How to Analyze Ghost Photographs

Those who study the paranormal often point to photographs that claim to capture a ghost or ghostly image as proof of contact with the "other side." Using these steps, you can analyze a photo that depicts paranormal activity to determine if it is a genuine ghost.

Instructions

1. Analyze your photos with a skeptic mindset. Look for explanations possibly causing the images. A flash can reflect off surfaces within 12 feet. When you see a potential ghostly image such as a mist, orb or figure, think what earthly thing it could be, such as a cobweb, tree duct or even decorative item hung in the location.

2. Question others. Ask what they see in the picture without telling them what you think it is. When you speak to the person who took the picture, verify the positions of others who might have been nearby. Make sure no one was smoking or doing anything else to cause the image. Ask if the photographer if it's possible the image resulted from a reflective surface in the area.

3. Scrutinize orbs. Look for a perfect circle with no defined border; this is actually a refraction of a dust particle. A refraction of moisture has angular sides and fades from solid to transparent without a border. A reflection of an object appears as multiple orbs, with one more intense than the other. Disregard any of these as paranormal.

4. Eliminate all the possible earthly orb explanations, and then examine the orb itself. A paranormal object looks as if it emits its own light or shows signs of movement, such as a blurred trail behind it. Paranormal orbs display colors of white, blue or green. Keep in mind, however, lens flares could also cause this reaction.

5. Look at your other images closely. Pictures that display an image of a person could also have an explanation. The human mind has a tendency to find familiar shapes in a collection of objects, so look closely at pictures that have trees, fields and cluttered closets. To be truly paranormal, the image must be composed of its own material and not, for example, the leaves of the tree.

6. Scrutinize the proportions of the face or figure. Disproportionate features resembling cartoons likely have an earthly explanation. Features should look realistic and proportionate.

Tips & Warnings

• When you are the one who took the pictures, review the circumstances of the photograph. If you capture a fog-like substance in your picture, recall if the weather was poor that day, or if it's possible someone let out a breath when the picture was taken.

• There can be an earthly explanation for images that look paranormal, so be sure to look for clues. Possible causes include long exposure, dust on the negative, flash reflections, bugs, dust, objects blocking the lens, bad film or overlapping photos.

Resources

• Review the Ghost Hunters schedule and watch for tips.