From the books More Ghosts of St Andrews (MGOS) & Ghosts Photography
Anomalous images provide us with no shortage of conjecture to uphold the viewpoint of the sceptic and the believer alike, but they do little of themselves to further anyone’s understanding of this rare and elusive phenomenon. As such they will never constitute proof, but as curios, they will always fascinate.
Examples of photographic anomalies in More Ghosts of St Andrews (MGOS) and Ghosts (G) are in black and white and do not do them justice. These are their colour counterparts that highlight some of their distinctions more readily.
PHOTO CATEGORY 1
Natural anomaly with no paranormal suggestion
Two Examples
CAI 1. Natural Anomaly
Rare anomalous images produced by physical means
Photo by Louis Kenna 2018
Cathedral Precincts. Sunset shining through loophole.
Photo by Richard Falconer 2016
Martyrs Monument. With the R & A building in the background
PHOTO CATEGORY 2
Sub Category 3
Pareidolia
Natural anomaly suggestive of a paranormal origin
2 Examples (3 in book)
Familiar patterns or shapes such as faces and bodies formed by colour, light, shadows, reflections, gradients on surfaces such as stone, glass, wood, patterns in mist or clouds for example, and interpreted as being anomalous with possible paranormal origin.
Photo by Jackie Wilson 2019
Window at St Leonards. Face at the window?
Photo by Phyllis Cameron 2015
Archbishop’s Palace, Siege Tunnel. Man with sword?
PHOTO CATEGORY 2
Sub categories 2a, 2b, 3 and 4
Natural anomaly suggestive of a paranormal origin
Sub category 4 Illusions
3 Examples
Optical illusions produced by natural or manmade means causing the same effects on the mind as pareidolia but embodying a wider scope for its creation.
Photo by Richard Falconer 2014
White Lady in the Palace grounds, caused by the light from within the Kitchen Tower reflecting on the back wall of the entrance.
Photo by Richard Falconer 2015
St Rule’s Tower. Figure in the right hand window. Only observed at a certain time of the year and caused by the sun highlighting the stone of the newel stair.
Photo by Richard Falconer 2020
White Lady figure illusion caused by the shape of the window and light background of the sky behind. If it were a person it would be some 10 feet high and 3 feet wide.
PHOTO CATEGORY 3
Sub categories 3a, 3b, 3c, and 3d
Borderline Images 3c
5 Examples
Sub 3c. Borderline Image 3
Where it is not possible to be 100% positive an image is attributable to a physical cause or origin given the image properties and / or testimonial circumstance / PERL involvement.
Photo by Joe Chapman 2003
Vortex with apparent pareidolia - faces in the mist. With background circumstances that switch it to borderline.
Photo by Marysia Denyer 2012
Vortex with apparent pareidolia - at least 10 faces in the mist. Background circumstances switch it to borderline.
Photo by Arlene Brown 2016
Madras College South Street Campus. Figure at the back.
Photo by a visitor on a tour 2017
East partition wall, near top of the Pends White Lady on the wall?
PHOTO CATEGORY 3
Sub categories 3a, 3b, 3c, and 3d
2 Examples
Sub 3d. Borderline Image 4 – Example 1.
Elements of doubt for CAI 3a. through 3c. are is still present, so with 3d. a physical cause cannot be ruled out, but is unlikely given the strength of image / testimonial / PERL circumstance / involvement. The image fringes on the border of CAI 4. No Physical Explanation.
Photo by Francis Quinn 2019
What the haar brought in. Figure standing looking at the cross-shaped grave on the right. No one else was in the grounds.
Photo by Richard Falconer 2019
A photo I took a few days later from the same spot as Francis. There is nothing in the background to account for the figure.
PHOTO CATEGORY 3
Sub 3d. Borderline Image 4 – Example 2.
PERL A. B4. C2c. C2d. D1b. D1c. D2a. D2b. E1.
PERL inclusion: F3a.
Borderline: Paranormal origin with no physical cause
Photo by Elsa Botha 2019
Photo taken at the Old Course. Panoramic shot with figure walking through frame causing image aliasing and stitching. It doesn't account for the figure itself as Elsa saw no one who could have been around at the time and the figure is right in front of her.
PHOTO CATEGORY 4
Example 1 & 2
CAI 4. No Physical Explanation
This is where it has not been possible to attribute an image to a physical cause and has a qualification endorsed by PERL testimonial circumstance.
PERL conclusion:
F3b. Paranormal origin with no physical cause
Photos by Richard Falconer
2015 and 2013
ORBS – Haunted Tower
1/ Photo on left is a rare glimpse into the hidden section of the Haunted Tower middle chamber. A few photos were taken and this is the only one with orbs.
2/ I took the photo on the right in 2013. Through the grill to the exposed part of the middle chamber which also has an orb.
PHOTO CATEGORY 4
Example 3
CAI 4. No Physical Explanation
ORBS
The Vaults – Edinburgh
Photo by Clark Docherty
2007
Three diamond shaped orbs. One of a series of photos taken by Clark on a visit to Edinburgh.
PHOTO CATEGORY 4
Example 4 – 6
CAI 4. No Physical Explanation
ORBS
Mary King’s Close – Edinburgh
Photo by Clark Docherty
2007
First photo taken with a few diamond orbs and a vague shape in doorway.
Second photo is once in room with a monk and many diamond orbs.
In the third photo below there is a large blue double diamond orb and small diamond orbs. The large orb is moving hence the double image.
PHOTO CATEGORY 4
Example 7
CAI 4. No Physical Explanation
Face of a man
Mary King’s Close – Edinburgh
This is a photo I received a few years ago. It was also taken in Mary King’s Close. It is not light hitting stone causing pareidolia. Could it be the face of the monk or the face of the figure in Fil’s photo?
PHOTO CATEGORY 4
Example 8
CAI 4. No Physical Explanation
Figure of a man
Mary King’s Close – Edinburgh
Fil Dearie
with Joe Salugabaite
The photo is an automatic one that can be taken as a souvenir. They were the last ones in the close, so there was no one behind them – or so they thought!
