How Can You Capture the Essence of Ghosts in a Photo?

[ZapperZ]

Ghosts[/color][/size]

Here on PF, since we are keen on science, we don't believe in ghosts (at least, I don't). So it may seem ironic that we have a theme on them, but that is what we will have this week. I will let you interpret it anyway you want. However, please me sure that there is a clear representation of the theme. If it is too obtuse, you may have to include a brief explanation on why it fits in with the theme.

Zz.

Contest Rules:

1. Any digital photo or digitally-scanned photo relevant to the theme will be accepted within the contest period. In case there's a gray area, or you're not sure if the picture is suitable, check with me first.

2. Please resize your digital photo to no more than 800 x 600 or 600 x 800 pixels. You may also crop your picture if you wish. You are also allowed to adjust the brightness and contrast of your picture but these should not dramatically alter the look of the picture. But other than those, any form of picture editing or modification is not allowed. This is a photo contest, not a picture editing/special effect contest. You may add a watermark or your name/nickname to the photo for identification purposes.

3. Upload your photos to any of the photo servers such as imageshack or photobucket. Then post it the relevant contest thread and link your picture using the img command. PM me if you do not know how.

4. Only ONE picture per member per contest. Once a picture is posted, it cannot be changed other than a total withdrawl by that member from that week's photo contest. Exceptions will be made for modification to comply with the rules, such as resizing.

5. At the end of the contest period, I will open a poll and every PF member can vote for the picture they like best.

6. Note that in case we have a large number of entries, I will do the polling in more than one thread. If that's the case, you can vote in each of the polling threads. The photos will be assigned in the polling threads in the order they were submitted.

7. These pictures must be something that you took, not something taken off someone else's photo albums or taken by someone else. I have no way of checking if you did this, so we'll go by the honor system.

8. You can use a picture only once. Once it is used in a contest, it cannot be reused in another contest.

9. Please post only pictures meant for submission in this thread. Photos not meant for submission must not be posted in the contest thread. Posting of more than one photos by a member may result in an automatic disqualification from the week's contest.

 

[Enigman]

Charon's ferry

 

[Borg]

Didn't use a flash and there's no hole letting light in. I took a second picture right after that and there was no anomaly. Hopefully this qualifies.

 

[Andy Resnick]

 

[Evo]

Zz to explain my "ghost" picture, I have to show 2 photos shot seconds apart. It explains what to look at. Would that be acceptable? If not, I have another photo, although Andy's is cooler/scarier than anything I have, mine is very subtle and unexplainable.

 

[sourlemon]

Wow, the photos in this contest are really neat.

Enigma, I love the picture. Looks like Death rowing across the river.

Borg, that is really scary. It reminds me of the movie "Shutter." It as a really good movie.

Andy, yours is just freaky!

Zapperz, does using a timer consider picture you've taken?

 

[ZapperZ]

Zz to explain my "ghost" picture, I have to show 2 photos shot seconds apart. It explains what to look at. Would that be acceptable? If not, I have another photo, although Andy's is cooler/scarier than anything I have, mine is very subtle and unexplainable.

Unfortunately, no. That would be considered as a 'special effect', and can be considered as two separate photos, rather than one.

Zapperz, does using a timer consider picture you've taken?

No, you need to take the photo yourself, live.

Zz.

 

[sourlemon]

:( guess I can't enter the contest. haha, i probably wouldn't stand a chance anyway.

 

[Evo]

Unfortunately, no. That would be considered as a 'special effect', and can be considered as two separate photos, rather than one.

Ok, the first photo shows nothing abnormal, the second photo a few seconds later shows a ghostly presence, that appeares as steam, but nothing has caused it. If I only show the ghostly "steam" photo, no one can understand what wasn't there before. There is no source for "steam", it's outdoors against a plain stone pillar, and the two photos show no change in foot prints in the snow to show it was not some heavy breathing animal that appeared and jumped away in those 2 seconds.

But I know the rules. I was just taking pictures of how deep the snow was, and was shocked later when I saw the pictures. Where does a "fog" come from in front of a stone pillar in 2 seconds?

 

[sourlemon]

Evo, if you don't post it here, can you post it in the photography forum so we can see?

 

[ZapperZ]

Ok, the first photo shows nothing abnormal, the second photo a few seconds later shows a ghostly presence, that appeares as steam, but nothing has caused it. If I only show the ghostly "steam" photo, no one can understand what wasn't there before. There is no source for "steam", it's outdoors against a plain stone pillar, and the two photos show no change in foot prints in the snow to show it was not some heavy breathing animal that appeared and jumped away in those 2 seconds.

But I know the rules.

Unless you want to submit only the second photo with an explanation, then obviously, you can't submit two photos for the same contest. That one photo has to stand on its own.

Zz.

 

[Evo]

Evo, if you don't post it here, can you post it in the photography forum so we can see?

Yeah, I can do that. That's probably better due to keeping the contest rules in line.

 

[DennisN]

I can't believe how lucky I was to capture this moment.

 

[sourlemon]

Dennis, that is so neat! How did you do that?

 

[DennisN]

Dennis, that is so neat! How did you do that?

Well, I follow the rules, so it isn't "any form of picture editing or modification" - so I obviously took that picture as it is. I won't spoil the fun too early, so I won't tell until later.

 

[Marzena]

 

[Borek]

I can't believe how lucky I was to capture this moment.

I agree, ghost that writes F ending the letter with upper horizontal bar is remarkable. All ghosts (and alives) I know write capital F with vertical line first, followed by upper horizontal bar and end the letter with the middle bar.

 

[DennisN]

I agree, ghost that writes F ending the letter with upper horizontal bar is remarkable. All ghosts (and alives) I know write capital F with vertical line first, followed by upper horizontal bar and end the letter with the middle bar.

Yes, it really is, very observant of you! I wonder, maybe the spirit got stressed by having the camera so close?

 

[Andy Resnick]

<snip> Andy's is cooler/scarier than anything I have

<snip>
Andy, yours is just freaky!

Thanks!

 

[Enigman]

Well, I follow the rules, so it isn't "any form of picture editing or modification" - so I obviously took that picture as it is.

mmm...no strings attached?

 

[DennisN]

mmm...no strings attached?

If Zapper is fine with it, I won't tell until after the contest .

 

[ZapperZ]

Zz.

 

[drizzle]

DennisN, that's neat. Can't wait to hear how you did it. And good catch Borek. ;)

 

[Borek]

DennisN, that's neat. Can't wait to hear how you did it.

My bet is that Enigman got it right.

 

[DennisN]

DennisN, that's neat. Can't wait to hear how you did it. And good catch Borek. ;)

Thanks! And Borek did a good catch. When I took the picture, I actually thought about what Borek said, but I (stupidly) thought "nah, who will notice?". But of course someone will notice, we're on a science forum for crying out loud!

My bet is that Enigman got it right.

I should have taken another picture which reveals it, but I did not think about it at the time. But I promise I will tell exactly how I did it.

 

[PhysicoRaj]

Something's in my bed already?!

 

[ZapperZ]

Something's in my bed already?!

I see no image being displayed.

Zz.

 

[PhysicoRaj]

You don't?? but I can!??
Wait i'll try an attachment.

 

[PhysicoRaj]

Here is the attachment.

 

[ZapperZ]

You don't?? but I can!??
Wait i'll try an attachment.

Please read the rules of the contest. I do not accept attachments.

Zz.

 

[adjacent]

I should have taken another picture which reveals it, but I did not think about it at the time. But I promise I will tell exactly how I did it.

Capturing the moment after releasing the pencil with a high-speed camera?

 

[epenguin]

 

[PhysicoRaj]

Well here is another trial:

Does it work now??

 

[edward]

This is a not so good scan of a really old film picture. Sunlight reflecting off of something and onto the ceiling of the den was my first thought, but the only window in the room faces north.

 

[DennisN]

This is a not so good scan of a really old film picture. Sunlight reflecting off of something and onto the ceiling of the den was my first thought, but the only window in the room faces north.

Looks like this.

 

[Borek]

What I do in such cases is I put my hand close to the bring spot to see the shadow, then finding the source of the light is a breeze.

 

[zoobyshoe]

 

[ZapperZ]

Final day to post your ghostly photos for this contest.

Zz.

 

[edward]

What I do in such cases is I put my hand close to the bring spot to see the shadow, then finding the source of the light is a breeze.

I did find the source with no problem after the original shock of looking up at the ceiling just as I had awaked from a nap. A small ray of sunlight coming through an opening in the living room curtains 40 feet away was the source of light.

What that ray of sunlight was reflecting off of and then shooting the weird image backward and onto the ceiling was just as strange as the image itself. It was a very small object on the fireplace mantle.

The object had belonged to my deceased mother. The object had to be at a precise place on the mantel. The sun can only strike the mantle during a one week period near the end of December. I realized this later.

Even then the "effect" only happens just before sunset and only lasts several minutes before it fades away.

As I finally realized what it was I saw it as a gift. All of the pieces of the puzzle fit. Visitors always thought it was spooky.

I think I may have over explained

 

[Borek]

I think I may have over explained

Quite the opposite - I love such stories.

As long as they are not explained using voodoo parapsychology.

 

[DennisN]

Ok, the vote is over, so I've revealed my trick here in the voting thread.