Tips for Taking Photos and Doing EVP Work During Paranormal Investigations

Whether you are a beginner or not these tips can be helpful in getting better investigation results. Nothing can be more disappointing then spending time doing an investigation then having a bad batch of photos or audio recordings. The number one thing is be sure you have plenty of batteries with you for all your equipment. Along with that there are a few things you can do to get better results during an investigation.

Rules for photo taking during an investigation:

No smoking by anyone at all in the invest area. Smoke is one of the most common things photographed that is mistaken for paranormal activity.

It's best to take all camera straps off. They can be mistaken for spirits and vortices. If you must leave them on, secure them so they can't get in front of the lens.

Before you take a photo, warn those around you so they don't get in the area you are photographing. You can take photos with members in them of course, but if you are wanting a specific area photographed with nothing in it warn them first.

Hold your breath while you take photos, especially in cold weather. It looks like a mist in photos and can be mistaken for paranormal activity.

Keep your hair tied back. There are hundreds of photos that have hair in them that are mistaken for something else.

Look out for reflective surfaces before you take a photo. Windows, mirrors and similar items can reflect the flash. Anything metallic or glass, even some plastics can be a problem.

If taking photos in the daytime, be careful not to point the camera toward the sun. The glass and metal rule applies during the daytime also.

Do a scout of the area before you start taking pictures so you know what's there. Later on you won't mistake a chair or a pole for a person in the photos. Check for shadows caused by furniture and such also. Make note of light coming through windows or doors and what shadows you may cast as you walk through. Once you start your investigation you'll know what to look out for.

Audio recordings:

The first thing to remember is do not whisper. Talk normally during an investigation. Whispering will only cause confusion when you playback your recording. If you have team members in adjoining rooms, try to do your EVP work at different times and make sure the others know when you are doing you EVP session.

When you carry your recorder try not to move your hand too much or too fast. These things can be really sensitive and pick up the slightest noise.

If you lay your recorder down be sure it is secure and cannot fall. Also be sure it is not on anything that can give off any noise or vibration since this will be picked up by the recorder.

Ask normal questions. You don't have to use the "give us a sign of your presence" line, but you can certainly ask for them to show you they are there. You can talk to the spirits just like you would talk to anyone else. Provoking is not a good idea. Speak normally and ask questions to try to find out who the spirit is and why they are there. If you know any of the history of the place, you can tailor your questions to that. If someone passed away there for example, you might ask if they are the spirit there.

Make sure you know how close any roads or train tracks are to your location. The sounds from these can be picked up by the recorder, as can your team members voices. Keep an eye out for anyone that could be walking near the area that you may hear.

As far as what kind of cameras and recorders to use that is personal preference. 35mm cameras are good to have since you will have the negatives to anaylze later. Voice recorders can be digital or tape. If you have a micro cassette, an external microphone is great to have if yours has a jack for one. They can be used with digital recorders also but are not a must. There are many good cameras and recorders out there to choose from. A decent digital camera runs around $100 while a 35mm can be had for about $60. I have the Olympus VN-4100PC voice recorder that works great. It runs about $60. A recorder that has PC capability is worth the extra $20 you'll pay.

Most of all just be alert to your surroundings before you begin. The extra 15 minutes spent checking the location out is worth it. These are all things my group uses to get the most out of an investigation. You'll be glad you did too.