Ghost In GraveYard. UCD Archaeology Offical Photo

Riamfada

Hi folks

Some photos for analysis . I am really excited about this. Please have a look and tell me what you think. It was taken earlier this week by two archaeologists in a graveyard and church site in Palmerstown. Notes to accompany the photos below.

(please look at the bottom right for the image)




Two of us were wearing light blue/green coats that are of a waterproof nylon type cloth. We were both standing behind Vicky when she took the photos.

There was three of us on the site that day and only us. Because people come up to drink and do drugs we werevery careful of our surroundings and kept a lookout for anyone coming round.


Archaeologist 1

Weather was overcast all day and at times drizzly and wet. It was a gloomy day and none of us really wanted to be there. Mind you, this was the third time we had been on the site. But that Tuesday the site felt
uneasy and unwelcoming. I was one of the people crawling around measuring distances off the baseline and although I don't really believe in haunted graveyards, I felt the need to apologize to the graves as I crawled
over and around them. I had the heebie jeebies all day.

We didn't see anything and it was not until the next day when the photos were loaded onto the computer that Vicky saw the figure behind the grave stone. We discussed it and have no idea what could have caused that
figure, there is nothing in the background. That side of the church is the only one free of most debris and bushes. I was hard pressed when we had to go back to the site the following Saturday, but the feel of the site
was completely different. It was sunny most of the day and I only got the heebie jeebies from one grave that looks as though someone tried to dig it up. We took a few photos, but nothing showed up inthem. Regardless,
there is no way in hell I would be there after dark and I am not real keen on going back in daylight either.

Archaeolgist 2 (photographer)

Laura and Claire were both wearing light
coloured jackets, with reflective parts to them. I believe they both
had their hoods up as well, but you would have to double check with
them. They were both standing behind me, and to my left. There are 2
more photos with 'orbs' although I had put them down to being something
like a rain droplet. There was no one else in the area, just the three
of us. The camera in question was a Canon S3IS, set on to automatic mode. I have another photo taken shortly before which shows nothing. I also think I may have used to flash
but .

Zillah

Thats interesting. Got a higher resolution?

Oryx

I thought that image behind the gravestone was a statue at first. Very odd.

Riamfada

sorry i meant the image behind the grave stone

Dave!

havent a clue wtf that is

there's an orb in the bottom right though.......

Stoner

TBH my first impression is that its a good old track suit head (Grimes you are to young to remember when Dublin was split down the middle with decent people versus Track Suit Heads, there was a great war, the Track Suit Heads were all killed off however legend has it that some still live on, hiding out, scabbing off the state and drinking yellow pack larger)
The glow is interesting though, maybe some one from the Photo Forum could offer some explaination

Oryx

It looks like a figure. But rationally speaking, it is actually a blob, you cant really see what it is. Our brains are hardwired to see order where there is none, to pick out human faces and figures from random shapes. Maybe its that happening.

Still, its intruiging.

Skanger in a gravyard .

Nothing paranormal there . It is extremly difficult to prove somthing paranormal with a picture .

6th

Well its not a blob on the camera or anything like that. There if definately someone/something there.

Now I dont know the person who took the shot and I wasnt there when it was taken so I cant say know if there was a skanger standing there or not but there is definately something there.

Riamfada

the girls are insistent that there was nothing there and there was no one else in the vacinity. A photo taken right after shows nothing.

Fooz

Maybe it's the ghost of a skanger then?

DANNY22XX

Fooz wrote: »

Maybe it's the ghost of a skanger then?

lmao ,,ehhhhhhh scootar ,,lovleey,,,:D:p

Zillah

6th wrote: »

Well its not a blob on the camera or anything like that. There if definately someone/something there.

What are you basing that on? The "detail" within the white shape could easily be caused by digital noise or jpeg compression.

There are beer cans beer bottles and graffiti and somebody in a hood .

SpitfireIV

Very interesting picture! I'm a bit of a sceptic though, I must admit, although I'd like to think there are such things as ghosts, part of me says 'nah, not possible'.

I'm by no means an expert, probably dont even qualify to be an ameteur but I took a look at the pic, which you can see below.



Whatever it is it has a very bright glow off it! Are there hoodies availible made from such material that are so reflective when photographed? The 'object' is clearly behind the gravestone as seen in picture A, note the red online of the gravestone which indicates that its not just a random digital white blob, but something clearly on the oposite side of that gravestone.

Also note, in picture A, the reflective shine off the 'object' has cast light down onto the top face of the gravestone (shown as red area in picture A). This shine is confined to the top face ONLY, none appears on the back, again, reinforcing the fact that its not digital noise or jpeg compression. Or that it is coming up from the gravestone itself and is slightly transparent.

You have to go back and see who's grave that is!! Also get someone to stand in that area and have someone take another picture, just to get some idea of a size comparison.


I assume you had to reduce the picture to put on here Grimes? Any chance you have a higher res version?

Riamfada

Thats what I got sent to me by the two archaeologists who took it. Im heading out to the graveyard tomorrow with Stoner at least to taken some EMF,EVP and photos and hopefully try to recreate the image with a white hoodie . Will post our findings asap.

Still the photographer insists there was no one there, especially not a scobie in a white hoodie.

SpitfireIV

Grimes wrote: »

Thats what I got sent to me by the two archaeologists who took it. Im heading out to the graveyard tomorrow with Stoner at least to taken some EMF,EVP and photos and hopefully try to recreate the image with a white hoodie . Will post our findings asap.

Still the photographer insists there was no one there, especially not a scobie in a white hoodie.

Cool, do keep us posted, be interesting to see what you guys come up with!

6th

4 of us went tout there this morning and was a great trip. More on this later when we go through our stuff.

SpitfireIV

6th wrote: »

More on this later when we go through our stuff.

looking forward to that.

bombidol

Looks like darth vader. Yeah what ever it is its casting light on that grave stone which means that its something "real" as opposed to bad film or digital error. It DOES look like one of those North Face hikers jackets from behind with the hood down. as theres a noticable lob on the front. I would assume if it was real then its a hi-vis jacket reflecting the light of the flash (was there a flash?) those jackets are usually illuminus (sp?) yellow. Which again I assume you would notice if it was in the area, that is what they are designed for after all.

If you look to the left on the figure you can noticably see a fold when the left arm comes down. Again this could just be the human brain projecting but it really does look like an arm.

bombidol

That orb is also the same luminocity as the "figure" though I dont really beleive in orbs to be honest personally.

6th

Ok a video from the trip to the graveyard yesterday.

monkeyfudge, 6th, Grimes & Stoner.

The video is about 13 minutes which is too long for youtube so I cant embed it here but disclose.tv is a video hosting site specifically for paranormal videos.

http://www.disclose.tv/action/viewvideo/2964/P_I_Gs_investigate_Palmerstown_Graveyard/

Photos to follow from all of us but I cant seem to find my data transfer cable.

Enjoy.

6th

Male approx. 5'9" standing just past the headstone.

Stoner

I have 91 photos, and 6 EVP sessions and I have nothing -- well maybe something, i sent it off to the others to check, but its not much even if it is something

I have nothing

monkeyfudge

Here are my photos from yesterday:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/monkeyfudge/sets/72157603932549264/

Again... nothing to be seen. But it gives you an idea of what the location is like.

6th

And here are mine:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/42915738@N00/sets/72157603934239261/

Great spot, very peaceful.

6th

Feedback on the video would be appreciated people.

kshiel

Some nice photo in there. Seems like a nice spot. Its ashame to see it so run down, a disgrace really...

WindSock

I think it's time for nitefox to update his report on hooded figures

Zillah

6th wrote: »

Male approx. 5'9" standing just past the headstone.

Were there any new photos taken from the exact same angle as the original? The camera position in the above image is much further to the left than the original.

SpitfireIV

Yeah, as Zillah said, the angle is off a little bit, the origanl pic seemed to have been taken with a wide angle lens perhaps? I'm not sure. I tried to match the two of them together below, but the res isnt great, just an idea for comparison.



6th, can you remember exactly how close you were standing to that gravestone? The 'object' appears to be very close to it, almost touching it, you appear to be a couple of feet away from it, even still your height and build more or less match the 'object', so its something more or less human size anyway.

Also, can you remember when you walked over to that grave, would it be an area that you would naturally walk (ie a path or clear walkway) or was it any difficulty getting to that area? Just wondering if it is an area where someone would walk and if going that way where would they be going?

Stoner

well that's me in the photo, 6th wont fit in a standard camera. Anyway a number were taken from the same position, i guess the time of day and the sun etc would come into it too that was not matched.

The spot was easy to get to, almost on the way into the church (the new way that is)

I still think it is someone , and it would not be difficult for someone to get there , for example you dont have to climb over a wall or walk past anyone to get there, i.e. you cold be in that position with your camera and someone could just walk in and stand in the spot and then go again.

We met a local who said that in the past drugs were sold there, and those guys hate photos.

Riamfada

its the size that gets me. Whoever it is is very fat and very tall with a massive head as that was no small gravestone. As seen my Stoner there.

Stoner

could be ET

6th

Ok to try give people a better idea.

A: is the only entrance into the graveyard

B: is the position of the figure/headstone. My estimate would be that the figure was standing about 2 ft away from headstone.

C: is the most likely position of the photographer in the original picture.

On the day we went there we didnt have a copy of the pic with us (rooky mistake!) so we took shots based on memory.

As I said there is one way in/out but someone could always jump a wall, mind you thats not easy as its fairly overgrown. There would be no reason to cut through the yard as its just got fields to the top and right of my sketch.

For me its inconclusive as to who/what it is. It could be someone who walked in and then walked out but its not a big site and someone wearing a bright white hoody would most likely be spotted by at least 1 of the 3 people there at the time.

6th

Grimes wrote: »

its the size that gets me. Whoever it is is very fat and very tall with a massive head as that was no small gravestone. As seen my Stoner there.

I would guess the opposite, about 5'4"-5'7" and about 11stone.

DANNY22XX

Stoner wrote: »

I have 91 photos, and 6 EVP sessions and I have nothing -- well maybe something, i sent it off to the others to check, but its not much even if it is something

I have nothing

ill have a go if you want,;)

6th

Cheers Danny but Stoner should have mentioned that we figured it out ... nothing exciting I'm afraid - though we are sending Stoner for speach therapy!

Stoner

DANNY22XX wrote: »

ill have a go if you want,;)

thanks Danny, i might take you up on that, but the lads have already had a great laugh at me on this, the something is me saying

"ANAH"

According to Grimes it's something I do all the time, I had no knowledge that I seem to suffer from some form of Tourette's syndrome,

But sure i'll chop it out an mail it to you over the next couple of days and see what you think.

Riamfada

You do it more when there are hot birds around

"andahaaha .... andahaha ...... nahaaaaaaaaaa"

Its what you do, you dont think your on board for your technical expertise do you? Same way im not on board because Im an archaeologist its because I dont say "andahaaha .... andahaha ...... nahaaaaaaaaaa".


Spoke to the girls today. There was indeed no one on, near or around the church when the photo was taken. They are 100% they were the only people on site.

G

monkeyfudge

Stoner wrote: »

The spot was easy to get to, almost on the way into the church (the new way that is)

Yep. It's not like we had to use 2 maps, a GPS and several phonecalls to get there.

Zillah

CroppyBoy1798 wrote: »

Hmm, as Stoner says, this really does make the figure far too large to be a person. If thats a human shape behind the tombstone then its seven feet tall and three feet wide

Oryx

I dont agree that the mystery figure is casting a shadow on the gravestone. It looks to me like a natural highlight on the top edge of the stone from the ambient light.

nicelives

Zillah wrote: »

Hmm, as Stoner says, this really does make the figure far too large to be a person. If thats a human shape behind the tombstone then its seven feet tall and three feet wide

Does seem to be a normal sized person. The gravestone is bigger in the earlier pic than in the one last weekend, hence the figure is also bigger in relation to it.

Are Spirits or Ghost energy not generally the size they would be in normal life anyway?

Have been down to the old cemetry down near the Mill in Palmerstown, lovely energy in the place, pity it's been let go a bit over the years although during the last 70's and 80's it was almost destroyed by a local dump that was closed due to protests in 1981.

stevenmu

It's a very cool photo.

One thing I keep thinking of is those white plastic "flecky" hoodies, I think they can show up with a funny glow on camera. Or something similarcan happen with some fabrics if washing powder stays in them and they become luminescent under UV light (you see it in nightclubs a lot), not sure how that would end up in a photo though.

The thing that intrigues me most is the navy blue glow down the left edges and the light turquoise glow down right edges. I think that means something but I've no idea what (possibly image processing on board the camera?). Without meaning to jump to conclusions it's very reminiscent of seeing an aura.

DANNY22XX

if i was you lads, why not try an over night investigation,,,,

you might get a bit more results at night,,:) just a thought

Riamfada

The site is located on the banks of the liffey in Palmerstown and is a haunt for drug addicts and drinkers. So an overnight investigation might result in a slight case of death

but feel to head out yourself

6th

I know over night investigations are more atmospheric etc but we were investigating the place with regards to the photo which was taken during the day.

Noopti

My two cents on this.
Forget all the photoshopping, adding filters, inverting etc. They are mostly useless. The best tools to analyze such compressed, low res images are the basic image/colour altering functions in photoshop. That is "Levels & Contrast.

By using filters etc you are basically manipulating the image, and sub-consciously this could lead to over manipulation until you get something to want to see. ie: a figure/ghost.

I have looked at the image, and in my opinion this is a person, wearing a hoodie/rain jacket with a reflective material. The brightness is due to the flash being fired and reflecting off the material, and the "orb" in the bottom right is an artifact (or lens flare) from the light bouncing back from the jacket into the camera lens.

Let's look at enlarged pictures of the "figure" and the "orb". Note the points 1 & 2 on BOTH photos. They are the same colours. In fact their RBG values are almost identical.
This leads me to believe the orb is coming from the same source as the light on the figure, ie: the light bouncing off the jacket.





Now, look at this image I found of a reflective strip on a jacket after being photographed with a flash. Note points 1 & 2 again. The same colours & appearance. So this leads me to believe that the material on the strips in the last image (photographed with a flash) is the same as on the "figure" in the graveyard photo (photographed with a flash).



This is nothing more than a person who is wearing a reflective jacket. They were probably sitting down behind the gravestone (up to no good no doubt) and you didn't see them. They then stood up just before or just as the picture was taken. You could easily not have noticed them before or after as the jacket would not be that bright on such a dull day, it is the flash which makes it so obvious in the photo.


Of course, I am not saying that it cannot be a ghost. But the evidence, in my opinion, points wholly to a person wearing a reflective jacket.

6th

Actually it looks pretty bright and you get the same coloured halo on the branches with the sky in the background.

I think we've concluded its someone/something solid and having been one of the few people here's who's actually been to the site I personally couldnt have missed someone being there, hiding behind the headstone or not.

That said there is no reason to believe its a ghost other than its a photo taken in a spooky graveyard

Oh and for the record I'm in front of Photoshop since I got my hands on version 3 (on 4 floppy discs) back in '95.

Stoner

Noopti wrote: »

I have looked at the image, and in my opinion this is a person, wearing a hoodie/rain jacket with a reflective material. .

I agree,

DANNY if you can provide an armed escort, we'll do it at night , by all accounts its a junky spot so I am not going there at night, I guess I'm just a windy ghost hunter.

It would be a good story though, we could report that we all got good pics, one or two EVPs and AIDs,