Ghost Photography 101

False 'ghost orbs' and anomalies can happen to anyone, even professional ghost hunters. We see these pictures regularly.

In some cases, we don't say anything, especially when someone really wants to believe they've captured a ghost on film. Why spoil their fun?

However, to tell what's real and what's fantasy, here are some simple rules:

• Watch for reflected light from things in the photo. We've seen hundreds of photos with that include obvious reflections. One of the most unique was a photo of a woman with orbs in front of her. However, she was wearing a beaded sweater, and the beads were reflecting light at the camera lens. The reflections appeared as orbs.

  In another case, an oval-shaped orb appeared near the top of a photo, taken outside. Again, we could see the source: An outdoor light created a flare on the camera lens. Since the light hit the side of the lens, not in the center, the shape was distorted into an oval.

  Indoors, orbs can result from any shiny surface. Watch for glass, shiny tables and floors, and metal objects.

  In a 27 Oct 2000 article, The Nashua (NH) Telegraph asked Hollow Hill's Fiona Broome to analyze a spooky photo. The picture included an irregular bluish translucent shape. Ms. Broome identified the "anomaly" as an irregular piece of window glass, leaning against an old house. It reflected the blue sky, but was translucent enough to give an eerie effect.

• Watch for echoing anomalies, in the photo. Like the classic "lens flare" when the camera is pointed just so at a light source, there are echoes of some natural lights. If you see more than one identical (but usually fainter) "orb" or "vortex" in a photo, ask questions. It could be a genuine anomaly. Or it could be something that reflected light at the lens, and then the external and internal lenses created the multiple anomalies.

• The camera strap problem. If you see a white or black line, especially at the right side of the photo, ask questions. Ghost photographers must either remove the camera strap, or keep the strap around his or her neck. Otherwise, the strap drifts into the frame and look like a vortex. This does not apply if you can see where the rod or line starts or stops. A camera strap is usually a loop, so it just circles at the edge of the frame.

• The thumb problem. Some people are literally "all thumbs" when taking photos. That weird shape in the corner of the photo might be the photographer's thumb. Or, it might be a ring on a finger, or even a strand of hair. (See False 'ghost orbs' and hair.) It happens to everyone, now and then.

• In warm weather, ask about lightning bugs. These little critters flash at the worst possible moment, and--if you're accustomed to them--you may not even notice them until they appear as an orb, dot of light, or even a rod (if your shutter was open long enough to show them moving).

• Watch out for attention-hungry photographers. Some people deliberately fake ghost photos. Anyone with a freeware graphics program can take a photograph and modify it so it looks like a convincing ghost photo.

  How can you tell? Rely on your "gut feeling." Often, people who are too eager for attention talk too much, and--sooner or later--they say things that reveals what's really going on. If their stories don't add up, raise an eyebrow.

For examples of photos that are not really anomalies, see these pages:

• This is not a portal, hundreds of orbs, or a ghostly mist.

• These two photos looks convincing, until I tell you the truth.

• This photo looks like a great surge of searing spiritual energy. It's not.

• These two pix (on white) taught us to monitor every step of the process.

We have many more false photos listed among our Ghost Hunters Guide articles.

The bottom line is, a ghost photo is only as reliable as the expertise and integrity of the person who took it. Amateurs can get great, real "ghost photos" on their first ghost hunt, with the cheapest disposable camera.

However, not every "ghost photo" is genuine, even when an experienced photographer genuinely believes it. Always examine each photo carefully.