Zombie_slag's happyfuntimegeekblog

Hey folks! I'm back again with my final spooktacular reblog post!


"Having posted my views on Environmental evidence, I move on now to Visual Evidence.
To me, Visual evidence of the paranormal is the most compelling, as it can be studied and analyzed to the most minute detail. There are photographs and videos all over the internet to be studied, and its easy and relatively inexpensive to go out and take pictures and video on an investigation.

First I would like to talk about authenticity, as it is the most important factor when analyzing visual evidence. It is a reality that everything can be faked with today's technology. The best video and photograph could be the result of an intelligent 14 year old and a copy of Photoshop, I've seen it done. So whats the point in analyzing evidence that has no way of verifying its authenticity?
There comes a point at which to critically analyze visual evidence you have to put aside your beliefs of whether something is real or has been faked. With visual evidence there are many methods of examination which can reveal the authenticity of the photograph, as in has it been tampered with physically or digitally. But there is no way of telling if the photographer has faked the scenario in question, setting it up to look supernatural before the picture is even taken. So there is an element of trust in question. In the end visual evidence really is no more convincing scientifically than Environmental evidence because of this. But it is much more compelling anecdotal evidence than any other kind.

Another reason I find visual evidence so interesting is that you can in fact be an expert in the field. Photography and Videography are very technical and precise fields, and to be an expert in them is to be an expert at analyzing visual evidence. I only wish I had the time and money to be such an expert, but I have my contacts that fill that "expert" need when I have it.

That out of the way, I'd like to drop a quote from a guide I wrote for The Atlantic Paranormal Society website in reference to posting visual evidence on the message boards and the reactions to expect, I've edited it for length and pertinance.

"Posting Etiquette, A sample guide:
4. Take responses to your posts or posted evidence with a grain of salt, a touch of humility, and a bucket full of understanding and patience. Just because you are 100% sure there is something paranormal about your picture doesnt mean there is. Dont get defensive about replies to your post or posted evidence, there will always be someone who disagree's with what you think you've found.

5. Be aware of your own attitude, if someone is irritating you subtly or you are getting frustrated with 9 out of 10 people saying your posted evidence is mundane, take a step back, keep your reaction in check, and proceed thoughtfully. Emotion is a wonderful thing when kept in control, passion for the field is a great quality, but can be very hurtful when left unchecked.

7. If someone tears your evidence apart, they are most likely doing so from a technical viewpoint, which is how it should be done. Using science, technology, and solid logic to debunk evidence is what makes the field more than just a pseudoscience, and if we are ever to become a fully respectable field of research and study, we must conform to the base principles of investigation and testing. So when someone shreds your evidence to pieces with concise and accurate methods of deduction, don't be offended, be honored that they spent that much time to debunk your evidence, and be happy that you can have a solid answer instead of a vague feeling of the veracity of the evidence."

These points are the ones that relate to real life events, whether it be a buddy showing you his cool photo of smoke that "looks like a face" or when you are showing off your own such photo's to others. Just remember, not everyone is a believer, but everyone likes a cool picture.

I have to give credit where its due, the reason I wrote the etiquette section of my visual evidence guide is thanks to a buddy on the TAPS message boards, Jackpot316. You can see the full guide and everyone elses comments and suggestions at http://www.tapsmainforum.com/index.php?topic=10499.0
And I highly suggest that you join the TAPS message boards, its very educational, entertaining, and you meet a lot of great people like jackpot316 Ncarnate78, Dreams4U, Mystical, and many more I don't have time to list, 0h, and I'm there too."

That's it for my Howloweeny posts, next time back to Papercraft and a much needed Vivi update!! Thanks for reading and please leave comments and click the "share" button below to post this on your facebook page!