California Ghost Chasers

Orb artifacts are captured during low-light instances where the camera's flash is used, such as at night or underwater – or where a bright light source is near the camera. The artifacts are especially common with compact or ultra-compact cameras, where the short distance between the lens and the built-in flash decreases the angle of light reflection to the lens, directly illuminating the aspect of the particles facing the lens and increasing the camera's ability to capture the light reflected off normally sub-visible particles. The orb artifact can result from reflection of light off solid particles (e.g., dust, pollen), liquid particles (water droplets, especially rain) or other foreign material within the camera lens. The image artifacts usually appear as either white or semi-transparent circles, though may also occur with whole or partial color spectrums, purple fringing or other chromatic aberration. With rain droplets, an image may capture light passing through the droplet creating a small rainbow effect. In underwater conditions, particles such as sand or small sea life close to the lens, invisible to the diver, reflect light from the flash causing the orb artifact in the image. A strobe flash, which distances the flash from the lens, eliminates the artifacts. It is not spirit activity, or paranormal.

As so known as "Fly Rods", believed to be similar to Orbs in that they have been generally written off as dust or a electronic or optical anomaly but not any type of ghostly haunting. Societies in the paranormal such as CGC® believe the anomaly can be easily explained as bad shutter speed, or in general a lack of good photography skills.

Known as “dark shadows” these ghosts will often be seen moving about. It is possible that the darkness represents a condition of the soul not yet understood, such as immaturity, lack of understanding or knowledge. There have been many interesting observations of shadow ghosts - dark shadows or shadow people. They are usually seen out of the corner of one's eye, hence this is why some call them shadow people - they often observe others. Also, dark shadows have actually been recorded playing with one another. This has led some ghost investigators to believe they can be children, as well as adults. Some have seen shadow ghosts 6 feet tall with broad shoulders, for example. Shadow ghosts can see and react with people. We have theorized that perhaps their darkness may be just an indicator of their lack of progression.

Ghost lights have been seen and recorded in every country and civilization. The mysterious lights are usually seen as white or blue balls or yellow spheres (though occasionally as bobbing candle flames) glowing in the darkness. Although some scientists have suggested that the lights are caused by swamp gas, electricity, magnetism, or some phosphorescent material, so far no definitive natural source has ever been discovered for the sightings. There have been attempts, of course, to trap a ghost light for examination, but pursued, they always seem to be just out of reach. At some point, they acquired the Latin name "ignis fatuus," meaning "foolish fire," because it's considered foolish to try to follow or capture such a phantom light. According to some legends, the light of an ignis fatuus is the ghost of a sinner who is condemned to wander the world for eternity. In parts of Britain, it's sometimes called the will-o'-wisp and is known to be a death omen. Some believe the lights are playful beings, trying to lure travelers to follow them to get them lost in the dark. This type of ignis fatuus is often known, especially in Britain, as the jack-o'-lantern. Legend has it that the light is the soul of a person who's been shut out of both heaven and hell and must roam the earth endlessly. According to the British folk tale about the jack-o'-lantern, Jack was a man so ornery and mean that heaven wouldn't take him and the devil didn't want him. Also known as corpse candles, mysterious lights that are often seen in churchyards or graveyards. Candles, mysterious lights that are often seen in churchyards or graveyards.

This is the full-bodied, non-vaporous appearance of a disembodied person’s spirit, and is very rare. Typically described as “see-through” They show up in a transparent human form and wear the clothing of their period. You might also note that they normally appear faint and disfigured as in being incomplete. Catching an apparition on film is what every ghost hunter aspires to but seldom, if ever sees.

This form appears as smoke or fog, and is believed to be the manifestation of spirit. The term was originally used to describe the substance that oozed from spirit mediums during a séance from days gone by. It is now associated and referred to as a mist or fog, and it usually displays a swirl effect within a vaporous cloud. It normally appears several feet off the ground and can linger or travel quickly at will. It's usual colors are gray, white or black but has also been seen and photographed in several other colors. Ectoplasm has been caught on both video & all types of cameras. It's important to note however, that a camera can inadvertently create this effect artificially in cold weather by a person exhaling to close to the lens when taking the picture. The exhaled breath looks similar to ectoplasm but without the swirls. Oh, and we certainly don't want to be smoking during a ghost hunt for obvious reasons.

Ghosts that play with children that only the child can see. Some people believe these ghosts are only a figment of the child's imagination. However, others believe that children have a kind of inherent power to see ghosts which eventually the onset of maturity stops. These ghosts are various and sometimes are relatives that have passed over. They are friendly and helpful to the children.

German folklore, a wraith or apparition of a living person, as distinguished from a ghost. The word is also used to describe the sensation of having glimpsed oneself in peripheral vision, in a position where there is no chance that it could have been a reflection. They are generally regarded as harbingers of bad luck. In some traditions, a doppelgänger seen by a person's friends or relatives portends illness or danger, while seeing one's own doppelgänger is an omen of death. In Norse mythology, a vardøger is a ghostly double who precedes a living person and is seen performing their actions in advance. The concept of the existence of a spirit double, an exact but usually invisible replica of every man, bird, or beast, is an ancient and widespread belief. In folklore, the doppelganger is said to have no shadow or reflection, much like vampires in some traditions. Doppelgangers are often malicious or a bad omen, and they can haunt their earthly counterparts. They may also give bad advice or put thoughts in their victim's heads.

Portals are not any type of haunt, but rather a "doorway" to the spirit world or another dimension in which entities travel. There is no evidence to support this and it is mostly a theory. Typically places that experience a wide array of anomalous activity such as glowing balls of light, odd creatures, strange shapes, apparitions or unexplained mists or fog, are suspected of having a portal in which these energies are traveling back and forth. Some images have circulated around the internet of portals or parallel dimensions, but most all have been deemed to be fakes or film abnormalities. To date, we are not aware of any portal being successfully captured on video or photo.