False Positive Paranormal photos and how to avoid them

This photo is a result of a reflection off of the tombstone along with some camera movement NOT PARANORMAL

Photography is a very useful tool in paranormal investigations, Many common mistakes can cause pictures to look very paranormal when they have a very normal explanation. Photographs of actual paranormal phenomena are extremely rare, despite what one may see on approximately 99% of the paranormal websites today. Most, if not all, of the images found on these websites will be collectively addressed and debunked within this article.

All the following images displayed below are depicting and addressing the recent forms of alleged paranormal photography found on a majority of the paranormal / 'ghost hunter' websites available. THE FOLLOWING IMAGES HAVE BEEN CREATED FOR DEMONSTRATIONAL PURPOSES to illustrate how the camera reacts to certain situations and environmental conditions and so are not depictions of paranormal activity. Most all of the commonly claimed paranormal photographic anomalies (orbs, ectoplasm, mist, and vortices's) can be attributed to camera error in one form or another, and therefore can be recreated rather easily and so are not paranormal.

The most important thing one can do before you begin investigating is know your equipment and how it works. This is true especially with photography. Before you go on an investigation practice with you camera take pictures with different settings and modes and different lighting. You may even pull out the manual for your camera and actually read it.

Try taking pictures of street lights, porch lights with and without a little camera movement, partially cover the flash with you finger (makes a good shadow picture) let the camera strap get in the picture (makes a neat vortex ), try smoke, bugs any thing you can think of. After some experimentation take a good look at the results so that in the future you will hopefully know the real paranormal photo from the false positive one.

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ENERGY OR LIGHT STREAKS

Photos below are caused by slow shutter speed and camera movement

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Below are some photos to show how camera movement and exposure time can effect your pictures. The following photos were taken with the camera in a manual mode and the camera was moved just as the picture was taken. This can cause double exposures and streaks of light that look pretty impressive. The main subject in the picture may look clear and in focus but the light is streaking out sometimes called "energy streaks".

Digital cameras use a CCD to record the information to make up a picture. Unlike the human eye the longer light is exposed to the CCD the light is stored and makes those pixels it hits brighter. The blue light from the phone hits the CCD in the camera the instant the shutter is open but for the image of the column to be recorded on the CCD the flash has to leave the camera illuminate the column and bounce back to the camera which takes a mili-second longer than the light that came straight to the camera from the phone. That millisecond also allows the camera to move while still maintaining to keep the column in focus but making the light make streaks that follow the camera movement from the instant the shutter was opened.

This pictures above and below were caused by slow shutter speed and camera movement. Notice how the light streaks from the street light and the phone have the same pattern and direction this is an indication of camera movement. The streaks follow the pattern of the camera movement.

Energy streak captured at Yorktown Hospital (NOT)

A light streak caused by a street light shinning through the window and camera movement.

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Digital Cameras can and DO produce false images that are misinterpreted as "ghostly manifestations" simply by lack of understanding how they work...

Examples of dust, pollen and moisture orbs

Orbs photos are the most common example of false positive paranormal photos, there has been much study done into what causes them, by camera manufactures as well as independent investigators. Be wary of any groups that show multiple orb pictures as evidence, this is a good indication of their inexperience and lack of knowledge.

Those dust particles that are in the The Orb Zone which is anything closer than about 4 inches from the lens usually white or gray and never larger than 10% of the frame size.

Some good links for orb study

The Orb Zone

The Truth Behind Orbs

Orbs FAQ

Orb Presentation

Most all the orbs in the following pictures, even though they may look far away are very close to the lens usually within 4 inches

This is an example of orbs caused by just dropping sand in front of the lens notice how many different colors can show up in just sand. Just because an orb is a certain color does not make it paranormal. NOT PARANORMAL

Dust or pollen

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This orb from Yorktown Hospital even have little skulls in them which is caused by the aperture of the camera and a little pareidolia

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Orbs that are colored does not make them paranormal. The orbs color has very little to do with the substance (e.g. dust) causing the orb. It also has little to do with any other inanimate objects in the area of the photograph. Every orb has a 'pattern', caused by minor imperfections in the lens. One common type is a concentric rings. When the distance between such rings (or other pattern elements) is similar to the resolution of the camera, Moiré patterns result. These give an orb false colours. The patterns, and hence the colours, can be removed by most photo software. Another factor which can cause orb colouring is refraction. When orbs are caused by, say, water droplets colour can be refracted through. Chromatic aberration can also lend coloured edges to orbs. CA occurs when a lens refracts different wavelengths of light to different degrees.

INSECTS

MOVING INSECTS DUST AND POLLEN NOT PARANORMAL

RAINDROPS NOT PARANORMAL

Rain droplets or snow will sometimes look like upward moving orbs, this is caused by the intensity of the flash decreasing as the droplet falls toward the ground. Read more about this effect here.

"Orbs" in photos are just airborne particles reflecting the flash..MOST OF THE TIME A good way to eliminate false orbs from your photographs would be to not use a flash or move the flash off of the camera, this may be impossible to to with the newer point and shoot cameras, in this case you could use an altermate method of illuminating your picture and use a slower shutter speed. Keep in mind the slower shutter speed may require the use of a tripod to keep your photographs in focus

The only way to capture an orb photo and know it is not dust is to take a picture of the orb with two separate cameras at the exact same time if the orb is in both pictures it may be a true orb but that doesn't mean it is a ghost for more information on what a real orb may be read this article

Reflections

These two pictures below are caused by reflection the first one the flash is reflecting off the shiny part of a tombstone

Below is an example of the flash reflecting of the mirror on to the wall sometimes its not as obvious where a pattern such as this comes from, say for example if the mirror was on the other side of the room and only the reflection was in the picture, this happens not only from mirrors but large areas of glass

VORTICES

The picture below are examples of what is sometimes called 'vortex" pictures, but it is just the camera strap, hair and string close to the lens can cause the same effect.

SHADOWS
This is an example of a shadow caused by partially covering the flash this does not explain all shadow photographs but is the reason for most.

ECTO or MIST

There is also false positive "ecto"" or mist photos caused by breath in cold weather or smoking, so be mindful of this during cold weather and don't smoke on investigations.

This article does not claim all paranormal photographs are false. The article simply demonstrates how easily so called "paranormal" photographs can be recreated and or falsely identified as paranormal. Wide Awake Paranormal believes a real photograph of paranormal activity is extremely rare. Our wish is to educate fellow investigators and the public so false positives can be eliminated and a true paranormal photograph will be captured.

"If you can re-create a certain phenomena, then it isn't one."

Hopefully the examples above will help you spot false positive photos, and improve the quality of everyone's photographs.

Always take a good look at your photos and try to find the most logical explanation and keep a few points in mind,

#1 Know your camera and how it works

#2 Know your environment and how it may effect the photographs that you take

#3 Practice

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