# What causes "orbs" in photos?



## gmb1994

Can anyone offer a good explanation for those faint white spots ("orbs") that appear in photos?


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## Dew

the poltergiest  :shock:  ... nah, just kidding    

i dunno, probably light reflections and or sunlight


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## dlc

It usually happens with longer tele lenses at open aperatures, but I can't explain in technical terms.


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## craig

The information captured is just lens flare from, A too much glass, and, B the apeture was open full. (2.8 or whatever). If you believe that I have land in Florida for sale. Orb's of energy are commonly photographed. You will have to prove to us what is real, and what can not be explained.


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## gmb1994

Thanks for your responses.  I'm using a Fujifilm Finepix 2650 2.0megapixel digital camera.

The obvious answer is that the "orbs" are balls of energy (spirits, ghosts or whatever).  I've noticed that the more people that are in the room when I take the picture, the more orbs exist in the photo.  I've also noticed that the orbs hang around even after all the people have left.

The aperture concept sounds reasonable, but then wouldn't those orbs exist in relatively the same locations from picture-to-picture if the camera is not moved between shots?

I have also noticed that it usually takes the use of a flash in order to get these orbs to appear in my photos.  What about dust particles or other particles?  I know rain, snow, invisible gases and smoke also produce nice "ghostly" effects.

I would like to believe that some of these orbs are spirits, but I want to rule out as many technical causes as possible.


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## Jeff Canes

you need to post some of pics so we can take look at them


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## carlita

dust is highly likely... in fact it was my first thought and i was about to ask you if you'd been using a flash because that makes perfect sense.  and i would imagine that having more people around creates more "orbs" because there's more movement in the room, which means the air's moving more and kicking up more and more dust.  then when people leave i'm sure it takes a while for the dust to settle again.  can't say i don't believe in ghosts, but i've never believed people actually catch anything other than dust or other tangible, airborne particles in their photos when they claim to have captured "orbs."


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## Bob_McBob

Apparently they really like to come out in the fog   
http://www.pbase.com/image/10964924/original.jpg

The problem is clearly caused by reflected light from the flash.  I see it all the time with a compact digital I have.  The internal flash is so close to the lens that it picks up all sorts of crap in the air.


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## lizheaemma

my husband takes pictures of his friends skateboarding at an indoor ramp that is really dusty and gets tones of orbs!


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## gmb1994

That sounds right ... 
lots of people = lots of dust ... then you combine that with a flash right near the lens = lots of orbs!

Sidenote:
The only counter argument I could present to orbs being of dusty origins only would be that these orbs can be seen moving around on video taken in the infrared spectrum.


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## lizheaemma

actually just a bit more on this topic,  when my hubbie shoots with our camera in the dusty skate place he gets orbs, but I saw a pic tonight that our friend a professional photographer with a real nice camera took at the same place, no orbs.  Why?  I was told when you can get your focus on your subject with manual focus.... you don't pick up all that crap in between!?


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## mrsid99

Remember that most digital cameras are sensitive down into the infra-red spectrum which may explain why one camera picked up orbs but the "good" camera didn't.
  Check this out by "looking" via the LCD screen on a camera at a TV remote control and operating it.


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## ksmattfish

You need a Kirllianizing filter.  Make sure you get the Circular Kirllianizer if your camera is auto focus.  Some Killianiziers have a mark on the rotating ring, turn this until it's at a right angle to most of the living souls in the room to get maximum ghost effect.


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## gmb1994

ksmattfish said:
			
		

> You need a Kirllianizing filter.  Make sure you get the Circular Kirllianizer if your camera is auto focus.  Some Killianiziers have a mark on the rotating ring, turn this until it's at a right angle to most of the living souls in the room to get maximum ghost effect.



Where can I buy a "good" Kirllian filter?  Online?


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## mrsid99

Now you've piqued my interest too.
 Kirlian photography that I know essentially consisted of photographing an electro-static or corona discharge but this sounds to me like a polarizing device or similar.
 Please elucidate!


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## ksmattfish

Well, I got my kirlianizer the same place I bought my Hollywood digital camera (you know, the model with the infinately unlimited high res zoom).

check it out at www.itsallinksmattfish'simagination.com   

See, I never use the smilies, so when you see me use the smilies, that's your clue that I'm feeding you a line of BS.


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## mrsid99

Damn!
 He got me!
 Well done sir!


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## simnine

those orbs may be motes of dust, close to your lens, caught by your flash.


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## majosebayani

gmb1994 said:


> Can anyone offer a good explanation for those faint white spots ("orbs") that appear in photos?


 
At first, I thought that orbs were just reflections of droplets and dus particles in the air. But then, I noticed that orbs did not appear in pictures of the other areas of our house. They only appeared in pictures of our bathroom and of my cousin's unfinished house. I guess that they are manifestations of spirits. If they indeed are reflections from droplets and dust particles, then they should have shown in all the pictures.


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## mikelmartin

Orbs are spirits floating around .... According to the ghost hunters. Hehehehe.


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## spacefuzz

I get lots of orbs when I photograph in caves.  Lots of dust and condensation in the air. 

Of course it could also be ghosts.......


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## ann

lens flare by any other name is still lens flare.


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## TraciNofs

gmb1994 said:


> Thanks for your responses.  I'm using a Fujifilm Finepix 2650 2.0megapixel digital camera.
> 
> The obvious answer is that the "orbs" are balls of energy (spirits, ghosts or whatever).  I've noticed that the more people that are in the room when I take the picture, the more orbs exist in the photo.  I've also noticed that the orbs hang around even after all the people have left.
> 
> The aperture concept sounds reasonable, but then wouldn't those orbs exist in relatively the same locations from picture-to-picture if the camera is not moved between shots?
> 
> I have also noticed that it usually takes the use of a flash in order to get these orbs to appear in my photos.  What about dust particles or other particles?  I know rain, snow, invisible gases and smoke also produce nice "ghostly" effects.
> 
> I would like to believe that some of these orbs are spirits, but I want to rule out as many technical causes as possible.




OK - people may think I'm crazy cuz I am a paranormal investigator, and would like to answer the "orb" question.  It most likely is NOT a spirit.  It could be lights bouncing off some subjects, it could be dust (which is most likely what it is)... I have not found a group that will actually say it is an "orb". We do not use "orbs" as evidence because 99.9% of the time they are mostly dust particles....


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## TraciNofs

majosebayani said:


> gmb1994 said:
> 
> 
> 
> Can anyone offer a good explanation for those faint white spots ("orbs") that appear in photos?
> 
> 
> 
> 
> At first, I thought that orbs were just reflections of droplets and dus particles in the air. But then, I noticed that orbs did not appear in pictures of the other areas of our house. They only appeared in pictures of our bathroom and of my cousin's unfinished house. I guess that they are manifestations of spirits. If they indeed are reflections from droplets and dust particles, then they should have shown in all the pictures.
Click to expand...


Most paranormal groups will tell you they are nothing but dust spots... Just cuz they don't happen in other parts of the house doesn't mean they are not dust spots... Send it in to a paranormal group and have them analyze it??  I've not seen an "orb" or "dust spot" that a group will consider "paranormal" or a "spirit"...


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## TraciNofs

mikelmartin said:


> Orbs are spirits floating around .... According to the ghost hunters. Hehehehe.



Not necessarily... I used to think so - but mostly they are just dust particles. "When in doubt - throw it out", or send it in to a paranormal group for analyzation...  I do not really believe in orbs - just cool dust particles!


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## skieur

mrsid99 said:


> Now you've piqued my interest too.
> Kirlian photography that I know essentially consisted of photographing an electro-static or corona discharge but this sounds to me like a polarizing device or similar.
> Please elucidate!


 
Kirlian photography is actually filming the human aura which was by the way the name of Dr. Kirlian's book: THE HUMAN AURA.  The aura is the colourful electrical field...very low level...around every living thing which can be seen with an appropriate filter.  Apparently the colours in the aura indicate health or weakness in various parts of the living body or plant etc and the aura disappears at death.

skieur


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## GordonsAlive

*Orbs*
I have a similar camera for taking snaps, I have never seen anything like an orb in any of my photographs before.  I use digital, High end cameras and the same sort of camera that you are using but I uploaded some images onto my Mac and found orbs all over the photographs I had taken.   I did use a flash because the day was very dull, I did not move between shots and in some their are large orbs and then in others none appearing!  I have seen an orb a few years ago with my own eyes but never thought I would capture them in my photographs.


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## runnah

Orbs are BS.
Auras are BS.


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## rexbobcat

runnah said:


> Orbs are BS.
> Auras are BS.



What about the power crystals that I charge using moonlight?


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## runnah

rexbobcat said:


> runnah said:
> 
> 
> 
> Orbs are BS.
> Auras are BS.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> What about the power crystals that I charge using moonlight?
Click to expand...


Are you using your charging pyramid? I was having issues with mine until I realized my room wasn't properly feng shui'd. Boy did I feel silly.


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## astroNikon

A few months ago I just started playing around with my camera and did "ghosts", "orbs", "light writing" and those things that you see on those Ghost Hunter shows.  I put them on my FB and people actually thought they were real.   Oh boy .... 

You have to love cheap lenses too for that stuff, it becomes natural.


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## Dao

This thread will be 10 years old few days later.


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## astroNikon

Dao said:


> This thread will be 10 years old few days later.



Imagine that.  And there are still orbs in this world !!


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## lambertpix

mikelmartin said:


> Orbs are spirits floating around .... According to the ghost hunters. Hehehehe.



I got that one time from a Gettysburg enthusiast who thought he'd been photographing ghosts.  "Oh, really," I said, "so do you find most ghosts show up when you're pointing your camera at strong light sources?"

Sigh.


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## skieur

runnah said:


> Orbs are BS.
> Auras are BS.



And you, of course have duplicated Dr. Kirlian's experiments and proved him wrong.  I won't hold my breath waiting for your book.


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## manaheim

holy crap ... old thread.


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## astroNikon

manaheim said:


> holy crap ... old thread.



NO

Holy orbs, not holy cr#p


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## Trever1t

I believe!


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## 18.percent.gary

Recently a women put a posting on my local Craigslist in the photo section asking for help from pro photographers. Apparently a large number of photos she took of her kids had an ominous "apparition" looming in the edge of the photos and she wanted help capturing it with some high-end gear.

I was really bored at the time and responded asking for some photos to see for myself.

Each one had a slightly out-of-focus gray wrist strap (the kind found on most low-end point and shoots) blown out by the flash and dangling in the right side of the frame. I guess it only appeared in photos where she tilted the camera down towards the floor to get shots of her little kids.

Being the nice guy that I am I politely responded with my logical, professionally worded, scientific explanation of the phenomena and advised her how to avoid any problems in the future.

I was then promptly berated in a 500 word tirade of a reply as to how it ABSOLUTELY HAD TO BE the spirit of the now deceased grandmother from the great beyond shepherding the children through their young lives. If I was not willing to help her by capture better images of the "ghost" with my high-end gear (at no cost to her I assume) then I should "get a life" and "stop wasting her time". People who believe REALLY believe sometimes.

True story.


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