People
Photos
Purpose
Advertisement
Advertisement
  2. Photos
  3. Smallwood Double Exposure

Smallwood Double Exposure

Updated Mar 10, 2025
Loading...one moment please loading spinner
Smallwood Double Exposure
Photo of Kathy Pinna Kathy Pinna
13 followers 2.74k+ favorites
10/21/2011
Smallwood Double Exposure
Photo taken by G.S. Smallwood: A double exposure "spirit" photograph of a girl holding flowers, surrounded by "spectral" faces of four people.

You may look at this and just see a double exposure. But this kind of "spirit" photo (often purposely faked, not accidental) was very popular around the turn of the 20th century. Photography was relatively new and spiritualism was very popular. This photo would have been seen as proof that the girl had three spirit guides around her, protecting her.

Photo courtesy of the Library of Congress, G.S. Smallwood photographer
Date & Place: at Smallwood Studio in Chicago, Illinois USA
Comments
Leave a comment
The simple act of leaving a comment shows you care.
Cancel Share
Photo of AncientFaces AncientFaces
380k+ followers 411 favorites
10/20/2015
When photography was young, double exposure photos were "proof" of spirits. So, for National Paranormal day, a 1905 picture of a young girl surrounded by "spirits"
Reply
Photo of Daniel Pinna Daniel Pinna
204 followers 10.4k+ favorites
10/21/2011
This is a perfect photo for Halloween!
Reply
Photo of Kathy Pinna Kathy Pinna
13 followers 2.74k+ favorites
10/21/2011
LOL ...ooooooo . . . spooky!!
Reply
Photo of Terri Allen Terri Allen
via Facebook
10/20/2015
Wow. Very spooky.
Reply
Photo of Jane Corneau Jane Corneau
via Facebook
10/20/2015
Ghostly!
Reply
Photo of Ali Mir Ali Mir
60 favorites
10/20/2015
Straight out of a horror movie!!
Reply
Photo of Chrissy Wertz Chrissy Wertz
via Facebook
10/20/2015
Katelyn Layfield Lestock
Reply
Photo of Shannon Leana Simmons Shannon Leana Simmons
via Facebook
10/20/2015
So cool
Reply
Photo of Janet Sedgwick Janet Sedgwick
via Facebook
10/20/2015
Olive Izaaks
Reply
Photo of Sandra Bailey Sandra Bailey
via Facebook
10/20/2015
Yikes!
Reply
Photo of Teresa Faucheux Teresa Faucheux
via Facebook
10/20/2015
Raven Stone
Reply
Photo of Janie Rambo Janie Rambo
via Facebook
10/20/2015
Spooky !!
Reply
Photo of Jackie Crowe Jackie Crowe
via Facebook
10/20/2015
Kevin Greggain
Reply
Photo of Carolee Senkowski-Miller Carolee Senkowski-Miller
via Facebook
10/20/2015
I din't even notice the background, I was looking at a cute girl with flowers. I was taken back by the image in background. Is that another photo above the guys head? Strange, I like my pictures pure.
Reply
Photo of Linda M. Gigliotti Linda M. Gigliotti
via Facebook
10/20/2015
The image behind the woman's head on the left could be paredelia which happens when you see a face in a cloud or in a design. I did see it when you mentioned it and then couldn't see it again, power of suggestion. One right beside that too!
Photo of Carolee Senkowski-Miller Carolee Senkowski-Miller
via Facebook
10/21/2015
Also looks like man on building to the right. I still see pic in window area today.
Photo of Linda Vance Linda Vance
via Facebook
10/20/2015
Double exposure tricks like this are what gave genuine mediums a bad reputation for such a long time.
Reply
Photo of Carol Willoughby Carol Willoughby
via Facebook
10/20/2015
I like this
Reply
Photo of Linda M. Gigliotti Linda M. Gigliotti
via Facebook
10/20/2015
That happened to me by accident. I hit the rewind on a roll of film in the camera and snapped a picture of a young woman. She came out transparent against the picture of an abandoned church also on the roll. It was haunting all right!
Reply
Photo of Andrea K. Mosley Andrea K. Mosley
via Facebook
10/20/2015
At,the time this was taken, they did not use "rolls" of film though....
Photo of Linda M. Gigliotti Linda M. Gigliotti
via Facebook
10/20/2015
Right you are, I never thought of that. But photography wasn't a perfect art either and a lot of stuff was drawn by pencil as if photographed -- my grandmother had one of those.. Some things are fixed, others remain weird and unexplained. Awesome shot whatever it is and thanks for reminding me of the film rolls.
Photo of Caron Broin O Aodha Caron Broin O Aodha
via Facebook
10/20/2015
Done it myself lots of times. Using the roll twice without realising it. Back then they would re use the plates that hadnt been developed. Very early form of photoshop.
Photo of Linda M. Gigliotti Linda M. Gigliotti
via Facebook
10/20/2015
CARON BROIN O AODHA: Ah the word "plates" did circulate in my head but I couldn't drag out how those fit. Thanks, Caron.
Photo of Dolphie Potter Dolphie Potter
via Facebook
10/20/2015
Scammers from the past. Not much has changed.
Reply
Photo of Echo Gagnon Echo Gagnon
via Facebook
10/20/2015
I knew she was possessed!
Reply
Photo of Stephen Zaremba Stephen Zaremba
via Facebook
10/20/2015
POSSIBLY But I Love The OLDER PICTURES AND THINK It's a Wonderful thing to SEE. 💁🏻💁🏼✌️✌🏽️🙈🙀❤️❤️💕💕
Reply
Photo of Alison Beall Alison Beall
via Facebook
10/20/2015
I love it! I would so frame it.
Reply
Photo of Rachael Rawson Rachael Rawson
via Facebook
10/20/2015
Odd!
Reply
Photo of Tracie Ricketts Followell Tracie Ricketts Followell
via Facebook
10/20/2015
It's a few pics from roll
Reply
Photo of Lowrence Koos Lowrence Koos
via Facebook
10/20/2015
Cool i just love ghostly subjecs nice photo if you place powder on the floor the next time you wil find footprint
Reply
Photo of Annette Friedel Annette Friedel
via Facebook
10/20/2015
Double expisure????
Reply
Photo of Alexandria Biondo Alexandria Biondo
via Facebook
10/20/2015
Mark O'Neil
Reply
Photo of Sapphiire Skyy Sapphiire Skyy
via Facebook
10/20/2015
I wonder why they did spirit photos it takes away of the pic
Reply
Photo of Pat Parker Pat Parker
3 favorites
10/20/2015
My mother had one like this (1918) I was assumed it was accidental double exposure but the people are older clothes and I don't recognize the people Did they do these spirit photos on purpose?
Reply
Photo of Amanda Miller Amanda Miller
via Facebook
10/20/2015
Cool😊
Reply
Photo of Dani Schnös Dani Schnös
via Facebook
10/20/2015
Double exposure!!
Reply
Photo of Susan Goodson McDermott Knight Susan Goodson McDermott Knight
via Facebook
10/20/2015
Double exposure, happened often to my father in law who was a photographer in the 30s & 40s.
Reply
Photo of Vanessa Mala T Vanessa Mala T
via Facebook
10/20/2015
Ivania Cordero
Reply
Photo of Ivania Cordero Ivania Cordero
via Facebook
10/20/2015
I loooveeeeee.
Photo of Joanne Latham Jacobellis Joanne Latham Jacobellis
via Facebook
10/20/2015
The young girl holding the flowers looks sad.
Reply
Photo of Linda M. Gigliotti Linda M. Gigliotti
via Facebook
10/20/2015
The camera shoots one instant out of all the time it takes all the facial muscles to form an expression. She was on her way and the shutter was too early.
Photo of Joanne Latham Jacobellis Joanne Latham Jacobellis
via Facebook
10/20/2015
Thank you. I never thought of that!
Photo of Cindy Ponce Cindy Ponce
via Facebook
10/20/2015
Carina Lourdes Staiti Elizondo mirá esto
Reply
Photo of Carina Lourdes Staiti Elizondo Carina Lourdes Staiti Elizondo
via Facebook
10/20/2015
Algo de eso, seguro habrá entre todas las fotos estenopeicas que sacaste!!! :D :D
Photo of Cindy Ponce Cindy Ponce
via Facebook
10/20/2015
AnSiEdAd
Photo of Caron Broin O Aodha Caron Broin O Aodha
via Facebook
10/20/2015
You could call it early photoshoping. Back then they would re use the plates that were not developed so this effect would come out.
Reply
Photo of Dale Jimmy Dale Jimmy
via Facebook
10/20/2015
Spooky photo!
Reply
Photo of Lauren Nicole Carter Lauren Nicole Carter
via Facebook
10/20/2015
Cam Cruz
Reply
Photo of Valori Sheppard Wilson Valori Sheppard Wilson
via Facebook
10/20/2015
Trickery everywhere 😀
Reply
Photo of Janey Clarke Janey Clarke
via Facebook
10/20/2015
nice racket. people still fall for spirit mediums now, but i can see the appeal as the pain of losing someone can make you do all sorts of things.
Reply
Photo of Mary Crestani Silantyev Mary Crestani Silantyev
via Facebook
10/20/2015
Early photography was truly good.
Reply
Photo of Pat Hamer Pat Hamer
via Facebook
10/20/2015
wow; this is great especially aroujnd Hallowe'en....
Reply
Photo of Lena Gargano-Reddy Lena Gargano-Reddy
via Facebook
10/20/2015
Interesting concept but creepy st the same time
Reply
Photo of Linda Mearns Linda Mearns
via Facebook
10/20/2015
These are so cool
Reply
Photo of Margaret Nichols Margaret Nichols
via Facebook
10/20/2015
there is a third ghost behind the one on the left
Reply
Photo of Sarah Pittaway Sarah Pittaway
via Facebook
12/08/2015
I see it. good eye
Photo of Dia Cady Dia Cady
via Facebook
12/09/2015
Yep looks like a man..
Photo of Willy Dereany Willy Dereany
via Facebook
10/20/2015
Great photos
Reply
Photo of Jessie Whitten Jessie Whitten
via Facebook
10/20/2015
The little girl sitting on the "ghost woman" lap on the left looks like the flower girl same nose, mouth and hair
Reply
Photo of Donna Jacobson Donna Jacobson
via Facebook
10/20/2015
Lots of hoaxes back then!
Reply
Photo of Maweea Franca Maweea Franca
via Facebook
10/20/2015
How eerie!
Reply
Photo of Julayne Telford Julayne Telford
via Facebook
10/20/2015
Randy Jennings
Reply
Photo of Randy Jennings Randy Jennings
via Facebook
10/20/2015
Photographers, you just can't trust 'em!
Photo of Teresa Regenold Teresa Regenold
via Facebook
10/20/2015
That's pretty cool
Reply
Photo of Lowlie Benallou Lowlie Benallou
via Facebook
10/20/2015
That happened accidentally with a photo of my first daughter on her first Easter. She had a transparent duplicate of herself beside her, slightly blended into her on the left side. Obviously it was nothing more than a photo glitch, but because my daughter had an identical twin I lost during my pregnancy, it seemed disturbing and I threw it away.
Reply
Photo of Linda M. Gigliotti Linda M. Gigliotti
via Facebook
10/20/2015
Moving the camera will do that -- that would be one of my tricks because I get too excited to stand still.
Photo of Heather Brennan Heather Brennan
79 favorites
02/11/2016
then perhaps NOT so obvious... UP to u
Photo of Jacki Barron Jacki Barron
via Facebook
10/20/2015
Some good photoshop
They cannot be ghosts look at the side of the " ghosts " heads in relation to the girl
Reply
Photo of Colette Gas Colette Gas
via Facebook
10/20/2015
Presque une petite fille modèle avec un fond de fantômest !!!
Reply
Photo of Linda Jenson Linda Jenson
via Facebook
10/20/2015
Interesting.
Reply
Photo of Janet Green Janet Green
via Facebook
10/20/2015
If you put two slides together into a projector you will get the same result.
Reply
Photo of Katy Troyano Katy Troyano
via Facebook
10/21/2015
Miriam Duncanson
Reply
Photo of Jim McComish Jim McComish
via Facebook
10/21/2015
Pity there's no way to electronically seperate the other image to see what the people look like.
Reply
Photo of John Tarantula John Tarantula
via Facebook
10/21/2015
double exposure
Reply
Photo of Malcolm Emery Malcolm Emery
via Facebook
10/21/2015
Who would blame them?
Reply
Photo of Lucas Diaz Lucas Diaz
via Facebook
10/21/2015
654321/😍
👉👌miren estes niño de 7 años lo obligan a tener sexo vean estos increíble compártelo😍😍😍😍😍😱😱😱😱👉👌

[external link]
Reply
Photo of Clinton Lawrence Clinton Lawrence
via Facebook
10/21/2015
[external link]
Reply
Photo of Maria Cozzi Gentzyel Maria Cozzi Gentzyel
via Facebook
10/21/2015
Eww look behind the girl on the left there is another face this is some scary s***!!
Reply
Photo of Amanda Lamm Narlock Amanda Lamm Narlock
via Facebook
10/21/2015
Neat!
Reply
Photo of Pamela Fortune Wilkins Pamela Fortune Wilkins
via Facebook
10/21/2015
Wow I didn't know this
Reply
Photo of Pixie Serenity Pixie Serenity
via Facebook
10/21/2015
No such thing as ghosts,.. God doesn't leave us in limbo.
Reply
Photo of Heather Brennan Heather Brennan
79 favorites
02/11/2016
ughhhh
Photo of Stephen Zaremba Stephen Zaremba
via Facebook
10/21/2015
Thank you so much for your comment
Reply
Photo of Stephen Zaremba Stephen Zaremba
via Facebook
10/21/2015
On your Pic. Put On A Happy Face. Ha Ha. Thank you
Reply
Photo of Stephen Zaremba Stephen Zaremba
via Facebook
10/21/2015
SO. COOL
Reply
Photo of Joann Miliano Joann Miliano
via Facebook
10/21/2015
Sh.....t. happens...
Reply
Photo of Lorraine Mclellan Lorraine Mclellan
via Facebook
10/21/2015
I believe xx
Reply
Photo of Andrew James Dunn Andrew James Dunn
via Facebook
10/21/2015
Has anyone everheard of 'thoughtography?' it's when whatever you think can be put onto film that's not even been exposed?
Personally I think it's bollocks? Lol
Reply
Photo of Hector Flores Hector Flores
via Facebook
10/23/2015
Como estas amigo tepppppppppeu , espero sigas nadando
Reply
Photo of Leonida Daygo Sarmiento Leonida Daygo Sarmiento
via Facebook
10/26/2015
Awesome
Reply
Photo of Steve Henline Steve Henline
via Facebook
10/31/2015
I made many accidental double exposures many years ago as the film had to be advanced manually, not automatic. Nothing haunting about it. Just a mistake. But people who had no experience with a camera might see it that way.
Reply
Photo of Sarah Elizabeth Hammonds Sarah Elizabeth Hammonds
via Facebook
11/01/2015
Leisa Brewer
Reply
Photo of JaniceEarliene Carr JaniceEarliene Carr
2 favorites
11/03/2015
I had a double exposure several years ago by accident! I had taken a picture of my grandfather's grave when I visited my family in N.C.. When I came back home my friend & I got together for lunch one day - Later when I got my pictures developed I was shocked to see HER sitting on top of his grave! Unbelievable? :(
Reply
Photo of JaniceEarliene Carr JaniceEarliene Carr
2 favorites
11/03/2015
I think I forgot to change the film? Because there were other "Double Exposures" as well - but, that is the one I remember. Years later she came down with Breast Cancer. Could there be a connection?
Reply
Photo of Joann Tello Joann Tello
via Facebook
11/06/2015
Shelby Gressman
Reply
Photo of Kelly May Kelly May
64 favorites
11/07/2015
Awesome
Reply
Photo of Stephen Zaremba Stephen Zaremba
via Facebook
12/08/2015
Thank you for your reply so Nice to Hear 😍
Reply
Photo of Heather Brennan Heather Brennan
79 favorites
02/11/2016
maybe she did have spirit guides
Reply
Photo of Heather Brennan Heather Brennan
79 favorites
02/11/2016
did no one notice the baby???
Reply
Photo of Heather Brennan Heather Brennan
79 favorites
02/11/2016
railing to the left... under woman's face..
Share this photo:
Advertisement

Topic related photos

Popular Photos
Popular Photos
These historical photos have generated quite the buzz!
This collection of historical photos has got people talking. These photos - either because of the subject and/or the story - have generated a lot of comments among the community. What do you have to s...
344 photos
1900-1909
1900-1909
After the "Gay Nineties", 1900 - 1909 was a quieter time
This decade began with a lot of changes: After 63+ years on throne, Queen Victoria died. William McKinley was assassinated and Teddy Roosevelt became President. Wilbur and Orville Wright flew the fir...
1.44k+ photos
Halloween
Halloween
Old Halloween photos from the 1800s & 1900s.
Halloween probably originated with the Celtic festival of Samhain, which celebrated the end of harvest and the beginning of winter. During Samhain, the spirits of the dead, as well as otherworldly sp...
110 photos
Scary
Scary
Historical photos that scare us or are so funny that they're scary!
Scientists say that they can't quantify what scares us - they only know that fear is individual. We can also say that it varies from decade to decade. These are photos from the past that gave our an...
180 photos
20th Century
20th Century
Photos of the 1900's which brought us from the industrial age to the technological age.
From 1900 through 1999 we witnessed the beginning of flight to a man on the moon and a Mars Rover. We went from using phones tethered by cords and computers that filled rooms, to carrying the equivale...
474k+ photos

Show more

Advertisement

Followers

Kathy Pinna
2.74k+ favorites 1.12k+ photos
Kathy Pinna
I am researching Tasker, Jones, Bowen, Rees of Wales; Kroetch, Chartrand of Canada; and Boggs, Ferguson, Smith, of West Virginia and Eastern Kentucky. Also Steeples of Kansas. And on my mother's New England roots - well, too numerous to name since she descends from Mayflower passengers as well as Dutch East India captains who arrived with their families before the Mayflower landed further north than was planned. :)
I'm a Founder of AncientFaces and support the community answering questions & helping members make connections to the past (thus my official title of Founder & Content and Community Director). For me, it's been a labor of love for over 20 years. I truly believe with all of my heart that everyone should be remembered for generations to come. I am 2nd generation San Jose and have seen a lot of changes in the area while growing up. We used to be known as the "Valley of Heart's Delight" (because the Valley was covered with orchards and there were many canneries to process the food grown here, which shipped all over the US) - now we have adopted the nickname "Capital of Silicon Valley" and Apple, Ebay, Adobe, Netflix, Facebook, and many more tech companies are within a few miles of my current home in Campbell (including AncientFaces). From a small town of 25,000, we have grown to 1 million plus. And when you add in all of the communities surrounding us (for instance, Saratoga, where I attended high school, living a block from our current Mayor), we are truly one of the big cities in the US. I am so very proud of my hometown. For more information see Kathy - Founder & Content and Community Director
Message
JaniceEarliene Carr
2 favorites photos
JaniceEarliene Carr
About me:I haven't shared any details about myself.
Message
33 favorites photos
Maria Feliciano
About me:I haven't shared any details about myself.
Message
Leah Smith
242 favorites photos
Leah Smith
About me:I haven't shared any details about myself.
Message
Kathalina Blanco
29 favorites 5 photos
Kathalina Blanco
I'm looking for my family in mexico. My dad Raul Herrera Blanco passed away June 12, 2002. And I don't remember much of my family. My dad was born in Torreon Mexico. I know I have family in Acuna Mexico to.
Message

Show more

Advertisement
Back to Top
  2. Photos
  3. Smallwood Double Exposure
Advertisement
Advertisement