Buzz
In today’s world, where 'pics or it didn’t happen' reigns supreme, photographs are often seen as undeniable proof of an event’s occurrence. However, this isn’t always true when it comes to paranormal photography. Since the invention of the camera, people have sought to use it to capture visual evidence of life after death. For many, the debate continues. Below are some of the most iconic examples of ghostly apparitions allegedly caught on film.
1. THE BROWN LADY OF RAYNHAM HALL
The enigmatic and impeccably framed image of the 'Brown Lady' from Raynham Hall is widely regarded as the most iconic ghost photograph in history. Captured in September 1936 by photographers documenting the 17th-century Raynham Hall in Norfolk, England, for Country Life magazine, the photo has sparked endless fascination. According to one account, photographer Captain Hubert Provand was adjusting his camera under the focusing cloth when his assistant, Indre Shira, spotted a veiled figure descending the grand staircase. Shira urgently insisted Provand take the shot, but by the time he looked up, the figure had disappeared. Provand dismissed the sighting as a figment of Shira’s imagination—until the developed photo revealed something chilling.
The apparition, believed to be Lady Dorothy Townshend, has been sighted numerous times since the early 19th century. Officially, Lady Townshend passed away from smallpox in 1726, but darker tales emerged later, suggesting her husband confined her to her room for infidelity. Observers often describe the ghost as exuding an aura of madness or threat. The spirit has allegedly been seen sporadically around the hall since the photograph was captured.
2. TULIP STAIRCASE GHOST
Like many ghostly images, the renowned Tulip Staircase Ghost photo was taken by someone unaware of anything unusual until the film was developed. Reverend Ralph Hardy, a retired clergyman from British Columbia, was touring the Queen’s House at the National Maritime Museum in Greenwich, England, in 1966 when he photographed the striking Tulip Staircase. After developing the photos, Hardy was showing them to a friend who pointed out a figure on the stairs. Hardy insisted no one was there when he took the shot. Experts, including Kodak analysts, confirmed the image was untampered. The ghost’s identity remains a mystery, though some speculate it could be a maid who died on the stairs centuries ago.
3. LORD COMBERMERE
This image allegedly shows the ghost of a man who was being buried miles away at the time of its capture. Lord Combermere died in a carriage accident in London in 1891, just before amateur photographer Sybell Corbet took a photo in the library of Combermere Abbey. The exposure took an hour, and the resulting image revealed a figure resembling Combermere seated in his favorite chair. Eerily, the figure lacks legs, a detail made more unsettling by the fact that Combermere’s legs were severely injured in the accident.
4. FREDDY JACKSON
Some individuals, whether living or deceased, simply can’t resist being in a photograph. Freddy Jackson, a World War I mechanic for the Royal Air Force, tragically died in an airplane propeller accident around 1919. On the day of his funeral, a group photo was taken of his squadron from the HMS Daedalus. Legend has it that Jackson didn’t want to miss the photo, even in death, and his face appears faintly behind the fourth airman in the back row. The image remained hidden until 1975, when retired RAF officer Victor Goddard, a member of Jackson’s squadron, revealed it. However, many aspects of this widely told story, including the photo’s authenticity, have been disputed.
5. MADONNA OF BACHELOR’S GROVE
This supernatural image was captured by the Ghost Research Society of America during an investigation at Bachelor’s Grove cemetery in Illinois. In 1991, the group visited the small, deserted cemetery near Chicago and recorded unusual readings on their equipment. While no ghostly figures were seen at the time, a photograph taken in the area later revealed a woman dressed in old-fashioned white clothing sitting on a tombstone. Bachelor’s Grove is widely regarded as one of the most haunted cemeteries in the world.
6. CORROBOREE ROCK GHOST
The Corroboree Rock Ghost, often referred to as “The Watcher,” was reportedly photographed by Reverend R.S. Blance during a 1959 trip to Australia’s Corroboree Rock. Blance insists he was alone when he took the picture and only noticed the figure after developing the film. The apparition, dressed in a long gown, has been interpreted in various ways: some see a woman in a nightgown, others an Aboriginal woman in traditional attire, and some even a priest. (The rock formation holds deep spiritual meaning for the local Aboriginal community.)
7. THE GHOST OF BOOTHILL CEMETERY
Terry Ike Clanton, an actor and “cowboy poet” behind the website TombstoneArizona.com, captured this photo of a friend dressed in 1880s cowboy gear at Arizona’s Boothill Graveyard. Clanton claims the unexpected figure in the background, appearing as a man in a black hat emerging oddly from the ground, altered his skepticism about ghost photos. He emphasizes the image was shot on film, not digitally, and despite attempts to recreate it, placing someone in the same position proved impossible.
8. AMITYVILLE GHOST
This eerie photograph was supposedly taken in the notorious Amityville house during a 1976 investigation by paranormal investigators Ed and Lorraine Warren. A camera on the second-floor landing captured black-and-white infrared images overnight. Only this one photo revealed anything unusual. George Lutz, central to the Amityville Horror story, unveiled the image on The Merv Griffin Show in 1979, suggesting it might depict the ghost of John deFeo, a boy murdered in the house before the Lutzes moved in. The photo’s authenticity, like the Amityville tale, has been widely questioned, with some believing it shows Paul Bartz, a member of the Warrens’ team.
9. THE GIRL IN THE FIRE
Tony O’Rahilly snapped this photo of a mysterious girl standing calmly amidst the flames as Wem Town Hall in Shropshire, England, burned down in 1995. The extreme heat led many to believe no living being could endure such conditions, suggesting the figure was a ghost. Locals speculated it might be Jane Churn (or Churm), a girl who accidentally caused a devastating fire in 1677 and is said to haunt the area. O’Rahilly submitted the image to the Association for the Scientific Study of Anomalous Phenomena, and experts, including the former head of the Royal Photographic Society, confirmed it was unaltered. However, skeptics have since dismissed it as a hoax.
10. THE BOY ON A FARM
In 2008, photographer Neil Sandbach was capturing images at a Hertfordshire, England, farm for a couple planning their wedding. Upon reviewing his digital photos, Sandbach was startled to find the ethereal, glowing figure of a boy peeking around a building corner. When the couple inquired with farm staff about strange occurrences, they were told some had seen the apparition of a young boy dressed in white nightclothes.
11. WAVERLY HILLS SANATORIUM GHOST
Waverly Hills Sanatorium, a now-abandoned tuberculosis hospital in Louisville, Kentucky, witnessed immense suffering and death during its operational years in the early 20th century. Today, it is renowned as one of America’s most haunted locations, attracting ghost hunters worldwide. This photograph, taken in 2006 within the decaying halls of the sanatorium, is believed by some to depict the ghost of Mary Lee, a nurse who tragically took her own life after being abandoned by a doctor with whom she had a relationship.
12. QUEENSLAND CEMETERY GHOST BABY
In the mid-1940s, Mrs. Andrews visited a cemetery in Queensland, Australia, to pay respects at her daughter’s grave, who had passed away at 17 in 1945. While taking a photo of the gravesite, she noticed nothing unusual but was later stunned to see the image of a ghostly young girl staring back. Researchers ruled out double exposure, as no other child photos appeared on the film. Nearby graves of two young girls led to speculation that the photo captured one of their spirits.
13. THE PHANTOM MONK OF NEWBY
This eerie figure was captured in a 1963 photograph by Rev. Kenneth Lord at Skelton-cum-Newby Church of Christ the Consoler. The church had no prior reports of paranormal activity. The apparition’s unsettling features include a drooping face, interpreted as either a mask or deformity, and its towering height, estimated at 9 feet compared to nearby furniture. Experts have confirmed the image is not a double exposure, though its authenticity remains debated.
