Photographing Orbs - Any Success?

SKE · Post by **SKE** » Sat 15 Oct, 2011 10:42 pm

Has anyone been successful photographing orbs in Leeds, and if so, where?After an estate agent photgraphed our cellar (pointed down the trapdoor and clicked as she said she doesn't like cellars), there was an orb in the picture. She then proceeded to tell me how they (the estate agents) see them on photos quite often. Now I am a little like Fox Mulder (no, I'm not a renegade ex FBI paranormal investigator ) in that I Want To Believe but common sense tells me it was likely the flash hitting a particle of dust a few inches or so from the lense. So after she had gone I went down there (I have a small gym down there so it's not like I find it creepy or anything) and took many photos but with no flash. I figured, if I capture any orbs without a flash then I would be much more convinced they were real paranormal entities or at least unexplained phenomena. No luck, so that night I took some flashless shots of the graveyard (through the fence as it was locked up) opposite St James hospital. No luck for me, but I will keep trying. So, I read the bit about Temple Newsham where LeedsLass had caught orbs etc on video (wish I could get the link to work) and thought i have got to try Temple Newsham. But for me, using a flash means that any orbs could just be dust. Can anyone give any advice on where / how to capture them?

Leedsrich · Post by **Leedsrich** » Sun 16 Oct, 2011 2:07 am

Hi there SKE, im into the paranormal and love old places that are said to be haunted. After a frightnights event last year in one of yorks oldest buildings, im not so convinced due to their approach on things. They do chants and other methods that i think would make any spirits present not want to show themselves!I would love to go stay in these said haunted houses accross yorkshire, just me and someone else, and video, photograph and write down everything that we hear or happens, and write a genuine book.I think orbs are just dust particles, bugs or even damp, as you get alot of orbs from caves or underground places, due to moisture. Orbs dont prove anything in my opinion, and are certainly nothing paranormal. One genuine experience i had was at Temple Newsam, it must have been at least 11pm but more towards 12am, and me and some friends were sat in a car right in front of the house. From nowhere there was this very loud groan, and not from a distance, it seemed to be all around us, it was very very weird. So weird that we all just looked at eachother with fear in our faces!I beleive this event to be genuine and have never heared a noise like this in my life, anywhere, or from any animal. Simply impossible.

Chrism · Post by **Chrism** » Sun 16 Oct, 2011 12:39 pm

The easiest way of capturing orbs is to put very tiny specks of dust on your camera lens, or drops of moisture.

Post by **chameleon** » Sun 16 Oct, 2011 1:28 pm

'I think orbs are just dust particles, bugs or even damp, as you get alot of orbs from caves or underground places, due to moisture. Orbs dont prove anything in my opinion, and are certainly nothing paranormal.'I very much agree Rich - there is a well established explanation in even 'school boy' optical physics to explain this and thes pictures always seem to involve similar environmental conditions which would support this as the cause.They do, like so much, lend themselves to speculation in the eyes of different people who may see a load of spherical objects in different ways but I too feel science wins

Leodian · Post by **Leodian** » Sun 16 Oct, 2011 6:59 pm

Chrism wrote: The easiest way of capturing orbs is to put very tiny specks of dust on your camera lens, or drops of moisture. As for example those in the photo I posted in the intriguing 'Tower off Crown Point Bridge - What's that all about?!' thread http://www.secretleeds.co.uk/forum/Mess ... tMessage=0 My post is on page 1 of that thread posted Oct 12 timed 14:44 and has rain drop 'orbs' which I did not know until I downloaded the photo. I must take more care when I'm taking photos in wet conditions.

simong · Post by **simong** » Sun 16 Oct, 2011 7:24 pm

Agreed, they are artefacts of digital photography, probably a combination of light from the flash catching a mote of dust either on or near the lens and the way that a digital camera processes an image. I have a few pictures that I took about ten years ago that include orbs, and given that the conditions they were taken in were known (sand floor, still night, low lighting), once you realise what they are it's obvious what all orbs are.

SKE · Post by **SKE** » Sun 16 Oct, 2011 8:23 pm

I agree that they are mostly optival effects however that won't stop me photographing without a flash at ight and seeing if I get anything - if by xome chance i do, then there may be a bit more to it as I will have to rule out the flash causing orbs.If I capture anything else, then great! As a matter of fact I intend to visit Temple Newsham tonight after the children are in bed and have had tea etc. No dout after reading all this I will be pretty edgy, but I'm still going to take some shots. I'll let you know if anything unusual happens.

Leodian · Post by **Leodian** » Sun 16 Oct, 2011 9:19 pm

Leedsrich wrote: Hi there SKE, im into the paranormal and love old places that are said to be haunted. After a frightnights event last year in one of yorks oldest buildings, im not so convinced due to their approach on things. They do chants and other methods that i think would make any spirits present not want to show themselves!I would love to go stay in these said haunted houses accross yorkshire, just me and someone else, and video, photograph and write down everything that we hear or happens, and write a genuine book.I think orbs are just dust particles, bugs or even damp, as you get alot of orbs from caves or underground places, due to moisture. Orbs dont prove anything in my opinion, and are certainly nothing paranormal. One genuine experience i had was at Temple Newsam, it must have been at least 11pm but more towards 12am, and me and some friends were sat in a car right in front of the house. From nowhere there was this very loud groan, and not from a distance, it seemed to be all around us, it was very very weird. So weird that we all just looked at eachother with fear in our faces!I beleive this event to be genuine and have never heared a noise like this in my life, anywhere, or from any animal. Simply impossible. Though I've never experienced anything paranormal I happily accept that some people do genuinely believe they have seen and/or heard strange things, like you did at Templenewsam. A scientific reason can often be suggested, but some do remain unexplained. Perhaps some people have an innate abilty to sense paranormal things. Off topic slightly but there are indications for example that some animals seem to be able to sense if an earthquake is about to occur.

Steve Jones · Post by **Steve Jones** » Sun 16 Oct, 2011 11:43 pm

I used to think that orbs were a load of rubbish being misinterpreted dust or moisture.I had a picture of myself surrounded by orbs taken at the Fortean Unconvention some years ago when ASSAP were doing it by squirting a fine spray of water between you and a digital camera.However my view was shaken when doing a vigil in the old lighthouse at Withernsea which is now the town museum.I saw a bright ball of white light the size of a basketball appear on a monitor and shoot off leaving a momentary trail in my vision.we didn't know which room it was as all the lights were out and it wasn't a posh system so rooms weren't labelled.The curator who was with with the vigil came to look after i shouted the others and we figure out that it was one of the rooms which is supposed to have contained the mad wife of a lighthouse keeper for some years!I still can't explain that one,but am largely skeptical about most orb pictures I have seen/been shown.

Leedsrich · Post by **Leedsrich** » Mon 17 Oct, 2011 11:48 pm

Hi Leodian, i agree with what you say about most things have a scientific explination and some don't. Thats why whenever i hear anything or see anything unusual i always try and pass it off as scientific, i never jump to the conclusion that its paranormal.If i truly believe something to be genuine and unexplainable then i will mention it to others, hopefully to get some feedback from someone who may have also heared or seen similar things.The noise we heared at Temple Newsam was absolutely not explainable, the other 3 people in the car with me had fear in their faces and wanted to leave immediately.So i believe this to be genuine as a haunting, the people i was with are in no way into the paranormal either, which makes you wonder why they were scared if theres 'no such thing'.