Superstitions About Photography

From the captivating concept that a camera can capture a person’s spirit, to the dread of a deadly double exposure, superstitions about photography offer a fascinating look into our relationship with images.

Photo by Ozan Culha.

Here are 7 camera-related superstitions:

1. Soul Capture: The most prevalent photography-related superstition is that photographs can capture a person’s soul. The (faulty) reasoning behind this was that because a photograph can lock a fleeting instant in time, it can also encapsulate the subject’s spirit within the camera itself.
2. Bad Luck from Broken Camera: Breaking a camera or damaging it is often believed to bring bad luck. (Right?!) This superstition is similar to the idea of breaking a mirror, which is said to bring seven years of bad luck. You’re not only damaging the mirror but also the person whose image it reflects. By the way, the seven years refers to the amount of time it takes a soul to recover — or for the mirror-breaker to die.
3. Death Omen: Some cultures believe that if a camera unexpectedly malfunctions or a photo turns out blurry or distorted, or (yuck) headless without any apparent technical reason, it might be an omen of a dreadful event, or, worse, death…