FAQ - general questions asked about ghost hunting

Hi all....

Our new forum member Mujician has got some questions... questions that are frequently asked by non-ghost hunters, so I thought I'd better open up this thread.

Here's his post:

Okay, what does EVP stand for? I gather it is some kind of
recording/recoding equipment.

When Im out at a location, how do I
get started? Do I just take photos seemingly at random? or do ghosts
appear then I take a photo? What am I looking out for? Should the flash
be used all the time? Would a red cover over a torch be a better light
for making 'spirits' feel more secure? I have avideo camera I'd to use,
it doesnt have a light, but could I just use a small torch held close to
it?
Thanks. Ben

EVP's:

Electronic Voice Phenomenon (EVP) refers to the
alleged communication by spirits through voice recorders

The whole concept of EVP revolves around the theory
that spirits are composed of electromagnetic energy and tape and digital
voice recorders use electromagnetic means to record sound. Spirits supposedly communicate in different frequencies than the human ear can hear (the lower and higher range).


A ghost hunter has different ways of recording EVP's, either by placing it in a strategically good place in a location that is known to be haunted and letting it record for a while, then by letting the recorder run whilst walking through a location or by doing EVP sessions where specific questions, often related to the history of the place and its former occupants are being asked.

Later those recordings will be analysed, which can be a painstakingly boring job, going over hours and hours of recordings.

Spirits voices are often very faint, so we use top of the range software to filter out background noise and interference. After discussing them with the team and excluding natural causes, we can consider a voice or a sound as paranormal.

When Im out at a location, how do I
get started?

A proper paranormal investigation has to be planned prcisely. Everyone has to know what to do, where safety risks are etc.
A real investigation starts at home by checking the equipment, changing batteries, charging cameras, replacing tapes and mini DVD's etc.

There are a few main rules for serious ghost hunting and it is advisable to follow them.
You can read them on this site: ghost hunting rules


Do I just take photos seemingly at random? or do
ghosts
appear then I take a photo?

Yes, you can do that. We captured some really interesting pictures that way. meanwhile we find it more economical to take pictures in places that are notoriously active (reports of certain spirits roaming a certain place in a location) or when we sense a presence. I guess it's all a matter of practice.

When a ghosts appears it is usually too late to take a picture... full bodied apparitions are quite rare and the chance that you've got your camera ready at that particular moment and actually think about using it is even more rare. when you are actually lucky enough to see a ghost,, then the normal reaction is, that you are absolutely gobsmacked or run ... should you be cool blooded enough you might think about actually pointing your video camera at it or taking a photo..... a shot of 1 in a million.

Ghosts don't stand still and wait patiently until you've taken your picture.


What am I looking out for?

If you have an EMF meter you start taking the base readings. Any fluctuating measurements during the investigation could have a paranormal cause, but natural causes have to be excluded first.
Listen to your gut and try to sense anything unusual. Keep your eyes and ears open all the time.

It's hard to say really..... the best thing is really, that you join an experienced team as a guest (for a start) to see for yourself.


Should the flash
be used all the time?

Not necessarily at daylight, only when you are indoors. Of course you have to use the flash in dark or pitch black conditions.

Would a red cover over a torch be a better light
for making 'spirits' feel more secure?

I personally think it doesn't really matter.
For security reasons I wouldn't cover up the torch to dim the light.
We've never done it and still had things happening with several bright torches switched on.


I have avideo camera I'd to use,
it doesnt have a light, but could I just use a small torch held close to
it?

Of course you could use your camera that way, but I'd say that the results wouldn't be any good.
What you really need is a camera with a decent night shot which should be supported by an extra IR light. To find out wich cam would be good for ghost hunting please check out our tech support forum (also for any other technichal questions) https://visionsinvestigation.forumotion.com/tech-support-f11/

Hope this helped a bit,
Hella

Thanks. Sorry its taken so long for me to see this! Here's another question. Where might be a good place to befriend a medium?!

Hi Mujician
hope you well why not try bongo our very own medium she would be happy to answer any questions you have to ask if you go on to the home page you click the link on the team you will find her email address there hope this helps?

I was thinking more along the lines of finding someone to come along if I were to go out on my own ghost hunt.

I think you would have to do a bit of research for that, maybe look into local spiritual churches and pay them a viisit, or do searches on the net for individuals, possibly try browsing through google groups or looking into websites like www.meetup.com. Not guaranteed to find anyone but probably your best shot.

Robb

Ah righto, didnt think of that. Thanks.