Throwback Thursday: Are Orbs Real?

In photography, an orb is a typically circular artifact on an image, created as a result of flash photography illuminating a mote of dust or other particle. Orbs are especially common with modern compact and ultra-compact digital cameras.

Orbs are captured during low-light instances where the camera's flash is used. Cases include night or underwater photography, or where a bright light source is near the camera. Light appears much brighter very near the source due to the inverse-square law, which says light intensity is inversely proportional to the square of the distance from the source. The orb artifact can result from retroreflection of light off solid particles, such as dust or pollen, or liquid particles, especially rain. They can also be caused by foreign material within the camera lens. The image artifacts usually appear as either white or semi-transparent circles, though may also occur with whole or partial color spectra, purple fringing or other chromatic aberration. With rain droplets, an image may capture light passing through the droplet creating a small rainbow effect.

Some paranormal investigators have referred to orbs appearing in photographs from allegedly haunted locations as 'ghost orbs', 'spirit orbs' or 'angel orbs', and claim them as evidence of spirit presences representing the essence or soul of a departed person, in some cases claiming that orbs have appeared on command and may have images and faces visible within them when zoomed in.

The following are merely two of my own personal true stories and experiences with orbs and the "unexplained" ...

The Bride's Best Friend

In October of 2012, I officiated a legal Wiccan handfasting for a couple who lived in Denver, PA. Toward the end of the ceremony, the bride turned to her family and friends (and unbeknownst to me) she "spoke" to her best friend who had passed away of cancer shortly before the wedding was to take place - the wedding which she was supposed to be such an important a part of. My husband had taken pics for me as, of course, I was not able to. A few days later after I had gotten my pics of the ceremony developed, I had immediately noticed an unusual orb-like image at the bottom of one of the bride's maids dresses. In fact, you can actually see her glancing down at her side at something that had so obviously caught her attention ...

The week after the wedding, the bride came to my home to pick up her official Marriage Certificate. After I showed her this particular pic, her immediate reaction was,"I knew it! I knew she was there, I could 'feel' it! I am not at all surprised."

Eric & Kim's Halloween Handfasting ~ October 28, 2012

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The Ghosts who (still) live in Gettysburg, PA

A few years ago, while attending a family reunion in York, PA, we had decided to take the Gettysburg ghost tour which included the historical battlefield. The tour guide took us all through the town and recanted personal stories of which the locals and other witnesses had shared of things they say they had seen and the ghosts and their images that roamed (and continue to roam) the streets to this day. Images and unexplained phenomena regarding the soldiers and their families who had died there. 

We were allowed to take photos and videos (back then, mostly via camcorders) of the entire tour. I remember there was one old abandoned home with a rather interesting history regarding it which the tour guide told us that due to previous paranormal activity as reported by the caretakers who upkeep the grounds, no one was allowed to enter this particular home. She also warned us that, even though we were welcome to take pictures and videos outside of this home, the energy in and around the house was so strong that many previous tourist have complained on numerous occasions that when they attempted to take pics or acquire any video footage, their batteries immediately died ... drained of all power! We all sort of shrugged our shoulders and pretty much did not think much more of it at that time.

Well, lo and behold while I was standing aside of my (then) brother-in-law who was using his camcorder up until that point during the tour, say, "I don't believe this!" (and began laughing) We both saw the red battery light go off and "POOF", no more video - completely shut off! Later that evening, my sister Robin told me that the battery came back and the camcorder was working fine.

In addition to the ghost tour, there was also a cool little museum which we visited before the tour began that was filled with dozens of orb and image photos captured by various folks who took pics during the walk through the battlefield and the town itself hanging on the walls - photos like the one Dark Elf had found above.

So, are orbs for real in most cases? Please feel free to share any experiences you may have had with them.