Digital still cameras (like the Sony Cybershot pictured above) are very valuable tools on a paranormal investigation. When you are on a case, your prime objective is to find and document paranormal activity. Devices such as cameras and camcorders are the vehicle by which you accomplish this. Without evidence all you have is a personal experience. With evidence, you have proof. Proof that you can share with others.

The main thing to remember when taking digital photos are the basics. On cameras such as the one listed above the flash unit is mounted on the face of the camera. It is REALLY easy to have a finger in the way of this flash. When this happens, your photo will have a shadow cast across it. I can't tell you how many times I see "ghost" photos of a black mass in the corner of a haunted room and have to just roll my eyes...it's merely an object blocking the flash, making "shadowy figures" appear in the photos. I'm not saying that shadow people are never caught on film, or that real photo evidence of this kind does not exist, I'm just saying that very often it's just a user mistake with the camera that causes the shadow.

Also, while we are on the subject of the flash: The flash on these cameras (as I stated above) and on disposable or cheap 35mm cameras is located flat on the front of the camera. This can (and often will) cause things like "red eye". Your friend wasn't possessed, you just blew up his eyes with your flash. Also, if there is ANY dust or moisture or bugs or DARN NEAR ANYTHING in the air, you will get "orbs". Now, I know this is a delicate subject with most people, but the simple fact is this: 99% of all orb photos I have ever seen are very simple to explain. Real orb photos are quite rare, and you know them when you see them. Folks, haunted locations are quite often dusty from lack of use or disrepair. You will see this debris in your photos if you have stirred it up and caused it to become airborn. If you ever get a photo that you feel to be authentic, you should have someone who has experience with photos examine it, and give you their opinion. It's never bad to ask for someone else's opinion.

TECHNIQUES:

A very important thing is to be mindful of what you are taking photos of. I know you are in the dark, and it's hard to orient yourself. But so often I see people just waving their cameras randomly snapping off photos. When these people review their evidence all they are going to have are photos of the floor, or the ceiling, or a random corner...etc... You really should pay attention, make sure you are getting a photo of what you want to see. This will assure you that you have some reviewable evidence after the hunt increasing your chances of finding something.

A good technique to employ is to take photos in a series of 3. This gives you a comparative set. If evidence shows up in one of the photos but not the other two you get a good idea of when the evidence occured and gives you a good base for comparison. This also helps prove your point, because if it were user error such as a finger in front of the flash it would have more than likely occured in all three photos.

Also, keep in mind that you are around other people, and you are in the dark. When possible, try to warn others that you are about to flash. Blindness from the flash could lead to someone tripping. You always want to remain safety concious.

Another good tip is to make sure you carry enough batteries and storage media. You don't want to run out of either on an investigation. From past experience the one sure fire way to make phenomena appear is to not have a way to capture it. I have had so many things happen in the past JUST after my batteries died. I learned the hard way....always have a backup plan.

Expensive DSLR cameras are NICE, but not necessary on a hunt. In fact, I NEVER carry mine. a good 6-8 mega-pixel point and shoot is just fine. In the dark, possibilities for accidents increase. I don't know about you, but if I drop a camera I don't want it to be a $2,500 piece of equipment. Also, the focusing systems on the point and shoot cameras insures you to be able to get off your shot when needed. Sometimes, unless you are in manual focus mode, DSLR cameras will simply "hunt" with the focus and never make a connection. More often than not you will be standing in the dark listening to your lens try to focus while you should be documenting evidence. Sure, if you have good glass on a DSLR your images will be nicer, but for the purposes of a hunt a point and shoot or even a disposable camera are just fine. Anything else is just for show.

Every time you do an investigation, your team should be equipped with at least one camcorder capable of shooting in 0 lux (no light) or at least very close to 0 lux. Night vision cameras, in my opinion, are the cornerstone of a good hunt. Like I have said in the past: Without evidence you have nothing but a ghost story. It's true, we all love a good story. But, our mission on a hunt is to provide evidence. Cameras do that for us. This is opinion, and others might disagree, but to me their is only ONE company making cameras suitable for night time investigation purposes and that is SONY. The Sony night vision mode is vastly superior to anything on the market, and it's the only company I trust to gather the evidence for me.

Just like with the still cameras, if you are using a camcorder hand-held, you need to be mindful of what you are filming. Keep your "subject" in frame, and make sure you capture footage that is watchable later on. Nothing is more frustrating than to "hear" things happening in a video while you are watching the camera man's feet because he wasn't mindful of what he was shooting. If it's not watchable later, you might as well have not even been filming.

A good idea in an investigation is to find your hot spots (places of most reported activity) and "lock off" a camera. This means to place one on a tripod and leave it to gather evidence. A static night vision camera can provide some of the most compelling evidence on a case. When you do this, make sure the camera is ON and recording and that it is in night vision mode. Simple mistakes can cause you to miss evidence and that can be very frustrating. Also remember to go back to your cameras at certain intervals to make sure your battery life and tape life are good on that camera, and change both if need be.

Another good piece of gear to use coupled with your camera is an IR extender. These devices attach to your camera and emit an invisible (to the eye) beam of IR light that extends the distance and scope that your camera can "see" into the darkness. This can increase your range from 12-25 feet in some cases, and that is a huge improvement which can aid in the gathering of good quality evidence. These devices can usually be purchased at stores such as Best-Buy or they can be bought online. Make sure you buy one that is compatible with your cameras night vision set up. I ALWAYS buy Sony brand. The no-name knock offs can really let you down in the field.

As with the digital still cameras, always make sure to bring extra batteries and tapes for your camera. These are things you never want to be without. Also, this is the reason I do not use hard drive recording video cameras. SOME people love them and swear by them, and they ARE easier to get your evidence from the camera to your computer. But, what happens when your hard drive is full and you are in the field? I would rather have the luxury of popping in another tape. It might take a little longer to download your footage, but it's an annoyance that I am willing to accept.