GHOST HUNTING PHOTOGRAPHY BASICS
WHEN TO GO:
Any time is sufficient, but traditionally, the best results have been documented after 9 p.m.
A DSLR CAMERA:
A DSLR camera can be used for Ghost Hunting Photography, but it cannot see completely in the dark. You can use a red light to illuminate the area or bring a flashlight for focusing. If you can stand the insidious invasion of the paranormal, you can quickly obtain apparitions in your photos.
FULL SPECTRUM DIGITAL CAMERA:
It takes quality Full-Spectrum photos and videos. It has been professionally modified to accept deeper Ultraviolet (UV) light spectrum, allowing pictures deep into the usually unseen light spectrum. It is best used with an external infrared light source.
INFRARED (IR) DIGITAL CAMERA:
These cameras take quality IR photos and video with the convenience and ease of a compact digital camera with a built-in infrared light source.
DSLR CAMERA LENS:
Ghost hunting is a wide-angle lens event, but you ideally need a lens with an open aperture, such as 2.8 or below. The higher-end cameras will allow you to go to a very high ISO with less noise, so they are ideal. If you don’t have a high-quality camera, any camera will do. After all, we are not going for super high-quality images here. We are going for a lot of paranormal activity that we can document. As long as we get evidence, it doesn’t always have to look pretty. Some of our lower-end camera images above are grain-filled, but we got what we were after.
GHOST HUNTING CAMERA SETTINGS
DSLR CAMERA SETTINGS:
For basic DSLR Photography, our goal is to capture activity that is not consistently high quality, but that’s ok—these are ghost photos.
- You must use a tripod when shooting in a dark area.
- Set your camera to manual mode.
- Put your camera on the 2-second timer or use a cable release.
- Set your ISO very high for very dark locations (example: 6400). The higher the number, the more light goes into the camera. You cannot shoot a DSLR in total darkness without some light source, such as a church light, a full moon, or a red light in the back of a room. Again, it’s not always about avoiding grain or digital noise here. ISO 100 is for outdoors in graveyards with decent lighting. See shooting in the dark below.
- Set your aperture to its lowest (for example, 2.8) to let more light in. If you need some depth of field, set it a little higher. You cannot go much higher in the darkness since the higher the number, the less light will come into the camera. Scroll your shutter speed until the meter reads center zero. You can take some test shots and adjust from there.
- To start, set your shutter speed to about 5 seconds. Then, again, adjust according to the light you have available.
EMF METERS:
Measure fluctuations in electromagnet fields (or EM fields). These fields directly result from electrical appliances in a home, cell phones, power lines outside, and even solar activity and weather fluctuations. Beyond that, a primary theory in the paranormal world is that entities can manipulate these fields to manifest themselves or interact with our world. When your meter goes off, do a long exposure on your tripod.
FOCUSING IN THE DARK:
Now you are set. If you do not have enough light or your camera will not focus, take a flashlight and light up a single subject in the picture. (Don’t blast light all over; you will disturb who you are there to find.) Put the focus point where the camera will focus on the area you have lit up. When you see the camera has obtained focus and the two-second timer starts, turn your flashlight off quickly before the exposure begins. The camera will now take the shot. Set your camera to manual focus without touching the focus ring. Take several pictures without moving your camera. You must refocus the same way every time you do different shots.
Another way to focus on darker areas is to turn on the live view. Hit your zoom button and zoom in on something lit. Expose your image. When you zoom in, the camera can see it better to grab focus. This method only works if you have enough light.
AFTER THE HUNT:
When the hunt is over, meticulously review each photograph, scouring for any evidence that may have been captured. Every detail must be examined with utmost care and attention to ensure no clue goes unnoticed. The case’s fate rests on this thorough examination, so take your time and leave no stone unturned to discern what paranormal activity is and is not.
