How to do a ghost photoshoot

What sheet do you need for a ghost photoshoot?

A plain white flat sheet, not a fitted one with elastic corners. It should look like a real bedsheet, with natural folds, not a costume.

• Put the sheet on and have a friend mark where your eyes are with a pencil. Take it off before you cut.
• Cut two small eye holes. Small looks better in photos, and you can always make them bigger.
• Trim the length so it ends just below your knees. That way your jeans, skirt or dress and your shoes still show, and you can walk without tripping.

The sunglasses

Round black sunglasses on top of the sheet, over the eye holes, are the classic ghost photoshoot look. They sit on your ears and nose through the fabric. Cheap ones are fine. For the 2026 besties look, use white heart-shaped sunglasses instead.

What to wear under the sheet

Only the bottom of your outfit shows, so choose it on purpose. Light jeans and white sneakers are the most common look. A skirt or dress with boots works too. Your trousers and shoes are what make the photos yours, since the sheet hides your face.

Where to shoot

• The middle of an empty road with double yellow lines
• A park path covered in fallen leaves
• A bookshop or library, between tall shelves
• A playground swing or a park bench
• A pumpkin patch
• Porch steps at home

Only stand in a road where there is no traffic, and have a friend watch for cars. You can barely see through two small eye holes. Ask before shooting inside a shop.

Ghost photoshoot poses

• Standing still in the middle of the road, facing the camera
• Walking away down a leafy path
• Sitting on a swing, hands on the chains
• Reading an open book between the shelves
• Peeking out from behind a tree
• Sitting on the porch steps, one hand holding a coffee

Props

Give the ghost one everyday thing per photo: a takeaway coffee, a stack of books, a small pumpkin, a bunch of dried flowers, a phone or a tote bag. A hand coming out from under the sheet to hold it is half the joke.

How to edit it like the TikTok trend

• Shoot vertical and full body, from the top of the sheet to the shoes, on a phone in natural light.
• Start with a short clip of a few seconds: you pulling the sheet over your head and putting the sunglasses on. That is the hook.
• Then cut the photos at about one second each, and pick a sound in the app when you post.
• Choose four or more photos with different places and poses. When each one shows for a second, variety reads better than near-identical frames.

A ghost photoshoot with your dog or cat

Use a small sheet or a pillowcase-sized piece and cut holes for the ears so it stays put. Never cover your pet’s nose: leave it out or keep the fabric loose so they can breathe and see. Keep it short, a few photos at a time, with treats in between, and stop if your pet tries to shake it off. If that sounds like too much, our Dog ghost photoshoot page makes the photos from one picture of your pet.

A ghost photoshoot with friends

Everyone gets their own sheet and the same sunglasses. Good group poses are running side by side down the road, sitting on swings together, and leaning against a white wall with a book each. For the 2026 besties version, use pastel pink and lavender sheets, big satin bows and heart-shaped sunglasses. Or make a two-person set with our Ghost photoshoot with friends page.

The AI shortcut: a ghost photoshoot from one photo

1. Pick a photo. Tap Make mine and choose one full-body photo of yourself, head to shoes. For your pet or a friend, use those pages.
2. Pay once. $8.99 for a set of 4 photos. No sign-up; the link is emailed to the address you pay with.
3. Get your photos. Your 9:16 set of 4 photos is ready in 1 to 3 minutes. Download each photo or all of them, or share them straight from the page.

Curious where it came from? Read What is the ghost photoshoot trend?.