TVI Articles - Cemetery Ghost Hunting

Cemeteries are one of the best places to learn ghost hunting. Though the vast majority of graves do not seem to be haunted, in most cemeteries
you’ll find at least a few haunted graves and plenty of residual energies.

The age of a cemetery (and the graves in it) does often seem to make a difference on how haunted a cemetery is. Older sites, 19th century and
back, tend to be more haunted for some reason. In the 19th century and earlier, many people held rigid religious beliefs. It’s possible that the
different mindsets and beliefs held many years ago contribute to haunting, but we don’t know enough about ghosts to understand why they haunt
some places and not others, or “why” ghosts are created in the first place.

Perhaps it is a simple perception difference, but people from the mid-20th century and later seem to have become less afraid of after-death issues
and expectations; for them, “crossing over” isn't a problem. It’s believed by many spiritualists and ghost hunters that when people die with very
specific expectations, some of them won’t leave the gravesite until that happens. They might be confused at their new ghostly status and wait for a
guide to the other side, they might know they've passed on but refuse to leave their friends and family members.

With or without haunted graves, cemeteries tend to contain residual energies from the living and the deceased, making a cemetery an excellent
location for a ghost hunt.

Cemetery Etiquette

Enthusiastic ghost hunters sometimes forget that -for many people- cemeteries are solemn places with clear rules of etiquette.

Not everyone believes in ghosts. You may run across other people who are in the cemetery for different reasons that you. Often, ghost hunting is
offensive and distracting to these people who expect respectful silence in a cemetery. If someone is visiting the grave of a recently deceased family
member, your comments may upset them. They often prefer to think that everyone who has crossed over is in a happier place, not lingering around
a cemetery. It's best to speak in subdued tones, and not approach strangers unless they initiate conversation.

Respect the deceased. They may consider their cemetery "home," and you are visiting -or perhaps trespassing- on their property. It's okay to ignore
belligerent, territorial ghosts, but be as understanding as you can. Joking in a cemetery is generally inappropriate and could be offensive as well.
You have no idea how the resident ghost will consider your comments.

Some ghost hunters recommend waiting at least a fifteen minutes before taking photos, and then quietly asking permission of the deceased, in a
respectful manner. Use your best judgment.

Protect what's in the cemetery. Do not lean on fragile headstones, much less sit on them. Step carefully on graves. Leave no litter. Move or remove
nothing. Leave everything exactly where you found it. However, if you find litter (empty beer cans, fast-food wrappers, etc.) you can help the
cemetery caretaker by putting them in the trash.

Out of doors investigation can be problematic.

One problem that you have with an outdoors investigation is the environment itself can contaminate your evidence. Wind, dust, moisture, heat, cold
can all harm your equipment if you aren’t prepared. Check and double check the weather report for the day/night of your investigation. Always be
ready to leave a cemetery without any notice in case of uncooperative weather.

When recording sound, make sure that you “tag” any suspicious audio that we naturally hear during an investigation. “Tagging” means to verbally
announce any audio events such as dogs barking, cars, frogs, etc. This helps when you review the evidence.

Video is often difficult because the “night shot” on most digital camcorders does not extend far enough to clearly distinguish the targets in front of
the camera. Perhaps bring a bigger light to illuminate your subjects, or invest in a larger (and more expensive) flash unit.

Taking photos outside, especially at night, requires a bit of careful shooting. If your camera has an auto-focus function (most modern digital
cameras do) beware of trying to take fast shots; you can’t point and click easily with so many objects at different ranges for a camera to focus on.
The auto-focus hazard isn't a big deal in normal photography when you can take your time, but can cause issues for ghost photography. If your
camera has it, use the burst or multi-shot function to capture multiple pictures. Remember to take pictures within your light/flash range, or your shots
will be too blurry or washed out.

Take an extra pair of shoes with you; one pair to wear to and from the cemetery, and one pair to wear in the cemetery. This serves two purposes: it
prevents messes later if the cemetery has mud, muck, and other assorted ground yuck, and it prevents residual spirit energies from attaching to
your shoes and coming home with you. Clean/cleanse this second pair (the one you wear in the cemetery) before wearing them again.

Be extremely careful when examining photos. Environmental conditions can cause many false anomalies, especially in early spring (lots of bugs and
pollen).

Obey the laws

If there are no signs posted, and this happens at times, then Be Careful.

Almost all parks, battlefields and cemeteries, unless they are located on private property on the homeowners' land, are open to the public, usually
from dawn until dusk. If you inadvertently stay past dusk, remember that you are breaking the law; leave cheerfully and quickly when you realize
your mistake. Be conscientious of "No Trespassing" signs. Likewise, if the gate is locked, it just might be a hint that you're not allowed into a private
cemetery.

If you want to investigate a cemetery at night, on the other hand, you can try to ask for permission ahead of time. Call the main office for the
cemetery or go there during the day to speak with the caretaker, let them know your intentions, and see if they make any special exceptions for
investigations. If not, then your only other choice is sneak in anyway and risk getting the cops called on you for trespassing. I don’t advise doing
this, though.

Last but not least, if the police do arrive, make sure you have a picture I.D. on you to show who you are. If they ask you to leave, just go. You're
better off just avoiding the drama that might occur.

That’s it, just a few simple things to follow. Many ghost hunters believe that there is more spectral activity a night (versus in the day), but personal
preference for safety, convenience, and fun need to be considered. There are more issues that have to be dealt with for ghost hunting a cemetery
at night, but the ambiance can be rewarding for your investigation.

Be safe. Have fun. Hunt responsibly!

Ghost Hunting in Cemeteries

These are some shots captured at various cemeteries by Thin Veil members.
You'll notice that there are few anomalies --- Just beauty and ghost hunting possibility.
-click picture to enlarge-