EASY GHOST-HUNTING PHOTOGRAPHY GUIDE
Lens: Ghost hunting is a wide-angle activity, but you ideally need a lens with an open aperture of 2.8 or below. The higher-end cameras are ideal because they allow you to go to a very high ISO with less noise. If you don’t have a high-end camera, any camera will do. After all, we are not going for super high-quality images here. We are going for super high amounts of paranormal activity instead.
Gear: Bring your tripod, infrared filter, illuminating light, and shutter release. Also, bring your driver’s license in case the police question you. Be prepared for that. The list of equipment that you should consider purchasing is below.
QUICK PHOTOGRAPHY INFO FOR GHOST HUNTING
DSLR CAMERA:
We like DSLR cameras best (see below for DSLR settings), but ghost hunting can be done with non-DSLR cameras. The best cameras allow you to change all the settings listed. There are other cameras to use, but here we discuss the DSLR.
Cameras cannot see in the dark. You must bring a light source for focusing. Oh, that’s right; of course, you will bring a flashlight to get to your location—it will be way too terrifying without one. Once set up, you will want to use a red light to avoid scaring the apparitions.
DSLR CAMERA LENS:
The ideal lens to use while Ghost Hunting is a wide-angle lens. It is also best to use a lens with an aperture such as 2.8 or below so more light goes into the camera since we will be in dark locations most of the time. High-quality images with high-end cameras are better, but lower-end lenses and cameras can also be used. We are here to document paranormal activity, so image quality may not be the priority when ghost hunting.
GEAR:
Bring your tripod, infrared illuminating light, and shutter release. Bring your driver’s license in case of police questioning. Be prepared for that. Be sure there aren’t any NO TRESPASSING signs where you are—trespass at your own risk.
CAMERA GEAR
CAMERA FOR GHOST HUNTING
A DSLR can be used for Ghost Hunting Photography, but the camera cannot see 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 photographs of apparitions.
There are flashlights that have different levels of brightness. If you have one, you can use the lower level of light so you don’t scare away the entities that may be there. The best light is the red light. These lights can be a bit pricey. Here is a trick. Take a plain old head lamp light, buy a fake red flower from the craft store, and tape the red flower over the light. They up the prices just because they use red, so make your own. We just happened to have a silk flower from our Christmas decorations.
FULL SPECTRUM DIGITAL CAMERA
It takes quality Full-Spectrum photos and videos. It has been professionally modified to accept deeper Ultraviolet (UV) and Infrared (IR) light, allowing pictures deep into the usually unseen light spectrum. It is best used with an external infrared light source.
INFRARED (IR) DIGITAL CAMERA & VIDEO
It takes quality IR photos and video with the convenience and ease of a compact digital camera with a built-in infrared light source. Some people also want to do videos when ghost hunting. We do this also along with our still photography.
The advanced technology of infrared digital video cameras makes them a vital tool for ghost hunting. Capturing invisible light spectrums, these cameras reveal paranormal activity that would otherwise go unnoticed by the human eye. They are necessary for any serious ghost hunter looking to capture evidence and document encounters with the supernatural world.
DSLR LENSES
This 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 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. It doesn’t always have to look pretty as long as we get evidence. Some of our lower-end camera images above are grain-filled, but we got what we were after.
GHOST HUNTING CAMERA SETTINGS
For basic DSLR Photography, we aim to capture activity that is not always super high quality, so we will do a few things that are a little out of the ordinary.
- 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. This lets more light into the camera. Set it much lower if you are outside and have some light sources, such as the moon. You cannot shoot a DSLR in total darkness. You will need light sources such as church light, a full moon, or a red light in the back of a room. Set your ISO depending on how much light you have. Again, it’s not always about avoiding grain or digital noise here. ISO 100 for outdoors in graveyards with light. ISO 6400 for very dark areas or interiors. The ISO setting is based on light conditions so that it will vary considerably.
- Set your aperture to the lowest; if needed, it will go (ex. 2.8) to let more light in. If you need some depth of field, set the aperture 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.
OTHER GHOST HUNTING INFORMATION
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. Considering the sources of other things that will make your meter go off, understand these meters are not always accurate. Use your sixth sense to find the apparitions.
FOCUSING IN THE DARK
Now you are set. If you lack 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 camera’s focus point on the area you have lit up. Turn your flashlight off when the camera has obtained focus and the two-second timer starts. 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 photos.
Another way to focus in 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 and grab focus. If you take multiple shots in the exact location without touching your camera, you can gently put your camera into manual focus without disturbing the focus. Then, each time, you will not have to refocus.
WHEN TO GHOST HUNT
Anytime is fine, but traditionally, the best results have been documented after 9 p.m.
WHAT TO BRING FOR GHOST HUNTING
Bring your tripod, infrared filter, infrared illuminating light, and shutter release. Also, bring your driver’s license in case the police question you. Be prepared for that. You should be okay if there aren’t any NO TRESPASSING signs where you are. Here is a list of things you can purchase for your ghost-hunting photography adventures.
To save money, buy a regular light, a red silk flower, and a gorilla tape the flower over the light. Voila, a red light. You can purchase the lights you wear around your head and have your hands free to change your camera settings.
Ghost Photography – Paranormal Photography – Apparitions and Photography
