Paranormal Experiences Caught On Camera

The public is hungry for genuine evidence of paranormal spirits. Surely individuals who have had paranormal experiences believe in the authenticity of the spiritual world, but for the most part, people remain skeptical. Photographs and video cameras offer exciting, innovative ways to document concrete evidence of apparitions and it is truly every ghost hunter's dream to capture such telling proof to validate their ghost stories. Unfortunately, for every "real" ghost photo, there are fifty fakes, and it can be difficult to distinguish legitimacy, especially now that there are such advanced photo-editing programs on computers. That being said, the following ghosts are said to be some of the most authentic caught on camera.

Paranormal experiences caught on video or in still photographs always convert the photographers from skeptics to believers. However, for people who weren't there that day, it's unclear whether the captured images are legitimate or just a hoax. Many times cameras play tricks on the eyes. For instance, a camera's flash can cause an orb-like reproduction in a photograph. Smoke or breath on a cold day can create the misty-looking apparitions sometimes seen. Using the flash and a slow shutter speed can create a double-exposure effect that looks like a ghostly face or figure is outlining the subject of the photo. In a phenomena known as "pareidolia," the mind tries to scan images for familiar figures, so we sometimes imagine we see faces when, in fact, nothing is there at all. Despite all these paranormal photo hoaxes, it is believed there are a few inexplicable pictures that still have experts puzzled.

In the late 19th century, ghost hunters, spiritualists and occultists were desperate to prove themselves and become well-known celebrities, which resulted in a number of fraudulent photographs that suggested paranormal experiences had taken place. Most photographers used the "wet glass plate" method, where they overexposed or double-exposed negatives to create a secondary image in the background of the picture. While the credibility of paranormal photos will be forever under question, there are still people out there who desperately wish to catch spiritual phenomena on film.

Perhaps the earliest known "spiritual photographer" was William Mumler (1832-1884), a photographer who claimed he could capture paranormal experiences on camera. He says his first photo happened by accident as he was taking a self-portrait and, upon development, noticed that an apparition of his deceased cousin appeared to be standing behind him. Over the years, a number of investigators sat in during Mumler's photography and development sessions, but could not find any evidence of fraud. Instead, they said Mumler was very cooperative and seemed to genuinely want answers as to how a paranormal photo was possible. Though he was brought to court for fraud, he was never charged, and he saw celebrity guests like Mary Todd Lincoln. These pictures are believed to be fraudulent, although no evidence has been uncovered. There are many ghost pictures today that have both believers and skeptics scratching their heads.

One of the most famous photographs of paranormal activity is the 1936 Brown Lady of Raynham Hall. The picture shows a ghostly white apparition of a woman in a white dress descending the staircase. Reportedly, this apparition has been appearing since the 1700s, but has not been seen or heard of since the photo was taken. The ghost is believed to be Lady Townshend, who was rumored to have been locked up in the house by her husband for years after her "faked" funeral. In 1835, a guest at the house reported seeing a woman in a brown satin dress with eyes gouged out. This particular picture was taken by two unassuming photographers for Country Life magazine. The assistant had been startled by a sudden, fleeting glimpse of the ghost, but the paranormal sightings were confirmed after the film was developed. So far no one has been able to dispute the authenticity of the picture.

Another famous photo of paranormal experiences is of young Jane Churm, a girl from Shropshire, England who accidentally set fire to a thatched roof with a candle, burning down many of the town houses in 1677. The picture of this paranormal supernatural event shows a startlingly clear image of a little blonde girl in a dress standing on a staircase. The photographer, Tony O'Rahilly, was a local resident who was taking pictures of Wem Town Hall on November 19, 1995 as it burned to the ground. While none of the onlookers saw the girl there at the time, O'Rahilly was so shook up by the photo that he submitted it to the Association for the Scientific Study of Anomalous Phenomena for review. "The negative is a straightforward piece of black-and-white work and shows no sign of having been tampered with," reported Dr. Vernon Harrison, an expert from the Royal Photographic Society.

Another famous image of paranormal experiences is a 1963 paranormal picture taken by Reverend K.F. Lord at Newby Church in North Yorkshire, England. The picture shows a nine-foot-tall transparent monk spectre in front of an altar. The reverend says that nothing was visible at the time, but this freaky apparition appeared upon developing it. A team of experts from the BBC concluded that the picture was definitely not created using double exposure and the negative had not been tampered with. The Newby Church does not have any known history of paranormal happenings, which makes this image all the more curious.

The strange thing about pictures of paranormal phenomenon is that most people don't report any paranormal experiences at the time and only see the apparition later, upon developing the film. Such was the case of a 1959 photograph taken by Mrs. Mabel Chinnery, who was photographing her husband seated in a car at the cemetery after they had just finished visiting her mother's grave. Later, she was shocked to see a female figure wearing glasses seated in the back seat of the car, as though she were patiently waiting to be driven home! Photographic experts are struck by how solid and real this ghost appears, yet they have been unable to document it as a fake.

As one can imagine, ghost hunters tend to capture a lot of paranormal experiences on film, since they visit many of the world's most haunted locations, armed with a small arsenal of different recording devices. Dakota Paranormal is credited with capturing a glowing white object floating across the Little Big Horn Battlefield, as well as a video where they ask the ghost questions and hear "knocking" in reply. Atlanta Paranormal has an interesting 2008 video of a figure leaning over the railing of the spooky St. Augustine Lighthouse. Metro Paranormal has a video from the Locker Room Saloon in Utica, Michigan, where a lamp string is being wiggled by an unseen entity. The United Paranormal Investigators have a fascinating paranormal picture of an apparition with clearly visible legs and shoes walking on the Grand Theatre stage.

For ghost hunters, nothing is better than capturing paranormal experiences on tape. Unfortunately, the fact that they're actively looking for paranormal goings-on or trying to make a career out of ghost hunting makes them subject to inquiry. Many people refuse to believe that a paranormal video or photo is anything more than someone trying to make a quick buck, as people have been doing since the 19th century. With the advent of advanced computer software and technology, it is even easier to fake authenticity in a convincing manner. There may never be proof enough to satisfy the masses.

A third convincing photograph of paranormal experiences was taken in 1919 by Sir Victor Goddard. As was the custom, a routine photograph was being taken of a World War I squadron of airmen. When the picture was developed, an extra face was clearly noted in the crowd. The face belonged to Freddy Jackson, an airplane mechanic who had been killed by an airplane propeller two days prior! The men had attended his funeral earlier that day, but apparently his ghostly presence remained. To date, paranormal groups are baffled by this amazing photo!