What Are Orbs? Exploring the Strange Lights People Capture on Camera
Updated: Oct 13
When someone captures a glowing sphere of light moving across their security camera, appearing in a photograph or floating through a room, one question often follows.
What was that?
For some, the answer is straightforward.
Dust. Moisture. An insect passing close to the camera. Light reflecting through the lens.
And sometimes, those explanations make perfect sense.
But what happens when something appears to behave differently?
When a light suddenly changes direction.
When it seems to move independently through a room.
When its shape appears to change.
Or when someone enlarges a photograph and believes they can recognise a face within it.
These are the kinds of experiences that have made me increasingly curious about orbs.
Before exploring this subject through The Mediums Table Podcast, I genuinely didn't know what to think of them.
Perhaps they were dust.
Perhaps they were some form of phenomenon I didn't understand.
I didn't have a firm opinion.
But after interviewing people, examining photographs and watching footage of unusual lights and shapes, my perspective has changed.
One thing I've noticed is how different the images can appear.
Some are small and faint. Others are large and luminous. They vary in colour, apparent internal patterns and the way they seem to move.
When I enlarge and examine images, I sometimes notice structures and details that look remarkably different from one orb to another.
Of course, an unusual appearance doesn't automatically mean something paranormal has been captured. Cameras, lighting and image processing can create surprising effects.
But some of the footage I've encountered has left me with questions.
And one particular recording made me stop and look again.
A glowing orb captured by a doorbell camera appeared to change shape, develop what looked like legs and move away down a pathway in a form resembling an elderly woman.
What exactly was happening in that recording?
I can't say with certainty.
But it challenged what I thought I understood about these strange lights.
Today, I find myself considering a possibility I wouldn't have confidently entertained before.
Could some orbs represent a form of consciousness we don't yet understand?
I don't know.
But I think the question deserves exploration.
What Exactly Is an Orb?
The term orb is commonly used to describe a circular or spherical-looking light that appears in a photograph, video recording or reported visual experience.
They can appear in different sizes, colours and levels of brightness.
Some look like translucent circles.
Others appear as bright points of light, sometimes surrounded by a halo.
Certain images show rings, patterns or shapes within the circle itself.
And in video footage, these lights may appear to float, drift, dart across the frame or disappear.
But there is an important distinction to make.
An orb describes what something looks like. It doesn't necessarily tell us what caused it.
Many orb-like images can be explained through ordinary photographic effects.
Dust particles, moisture droplets and insects close to a camera lens can reflect light, particularly when infrared illumination or a flash is involved.
Because these objects are often out of focus, the camera may record them as glowing circular shapes rather than showing what they actually are.
This is especially common with night-vision cameras, security systems and photographs taken in low light.
So the presence of an orb in a photograph isn't, by itself, evidence of spirit activity.
But that doesn't mean every report should automatically be treated as identical.
For me, the interesting questions begin when we examine the circumstances of a particular recording.
How was it captured?
What was happening around it?
Was there a possible source of reflected light?
What does its movement look like across the original footage?
And is there anything about the event that warrants closer investigation?
The question isn't simply whether an orb appeared. It's what we can reasonably learn from the way it appeared.
Why Do Orbs Appear in Photographs and Videos?
Before exploring the more unusual experiences, I think it's important to understand why cameras can produce orb-like images in the first place.
A camera doesn't see the world in exactly the same way the human eye does.
Its lens, lighting, focus, exposure and image-processing systems all influence the final picture.
A tiny dust particle passing very close to a lens may appear much larger than it actually is.
A droplet of moisture may reflect a camera's infrared illumination and become a bright, softly edged circle.
An insect moving close to a security camera may appear as a strange luminous shape.
And depending on the camera, these effects can create patterns, halos or apparent movement that seem unusual when viewed without context.
This matters because many people discover orbs through security cameras, baby monitors or nighttime recordings.
Those devices can reveal things we don't notice with our eyes, but they can also produce visual effects that are easy to misinterpret.
Understanding how cameras create orb-like images doesn't take away from the mystery. It helps us ask better questions about the recordings that genuinely intrigue us.
What Makes an Orb Worth Looking at More Closely?
For me, the first thing that catches my attention is movement.
I'm particularly interested in footage where an orb appears to change direction abruptly, move along an unusual path or behave differently from other particles visible in the same recording.
Some appear to drift slowly.
Others seem to move rapidly.
And occasionally, I encounter footage where a light appears to travel in one direction before suddenly changing course.
That's when I want to look more closely.
But I also recognise that movement on camera can be deceptive.
Air currents, insects, perspective, camera frame rates and objects moving at different distances from the lens can all create unexpected visual effects.
So unusual movement is a reason for me to investigate, not proof of consciousness.
When footage particularly interests me, I may pause it, examine individual frames and enlarge the image.
I'm interested in its apparent structure, shape and any details that might be visible.
Sometimes people believe they can recognise a face or another life form within an orb.
That raises further questions about what we're seeing and how we interpret visual patterns.
But there's something I think is important to remember.
Enlarging an image may help us examine what was recorded, but it cannot automatically reveal what caused the image.
And enhancement can introduce or exaggerate details that weren't clearly present in the original recording.
That's why I think the original footage, the circumstances in which it was captured and any enhanced versions should be considered together.
The Orb That Appeared to Transform Into an Elderly Woman
Of all the orb footage I've encountered through The Mediums Table, one particular recording has stayed with me.
It was captured by a doorbell security camera outside a house.
At first, the footage showed what appeared to be an orb floating away from the front door.
But as it moved, something unusual seemed to happen.
The shape appeared to change.
What had initially looked like a floating sphere began developing features that resembled legs.
Then, rather than continuing to float, the shape appeared to move down the pathway in a way that reminded me of an elderly woman walking away.
It was the apparent transformation that caught my attention.
I wasn't simply looking at a circular light moving across a camera.
I was looking at footage in which the shape seemed to change from one form into another.
And that raised an intriguing question.
If some orbs are more than photographic effects, could they be connected with something capable of changing its appearance?
I can't establish from the footage alone that an orb physically transformed into a person.
Camera artefacts, insects close to the lens and changes in perspective can sometimes produce surprising visual effects.
But what I observed was unusual enough to make me examine it more closely.
And it contributed to a possibility I've increasingly considered while exploring these experiences.
Could an orb sometimes be a form through which consciousness appears or manifests?
I don't know.
But this recording remains one of the reasons I'm interested in that question.
Can Orbs Make Sounds? The Unusual Living-Room Recording
Another extraordinary piece of footage was sent to me from a security camera inside a home.
The camera was recording a living room during the night.
The room was empty.
Everyone in the house was asleep.
Yet the recording showed multiple orb-like lights appearing to move through the room from different directions.
They varied in apparent size, shape and colour.
Some were small. Others appeared considerably larger.
And their movements seemed different from one another.
But one particular orb stood out.
It was large and luminous, with what appeared to be a tail extending behind it, almost like a comet moving through the room.
Then something unexpected happened.
As the large orb appeared to disappear, the security camera recorded a muffled, explosive-sounding noise.
The sound was captured on the video itself.
It wasn't simply reported afterward by somebody who had been present.
This fascinated me because we so often discuss orbs as something visual.
But here was a recording that appeared to show unusual lights alongside an audible event.
Could the two have been connected?
Was the sound caused by something entirely unrelated?
Could the camera or recording system have contributed to what was captured?
I don't know.
The fact that the sound and visual event occurred at approximately the same time doesn't establish that one caused the other.
But it does make the recording particularly interesting to examine.
For me, the question isn't simply what the camera saw. It's also what the camera recorded at the moment the unusual light disappeared.
And it's one of those experiences that continues to make me curious about the nature of these phenomena.
The Orbs Captured on My Granddaughter's Baby Monitor
Not all of my interest in orbs comes from footage other people have sent me.
I've also encountered unusual recordings in my own home.
When my granddaughter was staying with us, we captured numerous orb-like lights on the baby monitor.
Now, I want to be clear about something.
I believe some of what we captured was probably dust.
Baby monitors, particularly those using infrared night vision, can make airborne particles appear as bright floating spheres.
And I'm perfectly comfortable acknowledging that explanation when it fits what I'm seeing.
But some of the movement caught my attention.
One recording in particular showed an orb-like light appearing to move from near the floor directly upward toward the ceiling.
My granddaughter had already been asleep for approximately half an hour.
The room was still.
There were no fans running, and there had been no recent movement in the room that I was aware of.
Watching that light travel upward made me question what I was seeing.
Why did it appear to move that way?
Was it a particle moving through an air current I couldn't detect?
Was its apparent path influenced by its distance from the camera?
Or was something else happening?
I couldn't determine the answer from the recording alone.
And I think that's an important distinction.
An apparently still room doesn't necessarily mean the air is completely motionless. Small particles can move in ways we don't notice, particularly when viewed through an infrared camera.
But that doesn't change what interested me about the footage.
Some of the recordings looked consistent with ordinary dust. Others made me want to look more closely.
That experience reinforced something I've come to believe about investigating orbs.
We shouldn't assume every glowing sphere has the same explanation simply because the images look superficially similar.
Equally, we shouldn't assume an unusual movement means we've captured something paranormal.
Each recording deserves to be considered in its own context.
Why These Three Experiences Matter
I want to include a short transition here because these three recordings raise different questions.
The doorbell camera raises questions about apparent changes in shape.
The living-room recording raises questions about multiple moving lights and an accompanying sound.
And the baby-monitor footage raises questions about movement and the conditions in which an orb-like image appears.
None of these observations, on its own, establishes the existence of spirit activity or consciousness.
But together, they illustrate why I don't believe the subject should be approached with a predetermined answer.
I want to understand what I'm looking at before deciding what I think it means.
And sometimes, the more closely I examine something, the more questions I have.
Can Faces Appear Inside Orbs?
One of the most intriguing aspects of examining orb photographs is what sometimes appears to be visible within them.
Over time, I've been shown images in which people believe they can recognise faces inside the circular shapes.
And not simply random faces.
In some cases, the people who captured the photographs or footage have recognised features resembling loved ones who have passed away.
That naturally raises some fascinating questions.
Are we simply recognising familiar patterns within an unusual image?
Or could some of these images represent something we don't yet understand?
When I examine an orb photograph, I often enlarge the image to look more closely at its apparent internal structure.
Some appear almost transparent.
Others contain rings, unusual patterns or areas of contrasting light and darkness.
And occasionally, those patterns appear to form something recognisable.
A face.
An expression.
Features that seem remarkably human.
But recognising a face within an image and establishing that a particular person is present are two different things.
Our brains are extraordinarily good at recognising familiar shapes, especially faces.
This phenomenon is known as pareidolia.
It's why we sometimes see faces in clouds, tree bark, rock formations or other random patterns.
The same process can occur when examining photographs.
And when an image is enlarged or enhanced, digital processing can sometimes make particular patterns appear more distinct than they were in the original recording.
I think that's important to acknowledge.
But I'm also interested in the personal experiences surrounding these images.
When someone believes they can recognise a deceased loved one within an orb, that recognition can carry enormous emotional significance.
For them, it may feel like something far more personal than an unusual photograph.
I don't believe we need to dismiss that experience simply because we cannot establish the identity of the face from the image alone.
At the same time, I wouldn't claim that a resemblance proves a loved one has manifested within an orb.
For me, the interesting question is not only what appears in the image, but also why that particular image holds such meaning for the person who captured it.
And this brings us to another aspect of orb experiences that I find particularly interesting.
The circumstances in which they appear.
Why Do People Report Orbs Around Family Gatherings and Spiritual Events?
Something I've noticed through the experiences shared with me is that people frequently report orb activity around gatherings.
Family celebrations.
Groups of friends coming together.
Spiritual gatherings.
Mediumship sessions.
And other occasions where people are emotionally engaged with one another.
In some recordings, there appear to be numerous orb-like lights moving through the same space.
This has made me wonder whether there could be a relationship between the circumstances of a gathering and the activity people are observing.
It also makes me wonder about the possibility of residual energy in places, and whether the history or atmosphere of a location might have any connection to what people report capturing.
From my own spiritual perspective, I consider the possibility that the collective emotional atmosphere of a gathering may play a role.
When people come together in celebration, love or shared spiritual intention, I believe there can be a heightened sense of connection between them.
And I sometimes wonder whether that could be significant.
Could some orb phenomena be associated with consciousness, emotion or the energy of a gathering?
I don't know.
There are also practical considerations.
A room filled with people may have more airborne particles moving through it.
People walking, sitting, dancing or moving objects can disturb dust.
Lighting conditions, camera positioning and infrared illumination can also influence how orb-like images appear.
So an increase in visible orbs during a gathering doesn't necessarily mean an increase in paranormal activity.
But it remains interesting to me that people associate these experiences with occasions that already carry considerable emotional or spiritual meaning.
And sometimes, those experiences become even more personal.
Could Orbs Be Signs From Loved Ones Who Have Passed Away?
For someone grieving the loss of a loved one, an unusual light appearing in a photograph or video can take on a very different meaning.
It may appear during a significant family occasion.
On an anniversary.
In a place associated with the person who died.
Or at a moment when someone has been thinking about them.
I've encountered accounts in which people interpret these appearances as possible signs that their loved ones remain connected to them.
And when the image appears to contain familiar features or a recognisable face, that interpretation can become even more meaningful.
As a medium, I am open to the possibility that consciousness may continue beyond physical death.
I also consider the possibility that communication could occur in ways we don't yet fully understand.
So I don't automatically dismiss the idea that some orb experiences might be associated with loved ones in spirit.
But I think we need to distinguish between two things.
An experience that feels personally meaningful and evidence that establishes what physically caused it.
Both deserve consideration, but they aren't necessarily the same.
An orb appearing during a significant moment may feel deeply connected to a loved one.
That experience can be meaningful regardless of whether the photograph establishes a paranormal cause.
For me, the possibility remains open.
Could a loved one communicate through an unusual light phenomenon?
Could consciousness manifest in a form we don't immediately recognise?
Or are we sometimes finding personal meaning in ordinary photographic effects?
These are questions I continue to explore.
And they lead directly into the theory I've developed after examining so many different orb experiences.
Could Orbs Be a Form of Consciousness?
When I first began exploring orbs, I didn't have a clear opinion about what they were.
I was open to the possibility that many were simply dust, moisture or other photographic effects.
And I still believe those explanations account for a considerable number of orb images.
But as I've examined more footage and spoken with people who have experienced unusual phenomena, I've begun considering another possibility.
What if some orbs represent a form of consciousness we don't yet understand?
It's a question that has become increasingly important to me.
I've seen recordings in which orb-like shapes appear to move in unusual ways.
Images that seem to contain distinctive internal patterns.
Footage in which shapes appear to change.
And experiences in which people associate the appearance of an orb with a deceased loved one.
None of those observations proves consciousness is present.
But collectively, they've influenced the possibilities I'm willing to consider.
I sometimes wonder whether an orb could be a form through which consciousness manifests.
Or perhaps even a vessel capable of carrying or expressing consciousness.
That consciousness might, in theory, be associated with a person, an animal or another form of life.
And if that possibility were true, it raises another question.
Could consciousness appear in one form before manifesting in another?
The doorbell-camera footage that appeared to show an orb transforming into an elderly woman is one reason this question interests me.
I cannot establish that a transformation physically occurred.
But the apparent change in form made me consider whether our understanding of these phenomena might be incomplete.
I want to be very clear about something.
This is my personal theory, not an established scientific explanation for orbs.
We don't currently have reliable evidence demonstrating that photographic orbs contain consciousness or function as vessels for spirits.
And I wouldn't want someone to look at an ordinary dust particle captured by a camera and assume they've photographed a loved one.
But I also don't believe curiosity requires us to have every answer before we begin asking questions.
My perspective has changed because I've encountered experiences that made me look more closely.
And the more I explore, the more interested I become in what we may not yet understand.
I honestly don't know what every orb is. But I remain open to the possibility that some may represent a form of consciousness we haven't learned to recognise.
What Can We Actually Learn From Orb Footage?
When someone sends me an unusual orb photograph or recording, I think the most valuable approach is to remain curious without immediately deciding what it represents.
The original footage matters.
The conditions in which it was recorded matter.
The camera matters.
And the behaviour of whatever appears in the recording matters.
An enlarged screenshot may reveal an interesting pattern, but it doesn't necessarily tell us what created it.
A sudden change in direction may look extraordinary, but perspective, airflow or camera effects could still be involved.
A recognisable face may be meaningful to someone, but resemblance alone doesn't establish identity.
And an unexplained recording doesn't automatically become evidence of spirit communication simply because we haven't identified its cause.
Unexplained doesn't necessarily mean paranormal.
But neither does it mean we should stop asking questions.
For me, the value of investigating these experiences lies in being willing to examine what has actually been captured.
Sometimes we'll discover a straightforward explanation.
Sometimes we'll find that the footage simply doesn't contain enough information to reach a conclusion.
And occasionally, we may encounter something that leaves us genuinely curious.
That's where I think the most interesting conversations begin.
FROM THE TABLE
Orbs: Unexplained Footage, Strange Encounters & Different Perspectives
In this panel discussion, five guests share photographs, video footage and personal experiences involving unusual orb phenomena. From changing shapes and unexpected movements to images people interpret as faces or signs of loved ones, we examine the recordings, explore different perspectives and consider the questions these experiences raise.
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What Are Orbs? The Questions Remain
When I first began exploring orbs, I didn't know what to make of them.
Some looked like ordinary photographic effects.
Others made me curious enough to examine the footage again.
And as more people shared their experiences with me, I began to realise just how varied these recordings could be.
A light moving unexpectedly across a room.
An orb appearing to change shape.
A photograph containing what someone recognises as a familiar face.
A recording accompanied by an unusual sound.
Or an appearance that holds deeply personal meaning for somebody grieving a loved one.
I can't tell you that every unusual light is a spirit.
Unusual lights aren't the only phenomena we've explored through The Mediums Table. In What Are EVPs? Exploring Mysterious Voices Captured on Recordings, I examine unexpected voices captured during podcast interviews, trance sessions and paranormal investigations.
Unexplained lights are only one form of visual phenomenon people report. In What Are Apparitions? Exploring Ghostly Figures and Spirit Encounters, I share a childhood experience that has stayed with me for decades and explore the different ways people describe seeing unexplained figures.
I can't tell you that every unexplained recording represents consciousness.
And I certainly can't tell you that every orb has the same explanation.
But I can tell you that exploring these experiences has changed the questions I'm willing to ask.
What if some of these lights are more than they appear to be?
Perhaps future investigations will explain phenomena that currently seem mysterious.
Perhaps some recordings will remain inconclusive.
And perhaps there are aspects of consciousness and our physical world that we have yet to understand.
For now, I remain curious.
Because sometimes the most interesting discoveries begin with being willing to say, “I don't know.”
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