Ghosts? What is this?

[Marco Wagner]

These three pictures have been unedited, other than resized. Two of the pictures were taken with a throw away camera, the other picture was taken with an old 35mm. The film was different, one fuji, one kodak. No filters were used. The processing for the two cameras was done at two different places about 3 weeks apart. The pictures are not native digital and were scanned into my computer.


When we got the pictures back we began to notice all sorts of "things" in the pictures with us. Since my grandparents died in the house these were taken at, a few people assume it is them dropping in for the wedding. Of the dozens of pictures with "things" in them, these are the three most dramatic. Can anyone identify these "things" as camera errata, or anything non-ghostly? I am open to both arguments for this one but I'd really like to have some more eyes on this...


http://timelakefilms.ehiam.net/pix/Scan0004.jpg

http://timelakefilms.ehiam.net/pix/Scan0017.jpg

http://timelakefilms.ehiam.net/pix/Scan0018.jpg

[Richard Alvarez]

Marco,

Liked to tell you they are paranormal... but I used to work in a photo lab way back when.

The first and last images, are a result of static discharge when unrolling the film to load it in the processor. If you pull it out of the canister, or unroll it too quickly, you get 'sparks' ... just like taking off your nylon windbreaker at night. Sparks against the emmulision yields.... 'ghosts'.

The middle shot looks to me like there is a lamp up under the balcony.

Richard

[K. Forman]

Hi Marco. You have some odd stuff there. It may, or may not be paranormal. You mentioned that the rest of the rolls had similar anomolies? The first and third pic, look like gouges and burns in the negetive. Check those out, and see if there is any visible damage.

If no obvious causes are found, you might try the boards at http://www.the-atlantic-paranormal-society.com/

These are the people from Ghost Hunters on Sci Fi. Their thing is to determine if something ghostly has a natural cause. If they can't help you, I don't know where to send you. What you have is nowhere closely related to a normal orb, so that leaves out insects, dust particles, or lens flair. If it is an ectoplasmic manifestation, it is a doozy.

[Marco Wagner]

Wow two completely different views, I love it, and appreciate it. Looking at the negatives with a magnifying glass shows me that it is part of the picture. There are no visible burns or gouges. There are no marks outside the frame of the negatives either, all of this seems to be "in" the picture rather than "on" it. I will have to get the negatives for the rest of my rolls and see if there is a trend.

Scary: Over the weekend my wife and I had to watch this house. It is my mother's house, she went out of town. Lot's of "strange" things going on while we were there. A bedroom light was the biggest culprit as it seemed to want to come on or off by itself, and there was/is no electrical issues with it. We also heard footsteps upstairs, but no one there. eeeeek. Leave me alone grandma! LOL...

[K. Forman]

Marco- I am in a similer situation, so I can sympothize. However, I am also sceptical of a lot of what is passed off as paranormal. Most of the time, there really is a logical explanation. Not always obvious, but it is there. On those few occasions that an explanation can't be found, it is time to look into other possibilities. So far, it doesn't sound like you have anything to worry about. Just grit your teeth and buck up!

[Richard Alvarez]

Guys,
I'm telling you, it's the result of static discharge in the processing. I used to work at a custom color lab. If the temp and humidity wasn't right in the loading room, or I wasn't grounded, or I unrolled a roll to fast... static discharge would occur. It would happen on several rolls of film from different customers processed at the same time.

It looked EXACTLY like what you see there. Little 'lightning' balls or bolts on the negs.

[K. Forman]

I don't doubt you a bit Richard... really. In fact, I was trying to agree that there was likely a reasonable excuse for the pics. I have never worked as a lab tech, so I can't say what all manner of wierd things can happen to a roll of film. That is why I told him to check the rest of the negatives.

On the other hand, the lab accident would have nothing to do with noises and lights in the home. Again, it is likely to have a normal explanation. Not always, but usually.

[Marco Wagner]

I am a man of science first but without going into detail I have had my share of VERY scary and awe inspiring stuff.

I believe that the "things" in the pictures are probably what Richard said, static discharge. It even kind of looks like arching. Wierd as they are, I have NEVER seen this in my life and like to think I have taken more pictures than the average person over the last few decades.

[Alecks Purifoy]

I have some similar ones, but its usually a result of double exposure and a crappy lab. eeep

i dont know what the hell its.... why am i putting my 2 cents in?

[K. Forman]

There is a lot that can be explained, as Richard explained your film anomolies. Lights are subject to power fluctuations. Old houses creak and shift. When the bugger reaches out and touches you, you have a hard time trying to come up with an excuse. Until then, it is easy to be sceptical.

[Richard Alvarez]

Just to go on record.

I do believe in spooks, I do I do I do....

[K. Forman]

I tell you what, I always believed it was possible. Then I moved into this house, and stuff happened. I thought the wife and kids were nuts, and I kept saying it could be this, or it could be that, or you are nuts. But like I said, I can't explain a touch. At times like this, I really wish my GL1 did better in the dark!