Motion blur is one of the most common reasons ordinary scenes end up looking strange or ghost-like in paranormal photographs. It appears when something moves while the camera's shutter is open, or when the camera itself shifts during an exposure.

In low light, the camera keeps its shutter open longer. During this window, the sensor isn't capturing a single frozen moment - it's recording a slice of time. Anything that moves during that period becomes a blurred or distorted shape. This could be a person walking, someone turning their head, a dangling coat sleeve swinging, or the camera wobbling slightly in your hands.

Even the movements you don't consciously notice - steadying your stance, breathing out, pressing the shutter button - can be enough to introduce blur. When the background is dark and the subject is lightly coloured, these distortions stand out even more.

Unlike light streaks, which come from bright points leaving...