A photographer who was caught taking pictures of himself in a cemetery, without any clothes on, says he was trying to photograph spirits.

Robert T Hurst, 47, was recorded by a security camera set up to catch vandals at a cemetery in south Mississippi, reports local newspaper the Picayune Item.

?He said he was in the cemetery conducting his year-long hobby, orb photography, which is capturing circles of light at night, some of which appear to be faces,? states the paper.

Hurst claimed he was naked because ?the skin can be the best canvas for such photography?.

However, he admits it was ?stupid? to have taken all his clothes off as he had originally only intended to remove his shirt.

Police arrested Hurst last Friday.

Capt Kelvin Stanford from the Sheriff?s Department said: ?This is one of the craziest things I?ve ever seen.?

The photographer faces a charge of indecent exposure.