Reflections
Reflections cause their fair share of problems for ghost hunters, and I’m not just talking about the kind you see in your mirror. Light has a strange way of bouncing around a space and often shows up in unexpected places. All it takes is a slightly reflective surface and BAM, you’ve got yourself an anomaly. With a little practice though, light reflections are pretty easy to recognize.
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| A flashlight reflects in a window |
The first thing you should do when you see a light anomaly in a photo is try and identify a source. Look for a light source such as a lighting fixture or flashlight. Often the camera flash reflects all over place. Once you’ve figured out all the potential sources for the light, try and locate every reflective surface in the room- that can include mirrors, windows, glass tables, plastic display cases, metallic surfaces and a whole lot of other things as well. Ask yourself if you can see a natural pattern in how the light is moving across the room. Also, if you notice the anomaly while you are taking photos, take another photo of the exact same spot. This is a really helpful technique because it can help you determine what things are naturally occurring in a space.
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| The table,windows,display case,pictures,chairs,walls,and clocks in this room all reflect light |
A light reflection can appear much larger (or smaller) than the initial light source, so don’t assume something is paranormal just because the size is unusual. Light can also appear to change color in photos, so don’t be surprised if your flashlight or camera flash turns a weird color on occasion.
If you still aren’t sure if what you are looking at is paranormal, get a second opinion. Sometimes another person can point out some obvious solution you may have overlooked or help you investigate further if the image just can’t be explained.
At the end of the day, it's really about training yourself to analyze the space, and world around you- and knowledge is one of your best weapons.
