Halloween homework assignment

Halloween homework assignment

Creating a ghost or spirit photograph.

Spiritualism is considered a religious movement by many (and fraud
by many) that was started in 1848 by the activities of Margarett and
Catharine Fox, in the United States.
As the story goes, the house in Hydesville, New York, that the Fox family
was staying in was plagued by strange noises that Mrs. Fox, Margarett and
Catharine's mother, attributed to a ghost. The women were supposed to be
able to communicate with the ghost beginning the idea that
communication with spirits was possible.


spirit photography
Ghost or spirit photography was considered by
many to be proof of the religions validity (as
photography became more understood this no
longer considered by the general population as
proof.
Spiritualism reached its height of popularity in
the 1920s.
As a religion it had many debunkers including
PT Barnum and Harry Houdini.

Spirit Photographys beginnings
Spirit photography, got its start in 1862
when William Mumler made the first spirit
photograph. The premise of spirit
photography was that departed spirits
could imprint their images on pictures. The
spirits appeared as faint, ghostly images
floating besides the living subjects.

In April 1869 William Mumler was
brought to trial for fraud.

PT Barnum was one of the most important
witnesses and had a photograph of himself
with Lincoln faked as evidence.
Some of the early ghost or spirit photos
William Mumlers most
famous spirit
photograph showing
Mrs. Lincoln and her
deceased husband
President Abraham
Lincoln.
An example of an
early spirit
photograph using
mirrors and lights to
create the illusion.







Ectoplasm
Ectoplasm was one of the
items from the early days
of spirit photography that
photographers.
It was supposed to be
emanations from the
body.
Harry Houdini called it
flap-diddle.
An early (1800s) photograph of an
ecto-plasmic discharge from a
womans nose (gross).
Some real ghosts

Some examples of faked
photographs.
What is the difference between a faked photograph and a
retouched or altered photograph?

What are the ethics involved in
retouching vs. faking a photograph?
Halloween homework assignment
Your assignment is to create a photograph of
yourself, or someone you know, and make
them look like a ghost.
Instrumental to success are several factors
Finding the perfect location (this can be photographed with a digital
camera or scanned although shooting your own photo allows you to
control lighting, atmosphere and other factors.
Costuming the person to be photographed.
Creating a pose that makes the figure look like it interacts with the
setting.
Using your tools to create the ephemeral look of the ghost.
Eraser tools, opacity tools, extraction filter, layers and filters are all
options.
Silhouetting and cutting and extracting the figure are very important.
Some student work