Signing Up for Investigations
If you want to go on an investigation this is the only way we will know you want to and will be able to attend. E-mails will be sent out before every investigation and your response is mandatory wether you want to go or not. Trainees however are limited in the investigations they may go on until they pass all membership requirments. Some investigations may also be limited as to the number of investigators needed, under these curcumstances we will accept the first people to respond to the e-mail. We will try to rotate the people whom go so everyone gets a chance to investigate. Some investigations may also require the use of certain equipment or skills and then we will hand pick the members that are able to go. Members must respond no later than 3 days prior to an investigation.
G.H.O.S.T. Monthly Meetings
We will hold monthly meetings as often as possible the exceptions for this may be the winter months because conditions for investigation of outdoorsites is unacceptable during the cold. Meetings will only be mandatory under certain curcumstances and we will let you know at least two months in advance if they are going to be mandatory or not. All meetings are open to the public and people that may want to join the Organization. The purpose of these meetings is to discuss new cases and events that we may have coming up, go over any issues members may have, any updates to cases we may have, and debrief members about old cases we investigated.
G.H.O.S.T. Attendance Requirments
We expect our active members to be just that, if you want
to investigate with us you have to participate in the not so fun stuff (We will
try to make it as bareable as possible).
You must attend 50% of all investigations offered to you. You must attend 75% of all meetings. You must attend 25% of all special events
G.H.O.S.T. Logs & Reports
In order to provide professional & acurate investigations we need every member to fill out a log while on the investigation and then write up a report after the investigation. The log is simply a form stating what you witnessed or didn't witness at an investigation, we need you to be detailed on these if you heard someone sneeze in a car going by log it and the time down, always whatever you hear, see or sense no matter how insignificant log it down. These insignificant sounds etc.. may just be the piece of evidence that backs up a reading we got at that moment. The Reports are due have 5 working days to get these done, They don't have to be essay format or anything fancy just a personal report on what you conclusions feelings etc.. were on the investigation.
Cemetery Investigation reports are due within 2 weeks of the investigation.
All Reports and logs should contain all the data and material collected by an investigator including the times the events occured!!!!
ID bages should be worn by every investigator at all time (unless directed otherwise by the team leader)
The Team Leader makes ALL DECISsIONS concerning the investigation (they will be open to suggestion though)faliure to follow thier directions and G.H.O.S.T. policies could be grounds for termination.
No matter what, direct all questions from news, media, police and others to the Team Leader unless otherwise informed prior to investigation.
All investigations must be performed in a courteous manner (you not only represent yourself but other team members, the G.H.O., G.H.O.S.T., O.G.H.O. and Ghost Hunters everywhere) and if you do something dumb it reflects us as a whole.
All investigators are to respect the privacy and rights of the people places and families of whom we are investigating.
All members are to respect the site at wich we are investigating
No Littering at the place of investigation. (this includes cigarrette butts)
No obscene or foul language infront of the clients or infront of possible spirits (if it offends the living who says it won't offend the dead)
No pranks or pratical jokes
No Alchoholic beverages are to be consumed prior to or during an investigation (if the investigation is a success I may treat to a round afterwards).
No Illegal Drugs (for obvious reasons) If you take a prescription medication please let us know prior to the investigation so we will know any side effects to look out for and avoid possible complications in the future.
No Weapons of any type are to be carried during investigations. Unless the Team Leader says it is acceptable (for instance we are doing a investigation at Downtown Tucson, who knows what goes on there after dark)
When you enter the site the team leader should designate everyone a task.
You should then go about your individual assignments,
1. Set up your specific equipment.
2. Log in the time you start the investigation.
3. Remain quite and still and just go about observing the environment.
4. Log every noise, sight, sound, reading, everything that happens make a note of it.
5. The team leader may have people doing different tasks so that everyone has a chance to survey the entire location.
6. EVP recording should be done in the background, this means that no questions shall be posed towards the spirits while the clients are present (unless directed otherwise)
7. Pshycic/Sensitive Detectives must also log in everything the feel or sense either on tape or notes, do not state observations out loud in front of other investigators or clientsRemove your camera strap.
If you should obtain a photo that clearly shows a vortex, a strapless camera eliminates reasonable doubt in your photos authenticity. The strapless camera is a must at all G.H.O.S.T. investigations. If for some reason you cannot remove your camera strap, you MUST secure it around your neck or tightly around the wrist as to not get in the way of your camera's lens.
Tie your hair back.
If you have long hair, wind can blow it right into your camera's way. Something as simple as a rubber band can significantly reduce the risk of a false-positive image.
Do not smoke.
During an investigation, especially while photos are being taken, do not smoke. Cigarette, cigar and pipe smoke may show in an image as an ectoplasmic cloud. By designating a time before and a place away from your investigation to smoke, you will eliminate the possibility of an ectoplasm of tobacco smoke. Also responsible for this phenomena is the photographer's breath in cold weather (hold breath while photo is taken), vehicle exhaust, fog and lens condensation. We have made it a point to document area and weather conditions for every investigation in our reports. Routinely clean your lenses. The port of your camera lens can easily become stained with fingerprints, dust, dirt, dried water spots, etc.. A quick cleaning and cautious handling of your camera can reduce these problems. Be sure to ONLY clean the lens between rolls of film! NEVER clean it in the middle of a roll! If dust or water droplet is on the lens, it will show up in more than one picture in the same spot. By not cleaning in mid-roll you will be able to distinguish water droplets from anomalies. Although G.H.O.S.T. does not recommend ghost hunting photography in the rain, we do recognize that sometimes it is unavoidable. Whenever possible, avoid ghost photography while it is raining.
Protect from water droplets. Rain, sneezing, coughing.
And the like can assist in the accumulation of droplets on your lens. Such droplets can create on film the globule effect. The best way to minimize such a mishap is to protect the camera lens. Additionally, condensation can occur when you get out of your nice warm car and step into a cold cemetery. In this case, allow your camera to adjust to the abrupt change of environment. A few minutes to permit evaporation and a brief lens cleaning will counter lens fog. Remember, NEVER clean the lens while in the middle of a roll of film!
Avoid reflective surfaces.
Mirrors, glass and other surfaces capable of directing your cameras flash back at you should not be photographed head-on. Instead, take pictures of reflective surfaces from an angle. This will reduce some common film problems.
Camera grip.
This mistake pertains to a select amount of people who constantly put their finger in front of the lens when they raise the camera (you know who you are). Simply be aware of how you handle your camera when taking pictures.
Hooded Jackets.
Be sure to wear clothing that does not have any type of tie. This pertains to hoods that have laces to tighten, etc.. They can get in the way of your camera lens, especially if you are taking a photo in a downward direction.
Lights.
Oftentimes, it is unavoidable to take photos without getting a natural light source in the frame. Be sure to document what light sources are around you in case they show up in the pic. Street lights, lanterns, flashlights, cars and even airplanes can work their way into your photos. Be careful! Remove the lens cap. Enough said.
Open mind.
An open mind is the ghost hunters greatest asset. Keep an open mind when conducting an investigation. It could mean the difference between results and disappointment.
Survey the area.
It is wise to survey the area in which you will be conducting your investigation. Familiarize yourself with the environment and possible hazards during daylight hours. Early arrival. Allow yourself some extra time to spend on site, before the investigation. This provides ghosts the chance to familiarize themselves with you.
Trespassing.
Before you embark on any investigation, be sure you are not trespassing on private property. Trying to explain to a police officer that you are doing research holds no weight whatsoever. Telling him you are hunting for ghosts will only give him a story to tell his fellow officers. Additionally, the consequences could be more than expected. Fine and/or imprisonment, a criminal record and worse--damage to your organization's reputation--could put you out of commission for a while. Always get permission before entering private property. Either have the owner with you as an escort or have them sign a contract granting permission. Protect yourself--protect your organization--protect other ghost hunters. What you do reflects on us all.
