Setting Traps for Ghosts

Footage of a real ghost is one of those things that photographers are always looking for.  And as far as ghost hunting is concerned, there are two main ways of acquiring a glimpse of the paranormal.  While ghost hunts are fairly easy, in some settings they are out of the question.  What if scheduling doesn’t allow you to search your own home for evidence of a haunting, but you want to know if there’s something otherworldly passing through your home as you sleep?  A trap for ghosts doesn’t intend to capture them or harm them in any way.  It simply captures evidence that they were there.

The ghost trap is a classic method of capturing evidence of the paranormal recently made popular by the release of the film “Paranormal Activity” and “Paranormal Activity 2” alongside several other spin-offs that capitalize on the spooky possibilities that go on after people have left.  But while the film crews of Paranormal Activity worked carefully to frame the image, they also set up the camera knowing what would happen in their film.  What if you’re not sure where the paranormal is making an appearance in your own home?

First, be sure you have a fairly wide view of the room you set up in.  You want to make sure you can catch the entrances and any possibilities for something to suddenly make an appearance.  Ideal rooms are those that have a lot of traffic passing through them or rooms that have been around longer than any other in the house.  If you have a room with a connected stairway, there have been many great ghost photos captured of places like these.

But if you don’t want to look at a whole room, you might just want to film a single object that seems to be haunted.  Common items for this sort of filming include paintings, dolls, chairs, and mechanical items such as typewriters.  The now famous painting “The Hands Resist Him” became well known in ghost hunting circles after pictures of the painting appeared online showing the figures in the painting moving around and exhibiting different characteristics at different points.

Additionally, you should make sure you have enough tape to observe for up to eight hours while you’re gone.  Typically you want to be able to observe the room or object in question while no one else is around.  Gather your friends together and watch the tapes together while fast-forwarding through them.  Additionally, listen to the audio of the tape at around x20 speed.  This will allow you to catch any differences in audio without necessarily going through the whole eight hours.  And it will allow you to do so in less than half an hour.  As with all things, it will be more fun if you make an event out of it.  Have multiple sets of eyes and ears listening to the tape to make sure someone catches whatever is being missed.

A final note.  It’s important that everyone involved know that you’re surveying the room for ghosts.  Consult with your house mates and let them know you’re going to be doing an impromptu ghost hunt first.  Depending on how they feel about the hauntings in your home, they may very well be willing to help.