Orbs are translucent circles or spheres that appear in photos and videos. When we can’t explain them, those orb sightings are often considered paranormal.
In addition, some people see orbs in real life, not just in film. To them, the orbs seem to be floating in air. However, the vast majority of people see orbs only in photographs and videos.
Who sees orbs?
It’s difficult to tell how many people capture orb images in photos.
However, the orbs appear in pictures whether you’re a believer or not, and whether your goal is orb photography or not.
Basically, anyone who takes photos in haunted locations is likely to see orbs in his or her photos.
It’s that simple. Orbs are real.
Until I saw my first, baffling daytime orb in a photo, I hadn’t even looked for photographic anomalies.
Then, when I reviewed old photos I’d taken throughout the UK and Ireland, I was amazed. The only orbs were in photographs of haunted places.
From tests with the Hollow Hill team, it appears that about 80% of photographers will discover orbs in their pictures.
(Photo above, left: Orb outside the Driskill Hotel, Austin, Texas.)
Orb sightings – The test
We tested our theories with about a dozen researchers and identical, disposable cameras. Some were experienced investigators, and others were on their first “ghost hunt.” We were all at the same (very haunted) location at the same time, and each researcher took a full roll of photos that evening.
Three of our 20 researchers had no anomalies of any kind — including orbs — in their photos. One other seemed to capture a strange image, but it may have been a reflection.
Each of the other researchers photographed orbs in an average of three photos (out of 24 on the roll of film).
Note: Before digital cameras became popular, we were happy when two or three photos — out of 100 — revealed anomalies.
Today, percentages are harder to estimate. When a researcher sees orbs in his or her photos, that immediate feedback prompts us to take even more pictures in that area.
It’s always a mistake to reach conclusions from a single, limited study. However, that night’s evidence supported our guideline that about 80% of researchers can take orb photos.
It doesn’t seem to make any difference if the photographer is a skeptic or a believer.
(Photo above, right: Orb above headstone at Gilson Road Cemetery, Nashua, NH)
Tips for more orb photos
The following seem to improve results among orb photographers:
- Use the flash on your camera.
- Use film or a digital setting between 400 and 800 ISO (or ASA).
- Take photos when your “gut feeling” prompts you to.
- If anyone notes an EMF spike, cold spot or other anomalies, take photos in that area.
- Study every photo carefully. Enlarge it if it’s digital. Study the film as well as the print, if you’re using a film camera.
Whether you’re actively looking for orbs or prefer other evidence of ghosts and hauntings, orb sightings intrigue many paranormal investigators.
Do you have a great tip that helps you take more interesting “ghost photos”… including orbs? Have a question about orbs? Leave comments, below.
[...] you ever had orbs show up in your photographs? Here is an interesting blog post on them. It includes tips for getting even more orbs in your photos, as well as links to some other [...]
I notice that a lot of the time the “orbs” are just the flash reflecting of a
piece of metal, mirrior etc.
this is not to say that orbs don’t exist I still believe in them very much
Alex, you are correct about many orbs being reflected light. If you read the articles I’ve posted in the “Ghost hunting guide” section of this website, you’ll learn many tips to tell the difference between orbs that can be explained, and those we consider true anomalies.
I see orbs with my eyes. i ask them to move to the wall and they do. i have no idea who to talk to about the. do you have any info for me
Hi again Sherry,
I’m assuming that you’ve checked with your eye doctor to be sure it’s nothing affecting your eyes.
If you are seeing spirits or ghosts as orbs and they’re responding to you, you’re in fairly uncharted territory. You could ask them a question and then say, “Move right for yes, or left for no,” or something like that.
It’s worth a try.
That said, you might be seeing faeries, not ghosts: http://faeriemagick.com/believe/blurry-spheres-of-light-what-faeries-really-look-like/
Sincerely,
Fiona
the MANY orbs in my house too, HAVE some kind of consciousness to them! My husband thinks Im nuts, but I cannot deny what I see & what my camera is showing me.They seem to know where they want to go, but they seem like they are attracted to me and my dog!I wish I knew what they were and what they want. Our big dog just died too and theres a BIG orb either over our house or the dog kennel. And it wasnt there B4.
My husband, I , and some friends have just started a new ghost hunting goup. We seem to get many orbs, and of lot of them seem to have faces in them. Some of the photos were sent to a ghost hunting site, and they said that orbs with faces in them are always dust. What is your opinion of orbs with faces in them?
Thanks for your comments and questions, Elizabeth.
I’m skeptical when anyone makes broad generalities about orbs. Each orb must be evaluated individually, based on the location, weather, and so on.
We can simplify many observations about orbs, such as ‘if it’s a damp night and you see hundreds of orbs in all of your photos, some of those orbs are probably moisture’. But, beyond that, it’s a mistake to generalize about something as significant as orbs, and especially orbs that appear to display faces to us.
I’ve seen ‘smiley face’ orbs. Some may be dust, but the same could be said about any orb. I’ve seen orbs with very distinctive faces that look almost like photos of people’s faces, and I’m unable to explain most of them.
I’ve posted many articles at this website, to help you rule out dust, reflections, humidity, and so on. However, you are the only one who knows the exact conditions when you took the pictures. Therefore, I’d take anyone else’s opinion — especially something as generalized as ‘they’re always dust’ — with a grain of salt.
If you’re consistently seeing faces in your orbs, there are some other possibilities to consider. One is: The lens in or on the camera (if it’s just one camera) adds the lights and shadows to make the orb look — to some — as if it’s a face. Try using a second camera at the same time, and see if your results are different.
Or, if several people (with different cameras) are regularly seeing faces in their orbs, it could be that one or more person in the group is especially receptive to orbs, spirits, or anomalies in general.
Except for a feature of the lens or lenses on a particular camera, I can’t think of any reason why dust would consistently create faces in orbs, and I’d be very reluctant to say that faces are always dust.
It sounds like you’re making great progress with your group. Thanks for taking the time to conduct this research! Your group may be the one that finds a good explanation for the faces so many people are seeing in orbs.
do you see orbs without the camera
Sherry,
I don’t personally see them without my camera, but some people do. It’s rare, but it happens.
Sincerely,
Fiona
I do. But not all the time.And no one else seems to be able to see them
We starting seeing orbs after we had an investagation team come in and they also captured over 30 voice recordings,after looking at the orbs in the pic’s closer we have seen over 50 different faces and sometimes full bodies of people…they are not caused by the flash alot of the faces are out in the yard on our property also..want to learn more..
I am so sick of looking at photos of dust particles (I have taken many, many of my own) and listening to people proclaim “look at all of those orbs”!
I’m not saying that they do not exist, on the contrary, several of my own family members have seen orbs. They have always been seen with the naked eye and always appear to be a small ball of glowing energy that gives off its own energy and is in no way transparent. They also do not look like dust or water droplets on the lens og your camera.
People claiming the everyday is actually paranormal is a lot of the reason that so many people do not believe.
I was staying in Riverside and took many interior photos of an old hotel. I found out later that two of the rooms in my photos were deemed to be very haunted. Both of these rooms showed orbs when I looked at my images later. I’m in process of writing a story on this. If anyone can suggest some paying markets that might be interested in this sort of thing, please let me know.
grathy@aol.com
I hve been looking for information about orbs. I was staying with my grandmother and her private nurse ,my grandmother had been sent home with about two weeks to live and I just couldnt leave her alone with a stranger we had always been very close.I had lived next door to her growig up and she had told me of a few strange things had happen in her house.One day she came home from ork and there was a bird egg on the counter int hekitchen,it was not broken,it was in perfect condition. Another time she came home from work ,she had a old sewing machine that had the footpedals [not electric] and it was just sewing away the pedals wherer moving .My Dad had built the house in the 60′s,so no one else had lived there but my grandparents,and my great grandmother.Mygrandfather was in the hospital when they sent her home to die.To many things happened in that house will I was staying there with her and the nurse to tell you ,but things like lights coming on in different rooms but the light switch was off,ceiling fans coming on and going off by themselves.Then everynight about 3 oclock there was this noise of like a invisible ball bouncing from wall to wall and floor to ceiling.It would get louder and louder till the pictures on the wall would start to shake.Iwas so scared I would wake the nurse up she seen it too.Her job was to stay with people whom was dying and she wasnt scared she said she had seen these types of things before.As my Aunt and Uncles would come by to visit there Mom I was so scared,I tried to tell them and they would make jokes about it.My Grandmother lived for 4 weeks,sometimes she was alert and other times she was not,But oneday she was pretty alert and I was reading her bible to her you know ,all the parts she had under lined
over the years,my thoart became very sore will I was reading,then i noticed her looking at me kindof funny so i asked her what was wrong ,she pulled me close to the bed and starting like pulling something off of my neck,then she asked me {who is that -that has there arm run up the sleeve of your shirt and thier hand around your neck?} Iwas so scared I didnt Know what to do. These odd thingsjust kept happening more and more and the invisible ball sound was louder than ever.One night I was so scared I found two more bibles.I put one at the foot and one at the head of her bed then i started reading the other oneand the more i read the louder the invisible ball sound got. I could actually feel the wind as it would go right in front of my face.I wanted to leave,but I was scared to leave her there.The night before she died it was about 5 oclock in the morning I had went outside to smoke I was standing in the open garage and I was right by the living room window where they had her hospital bed set up when all of a sudden this round ball of light came thru the window and landed on the ground.It was sparkling like a sparkler that kids do on the fourth of July
it was spinning,I ran back in thinking on she just died,but she was sitting up in the bed, she said she was scared that someone was trying to get her. I dont believe in ghost, this ball of spinning sparkling lightI have to know what it was. My grandmoter was a christian and she did not believe in ghost,and I have went to church since Iwas very little and i dont believe in ghost.So I dont know what was happening in that house
but I know it was real.I almost lost my mind after she died because I dont believe in ghost I do believe in Evil and Good spirits,so which was there?And the ball of light.After she pasted my Uncle and his wife was going to spent the night there so the would not hve to drive back for the funeral,about 2 oclock in the morning they called my other Uncle who just lived down the road,He came right away they had all the gas heaters on but the tempature would only get up between 45 and 50 degrees and the it was freezing cold inthe house.When my other uncle got there all the lights starting coming on while the switches were off ceiling fans coming on they turned the breakers off but it was still doing it with the breakers off,then thatinvisible ball sound started bouncing around the room,they all left right then. I was so scared I would not go to the family dinner before the funeral because the were having it at her house. Later I tried to talk to my Uncles about what happened and they told me what happened they were not going back in that house after dark. A few days after the funeral,after I had went back to my house I went to the hosipital because I could not stop shaking.I was so terrifed to go to sleep,I know what I had seen and I was scared.My grand mother died in Nov of 1998-still everyonce in a while I will wake up and fell someone by my bed,with no face or hands.Or like a dark cloud floating along the ceiling in the hall The last time this happened I started praying like crazy to be protected from whatever it was,and it just stood in the hall looking into my room but it never came into the room and it finally went away. So I guess I am looking for some explaintion of what was happening.Everything i find about the ball of sparkling light just talks about pictures of them and how it was the flash or reflection,but what does it mean when you see one for real? Im still scared at night 11 years later.Why do I keep seeing these things, I never seen them before any of this happened.Is there anyone else who has had the things happen?
Debbie, I’m not able to explain it, but — of course — that’s why we conduct research into paranormal topics. We’re looking for answers, both normal and paranormal.
From my experiences on many, many investigations, once people encounter something paranormal, they become more aware of the things that others ignore. So, I don’t think more is happening around you; you’ve simply joined the ranks of those who notice them.
If you are frightened by what’s happening, it’s important to talk with someone about it. It’s good that you went to the hospital when you did. You should never be alone when you are very frightened or upset.
Since we’re dealing with spiritual phenomena, I recommend talking with a professional in the spiritual field, too. That could be a priest, minister, rabbi, or other spiritual leader. They can talk about the history of things like this, and what they mean to you… and to people, in general.
They may also be able to refer you to a psychologist who works with paranormal phenomena, and better understands how these things can affect people at the emotional level, as well.
Mostly, it’s important not to be afraid of what’s going on. Once you understand that it’s not dangerous — and these things rarely are — then it’s more a matter of learning coping skills so you aren’t as afraid or upset if it happens again.
Yes I saw something similar. Not exactly but photos of orbs are all crap. Dust or pollen in the air when you shoot the picture these things are out of focus and show up as balls. They are nothing. What happened to me was I was paying bills one evening and I sensed something beside me. I looked to my left and about six feet above the floor and beside me was this white ball of light. It was not real bright but rather than light that has spears of light radiating out from it this one was like a ball of tiny grains of blurred white balls of light together in a larger ball. The ball was radiating like a bunch of small balls wiggling around a center and it did not produce much light as I said before. It was about three feet from my head and when I looked at it I could not believe what I was seeing. It stayed motionless for a little while then at a walking pace moved diagonally away and toward the corner of the room then quickly took a turn and angled up and sort of back sideways to me it went through the ceiling and disappeared. As it went through the ceiling the ceiling got brighter around it as it vanished through the ceiling. That is when the hair stood up all over my body and I said “What the f*#k was that!” I know what I saw and it was something that had some intelligence to it. It was not random floating object but something that for whatever reason was watching me and when I looked at it, it decided to leave. I did not pursue it or want to know more about what it was. I did not want to stir things up best left alone. This all happened before computers and the internet and since then I have seen video footage of a whole group abduction showing similar orbs of light and one photograph that showed numerous orbs flying around in a room with people sitting on couch looking at them. My encounter was the same kind of orb as these were. I have not seen anything else like them. Don’t waste your time on orb pictures because they are nothing. There are those of us out here who have seen unexplained objects that defy normal explanation. Mine is one and yours sounds like it too. Earl
IS THERE ANY WAY TO MKAE IT STOP?
IT IS TO SCARY
Debbie, if it’s too scary, find another hobby and stop watching ghost-related TV shows. Ghosts are no more frightening than people are. If anything, they’re less scary than people. If you want to stop ghosts… well, that’s the same as trying to stop people. In other words, it’s not going to happen.
I HAVE NEVER WATCHED GHOST RELATED TV SHOWS ,I DONT LIKE TO BE SCARED.
THIS IS NOT MY HOBBY ,THIS IS SOMETHING THAT HAPPENED TO ME -I DID NOT ASK FOR IT TO HAPPEN.I WISHED IT NEVER DID.BUT EVEN 11 YRS LATER IT STILL BOTHERS ME WHY WOULD THEY BE THERE WHEN MY GRANDMOTHER WAS DYING?
Debbie,
This is a question that I can’t answer. I recommend talking about it with someone who works in the spiritual field… your priest, minister, rabbi, high priest, or whatever fits your belief system. If that’s not appropriate, a psychologist can probably recommend someone who understands how and why this happened, and why it’s still bothering you 11 years later.
I’m sorry about the loss of your grandmother. Traditionally, when spirits are around while someone approaches death, they are there to guide the person to the other side. Depending on the context, those spirits can appear frightening to someone who is already emotionally vulnerable due to the trauma of losing a loved one.
However, I can’t answer your question. It’s something to discuss in far greater depth with someone who works in the spiritual field, or understands how spiritual matters can affect people, many years later.
Sympathetically,
Fiona
ive been seeing & taking pix of orbs since my Dad died. I have his ashes in my dining room. I bet I have 200 pix of these orbs. I
hello everyone
I’m hector from Patagonia and I’m not much of a ghost believer.
paranormal activity is interesting but for me is like a good book, it’s cool but I don’t take it serieously.
however there’re a couple pictures I took 2 years ago that kind of disturbs me.
I took them one night in an abandoned electricity facility and there are these “orbs” but they’re kinda different, they are pretty round but they aren’t just static- they leave a straight “echo” that’s the best word that comes to my mind since my english is not perfect.
i guess some of you may know better on the subject, if so, write to me and I’ll send you the pics
eternal_reborn@hotmail.com
thanks
well just thought of an easier way, I’ve uploaded the pics
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2041032&id=1342994948&l=699747e2ed
you can watch it even if you’re not in facebk
Hector,
My first guess would be insects, since they’re moving. However, I’m a little uncertain because the orbs are such perfect circles. Insects are usually oval or irregular shapes. I could understand if one insect managed to move in a way that created a perfectly round orb… but not two in the same photo.
I might also guess dust particles, depending on the speed of your camera at the time. If you were using a tripod and the lens was open for an extended exposure, dust could be floating past and be highlighted by the flash. I’m sure there was considerable dust at that location.
The third non-paranormal explanation might be camera movement, but that would require some unusual focal issues since the background remains crisp and clear.
However, having spent years looking at these kinds of photos, and several months (and thousands of photos) creating false orbs for my upcoming book, “Ghost Photography 101,” I know how difficult it is to create false orbs. I have a new respect for how unlikely these explanations are.
You’ll need to decide for yourself, based on your own experiences and the suggestions offered here.
Fiona
Hello im charlene im 17 years old and im a bit scared of what im getting in my pictures. My boyfriends dad died march 09 and i have never had orbs in my pictures until now, I took a random picture of my boyfriends dog about a week ago and i noticed half of the dogs head was see through like i could see the scerting boards through his head not the full head just half. And ever since ive been getting alot of orbs mostly blue and white ones, i get small and huge orbs and one of them actually has a face in it and it looks just like my boyfriends dad.
Im very scared am i being haunted now or what? Please help me.
If you email me anyone on chazii-kinz@ukfreeisp.co.uk and tell me what is happening i could also send you the pictures of the orbs.
Thank you
Charlene
Charlene,
Thanks for commenting.
Orbs aren’t necessarily ghosts. We know that people seem to have more orbs in photos at locations that have a reputation for being haunted. There seems to be a connection between orbs and reports of ghosts.
However… we don’t really know what orbs are. I think they might be bits of energy entering through whatever doorway or portal spirits use, to enter our world for a visit.
But, let’s say that orbs are ghostly energy.
There’s nothing odd or scary about someone visiting their home and friends after they’ve “crossed over.” Personally, I can’t think of God being someone who’d say, “Sorry. You’re dead. You can’t see your pets any more. You can’t see your family any more. You can’t see your friends, and you can’t visit places you liked.”
Everything I’ve heard, seen and read shows me that people can return here… for happy reasons. I like that idea. For example, my mom has always been convinced that her dad (who died long ago) helps her get parking spaces when she needs them. (I’ve never asked her how, but she’s always been amazing at finding great parking spaces in overcrowded parking lots, even at the holidays.)
So, unless you were afraid of your boyfriend’s father when he was alive, there’s no reason to be alarmed if he’s visiting his pets — or people that he liked — now.
I hope that helps.
Sincerely,
Fiona
Fiona,
Thank you yes that does help alot but what i dont understand is why has he chosen me they appear in my pictures but nobody elses e.g his wife his son and daughter. I wasnt afraid of him when he was alive the only thing im afraid of is getting these orbs all of a sudden.
Charlene x
Hello Fiona,
Im not scared of my boyfriends dad i just want to know why all of a sudden im getting orbs since he died and why is nobody in my boyfriends family getting orbs but me is he depending on me or something?
I have 2 orbs with faces in one looks like its got glasses on and a moustache and my boyfriends mum said its her billy it looks just like him its mad.
Charlene
Please reply x
Charlene,
Some people successfully photograph orbs, and others don’t. It’s probably similar to how some people can sing with perfect pitch, others do the best they can, and some of us — including me — are tone deaf. It’s not about the music (I love music) but just natural talents.
Or, you could think of it as a night when people sit outside because there’s supposed to be a meteor shower. Some people are really good at spotting the meteors, and some won’t see anything that night. It has nothing to do with the meteors, but seems to depend on the person — where he or she is, how the person is feeling, how alert they are, and so on.
Keep in mind that some people seem to be good at photographing orbs, while others do well with EVP, and — quite often — they aren’t good at both.
I doubt that your boyfriend’s father is relying on you for anything. You just happened to see orbs in your photos. If other family members were recording EVP or using some other method of contact, they might find anomalies related to the dad, too.
Or… they might not. We don’t know why some people seem to more readily perceive ghosts, and record them with various measuring devices (including cameras, voice recorders, tools like the Ovilus, K-II, etc.), but… they do.
It sounds like you have a gift for photographing orbs. I’d look at it as simply a gift, rather than anything you need to do something about. I doubt that your boyfriend’s dad would want you to feel as if he was expecting anything from you, or any sense of unease.
I can visit a haunted location with a team of ten people, and a couple will get orbs, one will measure EMF, another will be able to communicate with a K-II or another tool (like an Ovilus, Puck, or Frank’s Box), and someone else will record EVP. On average, two people won’t find anything anomalous, and may not even think the site is haunted… but, at the next investigation, they’ll encounter anomalies and two different people won’t find anything unusual.
I hope that helps.
Fiona
Well, I read here on your website that orbs with faces in them are most likely dust. I’m sorry, but I can’t disagree more. We live in an old house, built in the mid to late 1800′s, and the 8+ years we have lived here we, especially I, have not felt like it’s our home–and that we are just guests. My children have always been creeped out by many rooms in this house, and still refuse to go into these rooms alone. We recently went to Gettysburg, PA and captured pictures of ghost orbs with distinct faces in them. There is no doubt about what we see in these photos on our digital camera-unfortunately the downloaded version of these pics are not clear enough to reveal the great detail our camera screen shows. Nevertheless, we have taken many photos in our house the past few weeks (dry, cool air apparently provides the right electrical atmosphere for spirits to take on formations) and have photos with many orbs in them per room, but only when we have company over or when our kids are around making more noise than usual. I even tested it out. New Years Eve we had a house full of family members to celebrate, and we have pictures in all of our downstairs entertaining rooms with at least five or more orbs appearing in each room/picture. There were about three clustering around my sister, some others aroun my father, and my kids. Almost every orb shows some ghostly face. Some look confused and distressed, others look like they’re not aware of their own presence. I felt sorry for some of the faces and scared of others. I tend to feel cool breezes occasionally, and the presence of something in the room I’m in, but only when the kids are here. Oddly, when I’m here alone (my husband works nights, and sometimes my kids spend the night at their friends or at other family members’ houses) I feel at peace and don’t feel the paranormal presences, but when the kids are here I feel it often. I know that spirits gravitate toward young people for their energy, so this is my assumption. It is very difficult to forget about what we have been catching in photos, so in order to get to sleep at night have to take PM meds or benadryl.
Dionne,
Thanks for your comments.
I’m sorry that you disagree with my generalization about dust and orbs with faces. However, consider the possibility that you’re trying to frame my general comments from my experiences with “ghost photos,” within your personal and very specific experiences.
The majority of orbs-with-faces photos that I’ve seen have been from people who had no other reason to think their homes were haunted. They were scared because they’d taken orb photos in a dusty attic, and wanted me to tell them if their homes were haunted.
That’s the context of my article.
It doesn’t mean that all orbs-with-faces are dust, humidity, reflections, or anything other than spirits.
Particularly when someone has supporting evidence to suggest a haunting, it’s foolish to dismiss or trivialize any paranormal phenomena.
I didn’t mean for you (or anyone) to take my article as making less of your experiences.
Here’s what happens:
1. A TV show makes something simple into something ghostly, complex and scary. It’s sensational, and attracts viewers and interest.
2. People panic and send me a flurry of related emails, asking if their homes are haunted and if they’re in danger.
3. I reply to two or three, and then write a general article to respond to the rest of them… because I really can’t answer every email that I receive, or even most of them.
In this case, some show had talked about orbs-with-faces being evil or something.
They’re not. The faces may not even convey distress. We’re looking for smiling faces, and we see something else in the images.
If you look at portrait photos from the 19th century and early 20th century, you’ll see that people didn’t smile in them… and they sometimes looked distressed, confused, sad, threatening or frightened. When we take photos of them today — physical manifestations from the spirit world — it’s reasonable for them to strike the same pose or facial expression. (They may even draw their image from a real photo that was once taken of them. We don’t know.)
However, our modern context is: If you’re okay, you smile for the photo. Anything other than a smiling face worries us. We’re concerned that the spirits aren’t happy, or have a problem that affects us in our world, and we want to resolve that.
In my opinion, that’s why people often mistake the 19th-century classic “stone face” pose with “not okay,” and then become worried about the spirits they’ve encountered.
However, at the time I wrote the article, I was seeing dozens of photos taken in dusty attics, in homes with no other evidence of ghosts.
I always maintain that if the only evidence is a photo — particularly an orb photo — we can not assume that the site is haunted.
I hope that helps. If you continue to have sleep issues, I recommend talking with someone in your spiritual community. Their additional insights may put your mind at rest.
Sincerely,
Fiona Broome
Thank you for your rapid response, Fiona. I am curious about your opinion about why you think the paranormal sounds and feelings only seem to be present when my children are around. I read that the spirits tend to linger around preteens/teens going through puberty (I have two daughters ages 10 and 12–and a son 8 years-old, since they give off extreme amounts of energy. I’m not sure how true it is, but I can understand the rationalization.
My husband and I decided to experiment with this theory, so we took pictures the other night while the kids were upstairs hanging out in their rooms. There were no orbs in any of the pictures (we took many pics in all four of our downstairs rooms from different directions). Then we called the kids down and told them we wanted to test out a new camera setting….We took numerous pictures of the kids in different rooms from the same positions as the ones without the kids. In the first few pics there were about one or two orbs around each child, but the number of orbs increased as we continued to take pictures. It was like they were congregating around their energy source. I find it intriguing, but I’m not sure if these are benevolent spirits or malevolent. Nothing scary happens, just odd sounds of things moving around at night, which I would blame on, perhaps mice….but some of the sounds are of heavy things falling or moving, like pots and pans. I remember feeling the presence of something weighing on me after hearing someone walk into my room —but saw no one. I have heard whispers of what sounds demonic, because the linguistics are not a familiar human language, but I wasn’t understanding the message, so I brushed it off as my imagination, but it has happened twice, and both times were after I prayed out loud—once about 7 years ago, and then two weeks ago after I had a conversation with some guests about how we just ignored the spirits and eventually they stopped bothering us–it was like the spirit wanted to defy my theory. I was able to stop the sound by commanding it to stop in the name of Jesus, and I haven’t had any other scary experiences since. We have a dog, but she rarely barks at the thin air, so I have always considered that comforting. I do remember when my son was a baby in this house he would look up at the ceiling and smile or laugh as if someone was talking to him. I figured it was a guardian angel/spirit, to keep peace of mind. What are your opinions?
Hello Dionne,
Generally, I think that spirits of all kinds are attracted to the high energy of children and teens… or anyone who is very active. In a very tiny number of cases — far less than 1% — that’s related to poltergeist activity. Most of the time, I think it could be angels, faeries, or happy spirits.
I wouldn’t worry about them at all. If the dog barks at thin air, that still might be a faerie (they’re notorious for teasing dogs); I’d only take it seriously if the dog is clearly trying to protect your family.
Most spirits realize that you’re serious when you command in the name of Jesus or any other Deity. Until you get to that point, the spirits may still think it’s all a game. Since most ghosts come from a time period when people were reluctant to “take the Lord’s name in vain,” the mere mention of Jesus is enough to make them pause, at the very least.
(Again, it’s a case of remembering the context of the spirits’ lives when they were here in physical form: They didn’t smile in photos. They were very mindful of the Ten Commandments. Women wore skirts, and only donned trousers for farm labor… or if they were odd. People preferred to be introduced to each other before participating in any kind of conversation. These past “rules” go on & on, and I think we need to be mindful of them when evaluating haunted sites.)
But, particularly with playful spirits, if you ignore them, they’ll go somewhere else for fun.
Generally, I think babies and small children perceive all kinds of happy spirits, including angels. As the children go to school and are taught to be more serious, they ignore the “fantasy” and “make-believe” beings that they once considered friends and happy companions.
Sincerely,
Fiona
I was curious and wondered if you would not mind if i sent you a few photos I have of orbs. I did read the info you have posted, and I have a open mind and think what I have are possible the real deal, but one was take at a so called haunted place while the other was taken in my home just a few weeks ago, if its a real orb, should I assume I have a spirit, and break out my ghost hunting gear here at home. I had read some place that it is not a good idea to do evps in your own home. What is your thoughts.l
Lisa, I’m not able to analyze individual photos for people. I wish that I could, but so many people ask me to do that, daily… well, it’s just not possible. I’d be disappointing too many people if I helped just a few and not others.
However, as far as I’m concerned, the only problem with trying EVP recordings in your own home is that you might scare yourself. I’ve heard recordings that sound like absolutely nothing unusual, and people want so badly for it to be a voice, they think they hear voices in the sound of cars passing the house, etc.
Or, at the other extreme, they are so anxious and fearful, everything sounds like a “ghost voice” in the recording. It’s the audio equivalent of jumping at shadows.
Unless you have other evidence of a haunting — and I mean something significant that visitors notice regularly — I wouldn’t think that an orb or two means your home is haunted.
Oh, there’s nothing wrong with using ghost hunting equipment at a non-haunted site. In fact, it’s a good idea, so you learn what normal (but odd) things look like… like EMF spikes around electrical outlets.
But, it can be a huge mistake to start with an orb photo and go looking for ghosts. The orbs may seem to confirm other ghost phenomena, but they’re a very minor (and controversial) part of the evidence we use to prove or disprove a haunting.
I hope that answers your questions. (And, I am working on revisions for my upcoming book, Ghost Photography 101. I think it will help people decide what’s real & what’s not, in orb photos and other anomalous pictures.)
Fiona
I just noticed a really perfect round whitish object / orb when I took a pic of my husband and my four month old baby. I took it a few weeks ago. If you really zoom it, it almost looks as though there is a face! At first, I thought it was my camera because I have never noticed such a thing but right after taking this pic, I took the exact same pics a few more times, same angle and everything but it was not in any of these. I also see a really round bright orb on another pic. My mom is holding my baby (baby is kinda crying) and next to my baby is this obvious round thing! Also, on another occasion my sister is holding my baby (baby crying again!) and you see this orb thing again right beside the baby again! On Christmas day while my family was opening their gifts and just talking and having a great time, we see about 3 or four of them and they are so obvious! Whatever it is, I feel it cant be bad. I feel its a good thing
Farzana, thanks for your comments. I agree that — whatever it is — it seems good, not bad.
Fiona,
Thank you so much for your reply, and I totally understand you must get swamped with the photos. I did want to add though that the photo in question here in my home it was an amazing bright pink, I have not seen hardly any that were pink. I had seen a guide some place on colors, and that pink was for openness ?? What is your thoughts on that..Any way it sure pretty.
As far as the evps, I believe you are correct , my mom passed away in Feb last year and sure i like to think that she is here with me. My dad had a strange thing happen to him the day after the funeral. He was home alone and the answering machine came on with out the phone ringing, and then all he heard was static noise. He had me and my sister listen to it, he thought he heard something but not sure, my sis and I listened and heard what sounded like a female voice call my fathers name. Its hard for some to hear, and its probable like you said, we are just wanting to hear it, so I do not know.
Im sorry to take up so much of your time, just wanted to thank you and wish you luck on your new book.
((hugs))
Lisa
Thanks, Lisa!
Pink is generally a color of happiness, openness and love. It’s a good color to see.
Also, if your mom called your dad on the phone… well, there are many stories like that, and I believe that this could happen. It’s nice when people are so connected, no matter how far apart they may seem, in physical terms.
Good luck with your ghost hunting adventures, too!
Cheerfully,
Fiona
I honestly believe these orbs are spirits or energies that have gone through the other side. But we also have to remember that true love is eternal and the energy and love can be so intensive that these energies will appear in photos or to naked eye. I lost a nephew and my niece 4 years ago and I have noticed that when the family get together and we take pictures these orbs are always around and of course they come out in the pictures. I don’t know how to explain it. i just know it is THEM……YOU HAVE TO BELIEVE AND HAVE FAITH THAT WE ARE ALL CONNECTED!!
The house that I was living in in Port Allegany, PA. was built by a well known local man around 1954. I lived there since around August 2000 until April 2009. I started seeing Orbs in the bedroom in November 2005. There were a bunch of them , small, large, and they were all so beautiful and multi-colored. The only way you can describe them is kind of like water on an oil slick…they are undulating colors some so amazing that there are no colors in nature to describe them. The main thing that makes them different is that they have like sparkles of different colors that run thru them constantly. They move around and when they come close they are amazingly beautiful and they just make you kind of giddy with happiness when they are close by you. Some chase each other ..they are kind of like small children.(.the smaller ones.).as they dart around and chase each other happily. Whereas the larger ones move slower. I had never seen a face in any of them although I had heard that people see faces and other things in them. And although I tried many times to communicate with them They did not communicate at all..they were just there. I also saw the occasional dark shape that was larger and creepy and scared me and made me feel cold when they were close by. I tried to keep an open mind and tried not to be scared when they came near…but I just couldn’t. I would put the covers over my head when I saw them. Although I saw the orbs -the only place I ever saw them in the house was in the Master Bedroom. During the summer months there were less of them mostly just one to 3 of them during the hottest months – thru July, Aug and Sept. Sometimes I only saw one or two most nights then. The time that they were the most prevalent was always in the winter months, and ALWAYS the most of them were there at the beginning of November. It was weird but starting November 1st they were incredibly active all the way through February and getting less after May. I cannot tell you why I started seeing them all of a sudden..nor can I tell you anything about them , except that they like to come close to you..and you do feel energized when they are near.
I was pretty freaked out the first time I ever saw them. I thought I was going crazy..but after a few days of seeing them, I really looked forward to seeing them, because they made you feel so happy and energized. Just having a big orb next to your face changing colors (kind of like a liquid fireworks display..except in slow motion. The feeling you get from them is like when you are laughing or really happy and you get this happy feeling in your belly. Like an amazing energetic high.
I was always afraid to tell anyone..because I thought people would think I was crazy. I told a few close friends, one of whom had lived in a haunted house before and had some weird experiences, so I knew she would have an open mind about it. It’s not the thing you normally bring up in conversation..LOL!
It’s not like I had any interest in that sort of thing before…it just happened one night ..and since then I have been able to see them. I don’t have any way to explain why.
After I moved from that house, I had sold my bed and then slept in the dining room after I had sold my bed, and everything in the house. During the night, I would hear people walking down the halls, although I was alone in the house. I always kept a big flashlight next to me because it scared me alot. I had never known what was going on in the rest of the house, because it did not play itself out during the daytime. but as I looked down the hall after the house was empty and the electricity had been shut off..I would see shapes moving into and out of rooms in the hallway..which was really long. It was really creepy and I had never seen anything like it before. When I had lived there with furniture and all, I never noticed anything like that at all. I never had seen the shapes (ghosts) , and there had never been any poltergeist activity there.. The house was always peaceful feeling. But after what I had seen when the house was all empty and dark… although I loved that house, I was more than ready to leave.
Since I have lived in Iowa I have never seen any orbs here in the house, nor felt any of the bizarre occurences that I felt in the house there in PA.
Hello Fiona,
Yes thank you that helps alot
x
Hi, Fiona — I’m so happy to have found your web site. I’m 61 and have always been sensitive to “energy”, have seen and felt the touch of and been aware of the words of spirits. I’ve found that orbs proliferate in the air just before a thunder storm. They may be attracted to the zip in the air. I find that if the woods seem to feel alive at night, there will be lots of orbs to be photographed. The most amazing photo I took was a couple of years ago at a high school musical. Before the show went on I took some photos of the stage to show my family after the show. The orbs were in the curtains in the first photo, but in the second one, an orb nearly filled the stage. There are some people’s heads in front of me in the picture to give an idea of the positioning of the orb. I’ve heard these energies are attracted to children and teenagers, and the night of a show must be one abundant with the performers’ enthusiasm. Recently on three occasions in the state just before sleep and wakefulness I’ve seen orbs — they’re silent and project no hum of energy to me, and drift away when they notice my waking. I think all this is wonderful and evidence that there is so much more to life than we can notice with our 5 basic senses. Love to you … Kathy
HELLO CAN YOU EXPLAIN THIS ORB ON ME? iVE ALSO HAD 18 UFO SIGHTINGS I BELEAVE I’M GIFTED! CAN I SEND YOU THE PICTURE?
Fiona, I believe that is not anybody who can capture an orb while using a digital camera. According
to a new friend of mine who has an extraordinary supernatural power, the person who is able to
catch an orb in his camera is because he is like a light for all those souls or spirit that are wandering
around because they cannot find the door that leads to heaven or to the right dimension. I am so
delighted that this great friend of mine is able to tell me any orb’s name, what he or she used to be in
life, how he died ect. I recently took some pictures in Washington, DC and for the first time was able
to capture some bright orbs showing the lost orbs the way to their final destiny.
I’d like to show you some of my pictures and you can give me your opinion if you want to.
Frank
Frank,
While I’d love to have time to review all the amazing photos that people send to me and/or tell me about, the volume is far too great for the time I have available.
Thousands of people discover this website, daily. Hundreds of them write to me. Though I can’t reply to most of them, I’m honored that my work is important to so many caring and interesting people.
Mostly, I’m delighted when others find a connection with this research, and it brings greater meaning and understanding into their lives.
Continue taking photos. I hope they lead to wonderful things!
Cheerfully, Fiona
We just had somebody we loved very much killed in Afganistan. He was loved by many. A lot of people got together in our hometown, Tucson, AZ, for the funeral services. A bunch of us went out to celebrate his life. A lot of us haven’t seen each other since high school. I took a bunch of pics and posted them on my facebook. About a week later, somebody pointed out to me that there are Orbs in my pictures. Now that I look at them… they are all throughout the pictures. There are no other pictures of mine that have this in there. I could feel his presence, but now I know for sure… he was there the whole time. The pictures are pretty amazing.
I first noticed ‘orbs’ when I would watch my cats (2) both follow something, with their eyes. . .within our home.
At that point, I started to take photo’s of area’s they were watching. When I did this . . .There were always Orbs. I will take photos all through the house, no Orbs. . .let there be a very cold area, or just a gut feeling, or the cats staring and following with their eyes, again. . .I get the digital out, and lo and behold. . .Another Orb, and sometimes several
!
Then, Our Lovebirds (who have a built-in alarm whistle) began sounding their alarms, quite frequently. I will take my camera when they do this, and point in the direction that the birds are looking while they give off their alarm. . . Always, there is an Orb! It seems as soon as I capture the orb, on my digital. . .The birds settle down, and I I take more photos, all over that area. . .then there are no orbs.
If you’d like to view the photos, let me know.
Also, I have a face that showed up on the side of my T.V. . . . . ????