Crete UFO Image Captured - What Is It?

Originally posted by Phage
The "photographer did not see the object while taking the picture" always raises a flag for me.

Mr. Ritzman believes it shows characteristics of being a distant object because of haze effects. I don't see it. As seen by near field objects (like the rear view mirror) being in sharp focus and the EXIF data, the automatic focus has selected something at a distance of 0.58m (probably the rear view mirror) from the camera. The rock outcrops are assuredly out of focus. He says there is no evidence of motion blur but with a shutter speed of 1/1,244 second this is not surprising.

While it's not possible to say exactly what the object is, it appears to me that it is close to the camera and relatively small. I don't really understand how Mr. Ritzman can come to the conclusion that if it were a wind blown object it would have to be of "extremely significant size".

If someone wants to place some sort of metaphysical explanation on the object (it knew its picture was being taken) that's fine. For me it seems to be something close to the camera, either blowing or flying past, which looks odd.

edit on 9/30/2012 by Phage because: (no reason given)

Got to beg to differ with you on this ,Phage.

All the goats are looking at it,if you notice in the picture.

reply to post by Komodo

Not really.
While consumer cameras like the Canon Powershot s100 used here can be modified to extend into the near infrared range there is no indication that this has been done here.

Originally posted by WildWorld
In the second picture what is the trail of smoke on the right hand side? IMG3134
Windshield wiper line?
]

It looks like the windshield wiper line to me. Seems to fall in line with where I would expect to see it.

That's what I call a UFO pic!

Real or not, that is very intriguing and I will have to share this with some people I know.

Great pic and great thread!

A bit flippant, perhaps, but why is a "professional photographer" using a point and shoot camera, and using it poorly, at that? As Phage pointed out, in the first picture, the camera is focused on the rear view mirror, rather than the "interesting" objects in the frame (the goats) and the second picture is similarly misfocused (and I think almost everyone knows that taking pictures through car windows is not optimal -- why not lean out of the window, or stop the car and get out?)

Originally posted by kdog1982

Got to beg to differ with you on this ,Phage.

All the goats are looking at it,if you notice in the picture.

how do you know where the goats are looking? They are sort of in the direction of the object but I can't see their eyes....or is that where you have to use your imagination? I imagine them to be looking down either looking for food or not to step in goat poop.

reply to post by WildWorld


That's what it appears to be (streaks caused by the wipers), the windshield was really dirty. Good eye though, we looked at that twice too.

S...

Very nice write-up, and i didn't even read all of it.

I want to point out some things:

* The object seems in focus and "sharp" similar as the objects in the foreground, is my own, personal view (as a non professional) that the object is NOT far away, eg. over the water. If this was the case, the object should look blurrier? This would also mean the object is smaller than what some might assume.

* The object has the same coloring as the water/sky...for some reason i think this is odd. (Explainable of course if the object would be transparent)

* At first glance, i would have said "water droplet"..almost obvious...until you said there is none on the other pictures...which makes sense of course. Could it be one of those rare circumstances where a droplet was caught in mid-air by coincidence? I know...sounds far fetched...anyway...

* Looking at it longer, it starts to more look like a sphere with some odd attachments rather than a disk-shaped object

pretty cool. weird looking thing.

reply to post by ZetaRediculian



Sorry,it's called sarcasm.

But to be serious,if you zoom in really close to the uo,notice the the size of the pixels.
They are all the same.
Look at the shadows cast by the goats,then take note of where the sun is in the sky.
The object appears to have a gleam of sunlight from that same direction.
I also believe it's not completely solid,but more of a ball with a ribbon around it.
And it does appear to be in the distance.

Just my opinion on it.

reply to post by Springer


hi Springer...great thread...and interesting story... i love the "trickster" angle

my only (2) UFO sightings came in the same week, ten years ago, while under stress and
in different or "abnormal" conditions... not tripping though!!!

but in this case, i think she is a fraud... pro photographer???
like someone else pointed out...with a canon s100???

i thought the object in the image looked more like it was close, and small
not far away and big

her boyfriend could be right behind that big rock and threw a frisbee thing and they got the timing right, maybe practised first, to get it first shot

my opinion

Originally posted by kdog1982
reply to post by ZetaRediculian

 

Sorry,it's called sarcasm.]

apologies.

While the photo and the accompanying write up are interesting, the characteristics of the object under interrogation are not inconsistent with novelty silver foil balloons that come in all manner of shapes for near any occasion.

Silver foil balloons come in shapes of numbers, letters, animals, and objects. These silver foil Balloons may be in Latin, Greek, Cyrillic, Arabic, Hebrew, Japanese, and Chinese lettering shapes.
I suspect we may be seeing such a shape, filled with Helium, blown in the wind, seen at an unusual angle.

This may not be the case, but, I'm currently searching novelty balloon sites for shapes that are consistent with the one shown in the OP image.
Some shapes that seem similar are American Football Helmet shapes, as well as Baby Carriage shapes. Such don't seem an exact match, though similar, so, I continue looking through shapes and letters.

Once again, a silver foil novelty shape balloon seen from an odd angle may not be the case, but, diligence requires looking.

I thought it looked like a plastic grocery shopping bag (based on the whitecaps there was a strong wind blowing)
Also this from that Aug 19 : Youtube video link

There were also wildfires that day as reported here:wildfires

Nevertheless, it is an intriguing photo.

reply to post by Springer


Here is what I find "disturbing" about the legality of the photo:
1. The person is including himself in the photo via the mirror.
2. If the photo had been only of the goats and landscape the photo would have been more "legit".
3. CGI or a UFO app have to be considered.
4. As taken, the photo smacks of poor composition and would not be of interest.
5. In light of the above the resultant photo looks like a setup as otherwise there is no reason for the photo.

I'm suspicious and you, Springer, should have higher standards.

Very interesting photo and situation. Let's imagine for a second that the object is much closer to the camera than it looks, despite the haze. Could it be the very common "Cetonia Aurata"?

Flying from right to left. You can imagine the head portion, the wing shells lifted during flight looking like the "hump" portion of the UO, and you can even see the trailing hind legs pointing back to the right.




en.wikipedia.org...

IMHO it has all the right characteristics to be the beetle known on Crete. The haze on the UO could be from glare, or ground dust near the vehicle.

Originally posted by kdog1982
snip
Got to beg to differ with you on this ,Phage.

All the goats are looking at it,if you notice in the picture.

Well, I gotta differ with you 'cause you're reading something that is not evident and your desire to accept the UFO as real overrides common sense.

Originally posted by deltaalphanovember
I thought it looked like a plastic grocery shopping bag (based on the whitecaps there was a strong wind blowing)
Also this from that Aug 19 : Youtube video link

There were also wildfires that day as reported here:wildfires

Nevertheless, it is an intriguing photo.

interesting.....but I need to make a mental note to NOT where a speedo on a windy day in Crete

reply to post by The Shrike



Jeez,I have got to stop with sarcasm.
Some people just don't get it.

I do believe there is an object in the picture,I just don't know what it is.

reply to post by RoScoLaz


I'd like to point out something in the photo you added different contrasts to. If you look closely, more toward the front of the "UO", there appears to be something seated there...

It's not noticeable until one of the darker contrasts shows up but I think I can almost see a pair of eyes.

Interesting! (I have to disagree that this appears to be at some distance though, it looks rather close)

Edit: You can also see the "eyes" in one of the very bright contrasts too.

I wanted to add, the one personal (and awakening) sighting I had, in southwest Florida (Port Charlotte), facing north/north west, resembled this object very closely and I got a very, very good look at it. Such a good look that it totally and utterly startled me to the point of almost running away in a panic...

Anyhow, thank you for sharing this Springer and thanks for the time you put into having a professional investigate and analyze the photo.