July 2001 Mystery Photo!

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Ghost hunters community

This months mystery Photo
This photo has us stumped! If you can share a credible theory as to it's identity, it would be appreciated. yours may even get posted.

July 2001 Mystery Photo
Ectoplasm coming from woman?

Submitted by: Jim (Ghostmaster)
Photos@ghoststudy.com

I found this photo at an auction in May 2001. It reminded me of ectoplasm that you would see coming from the bodies of spirit mediums in times past. There appears to be a rope hanging from the tree, possibly with a hangman noose, but the rope is rather thin for that. But besides the rope, what is the substance that seems to be coming from the lady on the right? She seems to be in some type of trance and the substance reminds me of ectoplasm that you would see coming from a spiritualist. On the enlarged picture, there appears to be movement from this lady (medium?) as if to break away from the ectoplasm that she had just created. Is this staged or real, ecto or prop? Your thoughts would be appreciated.

Example of séance ectoplasm

Outdoor service for this young man

Is this ectoplasm coming from her ear?

Click here to see large photo view



. If you want to share your well thought out opinion, drop us a line. July01@ghoststudy.com .

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Your comments are posted below:
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	I think the photo is great! You can really see the silly string. Look at the larger photo. If you would see at the base of the tree the lady's coat is extra long there. That is where the person spraying the silly string is hiding. But it is a very deceiving photo. I plan to become a ghost hunter. MarylandU3@aol.com
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	As for the photo as a whole, the idea that this is a funeral just doesn't seem right to me. No coffin, short sleeves & no tie or other formal clothes, the 'body' laid out on that rickety table with his head hanging back like that - just doesn't add up to respect for the mourned dead. A prayer meeting or healing seems possible or probable. I can't say anything on the alleged 'ectoplasm'; it, being 'ectoplasm', makes it suspicious and is therefore no proof, if not making the entire photo questionable. I DO however feel the woman whose hair seems to disappear very interesting and most probably the primary or only possible disembodied soul in the picture. She also appears to have one leg! Or is she lounging around at a time like that?? ;> (I see that little half of a guy with his back to us in the tree & string but there isn't enough to be completely convinced). mespiegel@hotmail.com
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	I have been reading a lot of people saying that this picture is "Fake" I personally don't know for sure. The only thing that would convince me that it is real is the blown up picture. In the blown up version you see something that to me looks like an "Orb". You can clearly see this near the top of the "rope like" substance near the woman's head. darryl.wideman@sympatico.ca
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	Okay, first I want to say that the "ectoplasm" is definitely fake. Does that mean there is no spirit in the photo? No. Go back and look at the photo again, do NOT focus on the ectoplasm. Look behind it where it drops down from the "gooey" mass of tangles. What you will see is the back of a mans boot with pants tucked into it slowly move your eyes up to see the thighs waist and shoulders. right shoulder is just inside the red circle on blow up photo. He is facing away from the camera, however his size is considerably smaller than the others in the photo, considering they should be right next to each other with the tree being right behind them. Is he headless? Or maybe his head is hung down? Hard to tell with the old tree bark. Please post whether or not you see it. cheriline@earthlink.net
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	I think this picture is staged. The one lady on the right looks like she is smiling. I think they are actors. Gina.Jecminek@UCHSC.edu
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	One more thing. I went for one last look and realized that only one of the deceased hands are on his chest. The hand on top is that of the "medium" holding it in place perhaps? Who knows. Hands will remain if placed in that position on a dead body but not when the head is tilted back so far. Go hang your head off your couch and try it! cheriline@earthlink.net
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	What struck me regarding this "classic" pic is that the subject being worked over by the medium is in the exact same position as the boy in the "shadow being" photo elsewhere in July's selections. Check it out... Jeffrey.Foster@usafa.af.mil
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	It looks quite typical for the era. The "ecto" is the same as the other photo. Im not trained in this either, but I have seen too many staged photos of this kind to really believe it. But goodness, didnt they do a wonderful job!!! Its amazing to say the least. susan kshamer@prodigy.net
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	This photo is very similar to photos in some books that my Dad had collected on the wild west. The 'poster' attached to the tree may hold some details that would help explain - anyway to zoom in and read that poster? It really reminds me of the pics of the "outlaws" that had been captured/killed, they took this type of photo and at times left the body on display for days so that people could have their photo taken with the corpse. The pics required that all persons not move for 2 minutes, if they moved it created that 'ghostly effect'. Very Interesting photo! bblanch@yahoo.com
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	This photograph is certainly interesting, in a disturbing sort of way! I'd like to know where you icked it up. Was it at a real auction, or one online? What did the person selling it have to say about it? As far as the authenticity of it, I'll say what I always say -- I'm in no position of authority to say if it's real or if it isn't, but I think I agree with the general opinion -- this picture was taken before "special effects" were very advanced. Heck, back in the days of "The Wizard of Oz," the tornado was created with a nylon stocking! The ectoplasm in question looks very much like part of the rope, although it appears thicker. More intriguing to me than the ectoplasm itself, however, are the circumstances surrounding it. Is the young man dead? With the head back in that position, I'd say he's either dead or unconscious, either at a funeral service or in the middle of a medical procedure. I'd tend to think it's the former, given that I don't think many doctors would perform any kind of medical procedure out in the middle of the woods. I'd like to know who the man standing at the foot of the body is. Is he a priest or clergy of some sort? What is he holding in his hand, and what is he doing to the body? In any case, it's a very interesting photo! Faith RoxyQuiksilver81@aol.com
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	This is a very unusual and profoundly interesting photo. I am a very superstitious person, with a wide history and research with ghosts and the supernatural. I spent quite a while analyzing this picture, and my still my thoughts are mixed. I don't think the ectoplasm is coming from the woman's ear, but it does bare a striking resemblance to the positioning of the lady's arms who is holding a séance of some sort in the picture provided! NOTE: To assist you in seeing how I came to this conclusion, the picture is best viewed from the left, side-ways on...quite impressive ain't it?!? flamingskullz@hotmail.com
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	I wonder why everyone assumes that the man is dead? If he is dead they must have had him embalmed (did they even do embalming back then?) before they took him to the woods. Maybe this was just a religious ceremony, which would account for the different expression on the women's faces. Anna dotcom@webound.com
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	I never want to doubt or question something paranormal, I keep a very open mind. this photo is quite interesting, because of the subject matter as well as the period in which it was taken. psychics were a very popular source of entertainment in the later part of the 19th century, especially to those who had lost loved ones in the war. without knowing who for and why the picture is taken makes me question the validity of the photo. photographers were known to double expose photos, and manipulate images to sell to grieving family members. kind of like saying, "Look at daddy's spirit!", it was a popular thing back then! so, with this in mind, I can not bring myself to believe a picture like this was not manipulated by someone. SORRY! Sarah. Beanluv311@aol.com
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	I can't say for sure just what it's all about but, I can say with all certainty that this is a staged event. Possibly used as an advertisement for some self-proclaimed mediums' ability. It is more than consistent with that eras' spiritist religion which was used to line many unscrupulous persons pockets. For those of us that are familiar with things supernatural, such as ectoplasm, it is plain that not one thing other-worldly is going on here. Rather, I'm sure, it has more to do with someones' furthering their finances than any thing else. RsqMdc@yahoo.com
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	My grandmother told me about a card reader and psychic that had a small crooked business on Highway 66 near San Bernardino Ca. This was in the 1920's. Dorcas was from Hungary, and her gypsy friend Lorenzo would take fake spirit photos with this large camera on a tripod, selling the photos the travelers on the Highway. Well, Dorcas would wear a red velvet turban with a very large rhinestone pin in the center of the turban. She would take wire coat hangers, cut the hangars apart, arranging them with care at odd angles then covering them with white flannel material and gluing cotton balls or sheep's wool to the coat hangers. They would appear to be fuzzily vortices, coming out at different angles, such as her turban, her mouth, her armpit or wherever she could get an impressive but phony looking shot. Barnum, of Barnum and Bailey Circus quoted "There is one born every minute!" She sure sold a lot of photos applied to postcards! Was this photo on a postcard? Dorcas got her kicks on Highway 66! Lisa mylonnie@pacbell.net
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	This got my attention fast! I've seen a lot of ghost photos, but this made me stop and stare. It looks like something paranormal is happening. It looks authentic and we all know special effects were really crappy in the 1950's and 1960's. The photo looks to be taken around that time so I say it's not a fake. hamsterashley1@hotmail.com
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	I can't believe some of the comments I am reading here. I agree that the photo does not appear to depict ectoplasm. However, I think applying the words 'fraud', 'fake' and 'hoax' are not entirely appropriate. The photo may be a set up, but some of the justifications I have seen for this view are worthless. I agree with your conclusions, but your evidences are entirely fallacious. The respondents so far do not seem to be able to take into account the most basic and important principles of ghost-photo analysis - context. In the era during which this picture was taken, it was not uncommon for people to pose elaborately in any situation, as the plates often took some time to set up and expose, so the fact that the woman's hand has been slipped under the dead man's shoulder does not mean the corpse was placed on her hand. Also, I wish to clarify that the corpse IS that of a man, not a woman. Note the short hair, flat chest and gators on the legs - a female would be wearing a skirt, not pants and bindings. Despite the belief of some correspondents, it IS in fact possible to close the eyes of a body - they aren't usually left open for funerals, it tends to freak people out. And also, the hands of the corpse have NOT been placed in a mock prayer position. It is quite common among more traditional Christian denominations to cross the hands or forearms over the chest in a show of reverence. And the hands will remain there if placed. As for "People don't generally put corpses onto a dias in the middle of the woods", that's a bit of a closed-minded generalisation. Different culture do all sorts of unusual things to the bodies of the deceased. In colonial times, it was not at all unusual for settlers, miles from any other settlement, to hold funeral services in the open bush, and quite often without a coffin. So far, Hip has made the most astute observation of the photo. The sign on the tree is interesting. It might explain what the scene actually depicts. Might not even be a funeral at all. The man may not be dead. I would like to know what country the picture is from, as the writing on the sign may be in another language. One thing that has not been noted yet is the absence of wind. Notice the rope hanging from the tree is totally flaccid. So this rules out a freak breeze blowing a piece of rope upwards into that position. If it is the rope, it must have been deliberately placed there. In which case the question still stands, how would they have made it stand up in the air, perfectly still? The absence of blurring on a slow-exposure photo indicates that it must be perfectly stationary, unlike the woman's head it is supposedly attached to. In conclusion, I would rule out the rope entirely. The picture appears quite genuine, but I would doubt it actually depicts ectoplasm. I suspect there is some normal explanation for it, but I would like to see some more informed criticism of the picture, rather than antagonistic gut reactions. Tim Martain, Head of investigations, APPIS (Apparitions and Paranormal Phenomena Investigations Society) veritasliberabit@hotmail.com
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	I would really like to believe the photo is real, but I think it is one of those early staged paranormal photos published in the early 1900's. The ectoplasm seems to be too stiff (no fluff) and is supported by the tree. There were some fascinating photos made of the paranormal in the mid 1800's and of course later into the next century. I must give them credit, they were working with primitive equipment. I like it very much, though! Rita mylonnie@pacbell.net
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	I don't think it's real. But I don't think the people IN the picture were trying to pull over some big hoax. I think there was probably a purpose for the picture. Back in the day you couldn't just SNAP a picture in a second. The cameras weren't made that way. You had to wait longer for exposure, plus it's too clear. I think it is a promo shot for something or other. Kelly KEFragodt@cbburnet.com
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	This looks like an old time spirit photo to me, taken during the hay day of the spiritualist movement during the early 20th century. It is obviously a staged photo, as the woman's body seems far from deceased. Why and how would a group of people have a fresh corpse laying on a table, at midday in a woods? Why and how are her hands maintained in a prayer position? If this were genuine, why would they take the time to go on location, after posing the deceased, stop in a wooded area and have a séance? If you look very closely you can see where the twine has been fastened to the tree and balled and tangled to represent ecto. Wouldn't an action like this be considered corpse abuse? I don't buy into this picture at all. I would say that this photo is a genuine fake. ymelot@alltel.net
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	Yeah this seems to be a fake unfortunately. I have read over the years that spirit mediums produce "ectoplasm" using cheesecloth during their séances. What is cool though is how they can make a cloth substance look like that. As for the picture in question i agree with the other person, it has to be a rope. But another strange thing in the photo is the lady under the sign on the tree. It looks like her hair is merged into the tree trunk. Weird look on her face too. Matt lanay21@email.msn.com
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	I'm thinking it's a set up shot. Look at the woman kneeling - her hand is UNDERNEATH the "dead" man's shoulder, as if she was posed there before they laid him on the table. And the older woman on the far right has a bit of a smile.... why would she be smiling at such a morbid scene? Also, I wonder what the poster on the tree says.... I tried to sharpen it up but couldn't get anything legible from it. ~Hip friggmail@yahoo.com
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	The photo is one of the lamest fakes I have ever seen - I agree with everything that was posted by "ymellot." 1. People don't generally put corpses onto a dias in the middle of the woods. 2. A dead body is incapable of keeping its arms crossed against its chest. 3. The head is upside-down and the eyes have remained closed. A corpses eyes would open. 4. One woman is crying and another is laughing (perhaps at the thought of duping people!) Paddy liverpoolpaddy@hotmail.com
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.	Looks like old time fakery here. At the turn of the century, spiritualist churches were hotbeds of fraud religion. Fake mediums, tricking bereaved people, sucking them dry, draining them remorselessly of money for the "cause". The fraud mediums had two terms, 'shuteye' and 'openeye'. An openeye was a medium that knew the big and fancy phenomena of the spiritualist churches were all frauds. They were the in group, who usually aided and abetted each other in their frauds. This photo is an example of some of the spectacular, fraudulent and staged photography of séances that kept the whole show going. They made the big money. The shuteyes were the corner medium, who did not know it was all a fake and a fraud, and was most apologetic about her paltry gifts and powers, lack of much abilities, and lack of spectacular phenomena. These shuteyes were more alternative church services for spiritualist believers, more social phenomenon than 'real' mediums. A place to spend a Sunday afternoon prattling about metaphysical balderdash with the like minded. and convince themselves there was truth to this fraud. But they, like the fake photographs of oozing ectoplasm and dancing ghosts that were circulated were important to the openeyes because they supplied the veneer of respectability and believability to the whole sorry enterprise. After all, these people were so sincere and open about their own lack of great abilities, it can't be a fake, can it? These people were an important part of the charade of telling the world mediums and their phenomena were not fakes and frauds. At the bottom, we had the spiritualist believers, the shuteyes, being imposed on by sniggering openeyes, fraud, fakes, money grubbing and vicious thieves, no better than fake faith healers. And what killed the spiritualist churches was magicians and the press. Who made debunking mediums and spiritualist churches a great adventure. The invention of the flashlight and the small camera with a flash finished them off. 'Ghost-grabbing' became quite the fraternity activity and police bunco squads caught many a medium dressed in phosphorus painted cheese clothe prancing around in the séance room on film with a small camera and a flash smuggled into the séance room. Great photo you found, maybe start a new category on your site for it. FWFarrar@aol.com