, many will no longer be frightened or as concerned and you will have done them a great service. If you are a person or group that does offer more assistance through psychics, spirit rescues, etc. remember that the well being and the feelings of the living come first.