Moisture in the air, that from your breath, can take on some really weird and wonderful shapes only limited by your imagination. In general photographs which capture breath just reveal amorphous masses as shown in Image 1 (click on any green bordered image to enlarge it) but sometimes more interesting images may appear. A prime example is shown in Image 2 which appears to show something like an alien reaching towards the top of the picture. This was taken in a back garden and was generated by the photographer exhaling up into the air then taking a picture a few seconds later (to allow time for the breath to spread). Right now this picture is not entirely convincing due to the bright wall and window behind it but imagine if this was along a pitch black lane with nothing else around.

Image 3 is another example of a moisture manifestation. This time we can see a knight on horseback. The horse’s head lies to the right and the knight is the wispy figure to the left. Have you ever stared at curtains (especially floral ones) and seen a face appear in the pattern? Well that is what a lot of people do when they see a mist. They look at the patches of mist and the dark shapes that show through from the background and they see whatever they want to see.

When it comes to ghosts misty manifestations are rare as people normally see real representations of people. When a paranormal mist is seen it is where there shouldn’t be a mist, in a heated building where no one is smoking, that is what you are really after. When you take a photograph hold your breath, in fact hold it for a few seconds before you press the camera button. You should also make sure no one is standing nearby as their breath could blow across in front of your lens. By nearby we mean within a few dozen metres as you would be surprised how far your breath can travel. You should always be aware that, given the right conditions, mist can form anywhere especially in sheltered spots and near water or damp ground.