With Halloween not too far off, I decided to write about an interesting effect I had never attempted before.

The meetings at the Palmerton Camera Club are always informative, fun and interesting. The monthly challenge really has encouraged photographers to think outside the box and push photography limits.

One of the challenges was to take a photograph of ourselves without being in the photograph. I struggled with this one for a bit and then I finally knew what I was going to do.

Years ago, when my husband and I lived in an 1850s farm house I had experienced a strange phenomenon.

As I came down the large staircase from upstairs, it almost felt like someone had just left the living room that was off the main hall to my right. I was alone but it didn’t scare me. In fact, I remember telling this “being” that I didn’t care if they stayed adding jokingly “Don’t make a mess!”

I have no idea what this was; a ghost, a spirit, a presence, or my imagination. I thought I would try to recreate the feeling of being in a space but not really being in a space for this challenge.

At least that’s how I was going to explain it at the meeting.

Creating a shadow effect

There are three ways to accomplish this effect and I went for the most direct and easiest way to do this. After reading how to do multiple exposures, “in-camera” long-exposures by using slower shutter speeds, and Photoshop for combining several images, I decided to first try using the long-exposure because that’s what I was most familiar with and had used this technique before for other effects.

It took me over an hour and countless shots until I started to feel like I was beginning to be on the right track to capturing the look and feel of the images I wanted.

I didn’t have some of the recommended equipment to accomplish this task but I was determined to make what I had work.

What I did have was my trusting Nikon DSLR camera and my tripod and of course, my enthusiasm and an entire day to spend on this because my husband was away for the weekend hunting.

I felt confident I could do this because I knew my camera would allow for adjusting the shutter speed and I could use the built-in self-timer setting.

Any movement of the camera would result in a blurred image when using a slow shutter speed so I planned to use the timer because I did not have a shutter release cable.

I set the aperture at f/22 and the ISO at 100. I set the timer, got in place and stayed put for a few seconds and left the frame. I had to adjust the f-stop a few times and decide how long I was going to stay “in frame.”

Because I was in the frame for a few seconds during the exposure, I managed to accomplish the see-through effect I wanted.

Taking a long-exposure image while a subject holds still creates an image that is crisper than when someone is moving; a blurred figure will be created, both can create some really cool effects so I hope to try shooting a few willing participants in a cemetery before sunset.

Filters and exposures

It’s recommended to use a neutral density filter because these filters limit the amount of light entering the camera when using a longer exposure.

Remember a longer exposure means more light is entering the camera because the shutter is held open for a longer period of time. Think of it as holding open the door on a hot day; the longer you hold the door open the more hot air comes into the house.

The same thing is true for a longer shutter speed; the longer it’s left open the more light enters the camera.

Every article mentioned using interesting locations but for my first attempts, I decided to use our bedroom as my first location.

I knew a neutral density filter would help cut back on the existing light but at the time of this experiment I didn’t have one.

I discovered by closing the curtains I had created spooky light. I thought peeking out the window would and give the illusion that a spirit might be home while the homeowners’ weren’t.

And, after I was comfortable with my settings I headed outside to woods!

I used I knew I needed dim or fading light because it’s spookier and because it allows for a long exposure.

Tricking the shutter

I had my plan and so I set my camera on my tripod and made sure I had the perfect camera angle. I set my ISO to the lowest setting and set my timer for ten seconds, set the shutter speed to and began the process of taking a few test shots to be sure the lighting was what I wanted. The hardest part was getting myself into the frame and staying still for those few seconds until the shutter clicked shut.

It’s interesting that cameras capture what the human eye can’t see and that’s why strange things are sometimes captured in photographs.

For as long as there have been cameras, people have assumed that these oddities had to be “proof” of ghostly apparitions.

So as a photographer, I am thinking that that’s where the fun comes in! Creating these anomalies by using small lights in the background, spraying water or tossing glitter into the air is all in good fun and adds interest to photos taken this time of year.

Other tricks include smudging the lens, using cellophane or a light close to the lens.

When I talk some friends into helping me and we head to that perfect location, I am going to attempt these “tricks.” I posted one of these images on Facebook the other day and a friend left this comment, “That’s not terrifying at all!” I commented back to her, “My work here is done.”

Happy Halloween.