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Rant About UFOs and Ignorance Regarding Cameras

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posted on Jan, 6 2012 @ 11:45 PM
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Sorry guys. I have been drinking and I'm going back to school tomorrow. Forgive me for being on edge.

Here it goes. Where to start....

I guess I'll start here...I guess having seen a few things in my life which I consider a UFO, knowing and acknowledging the incredibly vague meaning of the acronym. The Term UFO is so vague I can't even tell you properly. It is like you how you technically eat anything you encounter, but it isn't necessarily food. I could eat aluminum siding, a rock, dirt, or a tree, and it still wouldn't be food.

After having seen "things" in the sky, I have been an avid participant and observer of sites such as this, and sites such as MUFON and NUFORC. Subsequently, I have begun to categorize various "UFO Sightings."

But first how 'bout I explain who I am. I am a visual Journalism Major who has done photography as a hobby for the last five years. I am almost obsessive compulsive, and because of that, I have tried every form of photography until I got it right at least once. Not perfect, just right.

The main focal point of this useless rant-post is MUFON, and I love MUFON. There are reports on there that by way of translation and lack of first person experience, sound incredible, but only because we were not there. I am not talking about those. I am talking to the people that post supposed evidence. 1/10 of that evidence that I have seen on MUFON is something unexplainable. The rest of it makes me slam my head on the desk out of sheer disappointment and embarrassment.

Number one complaint = Sighting reports saying "I didn't notice this until after I looked at the picture." These are ALWAYS something completely ordinary. Lens dust, light diffractions, and the ever-present LENS FLARE which is what makes most most of these, and still, THEY ARE VISIBLE WHEN YOU TAKE THE PHOTOGRAPH. These people must be the worst photographers ever. My god.

Long exposure shots, or shots with a sorta slow exposure or limited Depth of Field also result in many UFO cases. Birds that look like triangles, spheres, RODS even. Bugs too often produce this.

People with a lack of general knowledge on aircraft lights also piss me off. Some planes have lights that blink, some don't, some have a combo. Until I see something moving in the sky with purple lights or something that I think could give me a seizure, I am not going to call that a UFO.

What the F is with people reporting IRIDESCENT CLOUDS as UFOs?

HOLY CRAP...Dust on windshields and windows. Wow.

Basically what I am saying, in order to salvage any coherence I had here in this post, is that you should NEVER say you saw a UFO or report a UFO unless it it truly something awe inspiring or something you can say for certain is not a camera aberration, a trick of the light, an atmospheric phenomena or whatever.

What I am also saying is that there is something seriously wrong with people when they see something they think is amazing, and don't do a single bit of research to see what it was NOT. It is one thing to claim "ALIENS!!!!" but for the sake of yourself, and for the field of Ufology, for the people that take this stuff seriously, PLEASE I BEG YOU, hold off on saying it was a UFO until you are absolutely certain it is not some common occurance that you were not aware of regarding your life circumstances.
edit on 6-1-2012 by SubPop79 because: (no reason given)



posted on Jan, 6 2012 @ 11:53 PM
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reply to post by SubPop79
 

I've been waiting for someone like you to post something like this for a while. I completely agree.



posted on Jan, 7 2012 @ 12:02 AM
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Totally agree also . Beyond the obvious as mentioned .

The vulnerability of some cameras to hack them and pass the images off as legit .
www.elcomsoft.com...

Did Nikon and Canon fix the problem ? The repercussions are staggering .



posted on Jan, 7 2012 @ 12:06 AM
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Originally posted by watchdog8110
Totally agree also . Beyond the obvious as mentioned .

The vulnerability of some cameras to hack them and pass the images off as legit .
www.elcomsoft.com...

Did Nikon and Canon fix the problem ? The repercussions are staggering .


I wouldn't exactly call that hacking but I see where you are going. I would actually prefer that more people fake UFO sightings like this. It shows they actually have SOME knowledge of post-processing and photography. It's when someone sees a few spots in their photos, which are probably dust, birds, or bugs, and they call them UFOs, THAT is when I get pissed off. Sometimes I think people should have licenses for using a camera. I thought red meant gun it into a intersection? Come on?
edit on 7-1-2012 by SubPop79 because: (no reason given)



posted on Jan, 7 2012 @ 12:09 AM
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Pretty true.. I get a lot of grief for attempting to debunk sightings by just offering up rational, realistic, plausible explanations that aren't "OMG ALIENS" .. I believe UFOs ( alien or otherwise ) exist, I've had my experience .. but I also realize that the majority of sightings are most likely explainable and are most like mundane in reality.

Time and time again we see videos posted on ATS with extraordinary claims and then after a few pages of people analyzing it .. a very rational explanation surfaces and it just makes sense.. the majority of us accept that because it really just does make sense.. but often enough you get the die hards who simply REFUSE to go with logic and plausibility and then you get labeled a dis info agent.

I rant into this the other day when someone posted NASA photos of a "triangle object" on one of the stereo behind images .. after several pages in, I tracked down the source images and found an unprocessed set of photos facing the same direction and there was obviously NO object present.. I found another page on the NASA site that explains these anomalies as internal light reflection and also the result of processing.. completely debunked.. but the OP was obsessed and determined it was something else.. resorted to name calling and everything.. the thread of course got shut down.

Deny ignorance indeed



posted on Jan, 7 2012 @ 12:12 AM
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reply to post by SubPop79
 


Yes they do tend to be dealing with all the rocks and twigs between the ears .


If it takes me months to beat my brains out going back and forth with findings on one particular spot on a picture . I'll still second guess it after posting it .
edit on 7-1-2012 by watchdog8110 because: (no reason given)



posted on Jan, 7 2012 @ 12:16 AM
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reply to post by miniatus
 


Exactly. Sometimes people even have good material. They took a great shot of a cloud formation and I'm like "Wow, that is awesome example of light diffraction from sunlight hitting ice particles in the sky," and then the person is like "I took a picture of a cloaked UFO!" I slap myself. I have seen some great footage and pictures by respectable people who know what they are doing and have knowledge of the world around themselves so that is what I look for. And I find this crap time and time again? Am I getting old?



posted on Jan, 7 2012 @ 12:17 AM
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reply to post by SubPop79
 

Given the fact we're on a site whose motto and purpose for being is to Deny Ignorance in the search for truth, I applaud your thread as one of the better ones I've recently come across. I couldn't agree more about the damage the idiotic do to those who are serious and really WORK to try and learn what is happening around us in these subjects.

Good luck heading back to school and don't work too hard!



posted on Jan, 7 2012 @ 12:26 AM
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Well, since the "U" in "UFO" is Unidentified...it is legit to state that, that is what it is...the problem most have is the assumption, that "Unidentified" means, or implies, alien origin...it does not. It is only "Unidentified" at the present, and merely awaiting Identified status.

The many obvious hoaxes have only fueled the fires of the opposition. No positive, undeniable truths have been documented to anyone's real satisfaction...including mine, EVER.

The jury is still out...but keep digging maybe one day we may see proof...until then, Unidentified...is just that, and no proof as to any Alien origins.

Just means we don't know what the hell it is, yet.



posted on Jan, 7 2012 @ 12:38 AM
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With the image here from the thread that went dead . Whats the theories from you guys and gals regarding it ?

www.abovetopsecret.com...

When was the last time anyone saw a crater like that from all the images you have seen ?



posted on Jan, 7 2012 @ 12:38 AM
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Originally posted by Andronian
Well, since the "U" in "UFO" is Unidentified...it is legit to state that, that is what it is...the problem most have is the assumption, that "Unidentified" means, or implies, alien origin...it does not. It is only "Unidentified" at the present, and merely awaiting Identified status.

The many obvious hoaxes have only fueled the fires of the opposition. No positive, undeniable truths have been documented to anyone's real satisfaction...including mine, EVER.

The jury is still out...but keep digging maybe one day we may see proof...until then, Unidentified...is just that, and no proof as to any Alien origins.

Just means we don't know what the hell it is, yet.


I agree with what you say, but then again....just because it is unidentified to you, that doesn't mean someone else hasn't identified it. I can't tell you how much crazy # has appeared in my photos which has turned out to be something on or inside the camera, like dust or a lens deformity. Like you said, there is never any proof it is aliens, unless they have proof of alien inhabitants. But as I said before, most of those MUFON reports (largest database of sightings) are simple, everyday explainable stuff that you would either have to dumb as rocks or impulsive as a methhead to say is an UFO, when in fact, most of it isn't even flying, making it a UO. And there is STILL good stuff on there, but as we have said before, it is very few and far between.



posted on Jan, 7 2012 @ 01:07 AM
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reply to post by SubPop79
 


So basically you are saying unless your an expert you shouldnt be allowed to use a camera. K well i say thats incredibly stupid. Not everyone is an expert. Get off your high horse. At one point you werent any better than these people. People make mistakes. Its really pathetic you would let something so small as this piss you off so much. By posting threads like this you are discouraging people from posting what they see. Kinda like how the government does that to control people and keep up in the dark ages. Your part of the problem.



posted on Jan, 7 2012 @ 01:08 AM
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reply to post by SubPop79
 


Great post and points. 99.9% of UFO's that are posted on this site are all easily explainable and are either:

  • Terrestrial aircraft

  • Balloons

  • CGI / HOAXES


    There's no real UFO research or discussion anymore. Any picture or video with something in the sky that an ill-informed observer cannot quickly and easily identify, is claimed to be a UFO first before any other terrestrial option is considered. And you're classified as disinfo for trying to debunk that UFO, or claim that that UFO is anything other than an alien spacecraft.

    Then there are those UFO posts that are nothing but a bunch of text with no pictures or videos to accompany the text. Any Joe Schmoe can sign up here, or anywhere else for that matter, and write a story about seeing a UFO and make up whatever they like. But without pics or videos, all it is is a story, with zero proof or credibility to back it up. And again, if you even try to question someone's non-verifiable story, you're chastised and attacked.

    It's a never-ending story of "OMG not another balloon video", or "OMG not another plane video", or "OMG not another CGI video". It gets quite boring and discouraging to real UFO researchers after a while.

    And then I believe there are many easily-identifiable videos or pictures that are posted to deliberately dilute the UFO research community to discredit and create doubt.



  • posted on Jan, 7 2012 @ 01:17 AM
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    I have to agree with Charon here...I would rather have to sift through 1 thousand pages of nonsense to find that one grain of "truth" than have someone be afraid to post that grain of "truth" because people like you will tear them down. If it bothers you so much...don't reply to those posts..or simply reply with what you THINK it is and move on. I would like to see some statistics on where the other poster is pulling out "99% are completely explainable"...sounds like a number you pulled out of your ....hat.

    Peace



    posted on Jan, 7 2012 @ 01:22 AM
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    Given the fact the majority of the worlds population are stupid cattle, and that Youtube pays you for views/clicks on videos....its not surprising the UFO scene has escalated since 2005.

    People say Youtube has helped the UFO scene...i disagree. People are only interested in making money...simples!

    Im going to be playing on gullible people soon on youtube, see how much money i can make from a few blurry videos of planes and clouds
    Im sure the vids will eventually end up on here....so just so you know they are FAKE my youtube name is Lovinit19791
    Dont want you getting banned for posting HOAX footage lol.

    People see what they want to see...people want to believe (as seen through history) that something is going to come and save us from ourselves. Something is going to change the world in which we live.

    Sorry...it aint going to happen!



    posted on Jan, 7 2012 @ 01:28 AM
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    Originally posted by spav5
    "99% are completely explainable"...sounds like a number you pulled out of your ....hat.

    Just because there are those who want to believe so badly that most of these "UFO's" are alien spacecraft, still doesn't take away from the fact that almost all are easily explainable, and are in fact easily identifiable to informed researchers, and people with basic common sense and logic.




    edit on 7-1-2012 by _BoneZ_ because: (no reason given)



    posted on Jan, 7 2012 @ 01:34 AM
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    Photographer here.
    I agree with your post. S & F

    Unfortunately, what's always fun, when people come along that actually know something about photography and say 'hey, that's lens flare', or, 'um, that bright light in the sky that's freaking you out is the planet Jupiter', the fervent true believers will label you a disinformation agent working for TPTB, or some such.

    *sigh*

    It's good to see another rational objective minded sort.

    Kudos.



    posted on Jan, 7 2012 @ 01:37 AM
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    reply to post by SubPop79
     


    Very nice rant! As a semi-professional photographer/videographer I couldn't agree more! I've often just shook my head when watching videos of far away lights zoomed in too far, when you start to get lens artifacts and such, and the light seems to take an abstract form....Or trying to explain to people the simple physics of how it is extremely hard to judge size and distance in a two dimensional image without some sort of reference point, or without a knowledge of exactly what it is you are looking at .....birds and balloons can often seem very huge when they are actually quite small....(even when veiwing with ones eyes, this can be a problem since there's a limit to how far out something can be before the stereoscopic ability of our eyes to discern the true dimensions of an object start to fail)

    Eh...but no one wants seems to take it very kindly when you point this stuff out to them. I can't recall how many times I've been blocked from someone's youtube video because I've pointed out such obvious things to them, and they simply refused to believe it.

    Anyway....Good rant, there are indeed some very curious and hard to explain videos of UFO's out there...I'm all for weeding out the easily explained ones first though! (which are unfortunately the great majority of them)

    Bravo to you sir!



    posted on Jan, 7 2012 @ 01:42 AM
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    reply to post by _BoneZ_
     


    Perhaps it is you that are seeing what you want to see.

    Just let them present their information/pics/theory..and let me make my own determination.

    Most people are clamoring to gain information..and then there are those who complain that there is too much information.

    I never understood the complaint that there is too much information..as you can simply not read/view it..but why try to take that away from everyone else as well?

    Peace



    posted on Jan, 7 2012 @ 02:06 AM
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    Originally posted by spav5
    Perhaps it is you that are seeing what you want to see.

    If that's what you have to tell yourself so that you can sleep easier. But a balloon is still a balloon, a plane is still a plane, and CGI is still CGI.



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