Skeptics Tricks UFO Photo's
One thing we feel is a prerequisite to truly understanding the true nature of ufo photo's is to have concocted a few of your own. In addition to providing an individual with insight as to how easily they can be accepted as real even by "professional investigators" it also has the added benefit of raising the level of skepticism you may have when viewing ANY photo of a claimed ufo. When it becomes clear through hoaxing them yourself the myriad ways it can be done, and the great results that can be achieved with even the crudest, most rudimentary of techniques, it also becomes clear that these photo's simply are not credible evidence. Even the most spectacular of photo's must be considered suspect. The spectrum of techniques used to create a ufo photo is wide, ranging from photography of models, to computer manipulation, to simple misrepresentation of mundane or natural items. Here we hope to provide a good sampling of this spectrum. Some are our own and others are representations taken from independant sources or supplied by readers. We hope you may come away with a better understanding of just how easy it is to create such pictures and just how prolific hoaxing them really is.
Models
Our first ever attempt.
Crude and classic in shape. We spent almost no planning in the creation of these. It was all simple inspiration and hasty construction with no thought towards the technical aspects of photoanalysis. And yet still, we managed a very nice set of ufo photo's which generated quite a few favorable responses each time we have presented them for inspection.
And here we are proudly displaying the captured craft. Take one beef dehydrator, glue on the bottom of a big gulp cup, top off with a radio knob and grease fitting cap. Then slather generously with silver Krylon. From construction to photographing took all of about one and a half hours. Much of the time was spent drinking beer in the garage waiting for the glue and paint to dry. The looks from the families watching their kids play baseball on the middle schools ball field while we threw this thing in the air and took the photo's alone was worth the effort.
The Next Set.
This next set represents the next step in our evolution as hoaxers. Note we have now included reference points and improved perspective. Yet there still is really very little that can be learned from the photo's. Just like the "real thing" eh? We modeled this one after the well known "Valley Photo's" . As everyone knows, if someone else took similar photo's then by golly they must be real.
And here is the culprit. Kind of anticlimactic isn't it? This was another very simple endeavor utilizing fishing line and and a tiny flower pot. By stringing the line from a tree, across and over the rooftop, and tying it to a power line that was kept out of the picture and hanging the pot from this, the illusion of something hovering well above the house was achieved. By varying the angle and distance from the object it is made to appear farther away then it really is. By switching the fields and focus of the camera, blurring and depth are also altered further adding to the distance illusion. The bottom line here is that it is simply too easy. Anyone can do it and make no mistake, they do.
And yet more in the model category. Who needs photo editors when fishing line is so cheap?
Misrepresentations
A Readers Contribution
The first here is a color enhanced version with inset blowup. The second is an original format with inset blowup. And the third is the original untouched. In this instance a bird, hawk actually, becomes a 'bell shaped ufo" simply by dint of distance and camera distortion of the image. These we feel are a very common source of ufo photo's that is all too often unrecognized. There are some out there who rely almost exclusively upon this particular example of misrepresentation for their ufo photographs. A fine example we feel is George Ritter and his literally dozens upon dozens of photographs appearing on the web. Thanks to Joshua for the photo's and enhancements.
Computer Manipulation
Here are a couple done just playing around with photoshop. A popular program you have no doubt heard plenty about. In our opinion photoshop is often too obvious unless a very skilled user constructs the photo. Even then, telltale signs are present such as differences in pixilation between the background and the object. Still, great fun and a hoot to see just how silly you can get away with being. The link below the photo's is to a site I was recently sent in regards to page depicting "secret saucers". These I feel are pretty good representations of photoshopped photo's. It might be interesting to see what Mr. Schratt would have to say about that.
Fire balloons
An interesting claim is that "fire balloons" are responsible for some pretty spectacular sightings claims. At least two instances are recorded claiming police helicopters actually went after them with the officers describing them as objects which made all sorts of wild maneuvers. I certainly can understand the ability these may have to generate sightings reports. However, just what kind of behaviour they exhibit in flight really hasn't been proven well enough for myself. And so, off I go to the skeptics lab, (my garage) to assemble a classic fire balloon. The first set of pictures are of my first balloon under construction.
I made the mistake of adding too many candles which caused a very slow ascent, and a premature end to the first balloons flight as the plastic caught fire from the intense flame. The night photo's are my second launch attempt which was successful. However, due to very dry conditions I did not allow the first night attempt to continue it's flight due to the fear of the fire hazard it presented. The last photo is a compilation showing the successful night flight as it progresses. And soon to follow, a night flight to be reported to local radiostations and media outlets as it happens. Stay tuned for developments.
Shortly after our last balloon flight, this showed up in Filers Files. You may find it interesting. We did.
"FLORIDA FIREBALL BREAKS UP
BOCA RATON -- A bright orange-yellow flare-like light traveled
across the sky towards the south on December 10, 2002, breaking
into two still-flaming pieces before disappearing at 10:55 PM.
A fireball flying south across about a third of the sky, broke
into two pieces just before it disappeared from sight. It was
like no "shooting star" I have seen before because of the
brightness, duration, and also the length of its path. It was
more like a steady orange-yellow light like a space-shuttle
night launch."
And so ends our small gallery. We are currently accepting reader contributions to this page and have recieved several although at this time they are in use. After they are finished we will post them. If you would like to contribute your own photo's send them to [email protected]. Include a brief description and any relevant material you would like to have appear along with them. All entries remain the property of their owners and their use here is subject to any conditions the owners may stipulate.
Other Sources
