Has the THE BROWN LADY OF RAYNHAM HALL ever been proved fake?

Question

Just for fun those of you who are familiar with this photo what is your opinion? I have mine but will save it till I read all of y'alls.

There are many websites that have this picture but if you are not familiar with it here is just one website http://www.castleofspirits.com/brownlady.html

Answer 1

hi wiccan

ive often thought about that photo, but i never really thought it was fake....i mean come on, for some of us, we have seen ghosts in that exact form with our eyes.....

Answer 2

No the photo has never been proved a fake. However there are some highly critical theories. I have listed an article from the Fortean Times that is very informative about this photograph.

However, let me immediately provide information for the debunkers that felt is was OK to answer without any knowledge of the event.

The photograph of the staircase was taken on purpose for Country Life Magazine. That is why it was taken not to fake a ghost picture.  The photographers never again produced a ghost picture (easy to to do and popular at the time).

The picture while framed on purpose was taken in a hurry because the assistant saw the ghost on the stairway while the photographer did not.

Enjoy the read.

Answer 3

In my opinion, I can't say if this is a ghost.  I can say that you could reproduce this very image exactly with double-exposure.  I can also tell you that double-exposure was very easy to accomplish with the cameras of the 30s.  It's not unusual for ghost pictures to be made in such a way as to take advantage of the technology of the time.

Note that this camera would have been on a tripod and aimed at the staircase.  Because interiors are low-light environments, this would necessitate a long exposure.  In other words, this is a very deliberate photograph and by no means taken quickly.  It was not a, "Hey look, a ghost.  Hurry, take a picture!"  situation.  This camera was set up in advance of the picture being taken and a long exposure was set.  Why would someone be taking a picture of an empty staircase?  What are the odds of the apparition being perfectly centered on the staircase, unless it was done deliberately for framing purposes?

A negative out of this kind of camera can be inspected for tampering, but with double exposures no tampering is even needed.  Let's say you need 8 seconds to capture a picture.  You could expose the negative for 4 seconds with no one on the staircase, cover the lens, and then expose the negative again with a person standing on the staircase.  This would create an image where the person appears to be transparent, and all without tampering with the negative.

In addition, take note the apparition appears to be cooperating with the photographers for the 6 or so second exposure.  Were it moving at any appreciable speed the image would be (more) blurred.  How kind of it to do so.

None of this is proof of a hoax, but it does present reasons to question the authenticity of this photograph.

Answer 4

I did a bit of snooping around and found this site which has a detailed account of the investigation into the photo~ thought you would find it interesting!

http://www.forteantimes.com/features/art...

But you know me~ my mind is always open to the possibilities!

Ariel)O(

Answer 5

My opinion is that the photo is a fake as opposed to say a stray light from a window causing the effect.

Most likely it has not been proven fake. Its very difficult to prove something doesnt exist. For example, prove that pink unicorns dont exist. All you can do is say "Hey they have never been seen" and I could say "Just because something hasnt been seen doesnt mean it doesnt exist."

Thats why the burden of proof has to be laid on the one making the extrodinary claims.

I will comment that the legend of the brown lady is based on our popular cultural concept of ghosts being dead people, which I completely dissagree with.

I am not completely opposed to the concept of spirits. However, I am completely opposed to the concept that spirits are dead people. But for some reason, our modern culture seems to have picked up this concept and run with it.

edit: You can believe what you want. I think most people who experience ghosts of loved ones are not experiencing anything paranormal at all. I never mentioned that they are demons trying to decieve people. They are mostly people who are wishfully thinking and people trying to decieve people. Don't underestimate the power of a minds power to decieve itself, that really really wants to get in contact with a deceased loved one.

And I will point out once more, that the concept of ghosts being dead people is very much part of our modern culture, and not a universal concept at all.

Answer 6

There's only two possibilities here.1.It's a real ghost,on it's way downstairs.Through serendipity,at just the right time for the photograph.2.It's a fake taken and printed to sell magazines.Which one is more likely?You be the judge.

Answer 7

Well, no evidence do I see that this is a "ghost" of a dead person.

It could easily be faked.

So, it probably is a hoax.

And my question would be, if this is a picture of a "ghost", then why aren't there thousands more now days, since so many have cameras?

Answer 8

Most spirit photos are what I call "happy accidents" (apologies to Bob Ross - the afroed television painter) and either show something or nothing really.  

However since we know that trick photography has been around for ages, you have to take things slowly in order to prove fakery or whatever.

Any photo that has never been proved fake by expert means should stand up to modern scrutiny, but it will always be in doubt.

In my opinion, just from looking at it, seems like a superimposed image of the virgin mary. And I'm open minded.