Images In Orbs In Pictures: Is it Paranormal or Pareidolia?
Images Inside Orbs in Photographs: Is it Paranormal or Pareidolia?
What do you see in this picture?
I am not a huge believer in paranormal and supernatural things.
I am not one of those people that travels to a city to go on haunted tours or to see its famous haunted locations.
But, I have had my share of weird, unexplainable experiences.
I think I have seen an unidentified flying object (UFO) on 3 occasions:
1. from my bedroom window (probably a light reflection in the window),
2. driving home with my kids from soccer (probably a satellite), and
3. out of an airplane window while approaching the Denver airport (probably just an unusually shaped airplane).
The creepiest thing that ever happened to Kevin
I have no explanation for the strangest thing that ever happened to me.
I was working on my computer in the basement around 10 years ago.
I was the only one home.
I was sitting on a chair near the middle of the room with nothing above me or near me except the table in front of me.
Suddenly, something dropped into my lap from high above.
I jumped a bit and my hair stood on end.
I looked down and saw an AOL software disk which I had never seen before. Thinking back, it had probably been sent as a junk mail advertisement at least 10 years before that.
This event made me question what I believed about reality and the supernatural and baffles me to this day.
The orb image capture
This post has very little to do with travel other than the fact that this picture was taken at night just before the fireworks in Niagara Falls, Ontario.
We pointed the camera towards the coloured spotlights used to illuminate the Horseshoe falls at night, which a spectacular sight to see.
Of course, there was mist everywhere from the waterfalls, which naturally would create orbs.
However, we have had orbs in many other pictures where there should not have been dust or mist in the air.
What do you think?
Has anyone reading this also noticed strange orbs in their pictures?
Do you think it is paranormal? Or just a technical glitch of some sort?
I am posting this photograph and sharing it with you because it has always freaked me out.
Look closely at the small orb with the arrow pointing at it (blown up in the lower image) and tell me what you see.
I see the nativity scene with Joseph, Mary and Baby Jesus in a manger.
I know that our brains naturally look at objects to fill in the gaps to make shapes and patterns (called “Pareidolia” or “Apophenia”), but what do you think?
I welcome all of your comments.
Happy and Scare-Free Travels,
Kev
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41 Comments
JoJo Hall
Those are some really interesting experiences. I love watching paranormal/UFO type of pics and videos. It’s so fascinating to me.
Retirestyle Travel
Thanks JoJo. Your video was cool too. I love the unexplained. Keeps my child-like curiousity (and fear) alive
thathappyreader
I have had a couple of personal experiences, as recently as last week, but I wouldn't classify them as paranormal. I can see what you see in the photo and have no explanation.
Retirestyle Travel
It's up to interpretation, but lots of paranormal evidence is available on YouTube on TV shows.
Rebekah Charles
Very interesting post. I'm not too big on paranormal videoa/movies because they freak me out! My husband on the other hand loves these things! Thanks for sharing.
Retirestyle Travel
I am interested in unexplained things. Keeps life interesting and mysterious. Glad you found it interesting too.
Sue
What fun, creepy incidents! Thanks for putting me in the Halloween mood! Time to purchase a pumpkin!
Retirestyle Travel
That was my goal – Halloween vibes. The some paranormal incidents can't be explained, though…
Baby Boomer Super Saver
Fascinating! My brother's former house was haunted – many guests and family members experienced unusual things like unexplained green lights and noises (even unsuspecting guests). It's curious!
Retirestyle Travel
Did you experience it too? I changes your perspective on life when you experience something unexplainable or supernatural.
Some people would pay a lot to stay in your brother's former house.
Richie
I'm too cynical to believe in the paranormal. I suspect that people who do believe are more likely to see something unusual that may then appear to them to be paranormal. As you say "… our brains naturally look at objects to fill in the gaps to make shapes and patterns" – sometimes we see what we want/expect to see.
Britt K
I am absolutely in love with all things paranormal. That's not to say that I fully believe in all of it, but I really enjoy looking into it, researching it, trying to prove it wrong and occasionally falling short. I believe that there are many 'orb' style pictures that could easily be explained away. However, there are others that don't seem to have a reasonable explanation, and that is where I would love to dig into it more.
Retirestyle Travel
I agree with much of what you said. A good example might be alien abductions. they could be the product of sleep paralysis and vivid dreams influenced by TV, movies and media. However, I do believe that there are many things we don't see or understand that affect our world.
Retirestyle Travel
I love looking into it and sometimes fall down a rabbit hole of related videos on YouTube (most of which are clearly poorly researched, not fact checked, or completely fake). It still entertains me in some way.
My wife Tina has found orbs in pictures that were significant and she almost believed the could relate to loved ones who had passed away.
Rebekah Charles
You are right. Keeps you on edge!
Lifeofacrazymum
An interesting view, I've not had any paranormal experiences (that I can think of) aside from the random noises around your home (I put it done to heat expansion etc)… My gran was sat in my living room once talking to a woman in the doorway with a red suit on! That did freak me out a little as there was no one there! 😂
Retirestyle Travel
I understand what you are saying about your Gran. Sometimes my kids have seen things that we didn't see too (when they were small). That is also freaky and unexplained.
Mykki
I've only captured orbs (not dust or bugs) on photos in notoriously haunted locations.
Camille DeMott
I am a believer but I'm also a skeptic. I want to believe every story, but I'm also aware of environmental factors that can contribute to the paranormal. It's fun to think and learn about tho.
Retirestyle Travel
We aren't sure that all of our orbs are explainable by dust or bugs, so some could be supernatural. Did you see the orbs with the naked eye or just in the photos?
Retirestyle Travel
We are the same – skeptical, but open to the idea that there are things we don't understand and can't explain with current science. The unknown and mysterious are very intriguing.
Top 10s Only
Though your viewpoint is interesting coming during the Halloween month, I feel we see what our minds want us to see. Here in South India, there's an old tradition where younger ones are fed in the moonlight by their grannies. The biggest orb in the sky was often the talking point during those summer nights & we were literally fed with the belief that an old lady was making vada (doughnut shaped fries) on the moon. Kids who were poor eaters were mystified and kept looking at the moon – probably was used as a distraction. The granny figure that was referred to were moon craters by the way! ��
Retirestyle Travel
Most people feel the same way as you. We can see what we want or what our imagination tells us to see when there is some ambiguity. Vada sounds yummy.
Pip
I love stuff like this. It intrigues me. Explaining the unexplained is hard sometimes, and brilliant to think about
Retirestyle Travel
We also love to ponder these unexplainable or paranormal parts of life. Someday they may be explained, but until then it keeps life interesting.
lialoveislife
Okay now this is an interesting piece and well written. I mean, I can see what you're saying but I wonder if I'm just looking for it since you pointed it out and I probably would've seen nothing originally! But very interesting indeed!
Retirestyle Travel
Exactly. If we want to see something or expect it, does our mind make us see it sometimes? Glad you found this paranormal article about orbs in pictures interesting.
Carole
Fascinating. I sit on the fence with this subject. I do believe most apparitions have a scientific or logical explanation. But I also acknowledge that there is so much that cannot be easily explained, or that we don't understand.
My husband, who doesn't believe in the paranormal, has nevertheless experienced 2 interesting situations. In one, he and a former partner were sitting in their lounge by a coffee table with a box of tissues in it. Suddenly, the top tissue was drawn out of the box, as if by an invisible hand. His partner saw it too, and freaked out. As I would have! On another occasion he was brushing his teeth in our bathroom when he heard a work colleague's voice (someone he really liked and admired) saying hello to him. He turned sharply, but of course there was nobody there, and since the colleague was 12,000 miles away at the time that wasn't surprising. Later that day he received a phone call to say the person had passed away.
Like I said – hard to explain. So I'm keeping an open mind!
Retirestyle Travel
Those stories are spooky.
It sounds like you have an open mind, and for good reason.
Maybe you'll believe more strongly in the supernatural if you experience something personally.
Sue
The photo is spooky and I love it! Thanks for sharing it.
Retirestyle Travel
Thanks, Sue. Some things in life are spooky, which is cool.
Literary Express
I enjoyed this post. Was spooked a bit though! 🥺
Retirestyle Travel
Glad we spooked you a bit. That was the idea for this paranormal and possibly supernatural article. The orbs in pictures are one thing, but we have all experienced paranormal things at some point in our lives.
Theyenner
Genuinely good read I’m glad I found this blog , keep up the good work 😎
Retirestyle Travel
Thanks a lot. We are glad you found this blog too.
This is our only paranormal or supernatural post for now, but there might be more. My sisters are launching a blog and podcast soon with unsolved mysteries and I'll share a link once it is live.
Lisa Alioto
This article made me think of seeing shapes in the clouds – different I know but sometimes they are just so so distinct it seems it can't "just happen."
Retirestyle Travel
It's actually the same concept (Pareidolia). By nature our brains fill in gaps to create patterns and shapes.
Michelle Gast
I do see the Nativity scene.
Interesting post!
~Michelle
https://michellescrazybusylife.net
Kevin Strong
It was so obvious to us, it kind of freaked us out. We see lots of orbs in pictures. This orb had an explanation (water spray from Niagara Falls), but the image inside was unexplainable.
Molly @ Transatlantic Notes
I believe in the presence of the paranormal but I am very skeptical; I find that overwhelmingly things can be explained or are natural phemonena that we interpret as ghostly because we search for meaning (totally normal). I tend to think that orbs in photos and videos are dust, mist and similar normal things and anything seen in them is probably the same thing we do when we see things in clouds. That’s not to say something couldn’t be going on but I personally don’t ascribe to that belief. It does, however, really fascinate me and I’d always like to look into something like this more and keep my mind open. Thanks for sharing this!
Kevin Strong
Some paranormal and supernatural things we have seen and experienced are unexplainable, like the things mentioned in this post including the orb, but it doesn’t mean there are ghosts. Glad you are staying open minded. the world is a mysterious place.