How to Photograph a Ghost
Wisconsin has many haunted spots, according to certain Web sites and books. These sites provide details about where to look and when to find ghosts.
This article then is about what to do after you find a ghost. There's big money to be made if you can prove the existence of ghosts, according to a recent column on MSN, not to mention the talk show circuit. So when you go out hunting this Halloween, be prepared, just like any good Girl or Boy Scout.
What do you need then to photography a ghost? First have an open mind, or lots of alcoholic beverage. Most ghosts are benevolent and don't wish to hurt you, but Poltergheists should be avoided.
According to research, ghosts appear as vapor streams when moving and white vapor balls when stationery. The best light to shoot in then should be dusk or night. I recommend using a reliable 35 mm camera. The lens length is up to you, but I wouldn't use anything longer than 135 mm because of the low light.
Slide or negative film? Slide film is harder to use and your exposure must be very accurate when your ghost appears. You may be too excited to adjust your settings. It would be best then to use negative film, which is more forgiving in low light. The newer 400 asa films work for this purpose. They aren't as grainy as they used to be. You don't want to use flash and scare the ghost away.
That brings up another subject concerning photographing ghosts. Many sources I read before writing this article suggest asking the ghost's permission before you take its photo. Who wants an angry ghost?
When preparing to take the photo, if you've received permission, set your camera on a tripod where you think the ghost may appear. Of course it may be difficult to determine where that will be even with the help of books and Web sites. So take along friends with cameras to help capture the moment. It may come and go in the time it takes to open another can of beer.
If you are lucky enough to photograph a ghost, please send me a jpeg of your image, and I will post it on this Web site, giving you full credit!
H A P P Y H A L L O W E E N!