Spirit photography emerged in the 19th century as a popular trend, largely initiated by Boston photographer William H. Mumler in the 1860s. He gained significant notoriety for his portraits that appeared to show living subjects alongside the ghostly apparitions of deceased loved ones. His most famous work is a portrait of a grieving Mary Todd Lincoln with the faint figure of her late husband, President Abraham Lincoln, standing behind her.

The phenomenon's rise coincided with the Spiritualism movement and the widespread grief following the Civil War, offering tangible comfort to many. However, these "spirit" effects were typically created using simple darkroom techniques, most commonly double exposure. The practice drew prominent skeptics, including the magician Harry Houdini, who dedicated much of his life to exposing fraudulent spirit photographers and mediums.

The controversy surrounding the practice led to an 1869 fraud trial against Mumler. Famed showman P.T. Barnum testified for the prosecution, demonstrating how easily such images could be faked. Modern versions of "spirit photos," such as glowing orbs, are scientifically explained as a photographic effect called backscatter, where the camera's flash illuminates airborne particles like dust or pollen. The human tendency to see figures or faces in random patterns, known as pareidolia, also accounts for many perceived ghostly images.

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