The John G. Sutton Column

SPIRITS CAUGHT ON CAMERA

 

Photographic evidence of spirit entities caught on camera is relatively rare. However, there have, in the past, been some quite remarkable photographs that show what are believed to be ghosts or spirits. Probably the most famous of all photographs of a spirit is the one taken in 1936 by two professional photographers working for Country Life magazine at Raynham Hall in Norfolk. This image, which has been featured in many books on ghosts, shows what appears to be a semi-transparent white human shape ascending a staircase. It is said to be the ghost of one Dorothy Walpole who lived in the Hall and always wore brown satin dresses.  The ghost is called ‘The Brown Lady’ after Dorothy’s clothes and those that have seen this apparition say that it has no eyes. Despite the professional caliber of the photographers that took this picture many ‘experts’ claim it is a fake doctored up in a film laboratory. To that extent the photograph remains an enigma.

The Brown Lady Photograph

 

There are numerous valid explanations for what at first glance appear to be anomalous phenomena captured on film. I am indebted to the webmasters of the excellent internet website ghostresearch.org for the following series of explanations:

1.      Long time exposure: This method can be used to deliberately fake a ‘ghost’ photograph and involves the camera being placed on a tripod in a set position with a long shutter open exposure of say 10 seconds. The person perpetrating the fraud simply hops in front of the camera for two seconds, stands still, then hops out again. When the film is developed it will show a dark shadowy transparent shape where the fraudster stood. This may look like a dark ghostly image but it certainly isn’t.

2.       Misinterpretation of image: For example a camera takes a long distance photograph of a graveyard at night. When the film is developed it shows what appears to be a ghostly light or orb floating above the ground. Closer examination of the area pictured subsequently reveals that the light is a reflection of a illuminated street sign.

3.      Dirt or dust on the lens or negative: This can cause what appear to be floating globes or orbs of light to appear in the photograph. SEE HERE FOR EXAMPLE

4.      Flash reflection: Using a flash on a camera creates a powerful surge of light that can bounce off a reflective surface, say a wrist watch, and create the illusion that there is a mysterious patch of light or mist when in fact none exists.

5.      Obstruction of the lens: The most usual lens obstruction, apart from the thumb, is the camera strap. If this is seen as being a part of a photograph then it may appear to be a mysterious object, it actually isn’t.

6.      Overlapped images: This is a form of double exposure and places the image of one camera shot over the top of the next. It may be done as a deliberate act of deception but can be caused inadvertently by failing to fully wind on the film from exposure to exposure.

7.      Old or deteriorated film: Any film way past its sell by date can produce all sorts of shades and shadows on the images it captures. Nothing spooky about mildew is there?

8.      First or last exposure: The film may have caught some light as it is loaded or unloaded into/out of the camera. This is especially evident on the first or the last exposure.

9.      Flare from direct sunlight: The suns rays reflecting off a shiny object or by directly shining into the lens will cause some degree of distortion. This distortion may appear as a white image on the negative and be mistaken for a spirit or ghost. SEE HERE FOR EXAMPLE

10.  Spirals of light created in processing: The print of the film shows what looks to be a paranormal wave or spiral of light yet this is not actually present on the negative. Simple, the spiral of light was created in the processing process by faulty practice.

11.  Orbs of light on digital camera: When digital cameras are used in very low light they sometimes create an image of a white orb as they attempt to compensate for the lack of natural light. These are not spirits just imperfect technology.

12.  Condensation on the lens: The camera may have been inside a warm building and taken outside into a cold damp environment it may attract some moisture to the lens creating a misty shape that appears on the negative. This can also occur when a minute droplet of water finds its way onto the lens.

 

That said there remain a number of photographs that seem to defy logical explanation. You can personally view hundreds of these by using the internet and going to the major search-engines such as Google.com and typing in Ghost Photographs. I did exactly that and one of the most interesting sites I found was called prairieghosts.com also artbell.com was very interesting. These sites  feature a vast collection of images of spirit or ghost photographs and are well worth a look.  For myself I do believe that we can photograph ghosts and spirit entities and these sites offer examples that even the most skeptical will find hard to define as fake.

This is a Victorian Fake Ghost Photograph of William Mumler an American. Many such fakes were produced and also in the UK around the time of WWI.

 

 Over the years I have personally captured a number of inexplicable images on my cameras and one such is reproduced here. This photograph (Below) shows my friend Calvin sitting on a wooden bench in my rear garden. He has a before him a white mist that rises up towards the top of the willow screen.  It was taken on 35mm film using a standard Japanese made Halina camera. I had previously taken a number of photographs using this film and the exposure is number 21 of a 36 exposure film. The day was dry and slightly overcast but with plenty of light, the month was May 2002 and the time was approximately 2 p.m.  The camera had not been in contact with any moisture and it was in exactly the same condition for this photograph as for those immediately before and after it, all of which show only what one would expect to see.  You may make your own mind up re this photograph all I have to say is that it is not a deliberate fake and the white mist appears on the negative.

 

If you have any photographs that you believe to be of spirit entities or ghosts and would like to share them with me and through me the world via the website Psychicworld.net then do send these to me for consideration along with the story behind them.

 

Read about and see a photograph of a spirit orb at Morseby Hall HERE

                 

Unexplained photograph of what appears to be a discarnate human in their spirit body. Source Unknown.

                   

                                  Photograph of a partially materialised spirit top right. Source unknown.

 

 

Photograph of Calvin Smith with what appears to be a mysterious white mist.

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E_8EHRzG3DA

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OkaGmX586FM&mode=related&search=

 

http://www.dailymotion.com/visited/search/ghosts/video/xc7qe_video-paranormal-ghosts

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pX6iBRFYBAs&mode=related&search=

 

 

 

 

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