As a long-time photographer, graphics designer, video editor with a passion for special effects I not only learned how to spot fakes and hoaxes but how to quickly make them. Below are just a few examples of how to create a special effect into a photo or video with relatively little effort. But note that while a hoax can be perpetrated, not all anomalies in images are explainable by using special effects. Photographer and videography is simply 'painting with light' and as such a myriad of unusual effects may occur. The nature of light is still little understood, but by no means does this imply that some images of ghosts, ufo's and other phenomena are not real.

I keep an open mind and if this were a perfect world I would not question the integrity of someone's claims. But, alas, it's far from a perfect world in that regard. So keep in mind that it is very simple to create a believable effect and pass it off as the real McCoy to an unsuspecting, gullible public - especially when many of us really want to believe! Unfortunately I question ALL digital images of paranormal. 'Digital' is simply a collection of digits 1's and 0's that can be easily altered. I'm more impressed by anomalies that appear on negatives of standard film cameras or on original video tape. That's when I put time into trying eliminate all possibilities of a 'trick of light'.

Here some examples of how to hoax a ghost image using basic, of-the-shelf image editing software like Paint Shop Pro, Photoshop, Vegas Video or Adobe Premier. The more complex the effect the more higher-end software required, but most can be produced with any basic image/video editing software.

The Ghost In The Photo

The Ghost in the Video

Orbs and Plasma Effects

UFO in Video

Image of the Virgin Mother

Demon Spirit