From Georgia Ghost Hunters Case Reports
There are many guideline you should follow to keep you and your group safe and secure, please read below the safety steps and procedures.
Safety Tips
- Never go alone on a ghost hunt!
- Always say a prayer of protection before and after a ghost hunt.
- Make sure all of your equipment is fully charged and that you have extra batteries available. Ghosts have the ability to drain fully charged instruments.
- Don't walk into an area snapping pictures right off the bat. Give those ghosts that are present some time to get used to you.
- Be aware of the surroundings for your safety. For best results, always take a day walk through before doing a nighttime investigation, if possible. The other option would be to show up just before dark (dusk) and have a look around before starting.
- A ghost hunter steps into an investigation/ghost hunt with the best of feelings for those that are with him/her and for the ghosts that might be present. In other words, full respect for the living and the dead.
- Above all - NO HORSE PLAY! A serious and conscientious ghost hunter gets results
- Large groups should split up into smaller groups of four individuals or less per team.
- If you are scientifically minded, and I hope that you are.....take along a notebook to record significant occurrences. Begin by logging in the starting time and weather conditions etc. Also make note of surrounding lights so as to not confuse them with anomalies later on in the pictures.
- Record all meter abnormalities, strange sounds, sightings and feeling or emotions. Each group should take their own notes and compare afterwards.
- Do not show fear. A gracious ghost will not come around if they sense you are fearful. Yet your fear can have a mischievous ghost feeding on that fear......not good.
- Always remember, you are the one with the body, and you are the one with the power. Don't give up your power to them through fear.
- Keep in mind that a lot of the places you will be investigating will be secluded. Because of this you should always bring along some form of protection. I suggest pepper spray or a stun gun. I am of course talking about protecting yourself from bad people, not bad ghosts.
- If you feel that some unknown force wants you out of there...then by all means get out! You should never go against these feelings or you could end up having something show up at your home. Turnabout is fair play right?
- Never dare an unseen entity to make itself known to you. However, It is okay to ask those present if you can take their picture or record their voice.
- Make sure you have permission before entering private property such as a cemetery or abandoned house. I know how tempting this can be for a ghost hunter to do. Just remember this though, when you are caught sneaking around, it makes the ghost hunting community as a whole look bad. You could also be fined or jailed. Think about that.
Photo Tips
- When you take photos at night, make sure you have you camera set for night filming. If your camera has this setting, please use it otherwise your photos might come out to dark or fuzzy
Always take photos of something and not just a clearing. Having a background image such as a tombstone, tree, building etc. - Take lots of pictures! Takes photos of anything & everything with a good background image. The odds are good that you will capture an anomaly if you take at least 50 pictures on your hunt.
- When taking your photos, make sure to avoid shinny surfaces (Especially glass or mirrors)
Make sure you know where your camera strap & lens cover are at all times (its best to remove them). These can appear as a vortex or other ghostly images if left to dangle free from the camera and make sure your camera lense is clean. - Make sure long hair is tied back.
- Avoid taking photos when conditions are windy, foggy, rainy, dusty and where it's snowing or when moisture is in the air. All of these conditions can cause images to appear that look exactly like orbs and ghostly anomalies. Please note..make sure you dont smoke while taking pictures, designate a time and place for smoking.
- Avoid taking photos in the direction of the sun. Make sure you hold your breath while taking photos in winter as exhaled air can cause all kinds of strange illusions.
- Take random photos, sometimes ghost may be above your head or sometimes behind you.
Dont go hunting evil spirits or dare them to come around. If you feel that evil is around you, dont hesitate, leave immediately. - Try following your instincts when taking ghost photos. If you have a urge to snap a photo in a particular direction or at a object, do it. Trust your feelings.
- Remember your flash limitations.
Investigation Procedures
- TRESPASSING: Never do this whatever the case may be! Serious researchers should know that this is the biggest NO-NO! If you are wanting to keep your groups name from being tarnished, you should never put them in harms way. Always get written permission to investigate, how would you explain this to your group if you are at a supposed haunted location and the police show up and arrest you and the entire team? This is the biggest downfall and it is giving HONEST paranormal researchers a bad name. Key word: Get written permission! Then after that is done contact the local Sheriff's Department and show them proof of the written permission so they will know that it is ok for you to be there.
- Preliminary Meeting: Most teams do not do this, we believe that conducting a preliminary meeting with the clients prior to the investigation is a necessary step in investigating. This gives both parties a chance to meet one another and get to know them a little before the formal investigation. The group will then know the history and layout of the place before setting up.
- Equipment Usage: Make sure your entire team knows how to use every piece of equipment that you have. Going in on an investigation without prior knowledge of this can delay the investigation and cause way too much commotion.
- Proper Investigation Forms: It is a must to have these, taking base readings beforehand and filling out the necessary paperwork can make the case report write up an breeze. We document each and every experience that is out of place which can help our judgement at the end.
- A Game Plan: Before stepping one foot into an investigation, you must have a game plan. This is knowing who is going to do what, when, where and how. Team members have certain duties that help the investigation fall in place. Without a game plan, there will be confusion and commotion. Make sure you leave a residence exactly the way it was before you entered.
- Data Review: Go over each piece of data, once-twice-three times before making a final decision. Have other members of the team review it and get their ideas and theories. Remember, we are here to debunk as much as we are here to prove. If you are uncertain about a piece of data- then keep it for yourself. You do not want to mislead clients.
- The Reveal: Always reveal what you have found to clients. It is our number one duty to do this. They have contacted & allowed your team to enter their residence with claims of the paranormal. With this they are wanting to know what you may or may not have found. You cannot have an investigation without a reveal.