Wiki # 7: Photography Stealing the Soul

The religious belief that a photograph can steal a soul, imprisoning it within its frame is still shared by many cultures across the globe. From Native Americans to the Aborigines of Australia, there are those who refuse to be photographed. This belief evolved in different ways for many cultures, occasionally revolving around the beliefs in the power of mirrors. In folklore, mirrors have the power to steal souls. The superstition of breaking a mirror and causing bad luck stems from the belief that a mirror contains the soul and breaking it causes damage to the soul. Some practitioners of Voodoo believe in "sympathetic magic" in relation to their photograph being taken. Sympathetic magic principles state a powerful link exists between entities that are similar in appearance or come into contact with each other. Items such as photographs, nail clippings, hair and other objects may be used to create an "image" of another person. This "image" may be used to cast a curse or spell. For this reason, there are some practitioners of Voodoo who are cautious of photographs, as they are powerful items capable of harm.Ultimately whether one believes in the ability of photography to capture souls or not, respecting the beliefs and culture of the photographic subject should be paramount to any photographer.