Joined: Jan 14, 2004 Posts: 1895 Location: Georgia
Posted: Fri May 14, 2004 9:58 am Post subject: Self Defense
I got the sh*t scared out of me this past Saturday night... Ghost hunting around the outside of a historical building here in GA with Michelle. Out in the woods... its dark… and I hear what sounds like the panting of a dog running towards us and the jingling of dog taqs... then I catch the quick glimpse of a shadow near the ground about 100 feet away moving quickly towards us... and then THANKFULLY nothing - a REAL Ghost Hound??? Looking back it was kinda cool!
But my heart skipped a beat or three when it was happening. I froze with fear and all I could think was "NICE doggie... PLEASE be NICE doggie and not Cujo, PLEASE!"
We got lucky, but this made me start thinking... aggressive animals not withstanding, I've often stated that I'm more scared of the LIVING than I am of the dead while ghost hunting. Cemeteries and abandoned buildings are frequent hang outs for drug users / criminals / cults / etc... People you probably would not want to have an encounter with.
Having the ability to defend oneself from a surprise attack from an animal or person sounds more and more like a good idea, even if you only slow the assault enough to get to safety. Though having a weapon (large knife, gun, etc) would be a BAD idea if the police show up to question your activities. I've known ghost hunters that DO go to investigations armed with a gun. Even if licensed to carry a firearm, I do not agree with it on investigations and ghost hunts. I've known a person who would actually draw their piece on occasion if something startled him, which suffice it to say was a little unnerving for the rest of the people involved. As one person put it “How are you going to shoot something paranormal???”
Anywho… after my encounter with an apparent phantom pooch and near heart attack Saturday, I will never again go to an outdoor location unarmed. In addition to always having a cell phone on me, I also plan to carry a canister of pepper spray on a lanyard around my neck where I can get to it instantly. Better to have and not need than to need and not have. I'd recommend others consider doing the same, but be sure to check your local laws to make sure that pepper spray is legal in your jurisdiction.
At the very least, don’t forget that the large Mag Lite brand of flash lights (the ones that hold 3 or more D batteries, not the little penlights) are not only very bright and durable, but can also double as a night stick in the event of an attack, which is one reason that police officers carry them.
Happy haunt hunting - and BE SAFE!!! _________________ Patrick Burns
Founder and Director, Ghost Hounds
"The most beautiful thing we can experience is the mysterious. It is the source of all true art and all science. He to whom this emotion is a stranger, who can no longer pause to wonder and stand rapt in awe, is as good as dead: his eyes are closed." - Albert Einstein
Joined: Feb 14, 2004 Posts: 662 Location: The Other Side
Posted: Sat May 15, 2004 9:43 am Post subject:
[color=white]Although I strongly believe that everyone should have the right to own a firearm, in the case of ghost hunting, however, something a little less intense would be better. When you discharge a firearm in the dark, no one knows where it can go. Being in a cemetery, you run the risk of the bullet ricocheting off a tombstone, thus injuring a fellow hunter, damaging a car, and to top it off, damaging the tombstone. You also run the risk of neighbors calling the cops over shots being fired, and the next morning, finding your name in the newspaper in the police blotter section, with charges of vandalism, desecrating a cemetery, etc. and waking up the next morning on a thin cot in a stone brick room, with permanent verical blinds that do not close or open. That will not look pretty on your record.
The only time I would probably carry a firearm is if I was going alone (I know not really a good idea) and I happen to be in an area notorious for late-night vandalism, satanic cults, drug dealings, or other gang-related activities. But, I would have the safety "on" unless I feel threatened.
A little safety tip: Try not to park in the cemetery. If possible, park in a parking lot nearby. That way, if there is anybody else in the cemetery, they won't hear you pull up, and close the car door. They might hear it, but it will be far away, and they won't think twice about it. There is a cemetery here in Conyers right off Hwy. 138 (Memorial Gardens). When Melissa Roberts and I went there back some months ago, we parked in the cemetery, because one of the gates was not locked. However, if we had left an hour later, where there was a good chance all gates being locked, we would have parked across the street at the Sonic restaurant, or at a small strip mall where there's a Video Warehouse and a couple of other stores. Of course, even if you did this, you'd still run the risk of endangering yourself and others. Like the old saying goes: Damned if you do; damned if you don't. _________________ PRG
Be Afraid of the Living...not the Dead
Joined: Feb 27, 2004 Posts: 194 Location: Marietta
Posted: Sun May 16, 2004 7:52 pm Post subject:
Great post/point. Mace is an excellent idea - even walking the neighborhood it's a good idea, this day and age you never know.
And I think a "Barney Fife" check should be mandatory before going anywhere with a group at night. I've seen a few folks that I wouldn't trust with a yo-yo when .. startled
Joined: Feb 14, 2004 Posts: 662 Location: The Other Side
Posted: Mon May 17, 2004 4:33 pm Post subject:
I remember reading in another group (long since extinct) that two things that are best to have with you: a first aid kit, and bottled water. You don't have to buy the $5 a bottle water; just filling a milk jug or thermos up with tap water will do. Two good uses for the water: To help clean any wounds (scratches, scrapes, etc.) and if you get dehydrated during the hunt. I like to have a bottle or can of Coke for the latter. A bag of ice might be good in case someone in your party faints, or starts getting heat exhaustion...although the water will be just as good to help revive them. The ice is good for helping to reduce swelling of any sprained joints or (heaven forbid) broken bones caused by tripping, which I have a tendency of doing a lot. I've only been reading about walking . _________________ PRG
Be Afraid of the Living...not the Dead
Joined: Feb 27, 2004 Posts: 194 Location: Marietta
Posted: Tue May 18, 2004 8:40 pm Post subject:
Yes, I've read that too. I think it would be a good check but that's coming from one who doesn't carry either that or a fire extinguisher in the car.
re: "The only time I would probably carry a firearm is if I was going alone (I know not really a good idea) and I happen to be in an area notorious for late-night vandalism, satanic cults, drug dealings, or other gang-related activities. But, I would have the safety "on" unless I feel threatened."
Joined: May 26, 2004 Posts: 179 Location: Kansas City area
Posted: Tue Jun 01, 2004 5:59 am Post subject:
Since I'm new here (lol), and I'm not sure if this has been addressed before, I thought I'd go ahead and ask....
I know cameras are a great tool for ghost hunting, but which works best: film or digital?? I own both, but would like to know which one is the most successful in capturing creepy images.
Joined: Feb 14, 2004 Posts: 662 Location: The Other Side
Posted: Tue Jun 01, 2004 7:53 pm Post subject: Which Camera?
Quote:
I know cameras are a great tool for ghost hunting, but which works best: film or digital?? I own both, but would like to know which one is the most successful in capturing creepy images.
Ahhh...the great classic debate. Which camera is best? It all depends upon past experiences with the camera. I've had better luck with the digital in capturing ghostly images than with the 35mm.
One of the reasons is that the picture quality in digital cameras can tend to be more fine-tuned, and therefore more images can appear. Also, the time it takes to take a picture with a digital camera is less than a standard film camera. The shutter speed tends to be faster for most models, allowing less time for the spirits to escape the camera.
Some people still swear by film, in that you can use different speeds of film for different lighting properties or situations. The higher the speed, the darker your lighting may be. The only problem I found with film is that it turns out too grainy. I may have been using the wrong speed, or had too much or too little lighting. It was very hard to tell what was what.
Another disadvantage to film is that there is too much room for errors where something like a flaw in the film, improper developing, dust in the lens, etc. can give false illusions that you captured a real entity.
With digital, there is still a window for error, but a smaller window. In most cases the cause of false orbs would be due to dust and dirt on the lens, or if there is a flaw in the mechanical operations of the camera.
One good thing about film is that it is usually cheaper to develop, and you don't need a computer to pull the images up. You can have the images put on CD or downloaded to a website where you can view online or order prints. With both, if you have pictures downloaded to the computer, you can use different types of software that allow you to sharpen the image so it will be clearer to see what is there.
If money is tight for you, a 35mm or any film camera would be best. You can buy disposables for about $5 a piece, or standard point-and-shoots for as little as $10 and as much as a couple hundred. It's best to have one that can time/date stamp the front (or more preferably, the back) of your pictures for better record keeping, if you like to log your pictures. The one I have was about $40 at the local K-Mart. I had only used it once, and was not satisfied with the results. We did three locations that night, and most of them did not turn out anything. Bought a digital two weeks later, and broke it in at Thanksgiving at roommate's parents' house. I turned up a whole bunch of orbs! I had no intentions of catching anything.
Good luck in your decisions, and most importantly when dealing with cameras: ALWAYS REMOVE THE HAND STRAP! The small strap that comes with cameras has a tendency to be real photogenic, causing you to mess up your pictures, giving false results of mists, streaks, vortices, etc. _________________ PRG
Be Afraid of the Living...not the Dead
Joined: Jan 14, 2004 Posts: 1895 Location: Georgia
Posted: Wed Jun 02, 2004 12:22 am Post subject:
I say go digital. The key to ghost photography is to take lots and lots of pictures. Unless you have deep pockets (or your own dark room) film gets expensive very quickly. Even WITH a darkroom, you still need to buy film, paper and chemicals. Digital is instantaneous and of course MUCH cheaper.
The obvious con against digital is lack of a negative. That is if you get something REALLY good, it can never be scrutinized or proven that you didn't tamper with the image.
IMO we should stop worrying about trying to "prove" anything to anyone other than ourselves. Film or digital - the cynics have already made up their minds and will debunk no matter what. We need to quit worrying about trying to win them over. The only way that ever happens is for the cynic to have their own experience.
Just my $.02 _________________ Patrick Burns
Founder and Director, Ghost Hounds
"The most beautiful thing we can experience is the mysterious. It is the source of all true art and all science. He to whom this emotion is a stranger, who can no longer pause to wonder and stand rapt in awe, is as good as dead: his eyes are closed." - Albert Einstein
Joined: May 26, 2004 Posts: 179 Location: Kansas City area
Posted: Wed Jun 02, 2004 6:03 am Post subject:
Kudos, everyone, for the great tips about ghost photography!
I think PatrickRsGhost brought up a good point when he mentioned digital cameras capturing false orbs. I have only noticed orbs with my digital camera, not my film SLR's. I can honestly say that I have captured ONE (and I believe genuine) orb picture. The reason I say it was genuine, is because of the picture's timing. (I will have to post it on here and tell you about it...see what you think! )
Ok, now I have another question I'm wondering if you can help me with....How do you set up a camera to capture images on it's own? What I mean is, can you set up your camera to take pictures if it detects motion?? I know my SLR's have timers, but I'm not sure about my digital camera....You wouldn't use a timer for taking pictures of ghosts, would you?? lol
Joined: Jan 14, 2004 Posts: 1895 Location: Georgia
Posted: Wed Jun 02, 2004 6:40 pm Post subject:
AgentScully wrote:
Kudos, everyone, for the great tips about ghost photography!
I think PatrickRsGhost brought up a good point when he mentioned digital cameras capturing false orbs. I have only noticed orbs with my digital camera, not my film SLR's. I can honestly say that I have captured ONE (and I believe genuine) orb picture. The reason I say it was genuine, is because of the picture's timing. (I will have to post it on here and tell you about it...see what you think! )
Ok, now I have another question I'm wondering if you can help me with....How do you set up a camera to capture images on it's own? What I mean is, can you set up your camera to take pictures if it detects motion?? I know my SLR's have timers, but I'm not sure about my digital camera....You wouldn't use a timer for taking pictures of ghosts, would you?? lol
Re the orb problem and digital cameras… early generations of digital cameras often suffered from a phenomena known as “pixel dropout”. In low light conditions, the cameras sensor might have difficulty drawing a complete image, so the computer would try to “fill in the blanks” by using the data from adjacent pixels. Sometimes the calculations were totally off and you might get small “orbs” drawn in. These were easy to spot as they were very square or block shaped. I haven’t seen (noticeable) pixel dropout on any digital cameras manufactured within the last 3 years though.
As for your 2’nd question… its pretty simple to interface a motion detector to a 35mm or digital camera. You would just need a camera that can be “slaved” to fire from a remote control and connect the trigger lead from the motion sensor to the shutter control. Your problem in doing this would be adjusting the threshold on the motion detector - you are trying to get an orb (which is usually a very faint, small subject) to trigger the camera, and these devices are designed out of the box to be triggered by larger subjects like a person. So it could be done, but off-the-shelf motion sensors might need to be ”hacked” to increase the sensitivity. _________________ Patrick Burns
Founder and Director, Ghost Hounds
"The most beautiful thing we can experience is the mysterious. It is the source of all true art and all science. He to whom this emotion is a stranger, who can no longer pause to wonder and stand rapt in awe, is as good as dead: his eyes are closed." - Albert Einstein
Joined: May 26, 2004 Posts: 179 Location: Kansas City area
Posted: Fri Jun 04, 2004 5:24 am Post subject:
LOL, you're too funny, MH!
I bought my digital camera in April of last year. I thought I was the last one of my friends to get one, but it turns out to be just the opposite: everyone started buying them as soon as I did! lol I think I may have started a trend, lol
I have a Nikon Coolpix 4300 and I've had really good luck with it so far. It takes great pics for just being a 4 megapixel digicam!
Since we're on the subject of cameras, what about camcorders? Are they much use during a ghost investigation??
Joined: Feb 14, 2004 Posts: 662 Location: The Other Side
Posted: Fri Jun 04, 2004 3:31 pm Post subject:
The only other solution I would offer to trying to capture orbs to verify their validity is to set the camera up to constantly take pictures at a per-second rate. For most models, this may mean to set it to landscape mode, although some do have the what I call the "quickshot" mode. Consult your owner's manual (granted you can find it ) to see if your camera has this feature. Most recent 35mm cameras and digitals have it. Make sure that the flash will work on this mode if indoors, although more than likely it won't. If not, that will be fine. The only problem then will be that your pictures may turn out too dark, and in some cases, too grainy. _________________ PRG
Be Afraid of the Living...not the Dead
Joined: Feb 27, 2004 Posts: 194 Location: Marietta
Posted: Sat Jun 05, 2004 10:02 pm Post subject:
cool pix are nice. I've read to lean away from the sony macvia(sp) for GH stuff. Will prob go with a 5(+) mp but the $999 ones with the interchangeable lenses are great for enlargements.
Yes, I am a Proud Gun Owner and DO take my Guns with me when I go Anywhere.
However, Ghost Hunts are Different and would Likely take some other form of Weapon or other Protection with me.
Joined: Aug 04, 2004 Posts: 3709 Location: Houston Texas area
Posted: Mon Jan 17, 2005 11:18 am Post subject:
There is some pretty important stuff to remember when choosing a weapon to carry.
First is it legal to carry the weapon of choice?
Second how effective is it?
Third how easy is it to use?
When using a weapon remember that if your assailant comes at you bare handed and you draw a weapon then you are in the wrong, according to the law.
Second the only legal reason to draw a weapon against someone is when they are putting your life or the lives of others in danger with a weapon of their own.
Pepper spray while a good deterrent is not very effective, I know several individuals that can just ignore it when it is sprayed on them.
A large metal flashlight, is an excellent weapon to carry. It is legal just about everywhere, It is not considered a weapon so you can have it in you hand just in case, and it is very effective, nobody ignores a conk on the head with a 4 D cell Maglight.
A knife, small ones are legal most places, while large ones are not. If you don’t know how to use one as a weapon it is not very effective.
A gun is probably the most effective but also the most dangerous. It is illegal in most states to carry one without a permit. Again very dangerous if you don’t know how to use it. I carry one most everyplace I go, but I am a class A marksman and am well versed in the use and care of firearms. I would not recommend just anybody carry one. I will say that everybody should go get licensed to carry one and get one and practice with it until you are comfortable.
A final word about any type of weapon is the more people that you have with you the less likely you are to actually need one. Safety is still in numbers, so don’t go alone and pay attention to what is going on around you. _________________ Based on the condition that you are incapable of moving at a high velocity with large animals of the canine species, then you shall be required to remain in a location that is in the general vicinity of the front door of your domicile.
Joined: Aug 04, 2004 Posts: 3709 Location: Houston Texas area
Posted: Mon Jan 17, 2005 1:04 pm Post subject:
A gun is only as dangerous as the person who carries it. I have been carrying a gun for ten years now and have never drawn it except at the range. The people who make me nervous with firearms are the people you see practicing their quick draw McGraw routine, or just being generally unsafe with them.
If you can tell a person is carrying a gun then they are not carrying concealed and are running illegal. If the person pulls their weapon in public without a danger situation they are illegal. If they enter a location posted no guns with one, they are running illegal. And if they carry one into a location that gains more than 50% of its money through the sale of alcohol with a gun they are illegal.
99% of the time no one even knows I am carrying a gun, and those that do are in my home where I may display it without repercussions. I never carry into someone else’s home without their express permission, that is just rude. I will carry on a hunt, but that is because most of the time I am too lazy to remove it from under my shirt before the hunt. If the people I am with request I will leave it behind, I do not wish people to be uncomfortable. _________________ Based on the condition that you are incapable of moving at a high velocity with large animals of the canine species, then you shall be required to remain in a location that is in the general vicinity of the front door of your domicile.
Joined: Aug 04, 2004 Posts: 3709 Location: Houston Texas area
Posted: Tue Jan 18, 2005 1:43 pm Post subject:
Bump _________________ Based on the condition that you are incapable of moving at a high velocity with large animals of the canine species, then you shall be required to remain in a location that is in the general vicinity of the front door of your domicile.
Joined: Aug 04, 2004 Posts: 3709 Location: Houston Texas area
Posted: Tue Jan 18, 2005 1:51 pm Post subject:
Don't get me wrong, guns are dangerous, in the wrong hands. So is a hammer, a knife, a screwdriver, a table lamp... All of these are things that are regularly used to kill people. The key word is "used", a gun by itself will kill no one and a gun properly cared for and stored will not kill someone accidentally.
We have the basic right to carry a firearm, but in the very near future that right may be taken away. It may become that only people licensed now will be able to carry one in the future. Whether any of you choose to carry a gun or even like them, I would suggest taking the course and getting your license.
Just because you can carry one, doesn't mean you have to, but do you want someone else making that decision for you. _________________ Based on the condition that you are incapable of moving at a high velocity with large animals of the canine species, then you shall be required to remain in a location that is in the general vicinity of the front door of your domicile.
Joined: Aug 04, 2004 Posts: 3709 Location: Houston Texas area
Posted: Tue Jan 18, 2005 1:52 pm Post subject:
B-B-B-B-Bump I say _________________ Based on the condition that you are incapable of moving at a high velocity with large animals of the canine species, then you shall be required to remain in a location that is in the general vicinity of the front door of your domicile.
Whenever I went on a hunt, there were always few extra items, besides the cameras and what not, that I always had with me: first aid kit, knife, MREs, water, and a taser. Taking is a taser with you, if you have the means, is probably the best safety idea. It's easy to carry and use, and one can use it effectively without training, there is almost no chance of accidentaly zapping one your cohunters, and it doesn't cause any harm more serious than a little burn. I also always had a friend of mine with me, a former Army surgeon with lots of free time on his hands.
Also, there was something else about tasers. A little experiment I always wanted to try, but never got a chance after I thought of it. If, for instance, you find an apparition and happen to be getting abnormal magnetic readings in that area, you could theoretically use the taser to maybe alter the magnetic field in the area to see if it has any effect on the apparition. Just something I thought would be fun to check out sometime.
Joined: Aug 04, 2004 Posts: 3709 Location: Houston Texas area
Posted: Fri Jul 15, 2005 12:17 pm Post subject:
_________________ Based on the condition that you are incapable of moving at a high velocity with large animals of the canine species, then you shall be required to remain in a location that is in the general vicinity of the front door of your domicile.
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