What causes transparency effect in photos?

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Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around the phenomenon of a person appearing partially transparent in a photograph, despite being stationary. Participants explore potential causes for this effect, including photographic techniques and environmental factors, without reaching a consensus.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory
  • Technical explanation
  • Debate/contested

Main Points Raised

  • One participant notes the Faile effect but expresses uncertainty about its relevance to the transparency observed.
  • Another participant dismisses the Faile effect as unsubstantiated and suggests the photo may not be doctored.
  • A hypothesis is presented regarding multi-path transmission of light, where reflections from different angles could create the transparency effect.
  • One participant mentions the possibility of long exposure photography causing transparency due to movement in the scene.
  • Another participant questions the absence of "ghosts" in the photo, suggesting that the clarity of the transparent figure might indicate a different cause.
  • A technical consideration is raised about sensor noise and focal plane focus, suggesting that the effect could be due to photographic phenomena or digital manipulation.
  • One participant proposes that the transparency could result from taking the photo through glass, leading to partial reflections.
  • Another possibility discussed is double exposure, where the subject was present in one exposure and absent in another.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants express a range of hypotheses and ideas, but no consensus is reached regarding the cause of the transparency effect. Multiple competing views remain, with some participants ruling out certain explanations while others propose alternative theories.

Contextual Notes

Participants acknowledge limitations in their understanding of photographic techniques and the specific conditions under which the photo was taken, including the type of camera and exposure settings.

fawk3s
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I was looking at this photo and it got me wondering. There's a person in the photo, who is apparently not moving so the effect can't be created due to motion, who is partially transparent. The wall and another person is seen through the persons face, but not through the entire face. Just a part of it.

I was wondering what causes this effect? I am sorry I am not able to give you an example photo at the moment, I just couldn't find any on the net.

Thanks in advance,
fawk3s
 
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Just read about something called the Faile effect. Had never heard about it, but I am still not sure if it has anything to do with it. Any ideas?

Thanks in advance,
fawk3s
 
Sounds like garbage to me. Any photo can be doctored, and I find no reasonable information on this "Faile effect".
 
Didnt find much on this Faile effect either, so I wouldn't go with that. But it looks to me like the photo isn't doctored.
 
I suppose it could be a multi-path transmission of light, where somehow an object at a different angle than the person's head was reflected off another object and arrived at the same pixels during the time the shutter was open.
 
Unfortunately, that's not possible. I've ruled that out already.
 
I don't know much about cameras but I've heard of this happening for a camera with a long exposure if something changes in the area being photographed.

IE if you're in a dark area and set the camera for a long exposure, and a person walks around illuminating the area, there will be parts of the photo where the person walking around is shown (multiple times in same photo) with transparency.
 
Well, the person moving themselves was the first thing I thought about. Anybody would. And it still could be the case, but the thing is, usually when someone is moving enough to make him/her transparent on a photo like that, there are multiple "ghosts" of the person in the photo. But the one I am talking about is absolutely clear of them.
So that's why I got interested in the first place and thought I'd ask what might be causing this.
 
If it's a 30 second exposure and the person moves with any reasonable speed, the actual change in total integrated flux on the sensor due to what you call "ghosts" can be less than the actual sensor noise, especially if you have a high ISO or old CCD. Where is the focal plane? Is the transparent guy in focus, or the background image, or both? Was it film or digital?

Given what you have said, I think it's either a photographic phenomenon or a Photoshop.
 
  • #10
I believe it was digital, and both the transparent guy and backround are in focus.
As I've read about the basics behind digital cameras, there's only 1 chance I can think of: the guy had to move. Why arent the "ghosts" visible? It may be due to the bright light source next to and behind him, making those "ghosts" nearly invisible (which I actually don't think is the case). Or the camera sensors record more than one snapshot of light and the person moved during the short break of these shots, not creating the "ghost" effect.
There's also this very little chance that the camera contains a mechanical color filter, and the person moved during the filter switch phase. But considering the facts that these switches are rapid, they are rarely used in regular digital cameras and it would probably mess up the colors in the in the transparency effect and the person (which is not the case in this photo), I find it very unlikely.

I hardly think photoshop has anything to do with this case. But I also can't find another solution to the problem other than the person must have moved.

Let me know what you think,
fawk3s
 
  • #11
Maybe the picture was taken through a pane of glass, and what you are seeing is a partial reflection?
 
  • #12
The photo might be a double exposure. The person could have been present for the 1st exposure, and absent for the 2nd exposure.
 

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