[Top 15] Most Convincing Pictures of Ghosts of All Time

POV: You’re the ghost in the Poltergeist movie


The existence of ghosts has been the subject of debate ever since the first human died or at least in modern times that is. Hard to imagine that there are ghost cavemen that roam the world.

The idea of our souls still existing long after our bodies have given up is a concept that is both tantalizing and terrifying.

Although still existing in the physical world but only as mere wisps and whispers in the wind, ghosts have stayed with the collective human consciousness and will probably stay till the end of our civilization. 

There have been thousands of alleged photographic evidence of these specters captured on camera and here we’re going to list down the most convincing pieces of evidence for their existence. These are the top 15 ghost photographs of all time.

15. Back Seat Ghost

Those glowing eyes dont look like they belong to a Decepticon

Moms can be a bit overbearing at times. Sometimes they hover over you like a cloud and that's normal cause all moms love their child. But it's a WHOLE different story when your mom has already died a few years ago. 

Mabel Chinnery took a photo of her husband in their car back in 1959 but when she got the photo developed, she was shocked to see that her dead mother-in-law was sitting in the backseat.

The photo has tried to be debunked over the years with most skeptics pointing it out as a case of double exposure but since most photo experts state that whatever was sitting in the car was there when the photo was taken, it's hard to deny its authenticity and overall creepiness factor. 

Those eyes man. They're Like the eyes of a Transformer or something

14. Boot Hill Ghost

Ghost in the background be like “this town ain’t big enough for the two of us”

Tombstone, Arizona is known for its importance in the cowboy mythos of America’s wild west era. The rough and tumble world of a gunslinger always meant that death is not too far off in the future. Sometimes those dead cowboys don't stay dead.

Ike Clanton (who is a descendant of the OK Corral Clanton’s) took a photo of his friend in Tombstone, Arizona’s Boot Hill Cemetery while dressed up in full cowboy garb.

There was no one else in the photo but his friend at the time the photo was taken.

They were shocked when they saw a dapper looking fellow rising up from the ground behind his friend . This ghostly figure is even seen holding a knife in the photograph.

To this day, the ghostly cowboy of Boot Hill is unexplained.

13. The Falling Ghost

Photo evidence that proves photobombing is still a thing in the afterlife

The Cooper family of Texas was having a quaint family dinner one night in their new home in the 1950’s with their two little boys sitting on their mom’s laps. Everything seemed normal until they had their photos developed.

Captured in the photo was a ghostly apparition seemingly falling or even more eerily, hanging from the rafters. They did not recognize who the ghost was and even if they did, all that was captured was a disturbing black blotch for a face.

Let this be a lesson to research about the houses you buy cause you might also be buying a falling ghost with your purchase.

12. Freddy Jackson

You can never be too late for a group photo with your buddies

A human's life is fragile. You can die from old age or from disease or by walking into a live airplane propeller. This is what happened to Freddy Jackson in 1919. 

Freddy Jackson was a soldier working in the British Air Force and served as a mechanic that maintained war aircraft onboard the HMS Daedalus. He died by, yes, walking into a working airplane propeller, killing him rather gruesomely.

A few days later Sir Victor Goddard took a photo of his squadron and behind the fourth soldier from the left was Freddy Jackson himself,now as a ghost.

It’s commendable in a way that Freddy still showed up for a photo with his comrades. Even in death, he made sure he wasn’t late for a photo with his friends.

11. Ghost Dog

All dogs go to heaven but sometimes they like to visit their old friends every once in a while

You don’t really get to see ghost animals or hear reports of them that haunt empty houses or their former owners.

I think it’s because all of them go to heaven immediately after they die. I mean all of them are pure of heart, no wants or desire, just existing, and yes that includes snakes and alligators.

Dogs have been our companions since we figured out that fire existed. And sometimes they come back for a quick play session with their former dog buddies.

In a 1939 print of LIFE magazine, the cute little terrier on the left was the beloved friend and playmate of the big dog on the right.

The ghost terrier is seen hovering above the dog’s backside, probably to sniff it to confirm that it really was his friend in life.

This photo doesn't really evoke a sense of fear, but rather a sense of peace knowing that dogs have souls too. And they too can come back to look over their loved ones even in death.

10. Grandpa’s Ghost

Sometimes we visit our grandparents. Sometimes our grandparents visit us

We all have fond memories of our grandparents. The sad thing about having a grandparent is that it's inevitable that they will be the first loved ones who will leave this earth due to old age. We do take photos of our grandparents though to preserve their memories for a lifetime.

Denise Russell took a photo of her grandma on August 17, 1997 who was living alone at the time. The photo was given to her family members and kept as a memento of their grandma.

But in December 2000, a whole 3 years after the photo was taken. They noticed someone that looked like their grandpa in the background of the photo she took of her grandmother.

But at the time the photo was taken, her grandfather had been dead for 13 years.

Perhaps on that day, Denise’s grandfather wanted to be with his wife so that he can still be with her even in a photograph

9. Lord Combermere

Even in death, he hasn't forgotten that he is a Lord. I mean just look at how he sits. Authority right there.

Back in the 1800’s there seemed to be a lot of ultra clear (or at least discernible images) of ghosts and one the more famous examples is of Lord Combermere’s spirit in 1891.

Lord Combermere was a British cavalry commander in the 1800’s and here he is captured sitting on his chair at Combermere Abbey in Cheshire, England as photographed by Sybell Corbett.

The Lord commanded respect when he was alive, and apparently still so in death.

8. Manila Ghost

I live in the same city as this photo was taken. The background in this photograph even seems familiar to me. Maybe i’ll just steer clear of this way for a while.

This photo of two girls in Manila, Philippines has been circulating the internet since the early 2000’s. It shows the girls somewhere in the city and on the right side, there is a ghostly arm reaching out to hold one of the girls. 

Not much is known about what happened next after this photo was taken other than the girls reporting that they were the only ones at the time when the photo was taken.

It was taken with a digital camera, so the possibility of a double exposure is completely ruled out.

7. The Pink Ghost of Greencastle

Okay this is creepy as hell. I literally got goosebumps as I was doing my research about this photo.

Considered one of the most credible pieces of evidence of ghosts caught on film is the pink ghost of the O’Hare Mansion in Greencastle, Indiana. 

The photo was captured by Guy Winters and his friends as they spent several days in and around the mansion trying to capture proof of the paranormal.

In their quest, they got to take a photograph of a golden ghost in one of the doorways, a strange mist that flew by them caught on video, and most famously, the pink ghost.

When studied further by photo experts, they found that the pink apparition was indeed there when the photo was taken, and when examining the film negative they saw a ghastly skull-like figure on the specter.

6. Walter Ferguson

Brotherly love still stays well after you bite the dust.

American author Robert A. Ferguson authored a new book  in 1968 about psychic telemetry. He held a speech in Los Angeles and as he was giving his speech a photograph was taken of him.

When the photo was developed, a ghostly figure was standing next to him. When Robert Ferguson saw the photo he was convinced that it was his brother, Walter, that was caught on film.

His brother died in World War II, a full 20 plus years since its end.

The photo was taken on a polaroid camera, and because of this many people have contested its legitimacy as being a genuine ghost photograph.

5. San Antonio Crossing Ghost Child

Two things that should not be in the same sentence: Ghosts and railroads.

There can never be something more tragic than the loss of a child. Their whole lives taken away from them in a blink of an eye before their lives even started yet. Sadly this was reportedly the case to a bus load of schoolchildren in San Antonio, Texas.

In the 1930’s, a school bus full of children broke smack dab in the middle of a railroad. Too late to realize that a train was already hurtling fast in the direction of the bus.

The speeding train hit the schoolbus killing several children and the bus driver.

Andy and Debi Chesney went to the spot where the accident happened and took a photo. They captured a ghostly image of a girl standing near the railroad tracks.

This tragic tale of death is supported by a local urban legend that says if you stall your car in the middle of the tracks, it’ll suddenly start moving on its own.

Once the car gets clear of the railroad, you can see multiple sets of small child-like handprints on the back of the car seemingly pushed by unseen ghost children.

4. SS Watertown Ghosts

When you come back as a ghost, sometimes you come back with your whole body in tow but sometimes you come back as just your head

Tragedy at sea is an all too common thing to behold since we started sailing the ocean. This story is no different, but with a scary twist. 

The SS Watertown was an oil tanker sailing from California to New Orleans. On one of its voyages in December of 1924, James Courtney and Michael Meehan died in a freak accident while they were cleaning out the ship's cargo tank.

They died aboard the ship. As per tradition, they were given a burial at sea

A few days after their death, members of the ship reported seeing the two dead crew members appearing near the ship just before dusk, first on board the ship then later 40 feet away in the waters near the ship.

They took a photo of the apparitions as they surfaced from the water. Six photos were taken with 5 of them showing nothing but the 6th photograph clearly shows two faces sticking out from the water.

3. Tewin Bury Ghost Child

This ghost looks like it’s gonna ask me if I want to float too

This is the most recent photograph in this last as it was taken back in the year 2008. The photo was taken by Neil Sandwich who was scoping out wedding venue places for his friend. 

As he was taking photos of the farmhouse to plan out the wedding, he inadvertently captured a ghost child peeking out from behind a doorway.

Before he saw this ghost in the photo, caretakers of the farmhouse have stated that they have seen a ghost child wearing old style bedclothes, exactly like the ones the ghost was wearing in the photograph.

2. Tulip Staircase Ghost

Ghosts back then liked to wear long flowing white clothes to really hammer the point of being a ghost.

This classic photograph speaks for itself as to what it captured. The Tulip Staircase ghost photograph has been confirmed to have not been tampered with and is considered to be a genuine capture of a ghost.

Taken inside the National Maritime Museum in Greenwich, England. It shows two pale and translucent arms holding on to the handrails of the Tulip Staircase, seemingly climbing its way to the top.

1. The White Lady of Worstead Church

You’d think you’d be safe in a church from a ghost. Apparently not

Diane Berthelot visited Worstead Church in Norfolk, England in 1975. She sat on one of the pews and her husband took a photo of her as she was sitting. Little did both of them know that they captured arguably the best evidence of a ghost captured on camera.

Sitting behind her was a lady covered in all white, seemingly accompanying Diane as she was solemnly praying in the church. They were the only ones inside the church when the photo was taken. So whoever the unexpected companion that was caught in the photograph has remained a mystery to this day.

There have been reports of a White Lady roaming the grounds of the church for years but has never been caught on camera till 1975.

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In the year 1996, where boys of the backstreet reigned, a boy was born in the distant lands of The Philippines. He eventually grew up to be a gaming wiz with an affinity for cowboy hats and chicken
Gamer Since: 2003
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