Here is another interesting article I stumbled across. J This one was written by Laurel Wilson and was dated 17-October-2012. Some time before the other investigator that took the photo at Octagon Hall. (See my earlier posting about Octagon Hall).

(source: http://www.bgdailynews.com/news/local/paranormal-investigator-offers-insight-into-work/article_b62d1942-1874-11e2-ad0a-0019bb2963f4.html)

 

 
Source (Photo by Alex Slitz)

The photo is of Jeff Yeckering a paranormal investigator by night and a law enforcement person during the day time. I wonder what type of law enforcement he does during the day time. His investigations would bring in a nice twist with his experience in law enforcement investigations of crime scenes and such, if that is his area of law enforcement especially. As I read the article I see where he is going to be featured on “My Ghost Story”. This obviously leads one to wonder even more about the later investigation by Keith’s team where they took the ghost images photograph.

What is interesting is that from what I read in the article, it sounds like maybe the video interview by “My Ghost Story” was in June of 2012 and Jeff is waiting until after it is aired (I don’t see when that will be in the article. I may just try to look that up after this posting). J

The article does say that he owns the paranormal research organization called Open Doorz Paranormal Research. And no I don’t like the Z at the end of Door to make the Doors thing. Lol But I understand people have to be creative when making names for their businesses when someone else already has a name they wanted to use. J I like that he does public speaking. But I have not seen any of his. I like too that he speaks about the science behind the paranormal activity and investigation techniques. This part of the whole ghost hunting really intrigues me, oh and of course the whole thrill of actually looking for a ghost is of course too. J But I wonder about what it is that we don’t really understand about the whole paranormal world. But well, I could go into a whole discussion just on that and what I am wondering, but back to the article.

I can see his point in how wild movies get with paranormal activities. It kind of makes the mundane things seem not so real or exciting. I remember there was a scene in poltergeist where they are talking about, I think some minor investigation, where they filmed something moving over many hours. They were all excited about getting it on film. The lady of the house just smiled and well, the rest is a part of film history. But really in the movie industry’s defense, how much of the general population would be willing to sit and watch something barely move or change or even subtle things that would make the hair stand up on the back of your neck if you were in the right location and at the right circumstances..like being all alone in the dark with one lone candle and the candle suddenly goes out on its own. J I may have to post up some of my experiences, but for now will again attempt to get back to the article. Lol

I like what he says about recording devices. These wonderful little electronic gizmos that we carry around with us or have laying around in our cars or home have really made our lives different in so many ways. A great mind once said that the biggest change in modern times is the reverse function. When you really think about it, it has some powerful meaning and resulted in big changes in our lives. We can now rewind to see if we really saw something flash across in front of us or that shadow move. Now too they are bringing in more and more devices to pick up paranormal activities. Yes, there is a part of me that wonders which of those devices is really picking up something else going on and a modern version of snake oils and how much of it is science that we just don’t understand yet. Too, they make me wonder what else we will develop over time to help people to look for the paranormal. So yes, I agree with him on the wonders of modern technology.

But I don’t agree with him on wanting to find out the circumstances of the spirits of a site he is investigating. I do understand what I think he is trying to do in not wanting to prejudge what he sees. I mean if someone tells you it was a woman that died here, they may not know it was actually a man and when you see something you may still be looking for a woman and discount what you saw, etc. But I think it would be important to the investigation to at least find out after the investigation was complete, or at least for the amount of time that one has to do an investigation. I think it would help with identifying or putting together the pieces of the puzzle. For example a dog barking in the background may not be a big thing, but if you later find out that the spirit had a dog that never left her side then you have a whole new possible picture of what you observed. It might just help link other parts of the investigation as well.

I do like what he said about “most of the time they just want you to know they are there”. That is an interesting statement.

Oh, now I see where the episode with him in it will be broadcast on Biography Channel’s show “My Ghost Story Caught on Camera” and will be in November of 2012. I have to admit I have never watched the show or even knew it existed. But I may just tune in to see how it goes.

Oh and I am linking his website here: www.opendoorzparanormalresearch.webs.com. I have not gone there yet myself, but I might just post up something when I do. J

　

Was reading through newspaper articles and stumbled across this…

Source: http://www.bgdailynews.com/news/local/ghost-hunter-finds-holy-grail-image-at-octagon-hall/article_f1c421ac-2441-11e2-a81a-001a4bcf887a.html

I was intrigued with the article headline of “Ghost hunter finds ‘holy grail’ image at Octagon Hall”. That has just ‘gotta’ get your attention if you are into ghosts and such things. J But my first impression of the photo makes me wonder about the ghost images. There appears to be a mysterious flash of light in the photo over what looks like a dresser. It is hard to tell what is on top of the dresser as well. Could these objects be hiding a projector that is projecting the image onto a flat plastic sheet that is between the camera and the projector? The red cast of the image would make this even more difficult to determine images. I am not saying that these people intentionally faked this photo, but saying it is a possibility.

Then too, there appears to be two people (hopefully not ghosts as well) sitting in the room. One in a wheel chair and the other it appears at a table of some sort. The one in the wheel chair appears to have some type of device with a light on the end of it. It appears to be pointing in the direction of the projector/brighter light source area. Could he be using a laser type device that is hitting a shiny surface and then reflecting back at the camera person?

Apparently they lead investigations into the Octagon Hall in Franklin, Kentucky about once a month. The statement in the article seems to imply that those previous trips were fruitless. This would also be an indicator that there is some desire, after all effort, to have some results. If they were pressured in some way from outside sources, this would make this push for results even more compelling. Also based on the article he does have experience in investigating ghosts given that he (Keith Fournier) has been doing it for 10 years (or more). He even has his own team called Night Stalkers Paranormal Research. I have to admit at this point that I do have an indirect tie to this group through a mutual friend that said I would find them and their website really interesting. They meant interesting in a way that I would have a lot in common with them on a love of these things. I also admit I have not gone to their website yet, but hope to do so soon. Especially after posting this. Lol Who knows, we might become great friends.

Anyhow, back to the article and the photo. I would love it if this was a real photo of a real ghost..er…ghosts. Another thing came to mind too with regard to the photo, and this one may be really reaching on my part, but given the quality of the image, could the image be a double take of the person in the wheel chair? I would want to overlay the ghost images with the person in the chair, and I think that would remove or give evidence to this thought.

Yes, I am typing this as I read the article and came across the part where he talks about the basic technique of asking a ghost to turn on a flash light. (Which, by the way, I think is really cool. Just think of what would be required to make the flashlight come on ghost’s part as well as the mechanisms of the flashlight). But here is where he says the flashlight light was red in color…why? Is this to keep from messing up infrared or night vision? Or was it really just a red flashlight with normal color lens? Too, when he talks about long exposure…was the camera mounted or handheld? If handheld, this really points back to the possibility of an exposure image set over the photo in a different place depending on light levels and exposure times and what surfaces had the most light, etc. Seems that Tim Broekema, associate professor of photojournalism at Western Kentucky University was talking about this as well as a possibility, and yes he is right about just simply Photoshop editing the image. Just because it CAN be done, doesn’t mean that is how it was done, which is a point that the professor and I appear to agree on.

Also in the article is an interesting twist to the events leading up to the photo. Barry Gaunt of Bowling Green, co-founder of The Anomalies Research Center, had been going with them on these trips but from the implication in the article was not with them when this photo was taken. I may have to do a little reading on Barry Gaunt and his group as well. Maybe he has a different take on such investigations or a different style of doing so. I guess what I am really tip-toeing around is that Barry Gaunt, a separate organization than the one who took the photo was present “by chance or by coincidence” on the night of the photo. I am not saying that Barry chose to not be there that night nor want to imply that if the photo turns out to be a hoax that he had anything to do with it. I might be leaning to the opposite direction in that he is completely oblivious to any such thing. His praise and comments sound more like someone who really is supportive of the group that did the photo. Maybe even wished he was there that night after 35 years of investigations. We really don’t know from article.

What is really cool about the location, which might help with the argument in favor of the photo being real, is the sheer number of ghost hunting teams (over 100) that have gone to the location, according to the Keith. (Another thing I will have to check into after this posting). He further adds that it has a long history of hauntings and is one of the top five most haunted locations in the country. He further adds that there is a lot of activity (paranormal kind) at this location from moving objects to sounds. I think I will look to see if the Ghost Hunters series TAP team has investigated the location (also after posting this). J Keith says that he believes the taller female is “Elizabeth Caldwell, wife of the original owner of Octagon Hall.” He adds that he believes the other woman might be the nanny, though he isn’t sure about it being the nanny. Honestly, this could be a family member that may have died there or near here or any number of people. Who is to say ghost can’t interact with each other? He said that she died in 1859 of an unknown illness. This of course opens up the possibility of a wrong doing, which according to some, can sometimes be the source of a haunting.

In all fairness I am also going to add the website tags for the two investigating groups:

Keith’s group is at www.nightstalkersparanormal.com.

Barry’s group is at http://tarc.snappages.com/
And the Octagon Hall’s website is at www.octagonhall.com.