New Zealand newspaper The Press has been collecting photographs taken in New Zealand of ghostly and unexplained sightings.

The paper dismissed most of the photographs as explainable and orbs, in particular, where described as dust on the camera lens.

Some of the photographs, however, were not so easily categorised by the judges.

Of particular note is the sighting of a ghostly face of flames peering out of the window of a burning building.

The photograph was taken in 2006 by the Volunteer Fire Brigade of Westport while they attended the scene.

A single photograph might have been dismissed as a trick of the light, smoke or perhaps an odd reflection. However, the Westport Fire Brigade has two separate pictures of the same incident that clearly show the face-like image in the flames.

New Zealand Paranormal Investigation Society director Brad Scott was shown the pictures collected by The Press.

He said, I hate orbs with a passion because I know they’re dust. There’s nothing paranormal about a little flick of dust.”

Scott added, “If you see a face in the window, it could just be a reflection of light. There are very few paranormal pictures out there,”

The New Zealand Skeptics Society wrote the pictures off. A spokeswoman said, “Shots involving fire, smoke and fog are notorious for producing ghost images.

“These indistinct environments produce the kind of patterns we try to resolve as meaningful, and the most meaningful pattern we know is the human form.”

The competition also highlighted pictures of a ghostly face peering out of a washing basket.

Another picture that caught the judges’ attention was of two Linwood College students posing together. Squashed between the two students seems to be a disembodied head.

In Pure Spirit

What do you think? Are these photographs just the effects of smoke and light or do they show something else?