Grey Lady Ghost Caught on Camera in The Gasp Menagerie
I love a good hoax. I know that kind of flies in the face of what it means to be a good Fortean, but they’re just too much fun. Debunking them is fun as well, and that’s part of why I adore them. The more elaborate, the better. I can’t stand a lazy hoax; put some effort into it or stick to trolling 4chan with creepypasta.
This, though… Man. I’ve debunked many, many ghost photos over the years, both intentionally hoaxed and mistaken photos (orbs, anyone?) that were published in good faith by people too quick to believe.
What we have here, courtesy of the Daily Mirror, is what appears to be the single best ghost photo I’ve seen in quite a long time.
Supposedly captured by a camera phone by two twelve-year-old girls touring Hampton Court Palace in the UK, this is an extremely clear, detailed, and unlikely photo of a female… something. If it hadn’t come out well after the film’s release, I’d suspect some Woman in Black 2 viral marketing.
The specter in this image is impossibly tall, dressed in dark Victorian gear, and is best described as spooky beyond all comprehension. Ignored by those around her, supposedly discovered on the photo only after it was taken, this photo breaks many of the rules of an obvious hoax.
The image is clear, too clear. No blobs or easily confused hazes or shadows. Taken on a phone, not a camera. If it’s a Photoshop, the job is extremely solid with all lighting sources clearly reflecting on what appears to be a solid object.
This is just a really, really frightening image. Of course, the Palace is supposedly haunted just to add to things.
The story claims it’s been examined by experts, but we never know. I’d love for it to be, to check the EXIF data, get it examined extremely close for signs of editing, all the usual technical verification.
What do you think? Is this a genuine photo of a humanoid figure that wasn’t visible to the naked eye? The spirit of a woman? Or perhaps an extremely elaborate hoax, either a very solid editing job or somehow staged and photographed inside the exhibit?
Categorized:News
