16 replies to this topic

[UM-Bot]

Image credit: (PD)

Matt Forde: A regular entry of ‘top 10 ghost photographs’ lists, the Brown Lady of Raynham Hall remains a perennial favourite among students of the paranormal. For those that aren’t au fait with this particular spectral snap I provide an overview below. Sightings of the Brown Lady have been reported at Norfolk’s Raynham Hall since the early 18th century, one even by a fearful King George IV (the Prince Regent, of the time). So when in September 1936 Country Life magazine commissioned two photographers, Captain Provand and Mr. Indre Shira to visit the ancestral seat of the Townshends and document some of the Hall’s features, they perhaps got more than they bargained for.

Towards the end of their photographic session, after viewing much of the historic house and gardens, the two men set up their camera to snap the impressive staircase. It was around 4pm and Provand had just taken an initial shot and was under the black cloth, adjusting the camera to take a second frame, when suddenly Shira insisted that he could see an apparition descending the staircase “a vapoury form gradually assuming the appearance of a woman” and he implored Provand to take the photograph, which, despite being unable to see anything unusual himself through the viewfinder, he did. Provand thought Shira had seen an optical illusion caused by a nearby mirror, or even the flash of the photograph he had taken shortly before and doubted Shira's claim of ghostly goings-on. Shira made a five pound bet with Provand that the spectral image would manifest on the photograph. Upon returning to their London studio and enlisting a Mr. Benjamin Jones as a witness they developed their plates and were astounded to discover that they seemed to have caught the Brown Lady of Raynham Hall on film.

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[pixiii]

I've always found this pic quite fascinating. I'd also forgotten it was taken so long ago! Can't believe it's that old

[REBEL]

Quote

The camera never lies ?

Think Photoshop(CS5)/CGI is killing (if not already) that cliche.

[Belial]

Quote

Shira made a five pound bet with Provand that the spectral image would manifest on the photograph. Upon returning to their London studio and enlisting a Mr. Benjamin Jones as a witness they developed their plates and were astounded to discover that they seemed to have caught the Brown Lady of Raynham Hall on film.

Oh thats a bit to much like a planned action of events to me, what gets me is how this always lives within the top 10 'best ever for real ghost pics'?

[theQ]

This is considered to be one of the best photographs in history of a ghost????   Plezzz....where have you been living?? on a desert island??  I have seen movies and photographs way better evidence than THAT....LOL.

[Mike D boy]

All I can say is from the era before photoshop, the "Brown Lady" is too good to be true and too good to be faked (it's difficult to fake a photo like this).

[REBEL]

 Archangel Michael, on 31 May 2010 - 10:23 PM, said:

All I can say is from the era before photoshop, the "Brown Lady" is too good to be true and too good to be faked (it's difficult to fake a photo like this).

True, it was the first thing that crossed my mind AM.
But who/what's to say for certain/beyond any doubt we're looking @ the '*original photos' (online observation only) and not manipulated (photoshopped) copies?



*(even with those one would need an expert analysis)

[:PsYKoTiC:BeHAvIoR:]

 REBEL, on 31 May 2010 - 11:47 AM, said:

Think Photoshop(CS5)/CGI is killing (if not already) that cliche.

Actually, the camera doesn't lie. It's human manipulation that creates deception. The camera only captures what it sees. Photoshop / CGI is applied after the fact.

[REBEL]

 :PsYKoTiC:BeHAvIoR:, on 01 June 2010 - 02:06 PM, said:

Actually, the camera doesn't lie. It's human manipulation that creates deception. The camera only captures what it sees. Photoshop / CGI is applied after the fact.

No kidding.
My point still remains; How does one determine genuine from forgery (especially online) with super sophisticated software tech like PS/CGI. Also as i said, even the 'originals' skeptics would demand firsthand/hands on expert analysis...probing if you like i guess when look'n @ UFO photos/video footage.

[GreyWeather]

Any photographer can tell you that the camera doesn't lie, but it never shows you the truth either.

It just takes a small image, and you do the rest in jumping to conclusions and debating what is.

For most photographs that ghostly images appear in, are normally easily explainable - to either developing of film or paper faults, lens flares, shutter problems, curtain problems, etcetc. And if it's none of those, they're forged and faked, and if it's none of the above it's a mystery.

[Explosivo]

 Archangel Michael, on 31 May 2010 - 10:23 PM, said:

All I can say is from the era before photoshop, the "Brown Lady" is too good to be true and too good to be faked (it's difficult to fake a photo like this).

Believe it or not, but manipulating photos before photoshop was long in existance, and very easy to do (We learnt how to do it in year 8 many years ago) and it is not all at difficult to fake a photo like this. Infact it's incredibly easy, and just about any camera on the planet can do such a thing. I can't believe that "ghost photo's" actually get taken seriously

[Agent X]

Quote

No kidding.
My point still remains; How does one determine genuine from forgery (especially online) with super sophisticated software tech like PS/CGI. Also as i said, even the 'originals' skeptics would demand firsthand/hands on expert analysis...probing if you like i guess when look'n @ UFO photos/video footage.

Well then, why bother to use any cameras at all for any sort of scientific study if that's indeed the case?

After all, shouldn't the same standards be applied evenly?

For example, Piltdown man. If we were to use the same standards of once it's a hoax the entire body of work is a hoax, then Piltdown man renders the entire field of study it was associated with a hoax.

For those who don't know about Piltdown man, here's the wiki:

http://en.wikipedia....ki/Piltdown_Man

[the joker]

 REBEL, on 31 May 2010 - 11:47 AM, said:

Think Photoshop(CS5)/CGI is killing (if not already) that cliche.

Im not sure this was photoshop but if you look at the pictures surroundings you can see that it there was lighting on both of the wooden railings which could mean the sun is shining through a glass window causing floating dust particles to form this human like figure.

[ShadowSot]

 :PsYKoTiC:BeHAvIoR:, on 01 June 2010 - 02:06 PM, said:

Actually, the camera doesn't lie. It's human manipulation that creates deception. The camera only captures what it sees. Photoshop / CGI is applied after the fact.

Psh.

The Cottingley Fairies fooled Conan Doyle and survived as a hoax for some time, and this was well before the advent of photoshop. Photo manipulating is a old trick, photoshop just made it insanely easier.

[The Unseen]

 UM-Bot, on 31 May 2010 - 08:36 AM, said:

Image credit: (PD)

Matt Forde: A regular entry of ‘top 10 ghost photographs’ lists, the Brown Lady of Raynham Hall remains a perennial favourite among students of the paranormal. For those that aren’t au fait with this particular spectral snap I provide an overview below. Sightings of the Brown Lady have been reported at Norfolk’s Raynham Hall since the early 18th century, one even by a fearful King George IV (the Prince Regent, of the time). So when in September 1936 Country Life magazine commissioned two photographers, Captain Provand and Mr. Indre Shira to visit the ancestral seat of the Townshends and document some of the Hall’s features, they perhaps got more than they bargained for.

Towards the end of their photographic session, after viewing much of the historic house and gardens, the two men set up their camera to snap the impressive staircase. It was around 4pm and Provand had just taken an initial shot and was under the black cloth, adjusting the camera to take a second frame, when suddenly Shira insisted that he could see an apparition descending the staircase “a vapoury form gradually assuming the appearance of a woman” and he implored Provand to take the photograph, which, despite being unable to see anything unusual himself through the viewfinder, he did. Provand thought Shira had seen an optical illusion caused by a nearby mirror, or even the flash of the photograph he had taken shortly before and doubted Shira's claim of ghostly goings-on. Shira made a five pound bet with Provand that the spectral image would manifest on the photograph. Upon returning to their London studio and enlisting a Mr. Benjamin Jones as a witness they developed their plates and were astounded to discover that they seemed to have caught the Brown Lady of Raynham Hall on film.

View: Full Article

I remember that photo from a long time ago when I first found out about ghosts.Brings back memories.