Doing An Investigation

Some Tips for Investigators

Prepare your client and yourself. Be sure to get the details on the activity that is being reported and try to gear your investigation accordingly. Let the client know what your process is, the types of equipment you will be using, and answer any questions or concerns they have before you get started. If there is a specific sequence of events that have taken place, try to reenact them with the client and get a perspective on what they were feeling at the time of the event. Do reasearch on the location and area before you do the investigation as well, check  the history, if any, on the location, in case there are any clues there that might identify past residents and events that might be linked to what is taking place. Practice with your equipment before you take it on an investigation, so you are comfortable with using it and you know what it's capabilities are.

Don't Investigate Alone- It is really a good idea to have at least one other person with you if you are on an investigation. The reasons for this are very practical. If you do have activity happen, you are going to want someone else there as a witness to what's happening. Something else to consider, if you fall in the dark or your flashlight batteries die, you have someone to help you and vice a versa.

No Smoking Please-You would be amazed what kinds of anomalies smoke can create in a photograpgh, especially in a dark environment.Please don't use cologne or perfume either, as scents can sometimes be a key sign of a spirit's prescense, you don't want to have that sign convoluted.

Ghosts love to drain batteries-take plenty of extras with you for all of your equipment, the common belief is that a spirit can somehow pull energy from the batteries to help them manifest the activity. 

Take snacks and something to drink with you. You don't want to abandon an investigation because your tummy is grumbling.

Please don't whisper during an EVP session, you should talk in a normal tone of voice. If you whisper your comments can be confused with the EVPS you are trying to capture. Also if you shift or do anything else that creates a noise you say something like "shifting" so that it is captured on the tape for reference later. When you start your session it is a good idea to give the date, time, and location, at the start of the recording for documentation. This can be used to coordinate time frames with video and camera shots as well. Then if their is activity it can be refenced  to activity on the other mediums being used at that time and possibly correlated with them.

When you take pictures on an investigation with a flash camera, you should let the other investigators know that you are about to do so by sayin "flash".

Notes- Remember when you are on an investigation, try to document anything that happens, even if it doesn't seem very important at the time. You may discover a pattern or relevance to something that at first seems random.

If you are doing an investigation outdoors, never use the car headlights as your source of light. If the battery goes dead, it might be a long walk home! 

No Trespassing Please-it's always a bad idea to go on private property and your leaving yourself open to possible arrest.  Even if a house seems deserted that doesn't give anyone the right to walk on in, somone owns the property. If you really think a site is abandoned, do things the right way and try to find the owner, contact the local police department and they will probably be able to tell you, or point you in the right direction.And always carry your ID with you, just in case you are questioned about being on  a property that you have gotten permission to go onto, if possible, have that permission in writing as well.