Brief details on the topic of spirit photography and the novel Ghostly Images which deals with Victorian spirit photography.

1. The
novel
is set in
Whitby

2. £9.99
From The
Whitby
Bookshop
or
Holmans
or
Amazon

6. Frederick Hudson (UK)
• Critical voices within Spiritualism thought he
had prepared his plates in advance.
• Or double-printed two negative plates into
one print.
• Or had accomplishes dressed up as ghosts.
• Spiritualist Magazine (1872) –Pattern of a
background carpet was seen through the dress of a
woman having her photograph taken.

11. Dr Eric Dingwall
Researcher for the Society for Psychical Research
After studying spirit
photographs for the best part of
a lifetime he was dismissive
and saw them as little more
than fakes.

13.  Days of spirit photographers like
Mumler, Deane and others over.
 Now replaced by amateur ghost
hunters and professional
paranormal investigators.
 Spirit photography still finds an
audience
 BUT now orbs/blobs/streaks

15. Cheroux & Fischer
Yale University Press, 2005
“The fact that those
images of ghosts, spirits,
and séances continue to
fascinate viewers today
is a testament to human
curiosity and the
continuing allure of the
unknown.”

16. About Spirit Photography
Jolly states:
“They now speak to
us more strongly of
faith, desire, loss and
love, than
gullibility.”
(The British Library, 2006.)

17. Ludicrous or Miraculous?
The American Museum of Photography in their section Do You Believe?
Science vs. Séance has a selection of Victorian ghost photos. It states:
“Many of the images presented here
have been studied and debated for
nearly a century. Whether they are
ludicrous or miraculous is in the
eye of the beholder.”