Capturing the Evidence - Photos

Tips and Tricks

• Know where you are pointing: reflective surfaces may give false positive results
• Know the range of your camera - images captured outside the range settings may be distorted
• Say no to camera straps! These are often captured on film, and the results may resemble 'vortexes' or other lines that are misinterpreted. It is good practice to either remove the strap entirely, wear a neck strap instead, or to make sure, each and every time, that the strap is securely on your wrist and does not have enough allowance to spill over into the shot
• How's your lens? Wide angle lens shots may produce 'barrel distortion', especially with infra-red technology. Barrel distortion can cause solid objects on the perimeter of your shot to appear transparent, distorted and ghostly
• "Where's your hair?" Keep hair groomed and held back from your face. In addition, it is good form to get into the habit of holding the camera well away from your face, even at arm's length for each shot, to insure that a stray hair isn't photographed
• Beware the dipping hat brim - don't capture it on film!
• Get into the habit, winter or summer, of holding your breath for a two count before and after each shot. When this becomes habit, you rule out 'breath mist' being included in your shots.
• No smoking. No, we are not in cahoots with your doctor. However smoke makes the coolest images that are often mistaken for mists or ectoplasm
• What's the weather? Rain or humidity may cause droplets of water in the air to show up as orbs or more. In the summer, suspect insects (in videography, watch the movement of the objects that appear as orbs. Compare them to insect movement first)
• In winter? See if there is a moisture source nearby. Frozen crystals in the air may also show up on film with interesting, yet false positive results
• If possible, take two or more shots of the same location right after the other. Often, something may show up in one shot and not the next, or vice versa.
• Watch your settings! Night setting causes the shutter to slow it's speed down in order to try to capture darker images. A common result is that any reflective or light source will skew into a radiant gold streak. If you catch many 'plasma lights' in your work, suspect your camera settings first and change them
• **SYNCHRONIZE YOUR EQUIPMENT!!** Get into the practice of synchronizing your video time and date with your camera time and date. This habit will save you immeasurable grief if you need to compare video footage vs. still shot photography.

Types of Cameras to Try

• Infra-red (or night shot) video cameras. (For optimum results, you may wish to attach an infra-red booster light
• Digital cameras
• 35 mm cameras
• Polaroid cameras
• 3-D cameras (Loreo makes these)

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