The Case for Spirit Photography: With corroborative evidence by experienced researchers and photographersDoyle, Arthur Conan
Religion
The Case for Spirit Photography: With corroborative evidence by experienced researchers and photographers
Doyle, Arthur Conan
Spirit photography; Spiritualism
How do the psychic images get on to the plate? Far too much time, in the
past, has been lost in attempting to convince those who do not believe
(and those who do not _want_ to believe), of the genuine nature of
psychic photography, and our ignorance of this phenomenon is appalling.
The difficulties attending scientific research in this domain are
considerable. So far, we can only definitely say that in many instances
the psychic figures on the plate are not objective in the same sense
as the sitters. The supernormal images have every appearance of having
been projected on to the sensitive plate, independently of the lens and
camera. In employing several cameras simultaneously, together with a
stereo camera, I have only succeeded so far in securing a psychic image
on one of the plates exposed.
There are indications that in some cases the psychic effects are
printed on to the plate through a psychic equivalent to our normal
transparency—in fact, it has come to be known as a psychic transparency.
Identical transparency markings are to be found on the plates of
photographic sensitives from all parts of the world. These particular
markings can clearly be seen over the negative obtained by Mr. Harry
Price in his experiment with Mr. Hope. I am convinced that the effect
obtained on this occasion was a genuine psychic result. The possibility
of this is freely admitted by Mr. Price. The fact that in nine cases out
of ten the psychic images are the same way up as the sitter suggests that
the “something” that occurs actually takes place after the plate has been
inserted in the dark slide. Such small points as these may eventually
play an important part in the final solution of the _modus operandi_.
Now let us return to the object of this book—the question of evidence.
Sir Arthur Conan Doyle has dealt so thoroughly, earlier in these pages,
with the recent attacks by the S.P.R. and the Magic Circle that I do
not propose to refer to them again here at length. As illustrating the
impartial attitude of the Society of which I have the honour to be
Secretary, however, I would like to say that almost immediately on the
publication of these critical reports the matter was discussed by the
members of this Society, and it was arranged to subject the whole of the
evidence to a thorough investigation. In this connection the S.S.S.P., in
conjunction with the B.C.P.S., sought the co-operation of the Society for
Psychical Research and the Occult Committee of the Magic Circle.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account