Attn: Someone with photography/photo credentials

[Mashiara Sedai]

I'm looking for someone to give me a brief overview about what technical problems might be causing the image/light blur in the photo below.  It's for a report for school.  One of the photography professors agreed to give his expert opinion, but I've been waiting three weeks and nothing.  The reports due on the 24th so I have to find someone who has some academic/extracurricular experience with the technical aspects of photography.  If you can help me, and don't mind being cited in my paper, please post below or PM me. 

THANKS!

 

[The_Fnorrll_Reborn]

I know a couple of freelance photographers I could ask for you if you like. A link to a larger copy of the image would help. Also I assume the white line was added by you? I don't know if they have qualifications or just experience, tho, but they take a lot of great photos. I can link you to their web page so you can see if you want.

[Ithillian Turambar]

There are two white lines. One is brighter near the top and a smaller dimmer one near the bottom on the right hand side.

 

There also seems to be a screaming face - but I don't know if that is supposed to be there, ie is it painted on the wall, or if that is also what Mashi is asking about.

 

I'm looking on my phone though, so the image is not very big.

[Moon Sedai]

I see the face.

It looks like a screaming Jesus.

Wish I could help with the tech problem.

[Mashiara Sedai]

Sorry, I should have given more info. My friend took this pic with a digital camera and was shocked when they looked on the computer, and saw the screaming face. She is convinced it is a ghost. So, for my folklore class, I'm interviewing her about the experience, but also investigating what the photo could actually be. The lights are streaked, which I think should have a technical expaination (ie: the lens was moved right as the photo was taken, etc.), but since I have no experience, I'm looking for a pro or semi-pro to give me a better answer.

 

I'm out right now, but when I get home, I'll link a bigger photo. I'd really appreciate you passing this along to your friends, Fnorrll!

[Ithillian Turambar]

I do think the lights are caused by camera shake, especially as there is the second on further down that almost matches the top one.

 

That would be the refraction off the back of the lens with the brighter one being the original object.

 

The screaming face is odd.

 

What was she taking a picture of? Just a wall? Did she take more than one picture of it?

[Moon Sedai]

btw- the phenomenon of seeing faces where there are none is called "Pareidolia"

[The_Fnorrll_Reborn]

My opinion sucked and was wrong so I edited it out. Once I get a bigger pic I'll save in to my ipad and go asking around.

[Ithillian Turambar]

This was in response to Fnorrll's advice which sucked lol

[Ithillian Turambar]

Also right on with the seeing faces thing. Here is another example.

 

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-510155/Mysterious-ghostly-face-child-appears-mobile-phone-photo-teen-pals.html

[The_Fnorrll_Reborn]

Well spotted Ithi. I just edited that- didn't read properly. I had the exact same thing on a photo when I was a kid tho with the lines and it was a scratched negative.

[lolguy26]

i like taking pictures, and imo the image has either been tampered with or her camera is weird 

[Ithillian Turambar]

I used to work in a photo shop so saw it all the time.

 

People would rewind film and re use it - or it would get jammed on the spoke of the camera inside and they'd bring it in to get it fixed.

 

We had a special black bag to use and would roll them onto special spare cannisters and then send them through to get developed.

 

I saw quite a few ghosty pictures.

[lolguy26]

oh this is back in the days, when you guys had negatives and stuff

[Ithillian Turambar]

i like taking pictures, and imo the image has either been tampered with or her camera is weird

Maybe ...

 

I actually thought that it has been on a slow shutter speed because of the light travel thing - and then one of her friends had popped up in front of the camera for a second whilst it was being taken.

 

Like someone is playing a joke on her?

[Ithillian Turambar]

oh this is back in the days, when you guys had negatives and stuff

My mum came and dragged me out of maths class when I was 14 and told me she found me a job.

 

I don't think many people use real film anymore - but I used to really like my 35mm proper camera. I think the quality of pictures was better. I had an instamatic too lol.

 

Of course these days you don't have to spend hours in a dark room developing negatives and images. Just click a button.

[lolguy26]

 

i like taking pictures, and imo the image has either been tampered with or her camera is weird

Maybe ...

 

I actually thought that it has been on a slow shutter speed because of the light travel thing - and then one of her friends had popped up in front of the camera for a second whilst it was being taken.

 

Like someone is playing a joke on her?

 

 

well ive never seen such a line made tbh(the one in the middle), except on photoshop or any other image editing programs 

[lolguy26]

 

oh this is back in the days, when you guys had negatives and stuff

My mum came and dragged me out of maths class when I was 14 and told me she found me a job.

 

I don't think many people use real film anymore - but I used to really like my 35mm proper camera. I think the quality of pictures was better. I had an instamatic too lol.

 

Of course these days you don't have to spend hours in a dark room developing negatives and images. Just click a button.

 

 

but wasnt it fun, developing the negatives, the red lights, it made taking a picture mean something, more than just a click and then upload to fb 

[Ithillian Turambar]

It certainly made explaining stuff like this easier :)

[lolguy26]

Lol true (and you could sound fancy while explaining)

[Mashiara Sedai]

Okay, here's the full pic.  It's all I have--she sent it to me via an email.

 

https://docs.google.com/file/d/0B2ygh7pOsO8NNjRUbERDQ0RRUGs/edit?usp=sharing

 

I know the woman who took this very well.  She did not tamper with it at all (and lacks the knowledge to do so).  It was taken during a party at her house where they were celebrating the death of her partner's father.  She took this in the backyard--not through a window or any reflective surface.  It was digital, so no negative to get a double exposure.  The only people at the party were her (55 years old), her partner (45 years old), an aunt (about 60), and their son (12).  The face seems like a young girl and there were no girls there.

 

I'm really thinking it was just the lens left open (which I can do on my camera--the technique used to get pictures of star lines), but I need the technical jargon to explain why it happened.  If you hold down the button to take the pic, but don't press down all the way, it opens the lens and lets light pass through.  It's easy to do, and it leave the sort of line from the lights you see.  But, again, I need to cite a professional so it sounds better in my paper.  :P

 

Example of star lines: