Photos that can be explained - or faked (2009)
Recently, we came across a website that had obvious photos of explained, and 'faked' orbs and light anomalies. In this section we will go over a few of the natural explanations, as well as faked ones. We will also be showing examples, and explain how they were done
ORBS:
My gosh - this room looks like it has so much activity right?
Wrong - this is a great example of 'dust' orbs. This was taken after some construction was done. There is so much
dust in the air, when the photo was taken with a digital camera - it captured the particles in flight. So many photos are taken like this, even in one of our investigations at the Naked Maze, we caught some photos of dust particles, but the confusing thing
is we also caught light anomalies within them. People have to be real careful when taking photos in a dusty, old place,
or a place that has had construction. This is the result you will get.
Now this one looks like there is activity outside right?
Well wrong. As with dust particles, when you are outside taking pictures with a digital camera, it
reflects off the snowflakes, and makes it look like we have a sea of orbs. This can also happen when it is raining, or if
there is fog or a heavy mist. That is why it is so important to take humidity and temperature readings when conducting
an investigation. Most photos that are submitted to us are dust or humidity particles.
LIGHT ANOMALIES
Wow, a streaking orb, or some kind of light anomalies?
Wrong
Just a candle, taken on a different setting with a digital camera, can cause a weird light effect, as with
the following, taken with the same setting: All that is involved, is a slight movement with the camera. Some people may
not know they are doing it, but we have seen photos that this has happened, trying to pass off as light anomalies, or messages from beyond.
STRANGE MISTS
Oh now this has to be a plasma cloud, or strange mist right? Actually, this was taken on an investigation we did
recently in a graveyard. I purposely blew cigarette smoke, to see the effect, and this is what we caught (before anyone
gets annoyed, I don't smoke on investigations, this was an experiment for this page. And I was very careful with the
cigarette, if you are in a graveyard, don't smoke - even in winter. Things can catch fire pretty quickly if you are not careful).
Even though there
is snow on the ground, the humidity was quite dry, but the mixture of smoke and cold, gives this 'hue' and 'cloud' effect.
The same can happen with the exhaust of a vehicle.
What is this strange cloud/mist? Nothing but air freshener, again taken with a digital camera. We have actually
seen photos like this, trying to pass as something as paranormal on other sites.
A great example of what happens after it is sprayed - looks like orbs right? Nope, its the effect of the camera
reflecting off the moist particles left in the air by the air freshener, same effect as over humid conditions.
Strange mist with ghost lights? Orbs? Nothing but plain tap water being sprayed into the air.
It is so important, if you are purposely going out and trying to capture phenomenon, you are aware of the natural
ways that a photo can be 'faked' intentionally or unintentionally. There are many ghost hunters out there, that
take everything as paranormal, and present it as such. It seems everyone has a website, and are self proclaimed investigation teams, when they are not investigating, but more 'ghost hunting' and are so excited by whatever they catch, they don't do any research or study the data. This hurts the whole field of investigation and puts a bad light on teams such
as ours to try and get to the truth behind possible paranormal phenomenon. Every piece of data we collect,
including photos and videos, we try to rule out all other explanations before we throw up our hands and
say we are stumped. If its unexplainable, we will then present it as such. On our site we do have a
submissions page, where some of the photos can be explained. But as we state on it - we leave it up to you. Its hard
for us to totally explain or proclaim a submitted photo as being paranormal, when we don't have access to
the equipment, or data that was taken at the time of the photo (ex, humidity, temperature, etc.)
ORBS:
My gosh - this room looks like it has so much activity right?
Wrong - this is a great example of 'dust' orbs. This was taken after some construction was done. There is so much
dust in the air, when the photo was taken with a digital camera - it captured the particles in flight. So many photos are taken like this, even in one of our investigations at the Naked Maze, we caught some photos of dust particles, but the confusing thing
is we also caught light anomalies within them. People have to be real careful when taking photos in a dusty, old place,
or a place that has had construction. This is the result you will get.
Now this one looks like there is activity outside right?
Well wrong. As with dust particles, when you are outside taking pictures with a digital camera, it
reflects off the snowflakes, and makes it look like we have a sea of orbs. This can also happen when it is raining, or if
there is fog or a heavy mist. That is why it is so important to take humidity and temperature readings when conducting
an investigation. Most photos that are submitted to us are dust or humidity particles.
LIGHT ANOMALIES
Wow, a streaking orb, or some kind of light anomalies?
Wrong
Just a candle, taken on a different setting with a digital camera, can cause a weird light effect, as with
the following, taken with the same setting: All that is involved, is a slight movement with the camera. Some people may
not know they are doing it, but we have seen photos that this has happened, trying to pass off as light anomalies, or messages from beyond.
STRANGE MISTS
Oh now this has to be a plasma cloud, or strange mist right? Actually, this was taken on an investigation we did
recently in a graveyard. I purposely blew cigarette smoke, to see the effect, and this is what we caught (before anyone
gets annoyed, I don't smoke on investigations, this was an experiment for this page. And I was very careful with the
cigarette, if you are in a graveyard, don't smoke - even in winter. Things can catch fire pretty quickly if you are not careful).
Even though there
is snow on the ground, the humidity was quite dry, but the mixture of smoke and cold, gives this 'hue' and 'cloud' effect.
The same can happen with the exhaust of a vehicle.
What is this strange cloud/mist? Nothing but air freshener, again taken with a digital camera. We have actually
seen photos like this, trying to pass as something as paranormal on other sites.
A great example of what happens after it is sprayed - looks like orbs right? Nope, its the effect of the camera
reflecting off the moist particles left in the air by the air freshener, same effect as over humid conditions.
Strange mist with ghost lights? Orbs? Nothing but plain tap water being sprayed into the air.
It is so important, if you are purposely going out and trying to capture phenomenon, you are aware of the natural
ways that a photo can be 'faked' intentionally or unintentionally. There are many ghost hunters out there, that
take everything as paranormal, and present it as such. It seems everyone has a website, and are self proclaimed investigation teams, when they are not investigating, but more 'ghost hunting' and are so excited by whatever they catch, they don't do any research or study the data. This hurts the whole field of investigation and puts a bad light on teams such
as ours to try and get to the truth behind possible paranormal phenomenon. Every piece of data we collect,
including photos and videos, we try to rule out all other explanations before we throw up our hands and
say we are stumped. If its unexplainable, we will then present it as such. On our site we do have a
submissions page, where some of the photos can be explained. But as we state on it - we leave it up to you. Its hard
for us to totally explain or proclaim a submitted photo as being paranormal, when we don't have access to
the equipment, or data that was taken at the time of the photo (ex, humidity, temperature, etc.)
