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"Hunting ghosts doesn't require any special gift -- you don't have to be psychic, conduct exorcisms, or perform any strange rituals," Martin Leal says. The best place to do ghost investigations are where ghosts have been recently seen or felt, not necessarily in a location where there has been an accident or murder. A cemetery with a fresh grave site is a good place to ghost hunt because the ethereal being may take minutes, hours or days to leave the body after death. But since this aura can't be seen with the naked eye, a spirit seeker will need the tools of his trade: a non-contact thermometer to measure cold spots (temperatures 25-60 degrees lower than the surrounding area may indicate you are not alone), and something to indicate energy fluctuations, such as a compass or an EMF meter (an inexpensive one will run you about $30). Once these environmental shifts are identified, all the ghost hunter has to do is point his camera, shoot and wait for the best. "I use three cameras during investigations," Martin explains, "one that uses infrared film since cold spots are associated with ghosts, and two regular 35mm loaded with both ASA 400 and 1600 film. You want a fast film to capture ghosts that may be cycling at a rate that is not detectable to the human eye." Martin reminds us not to disregard photos that look as if the film may have been damaged, as photos of ghosts may not be what we expect. "Often spirits appear on film as clouds of mist or fog, swirling vortexes, balls of light or white shapes that appear human-like," he says. Most of all, a ghost hunter must be patient, since it's possible that rolls and rolls of film may turn up nothing more than the landscape. |
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Other ghostly reading:
Ghost Hunter Spirits of San Antonio and South Texas When Darkness Falls |
What to Do if You See a Ghost(suggestions to help you cope while continuing to investigate) reprinted with authors permission from The Haunted Alamo: A History of the Mission and Guide to Paranormal Activity by Robert Wlodarski and Anne Powell Wlodarski. 1. Don't panic; sit back and enjoy the phenomenon. Try to notice every detail you can. 2. After the event, write down exactly what you saw in as much detail as possible. Remember if there were any particular smells; sensations such as cold spots, gusts of air, feelings of nausea; music playing or other audible sounds; voices or conversations in the background; or feelings of being watched or touched, etc. 3. Try and sketch what you saw: what the image was wearing, including the style of clothing, shoes, glasses, hats, etc.; anything which may give an indication of a particular time period or era. 4. Draw a diagram or map of where the apparition was seen, and where you were when the event took place. Note furniture, windows, or other features in relation to the sighting. 5. Note what time of day the event took place as well as weather conditions and temperature, if possible. 6. Record general information regarding how the event made you feel (sad, happy, frightened, etc.). 7. Note any unusual circumstances surrounding the event, including storms, power outages, other people working in the area, etc. 8. Note other people present, including any children or animals who might have witnessed the event, or may have been affected. 9. Attempt to investigate the experience further, including who the ghost might have been; attempt to rule out any explainable causes for the occurrence; and try to research the area in more detail. The Haunted Alamo is available is for sale for $11.95 at various gift and book shops in San Antonio including Books Myths, Texas Adventure, the IMax Theater and the gift shop at the Hyatt Hotel, or it can be ordered from the authors directly at 818/340-6676. International Ghost Hunters Society: www.ghostweb.com |          |
