© 2016 John Iovine / Images SI Inc.

All Rights Reserved. No part of this book shall be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without the written permission from the publisher. No patent liability is assumed with respect to the use of the information contained herein. While every precaution has been taken in the preparation of this book, the author, the publisher or seller assumes no responsibility for errors or omissions. Neither is any liability assumed for damages resulting from the use of information contained herein.

International Standard Book Number

ISBN-10: 1-62385-004-5
ISBN-13: 978-1-62385-004-3

Editor: Melissa Serao

Cover Concept: Greg Colletti

Photographs :John Iovine

Illustrations and Other Materials: Courtesy of the Author

Trademark Acknowledgements:
All product illustrations, product names and logos are trademarks of their respective manufacturers. All terms in this book that are known or suspected to be trademarks or services have been appropriately capitalized. Images Publishing cannot attest to the accuracy of this information. Use of an illustration, term or logo in this book should not be regarded as affecting the validity of any trademark or service mark.

TABLE OF CONTENT

• Introduction
  The Paranormal Claims(1)
  
• Chapter 1 - What is Kirlian Photography?
  The Paranormal Claims (3)(3)
  Color Film Exposure: (3)
  Digital Camera, iPhone or Low Lux Video Camera: (5)
  Directions: Art and Science (6)
  Aesthetics and Pictures (6)
  Scientific Inquiry (6)
  Photography variables (6)
  Color in Kirlian Film Photographs (7)
  Color in Kirlian Digital Photographs (8)
  Making Digital Kirlian Photographs (9)
  
• Chapter 2 - High Voltage Power Supplies
  Unsafe High Voltage Power Supplies (12)(11)
  Safer High Voltage Power Supplies: (12)
  Important Safety Warning (13)
  Features(13)
  How the Circuit Works(14)
  Construction of High Voltage Power Supply (15)
  Testing & Finishing Construction (18)
  Frequency & Voltage Output
  HV TRANSFORMER IN AIR INPUT VOLTAGE 12 VDC (19)
  HVPS-01 Parts List (19)
  Enclosure (20)
  HV Connectors. (22)
  
• Chapter 3 - Transparent Discharge Plate
  The Paranormal Claims(25)
  Transparent Discharge Plate - Build or Buy(25)
  Construction Of A Transparent Electrode (26)
  Parts List: (39)
  Parts List:(39)
  
• Chapter 4 - Digital Camera, iPhone, Video Cameras and Copy Stands
  The Paranormal Claims(45)
  The Digital Camera: (47)
  Digital Camera Copy Stands - Getting Steady to Shoot (47)
  iPhone Camera: (39)
  

Introduction

I have written on Kirlian photography for over two decades. This book focuses on using digital cameras to capture Kirlian images. My first book, “Kirlian Photography – A Hands on Guide” was written over 20 years ago, focused on using sheet film for creating Kirlian images.

In the intervening years since my first book’s publication I occasionally dusted off my equipment, made a few modifications and took a few photographs. One major change that has occurred from when my first book was published and now is the advent of digital photography. In keeping up with the new digital equipment, I have written material detailing how to use digital cameras, iPhones and low light video cameras for capturing Kirlian photographs.

I have compiled this information into this book. In addition, I have added material for using photo-editing programs, like Adobe Photoshop, to reduce noise, enhance and colorize the resulting digital Kirlian photographs.

I also updated the Kirlian photography circuits and devices themselves. The new devices are more versatile and easier to build. You will find everything you need to create stunning Kirlian photographs in this book.

The Paranormal Claims

There are numerous Kirlian devices being sold on the internet today. To sell their devices, the corona discharge in the resulting Kirlian photograph is claimed to be paranormal or hold information that can be decrypted by the company's Kirlian researchers. All my research to date shows the corona discharge can be explained by employing known physical laws, like changes in subjects skin resistance (due to factors like; stress-lying, illness, fatigue, alcohol consumption, etc.) without the necessity of invoking paranormal (bio-plasma) factors. Some other variable factors influencing the resulting Kirlian picture, as described by Stanford researcher William Tiller, include the object's pressure against film, air humidity, air pressure, voltage, frequency, and exposure time. If anyone has any evidence to the contrary, I would be more than happy to examine that data.

My company also sells Kirlian equipment. However we have never made any "paranormal" claims to sell our Kirlian photography devices. Our devices are sold to make brilliant Kirlian photographs, period. If one wants to do paranormal research with our devices that fine. Just know we make no claim that any interpretation of the corona discharge is due to anything other than standard variable physical parameters as already previously outlined. If you discover something different, please let me know. I am open to examine any new data that comes along.

Chapter 1

What is Kirlian Photography?

Kirlian (pronounced kur'-lee-uhn ) photography, is sometimes called electrophotography, electronography, electromagnetic discharge imaging (EDI), and radiation field photography. It is commonly called Kirlian photography in honor of the Russian researchers Semyon and Valentina Kirlian, who pursued and developed this method of photography for over 30 years. Although they did not discover this method of electro-photography, they devoted a lifetime to studying its potential and made claims for its use as a diagnostic tool.

Kirlian photography uses high-voltage, low-current electricity to create a corona discharge around an object. The feeble light from the corona discharge can expose film or a CCD element in a digital camera. How the corona discharge is recorded using sheet film is different than when using a digital camera. So I will describe both methods, starting with classic film exposures.

Color Film Exposure:

When using color sheet film the object is usually in direct contact with the film, the corona discharge from the object exposes the film in two different ways. The first, is the feeble light from the corona discharge expose's the film in a normal standardized method for film exposure by Light

The second, is when the corona discharge passes through the film, it activates the photosensitive silver halide crystals in the three dye layers of the color film. This is explained in better detail, later on in this chapter. Because of this dye activation, the resulting Kirlian photographed may contain colors that were not actually present in the corona discharge.

Figure 1-1 illustrates the basic Kirlian sheet film photography arrangement. The exposure plate is made out of a conductive material, usually a metal. The metal exposure plate is usually coated with a thin layer of insulating material, or dielectric, on its top surface. The sheet film lays on top of the exposure plate, emulsion side up, facing the object to be photographed. The object is placed on the film.

The high-voltage power source is connected to the plate. If the object is inanimate, it is connected to an earth ground. To take a Kirlian photograph, the room lights are turned off, or the Kirlian photography setup is covered in a light tight enclosure. Next the high voltage power source is turned on, once on, a corona discharge forms around the object. The HV power is kept on for a short time, 2-3 seconds to exposure the film. After the film is exposed and developed, the resulting picture or transparency is a Kirlian photograph.

This simple illustration shows how Kirlian photographs can be made without light, lens system or a camera. This is Kirlian photography at its most basic level. It is a high voltage contact print photography.

Digital Camera, iPhone or Low Lux Video Camera:

This Kirlian photography set up may be used with the following types of cameras; digital, 35mm film, iPhone or a low lux video camera. I am illustrating the set up with a digital camera but the other cameras will work as well. The specifications for the cameras are provided in chapter 4.

Using a digital camera requires the use of a flat transparent discharge plate (TDP). The TDP itself is constructed using a glass plate with a transparent, but electrically conductive coating on one side of the glass. The transmission of light through the TDP is usually better than 90%.

The subject or object being photographed is in direct contact with the TDP. The high-voltage power source is connected to the TDP. If the object being photographed is inanimate, it is connected to an earth ground. The digital camera is manually focused onto the object through the TDP. The room lights are turned off, or the kirlian photography set-up is covered in a light tight enclosure. Next, the high voltage power source is turned on, once on, the feeble light from the corona discharge should be visible around the object. Next the digital camera shutter is tripped to make a timed exposure of 10-15 seconds. When the camera's shutter closes the high voltage power source is turned off. The digital camera should have recorded the corona discharge around the object which is a Kirlian photograph.

Directions: Art and Science

There are two main directions that can be taken in Kirlian photography. One is to use Kirlian photography for special effects photography. The other is to investigate the potential of this method of photography for its scientific value.

Aesthetics and Pictures

Using the Kirlian technique for special effects photography is easier than pursuing it for its scientific value. Many parameters that must be controlled and recorded for research are ignored when shooting for special effects. Aesthetically, the Kirlian technique can be used to achieve interesting special effects photographs. This book shows you how to build the equipment and the techniques to create a large variety of Kirlian photographs.

Scientific Inquiry

There was a flurry of research on Kirlian photography in the early 1970s. However, most of this experimentation was not under controlled laboratory conditions. This invalidated the work and conclusions drawn from it. In order for science to accept any data, the research and its results must be repeatable by other scientists. This is accomplished by using the scientific method with measured and controlled parameters.

Pursuing Kirlian photography for its potential scientific value is a harder road to travel. Any reports, of human bio-plasma fields and Kirlian auras that foretell illnesses will be met with a fair amount of skepticism from the scientific community. So, if you pursue scientific research, it’s important to control every variable over every experiment and keep scrupulous records of controls and results.

We will not be pursuing Kirlian photography for its scientific value in this book. However, you can learn a little more about the science in Chapter B.

Photography variables

For the most part, as photographers we don’t need to employ strict laboratory controls. However, we still want to produce the best pictures possible. Photographers learn that the patterns and "aura" of electrophotographs are predominately determined by conductivity of the object, pressure on the plate, air spacing between the object and the plate, length of exposure as well as moisture content of the air.

Color in Kirlian Film Photographs

Many Kirlian photographs show a wide range of colors, that includes reds, greens, blues, and white. If the corona discharge is predominately blue-violet, where do these other colors come from?

To answer this question, you must examine the structure of color film. Color films are made with three separate silver halide dye layers. Each dye layer is designed to respond to a specific color of light: one for red, one for green, and one for blue (Figure 1-4). This arrangement works very well when exposing film to light in a standard camera. The colors in the image projected onto the film plane are accurately recorded in the film layers.

With Kirlian photography, the high voltage electrical discharge (corona discharge) generates its light by photo ionization of the air, which is predominately nitrogen gas. This light contains a high component of UV light. If the film on the exposure plate buckles slightly, it creates an air gap where photo ionization can occur. Air gaps occur from too much pressure or uneven pressure between the object and the film. In addition, the corona discharge travels through the film layers where it can activate the silver halide crystals inside the dye layers and create color in the resulting Kirlian images that do not exist in the color of the corona discharge.

Color in Kirlian Digital Photographs

Digital cameras as well as other cameras; iPhone, video and film, that use a Transparent Discharge Plate, usually capture the true blue-violet color of the corona discharge in their photographs. However, the color of the corona discharge in the digital images may be changed, manipulated, and enhanced using a photo editing program like Adobe Photoshop (Figure 1- 6). Photoshop may also be used to reduce and remove noise in digital photographs that typically accumulate in the long exposure times needed to capture Kirlian images as is shown in chapter 6.

Making Digital Kirlian Photographs

There are three main components you need to begin shooting digital Kirlian photographs, as well as a proper area or enclosure in which to shoot. A proper area is one where you can turn off the lights to achieve relative darkness. If a proper area is not available to you, you can instead, make a basic light tight enclosure, as detailed in chapter 5, for the Kirlian photography set-up. In each case darkness is the main requirement for shooting because it allows the camera to capture the feeble light from the corona discharge.

The three main components that are required are:

1) High Voltage, low current power supply
2) Transparent Discharge Plate
3) Suitable Digital Camera

You may buy or build a high voltage power supply and transparent discharge plate. In the next two chapters I will show you where you may purchase as well as how to build both. In chapter 4, I will go over the minimum requirements for your digital camera(s). The following chapters are on shooting Kirlian photographs and photo-editing the images for cleaning up noise and color manipulation.

Before I move onto suitable power supplies for Kirlian photography I want to show you an example of an unsafe high voltage power supply. Neon Sign transformers are not safe, because they are high voltage high current. High current in these transformers varies between 20 to 30 milliamperes. I consider these transformers lethal. DO NOT USE!

Other high voltage circuits not to use are circuits/devices made for stun guns, Tesla coils, or any high voltage circuits/device that output more current than 1mA.

Safer High Voltage Power Supplies

There are a number of induction coil or Flyback transformer high voltage circuits that are suitable, low current. Induction coil circuits are typically lower frequency devices operating around 300 to 2000 Hz. Flyback transformer circuits typically operate at higher frequencies of 20000 Hz (20 KHz) or more.

The first question is to build or buy. There are a number of companies that sell high voltage power supplies and kits. I will look at one kit here. Now you do not have to purchase the kit. The schematic and parts list is also provided and you can use point to point wiring on a breadboard. The kit just makes it easier.