How to Quickly Learn Ghost Hunting Photography

HOW TO QUICKLY LEARN GHOST-HUNTING PHOTOGRAPHY

Lens: Ghost hunting is a wide-angle lens activity, but you ideally need a lens with an open aperture of 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-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. Bring your driver’s license just in case the police question you. Be prepared for that. Be sure there aren’t any NO TRESPASSING signs where you are, and you should be okay. There is a list of equipment below that you should consider purchasing.

Quick Photography Info for Ghost Hunting Photography

DSLR Camera:

We like DSLR cameras best (see below for DSLR settings), but ghost hunting can be done with non-DSLR cameras. Cameras that allow you to change all the settings listed are best. There are other cameras to use, but here we discuss the DSLR.

Cameras cannot see in the dark. You must bring a light source of some kind for focusing. Oh, that’s right; of course, you will bring a flashlight to get to your location—way too terrifying without one. You will want to use a red light to avoid scaring the apparitions once you are set up.

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 with your infrared illuminating light and your shutter release. Bring your driver’s license if the police question you. Be prepared for that. Be sure there aren’t any NO TRESPASSING signs where you are—trespass at your own risk.

Ghost Photography – Paranormal Photography – Capturing Ghostly Images – Apparitions and Photography

Camera Gear and Settings Information

When to Go Ghost-Hunting:

Anytime is fine, but traditionally the best results have been documented after 9 p.m.

What to bring Ghost-Hunting:

Bring your tripod, infrared filter, and infrared illuminating light and shutter release. Bring your driver’s license just in case the police question you. Be prepared for that. Be sure there aren’t any NO TRESPASSING signs where you are, and you should be okay. 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.

Cameras for Ghost Hunting

A DSLR Camera for Ghost-Hunting:

It can be used for Ghost Hunting Photography but cannot see in the dark ultimately. You can use a red light to illuminate the area or bring a flashlight for focusing, and you can quickly obtain apparitions if you can stand the insidious invasion of the paranormal.

Full Spectrum Digital Camera for Ghost-Hunting:

Takes quality Full Spectrum photos and video. They have been professionally modified to accept deeper Ultraviolet (UV) and Infrared (IR) light to allow pictures deep into the usually unseen light spectrum. Best used with an external infrared light source.

Infrared (IR) Digital Camera for Ghost Hunting:

It takes 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 for Ghost Hunting:

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 our 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, not necessarily, always super high quality so that we will do a few things 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 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 you may find it will vary quite a bit.
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 too 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.

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 in their attempt to manifest themselves or interact with our world. When your meter goes off, do a long exposure on your tripod. Keeping in mind 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 it is you are there to find.) Put the camera’s focus point on the area you have lit up. Turn your flashlight off when you see 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 will have to 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 to grab focus. If you do multiple shots in the exact location without touching your camera, you can then gently put your camera into manual focus without disturbing the focus. Then each time, you will not have to refocus.