Anomalies in photo at cemetery (no joke) opinions please...

[Fonzz]

I just bought this new Panasonic TZ 4 point and shoot last week. I went to the cemetery with a friend and put the camera on a tombstone and used the timer to take a couple of pics. The very first shot was without a flash and was a 1/2 second exposure. Half of my head is "missing" and you can see the trees behind my head instead. You can also see part of the sidewalk behind me appear in the middle of my shorts! (click thumbs for full size images)
http://img31.imagevenue.com/loc690/th_61395_P1000120s_122_690lo.jpg (http://img31.imagevenue.com/img.php?image=61395_P1000120s_122_690lo.jpg)

The picture is NOT altered in any way other than compression for uploading. I would like to hear some opinions on what may be going on here. Of course because this happened in a cemetery, I'm wondering if it's something paranormal. I can't even begin to think of a way this happened with this digital camera, even with a 1/2 second exposure. Because the camera is new, I have doubts about it and how this happened. Remember this was the very first picture taken at the cemetery, I did take approximately 75 pictures in days prior with no problems at all.

The next picture with flash came out just fine...

http://img151.imagevenue.com/loc836/th_61403_P1000121FS_122_836lo.jpg (http://img151.imagevenue.com/img.php?image=61403_P1000121FS_122_836lo.jpg)

[Bishop]

I can't view your full sized images as I'm on dialup and they are huge. Sorry.

[Fonzz]

I can't view your full sized images as I'm on dialup and they are huge. Sorry.

Here's the same photo reduced and compressed more for dial up users.

http://img176.imagevenue.com/loc167/th_70493_P1000120ss_122_167lo.jpg (http://img176.imagevenue.com/img.php?image=70493_P1000120ss_122_167lo.jpg)

[ScottL]

First off the site that you are sending us to is annoying... I got pop ups or diverted 2 times (Highly frowned upon.)

Second, I am not sure who actually enjoys taking portraits in the middle of a cemetery but hey, if that floats your boat, enjoy...

Third, and of course most important... Even with a half second exposure it is possible that you moved your head slightly during the time of exposure, along with your legs... It would explain why the trees are so exposed where your face would be, and why lower, where it is darker, it is more of a blur of your leg. The bright area by the tree would completely expose over your face after moving your face, and the dark area on the bottom would expose both your leg slightly and also the background because the area takes longer to expose and there isnt a big difference in light intensity in that area of the image like there would be between your face and the bright background.

As far as the white block, I havn't a clue, probably some type of reflection off of something.

[Fonzz]

ScottL,

Thanks for your reply. Sorry about the host, I usually just use photobucket but they limit pixel size too much for my full size pic I wanted to share. It gives me no pop-ups using firefox.

I understand what you're saying about moving. In this pic, as I recall, I was watching the red led indicator on the camera blink, then blink faster, then take the picture. I'm pretty sure I did not move my head or body around more than an inch while waiting for the camera to finish. If I had moved around enough to reveal the sidewalk behind my shorts for instance, wouldn't that area of myself be blurry? And the same for my head, I don't understand why the side of my head that is visible is not very blurry...

The white area in the bottom right is just part of the tombstone I placed the camera upon. Sorry I didn't clarify that.

Regards,

Fonzz

[ScottL]

No one can be positive, cameras can do funky things at funky times... Whether it be spirits or a malfunction, I still ponder what influences 2 people to take a portrait shot in the middle of a cemetery lol...

I would say, stage the same shot somewhere else, then stage the same shot at the same location in the same exact spot on a bright sunny day without a long exposure... I personally wouldn't go through the trouble, but if you are that interested, why not...

If the same thing happens again, stay the heck away, someones spirit does not want you there :-D