The Brown Lady- Perception in Anomalous Photography

I couldn't find a thread concerning this, so sorry if it's a repeat. For those who don't know, the Brown Ladyof Raynham Hall is a very famous ghost. And her photo is probably to most well-known photo of an alleged ghost. And most people don't even notice what's really strange about it...

Photographing Phantoms

Anomalies in the picture become apparent when a light and uncropped copy of the Brown Lady photograph is examined. The anomalies do not centre upon the figure – upon which the eye naturally concentrates – but what is going on in the foreground and background. On the left hand side as the viewer sees the picture, (i.e. on the Brown Lady’s right hand side) hangs a framed picture on the wall. Immediately beneath, seemingly hovering in the air, is a duplicate image of this picture. Equally, when one looks at the length of the banisters, they do not connect, and the angles suggest that the camera has been shaken and the staircase accidentally photographed twice. Several luminous patches are also visible which suggest a doubling of the image throughout. The copy which best demonstrates the effect is that held in the Harry Price Library in the University of London (reproduced in Anthony Hippesley Coxe’s 1973 book Haunted Britain) and copies of Shira’s original print. However, many reproductions in ghost books have used a darkened version of the print, giving the impression it was taken at night, rather than at 4 pm. Cropping of the sides of the picture has also been used to disguise the accidental doubling of images. Curiously, in no ghost book published since 1937 does an author – whether a sceptic or a believer – appear to have commented upon the defects immediately spotted by Herbert. This suggests that the assessment of anomalous images may not be a neutral act.

Emphasis mine. I think this is an important article for everybody to read, and I think that the message applies to everything, not just ghosts.

It's actually reflection on a polished surface, as for the banisters, it's because of their design, we had the same ones in our old house

Then how would you explain the hovering painting on the left side?

Lol it's not hovering, it's just got a a shadow beneath/beside it.

Um, OK, I don't think you get what I (and the article) was saying.

There's a frame on the left side. Right below it is another frame (yes, complete with shadow), because the picture is duplicated vertically. Don't you notice that's a very odd place to have a semitransparent frame hanging on the wall, and it's in exactly the same place where the banisters don't align?

I guess I should ask if you even read the article?

That's not a frame... It's just part of the wall, just lighten the pic with photoshop and you'll see what I mean. On my last post, I thought you meant the painting above it.

It's not a part of the wall. It has a shadow and the banister on the left side, if anything, goes behind it.

Lets be honest, that looks nothing like a picture frame, it just looks like part of the wall. Lighten it with photoshop like I said.

Originally posted by Esoterica
and it's in exactly the same place where the banisters don't align?

I guess I should ask if you even read the article?

The banisters don't align because theres a bit on them them slopes up and back down, I used to have the same banisters, and the "transparent" painting is just a bit on the wall to match it.

LMBO.



look at the picture next up on the wall. see how the thing leans canted at an angle? thats because they used old style frame hooks which are literally that, cast iron hooks on the walls. they didnt have these "fancy" screw in eye-hooks we use today. also, there is a 'landing' approximately where the ghost is standing, which means taken from that angle the picture would have these "anomalies". the stairs and banister actually lining up with a landing on the stairs would be anomalous. this is simple physics.

the paint bit on the right is the stairs as if viewed from the side. see?

Originally posted by forsakenwayfarer
LMBO.



look at the picture next up on the wall. see how the thing leans canted at an angle? thats because they used old style frame hooks which are literally that, cast iron hooks on the walls. they didnt have these "fancy" screw in eye-hooks we use today. also, there is a 'landing' approximately where the ghost is standing, which means taken from that angle the picture would have these "anomalies". the stairs and banister actually lining up with a landing on the stairs would be anomalous. this is simple physics.

Lol you're right, you can tell there's a landing there coz the step she's on is wider than the rest.

I didn't miss the "landing." It just doesn't seem to line up right with me. But it's late, so I'll get on with this tomorrow.

of course it wouldnt, these are obscure angles the brain isnt used to dealing with. plug this into a 'shape from shading' program and it would show the landing, lined up perfectly. let me see if maybe i can find a way to reproduce this shot with my digital camera

Maybe I am overanalyzing the picture, but it looks as if a child or something is at the bottom of where you see the women standing. Do you see it, it almost looks like she/he is sitting on the step with the knees bent and together.

Originally posted by forsakenwayfarer

the paint bit on the right is the stairs as if viewed from the side. see?

Exactly. I see it. It reminded me, in fact, of a similar photo that had a bunch of people perplexed in another forum. This one is not paranormal, but just looks impossible.

Here.

It's too long ago since I read that forum, so I cant remember what all the details were, but strikingly similar to this one..

Thanks for the link Badwolf, very interesting.