Ghost of Guildford

I don't often post ghost photos, or posts about ghosts for that matter, but I couldn't pass this one up only because it struck me as quite interesting. I first found the photo from an AboveTopSecret thread [which is evidently my M.O. :)]. The story originally came from GetSurrey, a news website. The article relates the following from the photographer who allegedly captured the "ghost";

Ghost or some kind of image artifact?

THROUGH the low light borne from a thick swathe of fog wrapping itself around The Mount, a featureless figure stands on the path – could this be a genuine photograph of a ghost captured in Guildford, or is it a mere trick of the light?

Amateur photographer, Mark Baker, 37, who took the picture has no idea, but does think it strange the series of pictures he took last week when trying out a new camera timer appeared to show a white form when he downloaded them.

Mark, who was sitting in his van, using his new equipment when he took the photos, said: “I have just got a new timer for my camera and wanted to get some photos of the fog lifting – so my camera was just taking pictures.

“It was not until I got home and was downloading, I noticed it,” he said, adamant he had not digitally altered the image in any way. “The black specks are dirt on the windscreen of my van, but the image is way past that.”

The concept of taking a photograph without seeing anything anomalous, only to find something after the film has been processed (or downloaded nowadays), is really quite common within the ghost hunting side of the paranormal. Additionally the area of Guildford, which is located in Surrey, UK, where the photo was taken has a history to it that, at least according to ghost hunters, would be conducive to allowing for ghostly manifestations to occur. It was the location of where the town's executions were carried out in the past. The author of the article interviewed Phil Hutchinson who not only runs the Ghost Tour of Guildford, but who also is a member of the Ghost Club that is, at least according to the article, is “one of the world’s oldest organisations associated with psychical research”.

Hutchinson is quoted as saying:

“I do not think it is fake,” he said. “It is not the sort of photo I was expecting, almost always they are illuminated bits of dust on the flash – this is something very different.”

Mr Hutchinson said the only sightings he had heard related to The Mount previously came from council workers at Henley Fort who claimed to have seen a man walking his dog disappear before their eyes.

“This is one of the best ghost photographs I have seen for some time, however, I think it is an amazing trick of the light, although that does not mean I am convinced – it is symmetrical and has about the height and dimensions of a human form.”

According to both the original article and also the AboveTopSecret thread, a local ghost hunting group by the name of The GhostfinderParanormal Society conducted an investigation of the site around which the photo was taken. A part of their investigation can be viewed no the YouTube video below.

The head of The Ghostfinder Paranormal Society had this to say about the photo:

Barri Ghai, director of The Ghostfinder Paranormal Society, also believed the photos were free of doctoring. He said: “I am stuck for words on this one – these images have caused quite a stir amongst my team.

“We are actually convincing ourselves that this could be genuine, a real ghost, but obviously for us to say that without a full investigation of the area is a tough one.

“At first glance I thought it could be a light anomaly, 99% of all photos have an explanation and my impression would be an anomaly caused by the light and camera.”

Follow this link in order to view the article for yourself. Additionally you can head over to the AboveTopSecret thread to find the original post I read and to hear from one of the members of The Ghostfinder Paranormal Society. So, what exactly did Mark Baker photograph? Who knows? I will say that this photo certainly looks far better than any of the “orb” photos that I have seen and certainly ranks right up there in my mind with the photos that I originally discussed in this earlier post. I'm by no means a photo-analyst and so can only offer a layman's opinion. It looks really good. But I'm reserving calling it a photo of a ghost. I'm willing to say that the photo is extremely strange and I'm interested to hear what you guys think about it. If you have any ideas please feel free to comment below and let me know.