Photography of Ghosts: A Step-by-Step Ghost Photography Tutorial
Photography of ghosts is a creative long-exposure technique that uses movement and time to create transparent, ghost-like figures within a single photograph. By carefully controlling shutter speed and exposure, photographers can record motion in a way that makes subjects appear faded, ethereal, or partially invisible. In this tutorial, you’ll learn exactly how ghost photography is created using your camera alone — no Photoshop required. With the right settings and a bit of experimentation, you can capture convincing ghost effects in one shot while having fun and getting creative.
What Is Photography of Ghosts?
Photography of ghosts is a long-exposure photography technique that records movement over time, allowing subjects to appear semi-transparent or disappear entirely from the frame. Rather than capturing a single frozen moment, the camera blends time and motion into one image. This approach has been used for decades to create eerie, atmospheric, and artistic photographs that rely purely on in-camera techniques. Learn more about long exposures in our course long exposure photography.
Camera Settings for Photography of Ghosts
Successful photography of ghosts relies on long exposures that allow movement to be recorded while the camera remains completely still. The goal is to keep the background sharp while the subject moves during the exposure, creating the illusion of a ghostly figure within a single frame. Learn more about managing your aperture settings in our article What is aperture in photography?
Shutter Speed Priority for Photography of Ghosts
Use Shutter Speed Priority mode (Tv or S) to control how long the shutter stays open. Slow shutter speeds are essential for ghost photography, as they allow motion to be recorded over time. Start with shutter speeds between 1 and 5 seconds, then adjust depending on how much movement your subject makes and the available light.
ISO Settings for Photography of Ghosts
Set your ISO to 100 or 200 to maintain image quality. A low ISO reduces digital noise and helps preserve a clean, smooth look — especially important when shooting long exposures for photography of ghosts.
Aperture Behaviour When Shooting Photography of Ghosts
When using Shutter Speed Priority mode, the camera automatically adjusts the aperture to balance exposure. In brighter conditions, the aperture may reach its smallest value, limiting how slow your shutter speed can be. This is common when shooting photography of ghosts in daylight and may require adjusting lighting conditions or timing.
Why a Tripod Is Essential for Photography of Ghosts
A tripod is essential for ghost photography. Any camera movement during a long exposure will blur the entire image. Keeping the camera completely still ensures that only the moving subject creates the ghostly effect, while the background remains sharp and well defined.
How to Create Photography of Ghosts in One Shot
You can create convincing photography of ghosts in a single image by combining a long exposure with controlled subject movement. Follow these steps to produce ghost effects straight out of the camera.
Set your camera to Shutter Speed Priority mode (Tv or S) so you can control how long the shutter remains open while the camera handles exposure automatically.
Choose a slow shutter speed, starting at 1–5 seconds. Longer exposures record more movement, increasing the transparency and ghost-like appearance of the subject.
Ask your subject to remain still briefly, then move out of the frame during the exposure. This causes the subject to be recorded for only part of the total exposure time, creating the semi-transparent effect commonly seen in photography of ghosts.
Balance the exposure by keeping ISO low and monitoring aperture behaviour. Adjust shutter speed or shooting conditions until the background remains properly exposed without blowing highlights.
You may be interested in improving your creative approach in our Leading Lines Photography - Increase Your Creative Skills - Instantly tutorial.
Why Long Exposure Is Essential for Photography of Ghosts
Long exposure is essential for photography of ghosts because it allows the camera to capture time rather than a single instant. When the shutter stays open for several seconds, stationary elements remain sharp while moving subjects appear blurred, faded, or partially invisible.
This is what creates the ghostly effect. As the subject moves during the exposure, they are only recorded for a portion of the total shutter time, making them appear transparent. This technique forms the foundation of ghost photography and explains why slow shutter speeds, controlled movement, and a stable camera setup are critical for achieving convincing ghost effects.
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final example of photography of ghosts using a long exposure effect
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Thanks to Laura Tolton for being our Ghost for the day – Check out her Instagram @chartermagic
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