Part of subject is transparent

[tlink211]

Please help us settle a controversy about this image Marley the Lab.

The Knickerbocker in Linesville, PA is where the photo was taken and we have several others similar to it. There are also a number of photos where part of the photo is blurry, say 30% while the rest is perfectly in focus.

The Knickerbocker is investigated regularly by paranormal investigation teams. It is a known haunted location. I am the webmaster.

People keep saying the Marley Lab photo is the result of the dog, Marley, moving her head. What is the story? Can that happen where the dog moves it's head and only part of the photo is affected?

The photo was taken with a Sony point and shoot, probably 5 or 6 megapixel, camera by a complete amateur.

I do not consider myself a photographer but I have taken hundreds of photos inside this building with my 5 MP Sony Cybershot DSC-W1. My photos are either clear or blurry, unless I am using long exposure, about 2 or 3 seconds usually. If I am using long exposure my photos are either clear or blurry unless someone moves during the exposure, in which case they are blurry.

How do you get a half transparent head on the dog and nothing is blurry?

I Thank you in advance for your expertise and help in this matter.
TomD

[OldClicker]

The 1 sec exposure at f/2.8 exposed for most everything in the room and then the dog was only there for part of the 1 sec including when the flash fired from the right side. The flash from the right gives full detail of the dog on the right. - TF

[Photo-John]

OldClicker is right - the dog moved. I've got tons of photos like this - in fact, I make them on purpose. But it's easy enough for them to happen accidentally for an amateur with a point-and-shoot. One second is a long exposure. A "normal" exposure time (normal is somewhat relative) would be 1/60th of a second or shorter. If the photographer was fairly still then the background would be reasonably sharp - especially if the camera has image stabiization, and I think that Sony does. If the dog was moving through the scene when the flash went off, but didn't hold still, then this is exactly what you'd get. I bet I could even replicate it - if I had a cooperative dog

[tlink211]

Are there any examples online that I could examine for myself?

I am still confused by situations where part of the photo is in perfect focus and part has some blur anomaly.

We have these with all inanimate scenes as well, but no transparencies like the dog.

We do have several other transparencies of the dog but we only have the one on the site because it is the best.

[tlink211]

Well here it is, the example, the explanation the works. Philadelphia Photographer, writer and paranormal investigator, Kenneth Biddle, created a photo to demonstrate and provided an explanation. :thumbsup:

I posted the story and photos on The Knickerbocker Blog. I guess it's open season on the basement, water heater photos.

A little above my head but it looks good to me. Pretty much what you guys were saying right along. :mad2:

[Frog]

Just because you can't explain something doesn't mean that the phenomenon isn't perfectly explainable by those with knowledge of the circumstance.

Your "orbs" are nothing more than light reflected on the surface of the lens.
Others can explain it better than I.

[tlink211]

That would be the new plumbing, water heater and electric box reflection that is causing the orbs and streaks. I suspected it had something to do with the shiny stuff down there.

At one point the owner put insulation on some of the pipes and intentionally covered some of the shiny objects. That cut down on the orbs and streaks. Probably the water heater is causing most of it.

Thank You for your input.