Some might think that ghost hunting, or paranormal investigation, is just going to your local cemetery and randomly snapping photos and calling out, "is there anyone here?". Although this is a great way for people new to paranormal investigation to start out, many professional paranormal investigative groups involve much more than that into their investigations. Modern paranormal investigation involves a variety of sciences, including the study of weather patterns, lunar cycles and temperature and how they affect natural and supernatural energy, the effects of energy on electronic equipment and digital photography, the study of computer equipment and developing new and useful tools for investigators, etc. It also involves a lot of research and a study of history and local places of interest, as well as local community laws involving public access and trespassing laws. Investigating the paranormal is also a very spiritual act, one that makes you realize that there is something more to this world that just what we see everyday; that a mysterious spirit world, a secret frontier, lies before us, waiting to be explored.

If you are new to paranormal investigation, and/or don't have the money for the technical equipment that the professional groups use, there's no reason for you to think that you cannot investigate the paranormal. Some of the best ghost photos were taken with a simple 35mm or digital camera. Here are two basic and most simple pieces of equipment to take with you on a ghost hunt:

Reliable camera - It can be a simple 35mm or a more expensive digital camera. Just make sure you know how to fully use its functions before taking it on investigation. You could miss the shot of a lifetime if you don't know how to take a picture!

Sound recorder - This can be a tape recorder or one of those handheld voice recorders. Both will work for capturing EVPs. As with the camera, make sure you are familiar with how the recorder works before attempting to use it on an investigation.

Another word of advice: bring plenty of fresh batteries! Manifesting spirits are famous for draining the life of batteries. If you think you have enough batteries, bring one more pack!

Here are some tips and advice for conducting a simple and basic paranormal investigation for newbies:

Once you've chosen an area or location that you'd like to investigate, it is imperative that you first find out about the legalities of the location before you even attempt to begin to investigate it. If it is public property, like a cemetery, find out what hours people are allowed in the place...most common hours are from dawn to dusk. Don't think that you must go at night to catch anything..I've snapped some of my best ghost photos in broad daylight in cemeteries. Most cemeteries are patrolled pretty regularly at night by police, so if you really want to have a night time investigation, you will probably have to obtain permission from a local authority beforehand. Word of advice: get the permission in writing if possible, just in case an officer stops to ask you what you're doing. If you want to investigate an area that is private property, then you absolutely must obtain permission first by the owner/s of the location. Don't try to sneak or break in; it's not worth the risk of getting arrested and besides, how are you going to further the cause of paranormal investigation if you're in jail for trespassing, or even worse, breaking and entering?

It also helps to find out about the history of the area you will be investigating. By doing so, you can find out points of interest or things to look for while conducting your investigation. Local city halls or libraries will usually have this type of information. Be prepared as some places (like city hall) require a fee for some types of information. Another great way to find out about haunted places is to talk to the area's local people. People that live in the surrounding area of your chosen location are usually a gold mine of information about paranormal occurrences in that location.

Once you've obtained the permissions and information that you need, you can now conduct your investigation. To begin, just simply start to walk around the location, snapping photos here and there. If you see something that you think might be paranormal activity, such as orbs, shadows, strange lights, etc., definitely snap a photo or two of it. Keep in mind that when taking pictures of possible paranormal activity, you should not smoke or take deep breaths...these can give false results when examining the photos later. Also, remove or hold your camera's wrist strap to prevent it from falling into the view of the camera's lens. If you have long hair, it's wise to tie it back as long hair blowing around in the wind can also be mistaken as paranormal occurrences in photos.

To begin EVP work, run your sound recorder while asking questions out loud, pausing for a minute or two in between questions to allow time for any spirits present to answer you. Such common questions in EVP work include, "Are there any spirits present here?", "What is your name?" "Why are you here?" or "Do you need help?". You of course can think of your own questions to ask, just keep in mind that ghosts were at one time people just like you. Try to remain respectful in your questioning.

After your investigation is over, once you return home you will want to analyze your material..the photos and recordings you took while at the location. If you used a digital camera, you can review your photos immediately. With a 35mm camera, of course you will have to wait until the photos are developed. Pay close attention to your material while examining it...you'd be surprised what you'll find in photos and recordings if you look and listen close enough. It helps to examine photos with a magnifying glass to catch small details, or you can put the photos on your computer and use the magnifying feature in your computer's image viewer. To analyze EVP recordings, it's helpful to use headphones, as this closes out any background noise surrounding you and allows you to concentrate on the recording. Turn the sound up as loud as you can stand it, as this will help to catch quieter or breathier paranormal sounds.

In closing, before embarking on a journey into the fascinating world of paranormal investigation for the first time, it always helps to have a bit of advice from those who have experience in the field. If you're new to the world of paranormal investigation, or just simply interested in how investigations work, then the following links will prove to be interesting for you. They contain essential advice, tips and secrets from paranormal investigators involved in the field:

How To Start Ghost Hunting

Ghost Hunting For Newbies

What Not To Do On Investigations

Ghost Hunting For Beginners

Ghost Hunting 101: How To Avoid Getting Arrested

Ghost Hunting Basics For The Absolute Beginners and Paranormally Challenged

TAPS Paranormal Articles - A vast array of informative articles on the paranormal from the guys of the famous Ghost Hunters tv show.