Honestly, I was pretty hesitant to post today's blog as there is so little information on this particular photo, and what information there is seems pretty contradictory and changes dramatically from website to website. Still, I thought it was interesting enough to at least start the research process on, share what little IS known, and just keep this particular entry as a work in progress. Anyway...
This photo was taken on September 10, 2006 at the famous Waverly Hills Sanatorium in Louisville, Kentucky. It was taken by Tom Halstead during an overnight investigation of the facility by Missouri Paranormal Research. The photo was taken on the 4th floor of the main hospital building around 7am.
The camera used was a Pentax K1000 35mm film camera with a Pro-Master 5600 extendable flash. ILFORDHP5 black and white 400 ISO film was used. According to team data, the camera settings were at a 1/60 second speed and F-stop of 5.6.
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| With Mary Lee inset |
As one can pretty plainly see, on the right of the frame there appears to be the apparition of a young woman with dark hair and a white nightgown or dress. But who is this woman? With the death toll well into the thousands, there seems like there could be a never-ending pool of potential suspects. But, a few theories have prevailed.
She is commonly believed to be a young girl named Mary Lee, based on a photograph that was found of a similar looking girl signed, "Love, Mary Lee" on the back. But who was Mary Lee? One website claims that SHE is the legendary nurse who allegedly hung herself in room 502 after either learning that she was pregnant by a doctor or had TB or both. Others say that Mary Lee was the daughter of a doctor who often visited the patients and tried to cheer them up. Unfortunately, she herself contracted TB and passed away. And others just simply believe she was one of many of the patients who lived and died in the facility over the years.
Sources:
Paranormal Task Force
Waverly Hills History and Legends
Paranormal Association
Michael Phillip Cash's Blog
I have never seen this photo before, which is strange since I'm a paranormal investigator. I am also an artist, which is why I'm very skeptical of the authenticity of this photo. You can clearly see the back, the concave lower back, the convex gluteus maximus (for lack of a more professional term), and feet. What bothers me is that the head is so large in proportion to the rest of the body. I suspect that someone has Photoshopped the image, taking the body and the head from 2 different sources and piecing them together without awareness of proper proportions. I believe this could've been done in an attempt to make the spirit look like Mary. What are your thoughts?
ReplyDeleteI think it's weird you haven't already seen it. It's a pretty famous picture.
DeleteAnd there is video of Tom's investigation on YouTube
DeleteI tend to agree with you. I think someone tried to make it look like Mary too by altering the faces of more then one person. I personally don't think its Mary. The hair on the figure clearly appears wavy on the sides, and longer. Mary's hair was straight and short. I've blown this up many times through the years, and you can make out irregularities in the shape of the spine curvature, gown/dress shape, size of one foot appears "stretched" too much and last but not least, as you mentioned, the disproportionate size of the head/face. I'm not a paranormal investigator but I am a semi professional photographer and the camera he used is not a cheap one and "should" take very crisp and clear photos so why it took this "make or break, chance of a lifetime" picture very blurry, just screams to me of altering and deliberate blurring to hide details. Some will say ghosts often appear blurry and not clear. Not always. Usually but not every time. And in this picture the entire scene is blurry, not just the "ghost", in most pictures the scenes are as clear as day and only the ghost is shifty. I'd be interested to know about this photographers life and reputation. Do you happen to know anything about him? And the only really strange thing is that you've never seen this picture before now. Its been around for a good 10-15 years. I must admit though that this is my first time seeing the real photo of "Mary", has anyone verified that this picture does say on the back, "Love Mary"? Has anyone done a hard search for anyone named Mary and who she really was? I get the feeling that she wasn't a patient nor employee, that she was a family member of a patient who never sat foot in Waverly and lived too far to visit so she sent a letter with a picture. If true, this will make it almost impossible to research and concretely discover who Mary really was. Tragic.
DeleteHello. I guess it's better late than never. Three days ago was the first time I've actually heard this picture even though up until maybe 10 years ago I was a full-time parapsychologist but left because of how the paranormal world was becoming with too much TV wannabe famous idiots running around with cameras faking shit.... So yes this picture is fascinating but unfortunately I'm British and the chances of me ever going to this location a few and far between so I have to do this the hard way.. I'm looking for prints. I'm looking for a map of the layout if at all possible I imagine or so I am told that this was taking on the 4th floor. Not far from the stairwell apparently looking at the proportions and distance of what you can see... The past few days I have tried to research this person but I am not a fool to think that hundreds of investigators haven't done this previously since 2006 and saying it's now 2022 I'm very late. My excuse is that I've been busy with military and only now looking to rekindle my past career. I don't believe this picture has been faked I have no doubt about it it maybe it is is everyone's wish to be famous to be noted and also Waverly hills depends on people coming to pay for tours so I'm always very sceptical when there is money involved. The picture just does look staged by maybe somebody dressing up playing the part and then the photo has been edited to look very transparent but I believe the guy has now passed away who took this in 2006 and I don't want to try to rubbish his name because he's not here to defend himself.what I did notice is that this girl's face is solid you can see the eyes the eyebrows even the structure of her mouth even her. It's almost like they wanted you to focus on her face and the rest of the body becomes more transparent as it travels down to her feet and rightly saw the dispersions of her body are all all this functional. You are all so right that the camera stipulated used to take the picture would have taken a crisp clear picture and this is grainy like it some 5 megapixel piece of shit. To be honest I've see 5 megapixel cameras take better equipment and yes I know it was dark but it used a really expensive adjustable flash which again should have been for clearer image?
DeleteI've even spent the past 36 hours going through old pictures of nurses and nothing fits the bill and I just think it's wishful thinking on the part of investigate is to try to become more attached to this story re look I'm interested in finding out maybe reopening this case. I'm really looking forward to working with anyone who has close access with me hills I would even be by willing to pay the two of these of course to irreparable investigations team and not some someone who can't identify a proper picture from breath or claiming dust as orbs bagain one of the reasons why I quit? I'm not even sure if anyone will read this this but I hope someone can contact me back..
and, the gentleman who took this photo has had several of his pictures come into question...i think he is dead...
ReplyDeleteOMG that is so scary.
ReplyDeletePhotoshop, Come on man! We see what we want to see.
ReplyDelete