Kirlian Photography vs Aura Photography: They're Not the Same Thing

If you've searched for "aura photography" online, you've probably read that it's based on Kirlian photography from the 1930s. Here's the truth: modern aura photography has almost nothing to do with Kirlian photography. They're completely different technologies that measure different things, work through different mechanisms, and produce fundamentally different results.

We know this because we've operated both. For four years, we owned and used a Kirlian electrograph machine alongside our aura photography equipment. We've taken hundreds of Kirlian photographs and thousands of aura photographs. The confusion between these two technologies isn't just a technical misunderstanding—it affects what people expect when they book an aura photography session.

Let's clear this up once and for all.

What is Kirlian Photography?

Kirlian photography, also called electrography or corona discharge photography, was discovered in 1939 by Soviet inventor Semyon Kirlian and his wife Valentina. The process captures the corona discharge—the visible electrical discharge—that occurs when a high-voltage, high-frequency electrical field is applied to an object.

How Kirlian Photography Actually Works

The technical process is straightforward but requires specialized equipment:

1. The Setup: An object (your hand, a leaf, a coin—literally any object) is placed directly on a photographic plate or film
2. High-Voltage Application: A high-frequency electrical field is applied, typically ranging from 15,000 to 100,000 volts at frequencies of 50-200 kHz
3. Corona Discharge: The electrical field ionizes the air molecules around the object, creating a visible corona discharge—essentially a pattern of electrical "sparks"
4. Image Capture: This corona discharge exposes the photographic film, creating an image that shows the electrical discharge pattern around the object's edges

What You're Actually Photographing

Here's what's critical to understand: Kirlian photography captures electrical discharge patterns. The patterns you see in a Kirlian photograph are determined by:

• The moisture content of the object
• The pressure applied to the photographic plate
• Environmental humidity and temperature
• The electrical conductivity of the object
• The voltage and frequency settings of the equipment

You can take a Kirlian photograph of anything—a leaf, a coin, a key, your finger, a dead insect. The object doesn't need to be alive. The "glow" you see is ionized air molecules creating a corona discharge pattern where the object meets the electrical field.

The Physical Experience

Having used a Kirlian electrograph for years, we can tell you what the experience is actually like: you feel it. When you place your hands on the electrified glass plate, electrical current passes through your body. For some people, it's a mild tingling sensation they don't mind. For others, it's uncomfortable or even unpleasant. This is why we never offered Kirlian photography commercially—the physical sensation and liability concerns made it impractical for studio sessions or events.

The Phantom Leaf Phenomenon

One of the most fascinating Kirlian experiments is the "phantom leaf" effect. The Kirlians discovered that if you photograph a leaf, then tear away part of that leaf and photograph it again, sometimes a faint outline of the missing portion appears in the second photograph.

Various explanations have been proposed for this phenomenon, from moisture residue on the photographic plate to more esoteric interpretations about energy fields persisting beyond physical matter. Regardless of the mechanism, it remains one of the most intriguing aspects of Kirlian photography and has inspired decades of research into bioelectromagnetic phenomena.

What is Modern Aura Photography?

Modern aura photography has nothing to do with electrical discharge or Kirlian's work. It was developed in the 1970s—40 years after Kirlian photography—by Guy Coggins, an American scientist and entrepreneur who pioneered the technology that made aura photography accessible to the public.

How Aura Photography Actually Works

The process is completely different from Kirlian photography:

1. Biofeedback Sensors: The person places their hands on sensors (not an electrified plate) that measure physiological data
2. Data Collection: The sensors measure galvanic skin response, skin temperature, and electrical conductivity across various points on the hands
3. Algorithm Translation: A sophisticated algorithm processes this biofeedback data and assigns specific colors based on the readings
4. Image Capture: The result is a vibrant aura photograph on instant film

There is no electrical current passing through your body. You don't feel anything unusual. It's a comfortable, non-invasive process.

What You're Actually Measuring

Aura photography measures physiological responses—your body's subtle electromagnetic signals, temperature variations, and skin conductivity. These measurements reveal patterns in your current energetic dynamics. The algorithm translates these readings into the vibrant colors that appear in your aura photograph.

At HALO Auragraphic, we've been providing aura photography sessions since 2016. We use professional aura camera equipment and capture every portrait on authentic instant film, creating one-of-a-kind Polaroid images. The process takes 10-30 minutes depending on the session type, and includes an in-depth reading of the colors and what they reveal about your current energetic landscape.

The Key Differences: Side-by-Side Comparison

Why Everyone Confuses Them

If they're so different, why does nearly every article about aura photography mention Kirlian photography? Several reasons:

1. Shared Conceptual Territory

Both technologies explore the idea of capturing something beyond what's visible to the naked eye. Kirlian photography captures actual electrical discharge (measurable electromagnetic energy), while aura photography captures biofeedback data that reflects your energetic state. The word "energy" gets used for both, creating natural associations.

2. Historical Narrative Appeal

Connecting aura photography to Kirlian photography creates a compelling origin story that spans decades and continents—from Soviet scientific laboratories in the 1930s to American innovation in the 1970s. It's a better narrative than starting the story in the '70s, even though that's when aura photography actually began.

3. Kirlian's Scientific Legacy

Semyon Kirlian's work opened doors for thinking about bioelectromagnetic phenomena and sparked legitimate scientific curiosity about how we might measure or visualize human energy. Even though modern aura photography uses completely different technology, it exists in the conceptual space that Kirlian's research helped create.

4. Content Recycling

Most articles about aura photography are written by people who've never used either technology. They copy information from other articles, which copied from other articles, perpetuating the same historical conflation. Few writers have actually operated both systems and understand the technical distinctions between them.

The reality is that both Kirlian photography and aura photography are fascinating in their own right—but for very different reasons and through very different mechanisms.

Visual Comparison: What They Actually Look Like

The visual difference between Kirlian photographs and aura photographs is immediately obvious when you see them side by side.

Kirlian Photographs:

• Black background
• Bright corona discharge around edges of object
• Discharge patterns look like electrical sparks or halos
• Object itself appears as dark silhouette
• Works on leaves, coins, fingers—anything conductive

Aura Photographs:

• Full-color portrait of person
• Vibrant color field surrounding the person
• Colors blend and gradient smoothly
• Beautiful, artistic portrait with colorful aura elements

The difference is stark. A Kirlian photograph looks like a scientific experiment capturing electrical phenomena. An aura photograph looks like a beautiful, meaningful portrait that reveals your current energetic state.

Why Understanding the Difference Matters

Both Kirlian photography and aura photography offer unique ways to explore energy and consciousness, but they do it through completely different approaches:

If you're booking an aura photography session: You should know what to expect. An aura photography session is comfortable, takes 10-30 minutes, involves biofeedback sensors, and results in a beautiful film portrait you can take home. It's both scientifically grounded and a comfortable, elevated experience.

If you're researching these technologies: Understanding that they're separate developments helps you appreciate each one on its own merits rather than viewing aura photography as merely an evolution of Kirlian photography.

If you're considering aura photography for an event: The modern aura photography process is safe, comfortable, scalable, and produces stunning visual results. It's perfect for corporate events, brand activations, and weddings—creating meaningful experiences that guests remember and share.

The Bottom Line

Kirlian photography and modern aura photography are fundamentally different technologies:

• Kirlian photography uses high-voltage electrical fields to capture corona discharge patterns around any object
• Modern aura photography uses biofeedback sensors to measure physiological data and translate it into colors in your aura photograph

They were invented 40 years apart, work through completely different mechanisms, and produce entirely different results. Both technologies explore human energy, they just do it through fundamentally different pathways and capture different aspects of the energetic experience.

Now you know the truth. Both technologies are fascinating explorations of energy in their own right. They're just not the same thing.

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ALL Kirlian & aura photographs by Halo Auragraphic.

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Ready to experience modern aura photography? Book a session at our Downtown LA Arts District studio or inquire about bringing aura photography to your next event.