During my research I have learned a lot from other people’s experiences in the best way to obtain results, and avoiding simple mistakes. Such mistakes can not only create false-positive images in your photos, but limit your success as well. These tips may seem more like common sense, and as such are sometimes easily overlooked. I present some of the best tried-and-tested tips I’ve been able gather from numerous sources along the way:




BASIC TIPS

PREPARING FOR THE HUNT:

Always be sure to check the area in which you plan on conducting an investigation during the day (if it's an outdoor investigation), or with all lights on (if it's an indoor investigation). Always be aware of your surroundings. It's a good idea to check out an outside area, such as a cemetery, during the day to gain the lay of the land. This will help you avoid open graves, holes in the ground and other obstacles that might be dangerous during the night. Indoors, check for things you may step on, bump in to, trip over, things that reflect light, etc. You should read up thoroughly on the area you plan to investigate. Libraries, town records, even the internet make wonderful sources of information, and may put you in touch with former owners or residents of a particular location. Knowing the background of a place before you go helps you to be prepared for whatever you might experience.

Allow yourself some extra time to spend on site, before the investigation. This provides ghosts the chance to familiarize themselves with you. And always go with a friend. Not only is this good for safety reasons, but they can agree or have differing experiences. Don't go and do this by yourself.


If indoors, start by selecting a private room or a general area for a main base of operations. This base is where all monitoring should be done and it should not be an area where ghost activity is high. Next do a complete walkthrough of the general area. Check out every room and in graveyards walk among the tombstones in all directions. Videotape the walkthrough if possible. Make sure that you know the layout before you begin the ghost hunt. Get used to the area. Talk to the ghosts. They are just as curious as you are. Tell them your name and what you are doing. Let them know that you are not here to harm them. Inform them that you are curious to know if life does go on after death. Invite them to take their photo, show up on video, or talk to your voice recorder. Many times this will actually get a response. Remember- attitude is vital, be positive, show no fear, and respect everything. If you sense that you are not wanted, you are probably not and it is best to leave immediately. When leaving, thank the spirits for their participation and ask them to remain there. We don’t want anyone following you home! And avoid – at all costs – using Ouija boards. Nothing good ever came from them. Behave in a respectful manner and never attempt to dare, provoke, or intimidate a spirit. Your intentions will be felt by the spirit and returned accordingly.

If there are objects or pieces of furniture that have been reported to move put a chalk line or sticker on the floor next to these objects, this way you'll have a marker to judge and measure the exact distance (be sure to clean up after yourself at the conclusion of an investigation!). Everyone participating in a ghost hunt should always know where the others are so that later there isn't any confusion or misinterpretations. Stay in touch with other ghost hunting members at all times. And don't be afraid to experiment on ghost hunts. Ask the ghosts to appear. Put the video cameras on different settings. Try the EVP audio taping methods. You never know what might produce a result!

Ghosts are everywhere! Experiment with different places: your favorite camping spot, the lake, on the road, hospitals, schools, hotels, motels, houses, churches, old towns, theaters, old buildings, historic sites, accident sites – you never know!! Ghosts are believed to be the spirit or souls of those who have passed on. Why they remain is the ultimate mystery. Theories abound about ghosts themselves, such as the possibility that they are composed of, or affected by, electromagnetic energy. Times of strong electromagnetic energy activity such as electrical storms or solar flares are supposed to be good times for them to manifest. Also follow lunar cycles when conducting investigations for best results. A full moon, three days before or after a full moon are good times to ghost hunt.

The best time of the year for capturing ghost images on film are in the colder months when electrostatic energy is at its highest, these months being October through February. You can capture any kind of ghost type on film at any time of the year but the above mentioned months just increase your odds is all. Orbs however, don't seem to be affected by seasons and are by far the easiest anomalies to capture on film.


There are generally 2 types of spirits you may encounter. One was a human at one time and it has remained on this level for some reason. It may not know it's dead, may be held here by unfinished business, guilt, etc. These spirits are like the person was when they were alive, so they could be good or bad, just like the living, but not normally dangerous. This human spirit is the type you will encounter 95% of the time. You could also witness a residual haunting which is just a playback of a past event. This is just like watching a video from the past playing over and over. The other type of spirit you may encounter were never human to begin with and are generally bad news. You must be aware of this type but not obsessed with them, the chances that you will encounter them in a regular ghost hunt are extremely slim. Remember to always show respect, as ghosts are individuals no different from ourselves. Think positively. And even more important, USE COMMON SENSE: if your situation is becoming uncomfortable or dangerous for you GO! Just as you have negative people in life, so you might comes across one in death.

DO’S AND DON’T’S OF GHOST HUNTING: Remove your camera strap. If you should obtain a photo that clearly shows a vortex, a strapless camera eliminates reasonable doubt about your photo’s authenticity. If for some reason you cannot remove your camera strap, be sure to secure it around your neck or tightly around the wrist as to not get in the way of your camera's lens. If you have long hair, wind can blow it right into your camera's way, so be sure to tie it back before taking photos.


Do not smoke during an investigation, especially while photos are being taken. Cigarette smoke can often be mistaken as mists or ectoplasm. Also responsible for this phenomenon is the photographer's breath in cold weather conditions (hold your breath while taking photographs), vehicle exhaust, fog and lens condensation. Make it a point to document area and weather conditions for your investigations for later analysis. Do not wear perfume or cologne because spirits are often accompanied by scents or odors.


Routinely clean your lenses. They can become easily become stained with fingerprints, dust, dirt, dried water spots, etc. A quick cleaning and careful handling of your camera can reduce these problems. Whenever possible, avoid ghost photography while it is raining. Always protect your lens from water droplets. Sneezing and coughing can also result in the accumulation of droplets on your lens. Additionally, condensation can occur when you get out of your nice warm car and step into a cold cemetery. In this case, allow your camera to adjust to the abrupt change of environment. A few minutes to permit evaporation and a brief lens cleaning will prevent lens fog. Clean your lens only at the beginning of a new roll of film, however, not in the middle of one. If there is something on the lens, it will show up in each photo in the same place, and can be easily discounted.


Avoid reflective surfaces. Mirrors, glass and other surfaces capable of directing your camera’s flash back at you should not be photographed head-on. Instead, take pictures of reflective surfaces from an angle. This will reduce some common film problems. Just be aware that in cemeteries smooth glossy tombstone faces will reflect light from the flashlights or the cameras own flashes that could create strange light patterns in the pictures. And never, never take pictures of anything behind glass! Doing so will cause reflections of all kinds. You will get false orbs as well as dancing lights and apparitions. The apparitions will be your reflection in the glass! Any picture taken behind glass is just fuel for skeptics, so be careful.


Camera grip. This mistake pertains to a select amount of people who constantly put their finger in front of the lens when they raise the camera. Simply be aware of how you handle your camera when taking pictures.


When taking pictures indoors, try to follow a 10 minute rule. Enter the room, sit and wait 10 minutes before snapping pictures. A big problem with indoor pictures is dust. Dust gets kicked up easily and in large amounts just by walking into a room. Dust particles show up as orbs in pictures. So, just be careful!

When taking pictures outdoors at night, remember to snap something in the photo like: trees, tombstone, someone’s head, etc. If your camera has a night setting, use it. The flash is usually good for 9-12 feet. It is strongly recommended that you do not take pictures when weathers conditions are foggy, windy, snowing, raining, dusty, or when moisture is in the air. These conditions cause images to appear that resemble anomalies. Always be aware of what may be floating by in the air (such as insects) when you photograph that can later be mistaken for something supernatural. Most ghost energy will appear in the air from two to ten feet above the ground. So focus a portion of your attention at that level but don't limit yourself totally to it. Ghostly phenomena can and will also appear above your head at times so be sure and snap some random shots up above occasionally.

Ghosts are quite often attracted to people and will follow them around. So include people in the photos you take. Tip: When taking photos of others try to include enough space to one side of the picture and above the heads of those in the photo to capture any anomalies present. Remember the purpose is to catch anomalies and people together in the same photo. Here's another trick to use when ghosts might be following you around......put the camera over your shoulder and snap a picture behind you. This can be an effective technique at times.


Take tons of pictures. With the advent of digital cameras, you’re no longer limited by the cost of film and developing, and the more pictures you take, even duplicates, the greater the odds of catching that one great photograph. Don’t think twice about taking one or two hundred shots on an average ghost hunt. And try to get as much coverage of an area as possible, from every conceivable angle. At times, it is often unavoidable to take photos without getting a natural light source in the frame. Be aware of what light sources are around you in case they show up in the image. Street lights, lanterns, flashlights, cars and even airplanes can work their way into your photos! And don’t forget to remove the lens cap before all else.

TRESPASSING. Before you embark on an investigation, be sure you are not trespassing on private property. Trying to explain to a police officer that you are doing research holds no weight whatsoever. Telling him you are hunting for ghosts will only give him a story to tell his fellow officers. You may end up with a fine, summons to appear, jail time, or even a criminal record. Always get permission before entering private property. Either have the owner with you as an escort or have permission signed in writing. What you do reflects on ghost hunters everywhere.

BASIC GHOST HUNTING EQUIPMENT & TIPS:
Clothing. Be sure to wear clothing that does not have any type of tie. This pertains to hoods that have laces to tighten, etc. They can get in the way of your camera lens, especially if you are taking a photo in a downward direction. Wear rather dark clothing. That way if a photo is taken of you, you will be able to see any anomalies on yourself.

Types of film. Before choosing just any film for your camera, it should be mentioned that Kodak Gold 400 ASA film seems to get the most results. Kodak Gold 800 ASA film is also a common choice of the experienced ghost hunter. Some may also decide to use black & white film and, more expensively, infrared film. Keep in mind that infrared will not only cost more per roll of film but, developing is more expensive as well.

Loading your film. Try loading your film at the investigation site. It is theorized by some ghost hunters that doing this may increase your chances of a ghost "imprinting" an image on your film.

Film development. If you get your film developed at your local photo shop, be sure to leave a special note that you want ALL photos "as is". Many photo labs will only return films that they see as quality images. Unbeknownst to them, they may be getting rid of a perfectly good anomalous image.

Flashlights. There is no doubt that your investigations will sometimes include dark foreboding places. Cemeteries, old buildings (without electricity), battlefields and the like will all require a portable light source.

Compass. If you cannot afford an EMF meter, you can use a compass to detect magnetic fields. A ghostly anomaly will usually tilt the needle at least 30 degrees off Magnetic North. If you're using a compass, always be aware of true North. A simple compass will almost always be able to detect changes in the magnetic field, indicating a possible presence. Again, be sure to rule out a possible nearby electrical source.

Note Pad. It is wise to record your experiences at an investigation. With a pad and pen you no longer need to rely on faulty human memory. Log everything that happens and what you feel. Note things such as feeling lightheaded or dizzy, trouble breathing, etc. Some people have physical symptoms in haunted places.

Batteries. Often, batteries will mysteriously lose their charge at an investigation for no apparent reason. We recommend you bring extra sets of batteries for each piece of equipment that requires them.

An open mind. An open mind is the ghost hunter’s greatest asset. Keep an open mind when conducting an investigation. It could mean the difference between results and disappointment. Trust your instincts. If your gut is telling you to snap a picture, do it. Chances are anomalies will be on that photo! Learn to sense ghosts!