by Jen Baca
As a ghost hunter, it’s imperative that you learn the basic skills about photographing ghosts. First, you must realize that capturing ghostly phenomena on film is NOT always possible, even when ghosts are present. And while it IS possible to capture ghostly phenomena during the daytime (ghosts don’t hide just because it’s light outside!), your best bet is trying to capture them at night using a flash or in an area with subdued lighting because of the basic fact that it’s easier to see misty white figures, ectoplasm, or orbs on film when it’s nighttime.
Now first and foremost, you need to make sure you have the proper equipment in order to improve your chances of actually capturing something. I’m not talking about nets or even one of those cool ghost-containment machines that were used by the cast of “Ghostbusters”…I’m talking about CAMERAS! It’s also nice to have a few other types of ghost hunting equipment with you, but for now….let’s discuss cameras!
You do NOT need to run out and buy a new digital camera with all the bells and whistles on it in order to photograph a ghost. In fact, ANY camera CAN give you the results you seek, even disposable cameras. It just depends on what you prefer. If you already own a digital camera, great! If you just own a 35mm camera, that’s great too! Because while digital cameras are considered the best when it comes to ghost photography due to the fact that you can see your photo results immediately which helps when tracking ghostly phenomena, there are a couple drawbacks to them. One drawback being the fact that digital cameras do NOT furnish negatives, so trying to prove that your photo was NOT enhanced will be a little difficult without a negative to refer to. Digital cameras, even just the basic “point-and-shoot” will be your best bet when it comes to taking quick pictures to locate an anomaly, but it’s always good, IF POSSIBLE, to back the pictures up using a 35mm camera. To do this, bring a friend along and have him/her follow you and once you find an anomaly using your digital camera, have your friend duplicate the pictures using the 35mm camera. Another drawback to digital cameras is that they notoriously produce orbs from airborne particles such as dust, pollen, and moisture at the time of the flash. Film cameras can pick up these particles as well, but they are usually in fewer numbers and more rare. Ghost orbs usually contain texture or substance. Another important fact that I learned recently from a photographer friend of Alicia Perry (H.P.I. Team A Lead Investigator/Chief of Staff/Web Designer), is that dust orbs are never perfectly round, they usually have asymmetrical edges.
When using a 35mm camera, the best type of film to use is 400 ASA/ISO. You can even use higher sensitivity film, but the best setting overall is 400 ASA/ISO. When using a digital camera, use the appropriate setting for dusk or night photography.
Fancier or more expensive cameras are NOT necessary in getting great photos of ghostly phenomena.
Now, on with some basic tips for photographing ghosts:
First off, ghosts can be ANYWHERE! Not just in haunted buildings or cemeteries…but even in malls, back alleys, streets, construction sites, empty fields, river banks, even…your house! Basically, ANYWHERE! But! Who has the time or the patience to experiment? Just go straight for the purported haunted sites!
While you may be able to capture ghosts on film or camera anytime during the year, the best TIME of year for ghost photography are usually in the colder months of October through February when the electrostatic energy levels are at their highest. Orbs don’t seem to be affected by weather or seasons, so you can usually pick those up easily.
Avoid taking pictures when weather conditions can affect the photo results. Conditions such as fog, rain, wind, dust, moisture or snow can cause images to appear that resemble ghostly anomalies.
Make sure you use the proper setting on your camera for daytime/nighttime photography in order to get the best possible results.
Know your flash limitations! Flashes only work up to a certain distance, usually within 15 feet. If you are trying to capture an image beyond that limit, you may find it impossible to see in the photo. Flashes only help “light-up” the image or anomaly if it is within the flash range. You can always buy attachments to increase the flash range.
Make sure your camera lens is clean at all times, avoid taking pictures of shiny or reflective objects, this includes the sun, direct light sources, glass, windows & mirrors. Make sure your lens cap and camera strap are OUT OF THE WAY! If you have long hair, tie it back and when photographing in cold weather, make sure your breath is not affecting the results of your photos. All of these things CAN affect the photos and produce strange effects that will be hard to authenticate as REAL ghostly phenomena.
Take TONS of photos! But make sure it is of SOMETHING, not just an empty background, something such as a tree, or tombstone. You are bound to capture something if you take pictures of ANYTHING and EVERYTHING. And! Take at least 2 photos each time-without moving! This tip will definitely help you when you realize that you’ve captured something using your digital camera’s view finder. If one of the two photos does NOT contain the anomaly, you can usually rest easy knowing that it wasn’t a reflection of something such as a camera’s flash or other reflective object in the area you are photographing. After all, anomalies do shift & move. BUT! If you even move, just ever so slightly, the image you capture may not be an exact duplicate of the first and even cause a reflection to move. Yeah, it’s not as easy as it sounds; even taking a deep breath can shift your image.
Follow your gut instincts! If you feel an inclination to take a picture in a certain direction or at a particular object….take the picture! Sometimes it’s these guttural instincts that get us the results we want!
TALK TO THE GHOSTS! When you are visiting haunted areas such as buildings or even cemeteries, it’s a good idea to be friendly and respectful to the ghosts or spirits that reside there. Speak up and state exactly what your intentions are. This excerpt that I found from a list of tips for photographing ghosts on GHOSTSTUDY.COM can be very useful in this situation. I’ve changed some of the wording to help consolidate it. When you enter an area that you want to photograph…follow these steps: Walk around the area for about 15 minutes before doing anything else….clear your mind and try to only think good thoughts (Ghosts supposedly can sense your feelings AND read your thoughts). After the 15 minutes, recite the following statement or something similar to it: “Hello, my name is _________. My group and I have come here to take some pictures of you as ghosts in order to show and to document that there is life after death. We only have the best of intentions, we mean no harm and we will only be here long enough to take some photographs and then we will leave. Our only request is that we are able to take photos of you, any of you! We GREATLY appreciate it and mean absolutely NO disrespect. Thank you so much. I’ll begin taking photos now…thank you again. Then begin taking as many pictures as you want and then head back to your car. On the way back, stop one last time and say, “We are leaving now, just in case I didn’t get any pictures of you on film, can I take just 5 more pictures of this monument (or whatever) and would one of you mind posing for me in these very last photos?” Take 5 more photos and then say, “Thank you so much for putting up with me and my group, we enjoyed your company and are grateful for any photos you have allowed us to have of you…thank you again. Good-bye.” It’s always good to make the ghosts feel respected and appreciated, they MAY even welcome you back again!
Ghosts are often attracted to people and will follow them around. So, don’t hesitate taking pictures of your fellow group-members. Also, keep in mind that when you do take photos of people around you, leave spaces on the sides of them and above their heads to allow for any anomalies that may be present.
Use other pieces of equipment to help your chances of actually photographing an anomaly. Equipment such as EMF meters, infrared thermometers, or even your Uncle who is a medium! All these items can help when trying to capture ghostly phenomena on film. Full moons can help attract ghosts because of the effect it has in creating higher than normal electromagnetic fields—after all, ghosts need energy to form.
That’s pretty much it in a nutshell. Just try to relax, have fun! If you scrutinize, dissect and wrack your head over every picture you take that MIGHT have something, you take the fun out of it and because photographing ghostly phenomena is not an exact science—RELAX, have fun and let’s see what you do get!
**These tips were gathered from a couple of different websites: www.ghoststudy.com www.hollowhill.com Check them out for further details or even try some researching on your own and see what other tips will be useful to you & to the group!
Thank you! Jen Baca