Last Halloween night we had a party outside one of our daughters home. She lives in my wife's mother's home, out in the country, which stayed in the family after her death.
We had people in costumes, a bonfire, food and drink.
Many photos were taken by different cameras, both digital and conventional.

I was suprised at the number of what I have learned are called orbs in the photos. Some photos have many, some a few.
One in particular caught my attention, it is about 2 foot across and over the head of one of the granddaughters.
All cameras produced this orb thingy, in some, but not all photos.

Different types of film and develope sources were used.

I typed "orbs" into the internet and was suprised that others have had this happen to them.

The air was not particularly humid that night and I do not understand the cause of this situation. Has anyone here had a similar experience?

We went up to the close-by cemetary, a Halloween thingy, on a hay ride, and the same thing happened to photos taken up there.

Last week-end the son-in-law placed some corn in the same area to feed the deer at night and placed a flash camera with a timer, to take pictures of nocternal animals feeding at the corn.
We were surprised that some of the photos were normal but some had foggy shapes of various sizes in them.
Some were standing still and some appeared to be basketball sized and moving rapidly across the scene with action blurrs.

Animals in the photos were very clear so I would not think the film or developing was flawed, plus some of the photos showed nothing but nature shots.

I just thought someone might have some input into this or some experience of such to share.

I am interested enough that I am planning to spend a night up there with a tent, take a computer, hook a cam to it and maybe a strobe light and see on the monitor what the camera "sees" while it is occuring. Maybe a voice recorder.
I have never done anything like this and it may be interesting.
Any suggestions as to hook up the equipment to get a record of such?

I've got a buddy who claims to be able to see them. Says he doesn't know what they are, where they come from, or what they are doing here, but he says they're everywhere.

Almost sounds like a scenario involving EVP. Weird stuff.

Originally posted by Napsterbater
I've got a buddy who claims to be able to see them. Says he doesn't know what they are, where they come from, or what they are doing here, but he says they're everywhere.
========================================

Could be, some of the pictures have as many as 20 in it at various distances from the camera and sizes.

I was talking to my daughter about the fact that I could not understand how a camera could take the picture of something that the eye could not see. She said that maybe they operate at a different molecular speed and the stop action of the camera was capturing it somehow.

Nap, maybe your friends eyes merely operate in a different manner than ours.

Originally posted by silverbulletkc
Almost sounds like a scenario involving EVP. Weird stuff.
=================================

Yeh, maybe I do not want to really see them.
I am curious though.

Can you post the pictures?

Nap, maybe your friends eyes merely operate in a different manner than ours.

Who really knows? Guy's pretty hardcore into energy awareness stuff and martial arts though.

Originally posted by BorgHunter
Can you post the pictures?
========================================

Borg, I can probably get some of them e-mailed to me to get them in my computer. But, you would have to educate me as how to get them to the forum from there.

use www.theimagehosting.com to get them on the web, then use the link they provide and copy it in your post.

:)

Sylvia Brown on the Montel show says Orbs are always good energies, like guardian angels.......

Are they orbs or could they be small bugs mist{rain} etc... moving close to the cameras? I'm not saying orbs don't exist but sometimes things are there that we might not notice at that exact moment the picture is snapped.

I got 4 photos into image hosting, but I do not understand how to establish the link to the forum.
Guys, I am not familiar with a lot of proceedures that you guys take for granted because I have never done them.
Frustrated.....

[img]http://www.imagehost.com/image.jpg[/img]

Try going here. BV and I hang out here alot. We talk to Grant alot. He might have some helpful tips for ya. :)

T.A.P.S. (http://www.tapsforums.com/index.php)

Borg, I sent you a pm.

http://images5.theimagehosting.com/Halloween%20Picture%201.jpg
http://images5.theimagehosting.com/Halloween%20Picture%202.jpg
http://images5.theimagehosting.com/Halloween%20Picture%203.jpg
http://images5.theimagehosting.com/Halloween%20Picture%204.jpg

The shots from this particular camera were 3 at the cemetary and one at home down the street of the kids.
I had to sort thru the pictures because some of the before and after shots are completely clear.
I have no idea what the cause is. But, I am going to investigate further.

I did notice that there appears to be depth to the orbs. Note the cluster of three in the third picture down. There was no lights in this cemetery, it was completely dark up there.

Thanks Borg for posting the pictures for me.

Traditionally, the time of the year in which the veil between the shadow world as well as the spirit world is the thinnest is right around harvest, with the holiday we call Halloween being the day where it is the very thinnest.

Of course, these pictures are no proof that supernatural phenomena exist, (try sending this to the Randi Institute!) and, having no direct experience with spirits myself, I wouldn't discount the idea, well, unless you were Blob of course!

I think all phenomena like this is by nature experiential, and that, while you can catch some small amount of evidence that it is happening, existance never provides enough to satisfy the rigorous demands of the scientific burden of proof for those who have never experienced it or do not believe, because it really does happen primarily inside the mind, though some physical effects can be felt or seen. I guess some people were meant by existance to experience these things, and most people are not.

Personally, I think it's schmutz on the lens and/or airborne drops of water.

Absolutely incredible.


Could you try taking more pictures at various times of day and with different speeds of film?
Also do you have one of those fancy Nikon or some such expensive cameras that pro photographers use, or could borrow one?
It'd be interesting to see what the results would be.

Originally posted by LionelHutz
Personally, I think it's schmutz on the lens and/or airborne drops of water.
==================================
Lionel your post prompted me to do some checking with the weather service.

According to the weather service during this time:
Temperature 58 degrees F.
Dewpoint 42 degrees F.
No precipitation
Visibility 9 miles.
Wind speed calm
Humidity 75 %

I would not think all cameras in use there had a dirty lens. But, is a possibility. Weakened by the fact that some pictures from the same camera are clear.

Originally posted by rendova
Absolutely incredible.


Could you try taking more pictures at various times of day and with different speeds of film?
Also do you have one of those fancy Nikon or some such expensive cameras that pro photographers use, or could borrow one?
It'd be interesting to see what the results would be.
========================================
Rendova, at this time I do not have such equipment. I have never been very interested in photography to acquire such.
I do plan to investigate further in this area, it has my curiosity aroused.
I would like to know the scientific explanations of these occurances.
If any new developments occur I will post such.

It is interesting to say the least.

I'm more concerned with some of the unsafe costumes the kids are wearing.

Two are wearing full face masks and one is dressed entirely in black. The ghost has only small eyeholes that can easily shift and block vision.

What's the matter with their parents? Use face makeup rather than mask and never dress entirely in black for night time trick or treating.

Frogger; Okay daddy :)


Originally posted by LionelHutz
Personally, I think it's schmutz on the lens and/or airborne drops of water.

I'm with you LionelHutz it does look more like dust or something of course we could be wrong. It reminds me of sitting next to a window on a sunny day and waving a dusty rag in the air. It looks just like what comes of the rag and floats through the air.

Dan you'll have to do more so we can have something else to compare too.

If there IS a scientific explanation!!!!

These remind me of the "Ghost lights" that haunt various roads and bridges in our state. Literally thousands of people have seen them, including my husband, back in the day. These phenomena appear to be ball lighning, yet they hover in the air, or suddenly streak along at high speeds. They appear in isolated areas away from streetlights, car headbeams, etc.
They've been photographed many times and also appear on video. (Dan, maybe you could try a camcorder next).
We call them "ha'ants". What they are is a mystery for sure. And sadly, there's always the possibilty of pranksters, yet how they could do such a thing remains a mystery too. They do not appear to be ffrom flashlights, lanterns, or anything manmade at ALL.

Originally posted by Frogger
I'm more concerned with some of the unsafe costumes the kids are wearing.

Two are wearing full face masks and one is dressed entirely in black. The ghost has only small eyeholes that can easily shift and block vision.

What's the matter with their parents? Use face makeup rather than mask and never dress entirely in black for night time trick or treating.
============================================

Fogger, There was no trick or treating.
It was a Halloween party.
Kids in a fenced yard, except when on the hay wagon with adults.
Hood on ghost for pictures. Geeze.

I stand with Lionel and Mad Dog. Maybe a professional photographer would have a very simple optical explanation. Note that according to your weather report, humidity was 75% which could explain condensation drops on lenses.
But further investigation will be interesting.

Anyway, I was far more concerned with the content of these pictures. Have you noticed the look of these people ? They sure look spooky. Plus, what were they doing in a graveyard at night ?

Okay, Dan, if they weren't walking around trick or treating the costumes are okay. I withdraw the comments.


I think you might not have schmutz on the lens but dust within the camera. The sust would move when the camera was on creating a weak electrical field making the orbs appear on different parts of the picture.

A brief article discussing orbs....

http://www.csicop.org/sb/2004-06/mysteries.html

Good article, Vile.

I agree with the article. People will believe what they will-based on previous expectations/beliefs.

As I said before, I believe there is a scientific explanation. The mystery, to me, is which one. I like a mystery.

Since several cameras produced the same results with clear pictures mixed with those like we have observed here, I think the source was external to the cameras. This leaves the area from(and including) the lens surface and beyond as the causation.

The pictures did just what I wanted them to do, give everyone a chance to see something different and to gain comments.

Gosh, I enjoy many aspects of Allforum. Thanks to everyone for the input.

Originally posted by astrapol2
Anyway, I was far more concerned with the content of these pictures. Have you noticed the look of these people ? They sure look spooky. Plus, what were they doing in a graveyard at night ? [/B]
===========================================

Astrapol, that is the idea. Halloween is a spooky time.

The graveyard was the idea of 3 guys that wanted to scare everyone on the hayride. They ploted with the driver to turn around at the graveyard to return and they would jump out and scare everyone.

In the process they got scared themselves.
They were hiding in the dark, unaware that the big dog Lady had followed the haywagon on the trip. She had no difficulty because the wagon was traveling slowly.
She is very protective of the children. She arrived at the graveyard ahead of the wagon and found the 3 guys in hiding.
She proceeded to attack them and pretty well broke up the suprise. I had a good laugh on the table being turned on them.
Luckily no one was bitten in the process, but it was very funny.

Just people building memories.

Dan I ment to ask did 2 or more camera's show the orbs{?} in the same spot? If you happened to take 2{or more} pictures from roughly the same place did the orbs seem to be in the same area?

[QUOTE]Originally posted by Dan Fussell
[B]I agree with the article. People will believe what they will-based on previous expectations/beliefs.

As I said before, I believe there is a scientific explanation.



You guys just want to take all the fun out of it!!!!!!!

Of COursE they're malevolent spirits and demons out to kill us all!!!!!!

Originally posted by rendova
[QUOTE]Originally posted by Dan Fussell
[B]I agree with the article. People will believe what they will-based on previous expectations/beliefs.

As I said before, I believe there is a scientific explanation.



You guys just want to take all the fun out of it!!!!!!!

Of COursE they're malevolent spirits and demons out to kill us all!!!!!!
========================================

Yeh, they killed me and I am ghost writing.

Rendova, do not forget the fact that if the orbs were proven to be in reality spirits or demons, that would be a scientific explanation.

Originally posted by Dan Fussell
========================================


Rendova, do not forget the fact that if the orbs were proven to be in reality spirits or demons, that would be a scientific explanation.

What kind of science ? Demonology ? Teratology ? Spiritism ?

Originally posted by mad dog
Dan I ment to ask did 2 or more camera's show the orbs{?} in the same spot? If you happened to take 2{or more} pictures from roughly the same place did the orbs seem to be in the same area?
============================================

Maddog, I do not have all the pictures in my possession to compare again.
They showed up in the photos in the yard, at the graveyard, and a few in the daughters house. There were several cameras in use.

When I can, I am going to return to the same areas for more pictures.
I am also planning to take my computer and set it up with a webcam attached so that I can monitor what it sees as it occurs. If it begins to occur I can wipe the lens, etc. to see if this is what is happening. I think that I will take a strobe light where I can vary the flash speed.

I am no computer expert, so I need to know how to record on my hard drive what the webcam sees.

Originally posted by astrapol2
What kind of science ? Demonology ? Teratology ? Spiritism ?
===========================================

I do not know. Once something is an accepted proven fact I suppose the scientific community would decide how to classify it.
Or, one of the terms you used may simply become a respected science.

Boy, if the existance of ghosts were proven, without a shadow of doubt, that would shake a lot of people up.

Originally posted by astrapol2
What kind of science ? Demonology ? Teratology ? Spiritism ?

Just imagine if ghost could be proven without a doubt, ghostology silly :D

It would be the scientific breaththrough of all time.

Proof that there's the other side--that life exists after death.
Something I tend to believe in, tho I have no proof.

Dan, One very interesting experiment might be to try to take pictures from two different cameras using one flash. This could be done by using a long exposure time with one of the cameras, so the flash would occur during the long exposure. It would be interesting to see if the orbs appear in both pictures, and if they appear in the same place. This could help to narrow down what is happening.

Originally posted by Imagineer
Dan, One very interesting experiment might be to try to take pictures from two different cameras using one flash. This could be done by using a long exposure time with one of the cameras, so the flash would occur during the long exposure. It would be interesting to see if the orbs appear in both pictures, and if they appear in the same place. This could help to narrow down what is happening.
==========================================


Thanks, that is what I need, ideas.

I also would like to see some of you guys take some night pictures. Even find a graveyard to take some shots.

If all the things that we have discussed here, moisture, dust, etc., are occuring to effect photos. Cameras are going to be rendered virtually useless at night.

Dan, I don't know if this will help, but I have seen many trail cameras take pictures of critters in the night. When it was snowing{especially} or raining they got almost the same effect.

Oh for those that don't know a trail camera is something some hunters use for finding deer paths etc... that are being used. When an animal walks by the camera takes its picture.

Originally posted by mad dog
Dan, I don't know if this will help, but I have seen many trail cameras take pictures of critters in the night. When it was snowing{especially} or raining they got almost the same effect.

Oh for those that don't know a trail camera is something some hunters use for finding deer paths etc... that are being used. When an animal walks by the camera takes its picture.
==========================================

Good idea Maddog, I also think it would be a good idea for anyone trying to take night pictures to take along a good flashlight. Turn on the beam before taking the pictures to see if moisture, fog, etc., is reflecting light before using the flash.

I wonder if there is some sort of night lens that could help with the glare of mist and stuff?

I say its crap somewhere in the process.

Don't forget that pictures must also be printed from the negatives. If the printer has some sort of crap stcuk on the negative or a glass plate or anywhere else in the process it will show up.

The reason I say this is becuase tehy are all out of focus. If you had posted a picture with an object with a distinct edge it would interest me. All of this really does just look like crap in the way of the photongraphic process.

Dunno if this matters or not but I've been doing Photography for 9 years now.

Originally posted by 500lbguerilla
I say its crap somewhere in the process.

Don't forget that pictures must also be printed from the negatives. If the printer has some sort of crap stcuk on the negative or a glass plate or anywhere else in the process it will show up.

The reason I say this is becuase tehy are all out of focus. If you had posted a picture with an object with a distinct edge it would interest me. All of this really does just look like crap in the way of the photongraphic process.

Dunno if this matters or not but I've been doing Photography for 9 years now.
======================================


500, these pictures were from a digital camera with auto-focus, downloaded directly into the computer.

Dan, As an additional experiment you might want to try taking a picture or two with the camera at an angle to the flash. If it is mist, this should produce various effects due to scattering of the light. At the proper angle, you should get a rainbow.

I saw a documentary a few days ago about two photographers who try to explain strange phenomenos on pictures.
They have a very simple and convincing explanation for "orbs" : just the reflection of flashes on small dust. They reproduced it and it was quite convincing.
So long for the ghosts...

Well, no matter if they are real or not or whatever they are we took some pictures in summer and in every picture I was in there was an Orb.

Okay, so the first picture we have my friend Paul. There is no white Orb.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v76/cheshire_karma/ashlieandsadie062.jpg

But in the SAME setting and position there is me, with an Orb like thing to the right of my head.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v76/cheshire_karma/ashlieandsadie061.jpg

In this photo there is something that appears to be an Orb in the black sky to the far right.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v76/cheshire_karma/ashlieandsadie057.jpg

And in the last picture there is something like an orb on my arm.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v76/cheshire_karma/ashlieandsadie056.jpg

So all the pictures with me have orbs and the one that I'm not in don't have orbs.

DONT MAKE FUN OF THE PICTURES I KNOW THEY ARE BAD MY HAIR WAS NOT FIXED UP. hahahaaha. But anyway. We did NOT edit them. But I doubt most will believe me. And that is my orb experience.

Originally posted by Overdose

So all the pictures with me have orbs and the one that I'm not in don't have orbs.

Well since orbs seem to be nothing more than flash reflection on dust, it probably means you're dusty. Go get a shower.

I have a friend who used to go ORB hunting and man did he capture some amazing pics with the orbs clearly visible (Spirits,etc)

http://navarrone.com/phenomena/faith.htm

(Click on a pic to start scrolling thru them....(VERY INTERESTING -- 11 PAGES OF PICS))

My Ques is: If camaras and such can capture these wonderfull entitys,why cant we see them with our own eyes???

This site HERE (http://theshadowlands.net/ghost) is interesting as hell!!!!!!

Sound clips,etc........Every and anything you could want to plunge into on this topic.........

Im searching endlessly on here :)

Heres an awesome thread that some1 posted about thier experiences,looks like anuther site like shadowlands.net,very interesting


http://www.chatarea.com/StrangeHappeningsGhostAndHauntingsResearchSociety. m2391059

Very interested in the spiritual realm :)

THEY'RE BLOODY SPECKS OF DUST! Jesus Christ.

We dont really know that for sure,especially when it happens round graveyards my friend!!!!

I totally believe what they could be :)

Originally posted by The Dude
We dont really know that for sure,especially when it happens round graveyards my friend!!!!


Er... What do you mean ? Do you mean when it happens anywhere they are just dust but when it happens in graveyard then it's something else ?

Originally posted by The Dude

I totally believe what they could be :)

You totally believe what ?

Read my post above Mate,you'll see :)

Originally posted by The Dude
We dont really know that for sure,especially when it happens round graveyards my friend!!!!
Yes, especially when you consider that graveyards are inherently dusty places, being outdoors around a lot of dirt and such.
I totally believe what they could be :)
Occam's Razor, dude.

Okay, I took some pictures. They shall be up by the by.

And here they come...

Okay, let's start off with Wikipedia, and its take on orbs. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Orb_%28paranormal%29

Now, this whole thing got me interested, so I decided to do a scientific experiment. First, like all good scientific studies, I had a control first off.

My weather conditions: 16 degrees Celsius, clear sky. Slight breeze from the northwest. It was around 7:00 PM. The neighbors had a light on to my right, though I tried to minimize its effect. My house has no history of paranormal activity.

NO FLASH
http://www.sys-rq.net/Images/orbs/Ref1 NoFlash NoCoal thumb.JPG (http://www.sys-rq.net/Images/orbs/Ref1 NoFlash NoCoal.JPG)

That picture I took with no flash. There are two specks of light: The orange-ish one is the reflection of a streetlight off the lake, the blueish one a mercury-vapor light from our neighbor's house shining through the orange tree.

FLASH: Control

http://www.sys-rq.net/Images/orbs/Ref2 Flash NoCoal thumb.JPG (http://www.sys-rq.net/Images/orbs/Ref2 Flash NoCoal.JPG)

A picture of my backyard, with a flash. Some stray orbs present. The yellow dots on the tree are grapefruit, and the orange dots on the other tree are oranges.

FLASH: Dusty!

http://www.sys-rq.net/Images/orbs/Exp1 Flash Coal thumb.JPG (http://www.sys-rq.net/Images/orbs/Exp1 Flash Coal.JPG)

A picture of my backyard, but now, I have thrown some charcoal dust in the air. A couple orbs can be seen, though nothing too terribly eye-catching.

FLASH: Dusty2

http://www.sys-rq.net/Images/orbs/Exp2 Flash Coal thumb.JPG (http://www.sys-rq.net/Images/orbs/Exp2 Flash Coal.JPG)

It's snowing! Okay, not really, I just threw some more dust in the air and got really close to it. These do look like orbs. Have they come out to watch?

FLASH: Dusty3

http://www.sys-rq.net/Images/orbs/Exp3 Flash Coal thumb.JPG (http://www.sys-rq.net/Images/orbs/Exp3 Flash Coal.JPG)

The real clincher. The orbs are all over the place.

THE AFTERMATH

http://www.sys-rq.net/Images/orbs/Hand thumb.JPG (http://www.sys-rq.net/Images/orbs/Hand.JPG)

Ick.

Your orbs don't even look like mine, not to mention in 2 of the same spots with the same flash and camera settings did not have that weird dot that was in mine. And that dot in mine was WAY strange looking.

Originally posted by Overdose
Your orbs don't even look like mine, not to mention in 2 of the same spots with the same flash and camera settings did not have that weird dot that was in mine. And that dot in mine was WAY strange looking.
Sure they do. They're all round, white, and look like out-of-focus specks of dust.

Originally posted by BorgHunter
Sure they do. They're all round, white, and look like out-of-focus specks of dust.
Take a look at mine again and it looks a lot different then a speck of dust, at least the one right next to my head.

Originally posted by Overdose
Take a look at mine again and it looks a lot different then a speck of dust, at least the one right next to my head.
It's a tiny picture; I don't really see much of it anyway. I hardly consider it conclusive.

Borg - face it.
We live in a word surrounded by weird entities, whose very mind is so different from ours we can hardly get a glimpse of their real nature.
Sometimes, through a picture, or a few words, we can try and imagine what they really are, but it seems we'll never manage to get a rational and scientific explanation of who they are and why they behave so oddly.
I like to call them "naive believers", some other people just call them "idiots" or "self-confused people".
Quite fortunately, most of them do not seem to be nasty and many are in fact quite nice chaps, as long as issues such as orbs, bigfoot or chupacabras are not raised.

(OD and the others - No offense meant !)

Originally posted by BorgHunter
THEY'RE BLOODY SPECKS OF DUST! Jesus Christ.

Hahahaha!!!

Awww, come on borg.

If they can make orbs out of dust, let us make mountains out of molehills. :)

Originally posted by astrapol2
I like to call them "naive believers", some other people just call them "idiots" or "self-confused people".
Quite fortunately, most of them do not seem to be nasty and many are in fact quite nice chaps, as long as issues such as orbs, bigfoot or chupacabras are not raised.

(OD and the others - No offense meant !) [/B]

NOW YOU'VE CROSSED THE LINE !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
You obviously have never seen my mother inlaw, bigfoot is alive and well :D

Please post pictures !
(I will gladly dismiss them)

I find people who are either 1) 'afraid of this world' OR 2) 'Only believe what they can see' .. Respond this way........

A Blast From The Past.


Slim

:) Thats right :)

Your orbs don't even look like mine

Borg's right, they do. They are even coming out of a fire, visible in the picture. As for the one inside, have you any idea of the amount of dust floating around your house daily?

Borg's right, they do. They are even coming out of a fire, visible in the picture. As for the one inside, have you any idea of the amount of dust floating around your house daily?
==========================================
One would think that it would be nearly impossible to take a clear photo.
Dust is everywhere.

Ahh, excellent point, Dan.

Take a look at mine again and it looks a lot different then a speck of dust, at least the one right next to my head.

It's not dust. It's dandruff. Pick up a bottle of Head and Shoulders.