Isabel met Mr. Allen around 1923. She fell in love. Soon he was supporting her, keeping her in nice cloths, fancy parties and lavish dinners. She was complet...
Read more
Isabel met Mr. Allen around 1923. She fell in love. Soon he was supporting her, keeping her in nice cloths, fancy parties and lavish dinners. She was completely dependent on him. He promised her they would be together forever. Until one day,
See "Isabel" series photos for her story.
Read less
See "Isabel" series photos for her story.
Read less
Views
985
Likes
Awards
People's Choice in Haunting Images Photo Challenge
Winner in Crypts Photo Challenge
Peer Award
Outstanding Creativity
Superb Composition
Absolute Masterpiece
Top Choice
Superior Skill
Magnificent Capture
Top Ranks
Categories
Same photographer See allBehind The Lens
Discover more photos See all
Behind The Lens
Location
This photo was taken in the Poughkeepsie Rural Cemetery in Poughkeepsie New York.Time
This is one of my favorite "ghost" photographs. The cemetery is perfectly landscaped in a natural way. Many crypts are set into hillsides and enormous trees are scattered throughout. This allows for nice photos anytime of day as the shadows vary across the landscape. This particular photo was taken shortly after noon time.Lighting
Ghost photos shot in full daylight require areas with shadows to allow a natural look to the "ghost". Since there was not a lot of contrast for this photo, Isabel chose a red dress so she would stand out slightly in the photo but sat in a shadow so she would appear none obtrusive.Equipment
This photo was shot with a Canon 7D equipped with a Tamron 18-270mm zoom mounted on a tripod. The lens is a good general purpose lens and while there are higher quality lenses out there, I felt a certain amount of grit would add to this photo.Inspiration
I often walk the cemetery at lunch. One day I took a picture of Isabel near a crypt. Upon reviewing the photo I was struck by the angle of her in the photo. It struck me as showing what a ghost may look like at their tomb. I then began a quest to produce a ghost effect that looked natural yet peaceful.Editing
While I wish I could say there was no post-processing, obviously there was. This photo was taken twice, once with Isabel in the photo and an identical shot with her absent from the scene. The photo with her was laid on top of the other and the transparency of her photo set to 50%, thus allowing the viewer to see through her. The processed photo then had a blur effect added at 60% and the blur erased from the crypt and from Isabel.In my camera bag
While the equipment I carry changes based on the project at hand, I typically pack: Canon 7D, Canon 5D mark III, a good macro lens, general purpose zoom lens, 28mm wide angle lens, 100-600mm zoom lens, primary and secondary flash, extension tubes, tripod and a variety of filters.Feedback
There are a variety of effects requiring multiple photos to be overlaid on top of one another. The single most important factor is making sure the photos are taken with no camera shift. A good tripod and a shutter release cable ensure accuracy from photo to photo. Also, the ViewBug community is full of gifted photographers who have figured out just about everything that can be done to a photograph. Don't be afraid to reach out and ask how someone achieved a look that you feel would work well for you.