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Frank has captured an interesting photo from a stone mill.  He writes: 

Michelle, this appeared in the picture I was taking of a new mill I was operating at work.  I had been catching glimpses of a shadow while working at night.

Frank assures me that this is not smoke, and that the weather was not foggy.     

Frank has also captured some orb photos while visiting a local cemetery.

Thanks to Frank for sharing his photos.  Hopefully showing more photos will inspire newcomers to get out there, and start investigating! 

Carole D. 's daughter has captured some interesting photos with mist, orbs and ectoplasm in them (purely by accident—see story below).  Carole writes:

The photos were taken in a courtyard of a Philadelphia church.  The temperature was in the high 50's [no bad weather conditions], and the photographer does not smoke.  The purpose of the photos was to record before-and-after pictures of a landscaping project.  The photos were taken with a 35mm camera and the first photos taken (white orb)—including photos taken outside the courtyard—did not have the mist.  It is not possible that the film was over-exposed, since the mist would be red and yellow if it was over-exposed.

Carole believes that the courtyard might have been a cemetery at one time, and was dug-up to make room for an addition. 

Lots of Philly's old churches had adjacent burial plots [and many buildings/additions were built on top of these graveyards.]  Evidently, the spirits were not happy with the intrusion after decades of neglect.  

Beginning to take photos — Orb is present.  No mist or ectoplasm yet.

 
Side view — Glowing orb to the right of the bush.  The close-up version is better than what I can display here (due to online image size restrictions).

Mist begins appearing in the photos.  Also two red dots that look like orbs on the left-hand side.

Strange mist in the shape of a figure 8

Very heavy mist

This is my favorite photo.  Ectoplasm in the shape of a hooded figure?

Here is another view of the ectoplasm-figure.

Thanks to Carole for sharing these photos!  Feel free to leave your thoughts and comments below.  If you have captured photos/evidence that you want to share (provided you have permission to do so), feel free to contact me here.

I've received some questions about how (and why) people respond to ghosts and paranormal activity.  Holly writes:

I've never seen a ghost before.  But can you feel their presence?  For example, there is an area on Hwy. 71 where there has been quite a few fatal wrecks.  For some unknown reason, my heart will start racing, making it hard for me to breathe.  I also get goose bumps. This happens when I come up on this area and I'm fine after I pass it.  Doesn't always happen, but it freaks me out when it does.  Do you have any idea of why this happens?

Jacob asks a similar question.  He writes:

How do you feel the presence of ghosts around you?  I mean do you just feel cold spots or do you get shivers up your spine?

Different people feel different things around ghosts.  Some people get goosebumps—other people feel cold spots, or hot spots, or increased heartbeat.  Some people feel like they are being watched.  Others feel a strong, dense-ness of energy.  Meanwhile, some people feel nothing at all. 

Everyone responds a bit differently.  Want to see how you respond?  Spend some time in a location that is known to be haunted.  Be careful though — how you respond in one situation may be different from how you respond in another situation.

In Holly's case, a certain section of Hwy. 71 may be haunted (or it could have collected a large amount of negative energy) due to all the fatal car wrecks.  Most people can sense—on some level—energy that is different from the surrounding environment. 

A "bad vibe" feeling (in the form of goosebumps, increased heartbeat) is commonly felt in areas where negative emotionally-charged events have happened—such as death, car accidents, battle wounds, or suicide.  The human body—and the surrounding electromagnetic field—is remarkably sensitive to changes in the external environment, and will respond to these changes.  Of course, it's also possible that *fear* of a car wreck could cause goosebumps, increased heartbeat, and difficulty breathing.  Holly would need to research and investigate Hwy. 71 (that particular section) to see if there is legitimate paranormal activity.

Why Do Some People Respond with Physical Symptoms in the Presence of Ghosts & Paranormal Activity?

No one knows why some people respond physically (i.e. goosebumps) to ghosts and paranormal activity.  As mentioned earlier, the human body is remarkably sensitive and can sense changes in the external environment.  So, when things feel "unusual" (due to paranormal activity) your body is alerted.  This is an instinctive, biological response.  It may also be connected to the strong electromagnetic fields that appear in the presence of paranormal activity.

So, why do some people feel nothing in the presence of paranormal activity?  The number of people who feel absolutely nothing in the presence of strong paranormal activity is very, very small—however, factors such as your physical health, your mental and emotional state, your intelligence/awareness, and your belief system could all play a role in how you respond.

Several people have asked me about EVP's in foreign languages.  David writes:

"I've captured an EVP that sounds like the person is speaking in a foreign language.  The land was previously occupied by Native American tribes.  Can EVP's appear in a foreign language?

Yes, EVP's can appear in any language.  Normally, the EVP will appear in the language that the spirit spoke during his lifetime.  For instance, if you travel to France, most of the EVP's will be in French.  Likewise, if you live in Brazil, most of the EVP's will be in Portuguese.  Cris, a new ghost hunter from Brazil, has captured two EVP's in Portuguese. Cris also has an interesting photo with images that appear to be moving orbs—along with a strange streak across the wall.  Cris writes:

Hi. My name is Cris—I'm a girl from Brazil, and I am new to ghost hunting.  Lately, I kept hearing footsteps in a floor above my room. So I went there one day and decided to try some EVPs.  I got results.  Two different voices, one saying "Pedro" (meaning "Peter", in Portuguese) and the other one, about an hour later saying "Meu pai" (meaning "my father").  After that I decided to try and take some photos.  While taking the pictures, me and my brother, at the same time, saw a thin shadow pass.  In the photos, I got some orbs, that I believe were just dust, but there was one picture that was a little different.  I would like to know your opinion on the pic, because, being new to ghost hunting, I'm still not so good at identifing real orbs.  It's the one I circled in red that caught my attention.  I am also sending the original photo attached and the EVPs, just to illustrate.

Cris has given me permission to post her EVP's and photos online for everyone to see.

Meu Pai ("My Father" in Portuguese) EVP

Pedro EVP 

Wide-angle View :

Close-up View:

 
I'll let readers make their own determination about Cris' photo.  Feel free to share your thoughts in the comment section.  Thanks to David for his question about foreign EVP's, and congrats to Cris on her EVP's (and unusual photograph).

Sarah wants to know about corpse candles.  She writes:

Have you ever had any experiences with what are called will-o'-the-wisps—also known as corpse candles?

Corpse candles (also called deadman's candles, fetch lights, jack o' lanterns, and will-o'-the-wisps) are very mysterious lights that are often seen in churchyards and graveyards.  According to ancient folklore (Welsh, Irish, and British lore), corpse candles hover over the ground and stop at houses or other sites where death is expected.  Candle lights may be red, blue or white and they are seen both indoors and outdoors.  At a distance, they look like flickering lamps or candle flames.  According to Welsh lore, if the lights are approached, they vanish or recede in brightness.

Skeptics claim that the strange lights may be caused by marsh gas, since the lights often appear in marshy, bog-like areas.  However, this theory does not explain why corpse candles are also seen indoors in dry areas.  Another possible explanation is that corpse candles may be produced by atmospheric conditions or unusual weather.  Despite the disagreement over what causes them, corpse candles appear in folklore and eyewitness accounts throughout the world.

Over the years, I have seen a number of strange and mysterious lights, including orbs, moving streaks, and shape-shifting, misty lights.  Could some of these lights be considered corpse candles?  I suppose it's possible.  I have seen lights that look like candle flames, bobbing over a graveyard.

Bob asks an interesting question about electromagnetic fields, ghosts, hallucinations, and base readings.  He writes:

TAPS says that ghosts cause EMF fields and need energy to manifest.  Well, they also say that EMF fields cause hallucinations, so my question is what type of evidence is available to prove that a ghost causes or even raises an EMF field?  Are there base line readings done beforehand?  I have had many promising results with magnetic fields, but I am in need of some supporting evidence.  If you or any of your members know of any supporting facts, can you let me know?

Thanks,

Bob

Base Readings and EMF Meters

Hi Bob.  Yes, a base reading should always be taken before using an EMF meter to record anomalies.  The base reading will tell you what the background EMF is at your location.  I recommend using a tri-field (3 way) EMF meter.  True 3-axis sensors ensure that your measurements remain accurate regardless of the direction of the meter.

Ghosts and Electromagnetic Fields

You asked, "What evidence is available to prove that a ghost causes or even raises an EMF field?"  It has been proven that when a ghost is sighted there is normally a high EMF reading (significant from base/background readings).  Whether the EMF is *caused* by the ghost—or whether something else causes the EMF is a subject of debate. 

Strong EMF's that move (through walls, through different stories of a building) are certainly NOT normal.  These are unlikely to be caused by man-made power lines, or electrical equipment—which are stationary EMF's.  In my opinion, strong moving electromagnetic fields can be a good indication of paranormal activity.  I have found that moving EMF's will either move away from me, or follow me. In one case, I was able to follow a moving EMF through three floors of a building before it disappeared!

Effects of Electromagnetic Fields

As far as hallucinations go, the scientific community remains unclear on the precise effects of EMF exposure and what levels of exposure might be unsafe.  Almost every health organization has set certain limits on EMF exposure.  Power companies are subject to these limits. 

Prolonged exposure to strong electromagnetic fields is thought to cause headaches, fatigue, dizziness, skin rashes, weakness, increased anxiety, decreased mental function, impaired vision, emotional imbalances, reduced melatonin levels, and magnification of the "fight or flight" reponse.  At extremely high levels, electromagnetic fields can cause flickering of vision and disorientation.  Of course, this applies to prolonged exposure to extremely high-level electromagnetic fields.  Practically speaking, most electromagnetic fields (in the presence of ghosts) are not prolonged or extremely high-level.  So, I don't think you need to worry about hallucinations. 

Great question.

Jamie wants to know whether strange electrical activity could be a sign of paranormal activity.  She writes:

Hi Michelle!  I have a spirit here in our apartment.  I have heard him speak before; I have felt his presence, and even caught an EVP of him.  The past couple days, I noticed something strange: the nightlight in our guest bathroom turned a VERY bright white and then burned out….and last night, the lights on our ficus tree did the same thing (the lights got so bright that it woke me up…was like a sunlight)..and then they burned out, too.

Is this a sign of paranormal activity?  I never heard of anything like this, with the exception of lights flickering and going off and on..all of which we have had in the past month as well.  Thanks so much.

- Jamie from Wisconsin

Hi Jamie.  Yes, it could be a sign of paranormal activity—or it could be an electrical wiring problem in your home.  Ghosts are known to cause electrical disturbances (including flickering lights, electrical failures) and they can drain freshly charged batteries.  This is because strong electromagnetic fields (EMF's) are usually found in the presence of ghostly/paranormal activity.  Science has shown us that strong electromagnetic fields can cause electrical disturbances, power failures and other anomalies.

Check to see if there are natural causes that could explain the strange electrical activity in your home.  Natural causes could include short circuits, electrical wiring problems, blown fuses, or man-made EMF's.  If there are no natural causes, then it's possible the light activity could be paranormal.

Brandon asks whether he can use the built-in recorder on his MP3 player to capture EVP. 

Yes.  Anything that records voice—including digital cameras, tape recorders, answering machines, and video cameras—can capture EVP.  Of course some devices will produce better quality sound than others.  For instance, an answering machine will generally produce lower-quality audio than a digital voice recorder.

I've received a lot of questions about how to photograph ghosts and several people have asked me for camera recommendations.  Ray writes, "What is the best camera to use to capture a ghost?"

Waide has a similar question.  He asks, "What are the best types of cameras to catch good evidence and how are they used most effectively?"

I recommend using a digital camera with 5 or more megapixels.  I have a personal preference for Sony—however, Canon and Kodak also make good, reliable cameras.  If you're not comfortable with digital cameras, you can always use a regular 35 mm camera.  If you decide to use a 35 mm camera, be sure to purchase film that is 400 speed or higher.  If possible, buy a camera that has Nightshot (for infrared photos).  Many of the Sony Cybershot cameras have nightshot (also called "night vision" or "infrared illuminator"), which will allow you to capture clear photos in dark or dim lighting.

Do you own a camera that you would recommend for ghost hunting?  If so, feel free to leave a comment below.  I will be writing more about using cameras in the field. 

In the video below, you can clearly see orbs captured on tape—as well as some very interesting footage from the Black Forest haunting in Colorado.  The Black Forest orb is one of the largest orbs I have seen.  This video footage was captured from a TV segment that aired on the TV channel "Bravo."  Please note: This is NOT my video.  Someone else created this video, and sent it to me. 

I will write more about the Black Forest haunting, which is one of the most inexplicable hauntings.  Interestingly, Steve Lee and his family refuse to leave their home in the Black Forest despite the strong paranormal activity.  To date, the Lee family has called in over 30 different specialists, including paranormal researchers, private investigators, psychics, and quantum physicists.  Several of the scientists have stated that the lightforms captured on film (orbs) do not behave according to accepted laws of physics.