Light Leak or Ghost/Apparition

Greg Heath · Jun 4, 2015

I developed some film tonight I shot back in March. The camera was an Agfa Isolette II. It has a leaf shutter. I completely rebuilt this camera from scratch including a new bellows. I have rebuilt 6 of these cameras, so I don't make errors.

I shot this photo of a WWII P-47 Pilot's grave. I can't figure out what the deep dark black orb X-Files looking thing is at the left bottom of the tombstone. Anybody have any ideas.

Feel free to download the image and import it into whatever you use and give me your ideas of what it could possibly be... Shadow, light leak...ghost ??

https://www.flickr.com/photos/kb2qqm/17818856064/in/photostream/

I scanned in two photos. One the way I normally scan stuff in...balanced, and the other is the highest or lightest scan to pull some of the info out of the black orb image.

I will also upload a shot I took of the negative with my iPhone on my light table through a 10x loupe. I have not touched up the photos except for a bit of sharpening on the normal photo. Feel free to give me your thoughts...

Greg.

railwayman3 · Jun 4, 2015

Assuming no supernatural origins, my only suggestions could be a film fault or damage to the emulsion at some stage (I've seen a finger-nail scratch on wet emulsion cause a clear patch on the neg). A camera light leak would produce a light patch on the neg, but a light leak onto the paper in the darkroom would give a dark patch.

Alternatively, noting the dark sign/logo on a stick on the left (made even darker by the shadow from the semi-back-lighting), could you have overlooked a similar object nearer the camera and in the frame, which now appears as an out-of-focus artifact ?

Or an air-bubble for part of the time during development ?
Otherwise, IDK

Greg Heath · Jun 4, 2015

All good things to ponder. I will attempt to go back out there and inspect it again.

I don't think there was any other object there.
No other tombstone or other feature. My car was actually further down the road so there were no shadows or reflections. I took several other shots of different stones in the cemetery. No problems.

I developed the film with Rodinal. A 1:100 mixture. A 5 minute presoak,
A full Stand development of 55 minutes. 1 minute gentle agitation to start.

This photo was in the middle of the roll. I had no problems winding it on the reel. There was not any film base touching another part of the film. I know what that looks like so I ruled that out.

I normally do stand development. It's my normal workflow.

It's not an air bubble. I am very careful to rap those off the film vertically and with a sidekick on my home built sink.

I suppose it could be an emulsion problem but in 8+ years of film I have never seen it.

I will go shoot it again.

Thanks for your time in looking at the photo. I appreciate your time.

Greg.

bdial · Jun 4, 2015

The blob isn't a light leak, as it is a low-density area on the film.
If it were a problem of insufficient developer in the tank, you'd probably have low density in several negs.
It's not a shape I'd expect if it were a bubble, but there is faint density that one might associate with uneven development. It could have been caused by strap or some other obstruction either outside the camera or possibly internally. This might be the most likely, as the processing seems ok otherwise.

If this is Kodak, Ilford or Fuji film, the chance of a defect is vanishingly small. That's likely true of the the other suppliers too though perhaps slightly less so. Your odds of winning the lottery are probably much more likely.

Greg Heath · Jun 4, 2015

Interesting. There are no straps on the camera and I don't keep it in a case.

There were no other density marks on on any of the film. I checked all of the frames.

Someone previously mentioned maybe my Epson V500 scanner was unable to pull the shadow detail out of that area. I have never had a problem with the software in any of my images before.

I will probably go back to the site and reshoot it with different cameras and film and possibly digitally.

It's a head scratcher.

It is Fuji Neopan Acros 100.

I use it all the time. Especially for stand development. The film is just flawless quality.

Thanks for your thoughts.

RobC · Jun 4, 2015

I's say it was some contaminant on the film edge, possibly a thumb or finger with residual fixer on it. Or possible just natural oils from a finger or thumb.

had you hands been in chemicals before loading this film and not properly washed?

Greg Heath · Jun 4, 2015

No. My hands were dry. I don't use any type of moisturizer on my hands. This was the first film development of the day. I also load the film in a dark bag in very dim light. Steel Reel and Steel container.

RobC · Jun 4, 2015

curious, not something I think I ever seen before. I think you'll just have to see if its a one off or happens again. It could be a film imperfection of some kind.

Greg Heath · Jun 4, 2015

I am curious too. I was thinking of sending the image to Fuji and asking them if they have ever seen something like this.

I am also going to go out and inspect the gravestone again.

I also am using:

Dead Link Removed

To track the light lines around the grave.

DWThomas · Jun 4, 2015

Doubtful, but how about a sliver of fuzzy paper from the tape that sealed the roll floating around somewhere in the camera?

Greg Heath · Jun 4, 2015

No I peel that off completely. But I will go check that in the trash. Thanks for the idea though.

oops I re-read your post, and you meant in the camera. my bad. I will check the camera out today.

Greg

ic-racer · Jun 4, 2015

I don't see a light leak but if you use plastic reels or don't agitate enough, air bubbles can get caught in the spiral and inhibit development. This common problem causes marks similar to those seen in the bottom of the image.

Greg Heath · Jun 4, 2015

I use only steel reels and steel tanks. As for air bubbles. No chance. I knock them out vertically and a couple good sideways knocks.

Also pure water. Zero chlorine.

bsdunek · Jun 4, 2015

Definitely a ghost! I think they called him Kilroy during WWII.

Greg Heath · Jun 5, 2015

bsdunek said:
Definitely a ghost! I think they called him Kilroy during WWII.

I have to drive back out there and go photograph it again. I hope the 'thing' doesn't follow me home... lolol

RobC · Jun 5, 2015

spooky...

Greg Heath · Jun 5, 2015

I'm loading up my camera gear and heading back out there right now. I'll be there in 90 minutes.

RobC · Jun 5, 2015

you better play this on the way...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m9We2XsVZfc

AgX · Jun 5, 2015

Intruding into that black area are several culms of the grass.

I can't imagine right now any exposure or processing artefact that would produce an image with those culms included.

Greg Heath · Jun 5, 2015

RobC said:
you better play this on the way...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m9We2XsVZfc

I hope I don't come back Babbling like this:

http://youtu.be/Skxhii6VFdo

cliveh · Jun 5, 2015

I would go with the Ghost/Apparition theory.

Greg Heath · Jun 5, 2015

Well I am trying to rule everything else out.

I'm heading back out with the Agfa. It's overcast right now. Have some different cameras

Greg Heath · Jun 5, 2015

I just went back out there and shot a bunch of photos.

The only thing on the stone is the airplane. No faces. No black blobs. I will have to develop the film.

I shot some photos with the Agfa and my Hasselblad. I also made some Digital and HDR shots.

AgX · Jun 5, 2015

Then I go for the ghosts. Or watersoluble paint.

RobC · Jun 5, 2015

must have been a ghost bomb from the aircraft...

Light Leak or Ghost/Apparition

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