A digital photo of a young child looking toward the camera.

Some photos capture moments that seem ordinary, until you notice something strange in the background. A mysterious figure, an unexplained shadow, or a face that shouldn’t be there can turn a snapshot into something chilling. While there may be logical explanations for some of these strange appearances, others are harder to ignore.

The following images have left people wondering whether they accidentally captured something paranormal. Whether you are a firm believer in ghosts or simply fascinated by the unexplained, the next 15 photos show what happens when an ordinary picture gets an extraordinary photobomb.

1. A Face Watching From the Window…

A climbing plant grows up a white post alongside a large black metal lantern.
r/ghosts/via reddit.com

2. The Hooded Figure That Appeared in the Darkness

A cloaked figure standing outdoors at night beside a wooden post and a small sapling.
Paranormal/via reddit.com

3. Something Was Looking Out From Behind the Glass

A white-framed window with foggy glass, partially obscured by green foliage at the bottom.
u/FiveAmHymnal/via reddit.com

4. The Boy in the Woods Was Not as Alone as He Thought

A young boy in a red shirt and black jacket standing outdoors.
BrokenStrings94/via reddit.com

5. Family Portrait With One Uninvited Guest

Four adults and one young girl sit together on stone steps in front of a wooden door.
u/nyncsue/via reddit.com

6. She Took a Selfie, Then Noticed She Was Not Alone

A person with a furrowed brow looking directly at the camera.
LarissaLeeper/via reddit.com

7. The Bathroom Door Had an Unexpected Visitor

A wooden door with a glass pane reveals a toilet bowl with a wooden seat inside a bathroom.
mossyzombie2021/via reddit.com

8. Girls Never Noticed the Face Between the Trees

Three children standing in a shallow creek among trees.
Anderson_X/via reddit.com

9. A Strange White Mist Appeared Right Over Them

A toddler wearing a Spider-Man shirt sits on the lap of an adult in a brown armchair.
superstarmnw/via reddit.com

10. Who Is the Woman Standing Behind this mother and her baby?

A woman holding a toddler and a doll in a vintage black and white photograph.
sarebearie/via reddit.com

11. Blurry Face That Appears Behind the Glass

A child looking toward the camera in a video call.
WealthGang

12. Something Was Standing on the Stairs Behind Them

Two boys sitting on a staircase, with the older boy embracing the younger one.
Ok_Gas8985/via reddit.com

13. Dark Girl Waiting at the Bottom of the Staircase

A person standing at the top of a staircase looks down at another person holding a flashlight at the bottom.
u/Lowyy_hatake_99/via reddit.com

14. Someone Else in the Woods…

Two young children standing in a wooded area with a silhouette of a person visible in the background.
u/-BEEFSQUATCH/via reddit.com

15. Shadowy Figure Hidden in the Blue-Lit Room…

A tall, dark, indistinct human-shaped figure standing in a dimly lit doorway next to a wooden cabinet.
u/aaaandrreew6/via reddit.com

And if you are enthusiastic for more… Check out:

Meet the Writer

Mariano holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Advertising and is a Show Production graduate. He is deeply passionate about pop culture and creativity, and believes in the power of storytelling to shape ideas and inspire people to enjoy the otherwise occasionally mundane slog of a typical workday just a bit more, with entertaining content. Find Mariano over on IG at @marianmontagna.