Ghosts in photography

[julie_spielmann]

Hi,

 

I am interested in knowing how to create ghosts in photography. I

would be interested in knowing shutter speed and aperture settings.

 

Thank you.

[todd peach seattle, washi]

Do you mean 'spirits of the departed souls' or just 'showing motion' where part of the image is sharp and part has motion blur?

[donald_miller1]

Depending on the film that you are using (negative or tranparency). In the case of negative material, it would be best accomplished by a multiple exposure either in camera or in printing. The key would be to bring about a condition of the "ghost" being underexposed. In the case of transparency materials, again a multiple exposure which in this case the "ghost" would be overexposed. The ghost would obviously need to be placed in a part of the scene that would represent a value greater then the ghost itself so that the differientation would become apparent. Apertures and shutter speeds would obviously depend on the speed of the material being used.

[eugene_singer]

Julie, you need to double expose the scene. Meter the light, then divide the total exposure in half. Shoot the first shot with that reduced exposure, and do not advance the film. Then, shoot the second shot on the same frame at the reduced exposure. The total exposure for both shots will result in a correctly exposed negative.

[donald_miller1]

Julie if you divide the exposure exactly in half as suggested, you will end up with the exposure of the person that you are wanting to "ghost" in the image being properly exposed. This will not give you the "ghost" image. You will need to give more weight to the image without the person then to the image of the person in the case of negative films and more weight to the image of the person then to the scene without the person in the case of transparency materials. How much difference in "weight" I would try two stops in the case of negative films and 1 1/3 stops in the case of transparency films. That will get you somewhere in the ball park.

[lex_jenkins]

Recreate the "Moon and Half Dome" photo. The ghost of Ansel Adams is certain to appear.

[eugene_singer]

Donald, it all depends on how you define the word "ghost". One way, or the other, the total time for both exposures needs to add up to the one correct exposure for the scene. The exposure times can be controlled with either aperature, shutter speed, or a combination of both, as long as the total exposure for the frame is the correct amount, so as not to over, or under expose the shot. Julie's question asked about shutter speed and aperature settings. I believe I answered her question correctly.

[montague_withnail]

LOL!

[andy_piper2]

Julie:

 

You mean as in some of <a href="http://www.photoinsider.com/pages/michals/michals.html">THESE</a> ghostly pictures?</p>

</p>

They are double-exposures. You don't need to use any particular shutter speed or aperture settings; you just have to give each exposure HALF the 'correct' exposure so that the total adds up to the correct amount (i.e. IF your meter reads f/4 @ 1/125, you just make each 'half' of the final image at f/4 and 1/250). But you could just as easily use two exposures of 1/30 @ f/11 or 1/1000 @ f/2.</p>

</p>

The other trick for a picture such as the (top row) woman at the table is to use a tripod (and wind the shutter between shots VERY gently) so that the camera doesn't move an iota between exposures. Otherwise you'll get double images of the 'background' parts of the image (e.g the table and wall) which will spoil the effect.</p>

</p>

You'll also have to have a "multiple-exposure-capable" camera.</p>

</p>

If you're talking about trailing-ghost images in flash pictures (where the flash part is sharp and the long exposure gives a ghostly blur of motion) it depends on how fast the subject is moving, but you probably need at least 1/8th second to capture some significant blur, and can go longer and longer from there out to at least 1 second. Longer than that and the blur may become so complete that it just becomes noise instead of a readable blur (unless your subject is a snail, of course!)