Aura photography is the practice of producing an image of a colorful halo or energy field around a person’s body, using either Kirlian photography or modern biofeedback cameras that translate sensor readings into color. The idea behind it comes from the spiritual tradition that every living being carries an aura, a subtle field of energy around the body, and that this field shifts with your mood, health, and state of mind. This guide explains where aura photography came from, how the two main techniques actually work, what the colors are commonly said to mean, and how to read your own aura photo with a balanced and grounded perspective.
Aura photography is a broad term that covers two quite different techniques. The first is Kirlian photography, a high-voltage contact print process that captures an electrical discharge glowing around an object or body part. The second is modern aura photography, where a camera takes a normal photo while sensors on your hands measure biofeedback signals, and software turns those readings into a colorful aura rendered around your image.
Both are marketed as ways to “see” your aura, but they work in very different ways. Understanding the difference matters, because it changes how you should interpret the picture you receive. Neither technique has been shown by science to capture a literal photograph of a subtle energy field, yet both have real history, real technique, and genuine value as tools for self-reflection and conversation in healing and wellness settings.
The story of aura photography begins with Kirlian photography, named after Semyon Kirlian, a Russian electrical technician. In 1939, while working with high-voltage electrical equipment, Kirlian observed a luminous discharge around objects placed near an electrified surface. He and his wife Valentina spent years refining the process, placing objects directly on a photographic plate connected to a high-voltage, high-frequency current. The result was an image showing a corona, or glowing discharge, around the object.
Kirlian photographs made their way to the West in the 1960s and 1970s, where they caused a sensation. Researchers and spiritual seekers alike were fascinated by the glowing outlines around leaves, fingers, and coins, and many believed the images captured a living energy field. This period also produced famous and heavily debated claims, such as the “phantom leaf” effect, in which the outline of a cut-off portion of a leaf reportedly still appeared in the image. Later controlled studies suggested that the effect could be reproduced under specific conditions, but also showed that the corona discharge is strongly influenced by moisture, pressure, temperature, and the electrical properties of the object and the surface it rests on.
In 1970, American inventor Guy Coggins created the AuraCam 6000, widely considered the first commercial aura camera. Instead of high voltage, it used hand sensors that measured biofeedback signals and translated them into colors, which were then superimposed onto a regular photograph. This is the lineage of most aura cameras you see today at festivals, retreats, and wellness centers.
Kirlian photography does not use a camera or a lens at all. It is a contact print process:
The striking colors and patterns in Kirlian images come from the electrical discharge interacting with moisture, oils, salts, and the shape of the subject, not from a camera capturing a subtle energy field. That is why pressing harder, wetting a fingertip, or changing the humidity in the room can dramatically change the resulting image.
Modern aura cameras, including the AuraCam lineage, work completely differently. The session usually looks like this:
In other words, the colors are a visualization of your physiological state at that moment, filtered through software, not a direct image of an invisible energy field. That does not make the experience meaningless, but it does mean the photo reflects measurable signals like how relaxed, warm, or stimulated your body is, which can still be interesting and useful.
Every aura camera system uses its own color chart, but the interpretations are broadly similar across traditions and are drawn from the same color symbolism used in aura reading. Common associations include:
Practitioners also look at where the color appears in the image, whether it is near the head, heart, or hands, and whether the colors are bright and clear or dull and muddy. For a deeper tour of color meanings, read our guide to aura colors and their meanings.
The honest answer is: it depends on what you mean by real. Kirlian photography is a real electrical phenomenon, a corona discharge that has been studied and photographed since the 1930s. Modern aura cameras are real devices that measure real biofeedback signals and produce real images. What has not been demonstrated by science is that either technique photographs a literal subtle energy field or “life force” around the body.
Controlled research has shown that Kirlian images change with moisture, pressure, and electrical conditions, and that modern aura photos are driven by the sensor readings and the software’s color mapping. Two sessions minutes apart can produce different colors, and the same person can get different results on different machines. None of this means the practice is worthless. It means the photo should be treated as a mirror of your present state, a starting point for reflection, rather than a medical scan or a permanent label of your energy.
A good aura photography session is honest about what it is: a fun, insightful experience that can start meaningful conversations about how you are feeling, what is draining you, and what is lighting you up. That is exactly how it is best used in healing and wellness settings.
If you have had your aura photographed, or you are planning to, here is a grounded way to make sense of the result:
If you want to go deeper, our guide on how to read auras covers the traditional skills of perceiving and interpreting the energy field directly, without a camera.
Aura photography can be a delightful and thought-provoking experience, whether at a wellness fair, a retreat, or a private session. It is especially useful as an icebreaker for people who are curious about energy work but not sure where to begin, and as a visual anchor for tracking how your energy shifts over time. The key is to approach it with curiosity rather than certainty: enjoy the image, reflect on what it suggests, and pair it with practices that genuinely support your energy, such as meditation, cleansing, and healing sessions.
If your aura photo keeps showing colors linked to stress or low energy, it may be a good time to clear your field. You can learn the basics in our guide on how to cleanse your aura, and for personalized support, our team at Ppure Energy Gurukul can help you understand your energy picture and what to do next. Contact us here to ask a question, explore our spiritual products for tools that support your practice, or book a 1:1 reading with Sshreevidhyaa for a deeper look at your energy, patterns, and life direction.
No camera has been shown to photograph the subtle energy field that spiritual traditions describe. Kirlian photos capture an electrical corona discharge, and modern aura cameras translate biofeedback signals into colors. The images are real, but they are not a literal photograph of an invisible aura.
Kirlian photography is a contact print process that uses high-voltage electricity to record a corona discharge around an object. Modern aura photography takes a normal photo and uses hand sensors measuring skin conductance and temperature to generate colors, which are overlaid on the image by software.
Prices vary widely by location and setting. At festivals and wellness events a single photo often costs a small fee, while private sessions at a healing studio, which usually include an interpretation, cost more. It is best to ask the provider what is included before you book.
Yes. Because modern aura photos reflect your present physiological state, your colors can change with your mood, stress levels, sleep, health, and environment. That is why healers treat an aura photo as a snapshot of the moment rather than a permanent reading.
The underlying phenomena are scientific: corona discharge is a real electrical effect, and skin conductance and temperature are real physiological signals. What is not scientific is the claim that the resulting image proves the existence of a subtle energy field. Science explains the mechanisms, while the spiritual interpretation is a matter of belief.
White is commonly associated with clarity, purity, calm, and a bright energy state. In modern aura systems it is usually rendered when the sensor readings indicate a relaxed and balanced physiology, though exact meanings vary by camera brand.
Yes, with the right equipment. DIY Kirlian setups are possible with high-voltage components, though they require care and safety knowledge. Simpler options include apps and camera accessories that estimate aura colors from inputs like heart rate, though these are entertainment tools rather than accurate measurements.
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