A white bedsheet with eye holes, a pair of sunglasses and an empty path in autumn. Unlike many Halloween photo trends, the ghost photoshoot has a fairly well-documented start, a clear soundtrack and a traceable reason for the shades. This post covers all three, then explains where a one-photo AI image such as Ghost Photoshoot fits in.
Make your bedsheet ghost photo
One full-body photo. A white sheet, round shades and your own jeans and shoes on an autumn path.
Where the ghost photoshoot trend started
September 10, 2020: the first ghost
Know Your Meme credits TikTok user jackjanson88, who posted a series of still photos of himself dressed as a ghost on empty pathways on September 10, 2020. In the comments he named the cover of Phoebe Bridgers' album Stranger in the Alps, which shows a sheet-ghost figure, as the inspiration.
Three days later: the copies
Other creators picked it up within days. Know Your Meme lists posts by usernamecole and katyya on September 13, 2020, and jadenellison08 on September 14. By September 16, videos under #GhostPhotoshoot had passed 523 million views by its count.
2023: the comeback
The format returned. A Know Your Meme editorial from October 2023 describes it making a comeback that year, with new creators posting their own versions. Dogs got involved too: PetsRadar covered pets in ghost sheets in 2022, and Know Your Meme records a 2023 dog version with tens of millions of views.
One outlet suggested the trend began in Asia. We found nothing to support that, and the documented TikTok timeline points elsewhere, so we do not repeat it.
What song is the ghost photoshoot?
It is Oh Klahoma by Jack Stauber, released in 2017. This is one of the better-supported facts in the whole story:
- Know Your Meme's entry and its 2023 editorial both name it.
- PetsRadar calls it the trend's "obligatory soundtrack".
- CapCut runs a public template category called Oh Klahoma Ghost Photoshoot.
The song is also linked to the pumpkin head photoshoot by some sources, which is why the two trends are often confused.
The Oakgen image does not include music. If you want Oh Klahoma with your post, add it in the app you post to, if its sound library offers it. Oakgen does not supply or license the track.
Why the ghosts wear sunglasses
The first ghosts had plain eye holes. Sunglasses arrived quickly: Know Your Meme says katyya posted a version with sunglasses on September 13, 2020, and it got over 1.3 million views in three days. The joke is the contrast: a blank, faintly spooky sheet made instantly cool by one accessory. Ever since, round black sunglasses have been the detail people expect, which is why AI prompt sites such as Dreamina list a "sunglasses sheet ghost" idea.
Original ghost photoshoot vs the AI image
| 2020 original | Oakgen Ghost Photoshoot | |
|---|---|---|
| Format | Slideshow of stills set to a song | One still image, no sound |
| Props | Real bedsheet, scissors, sunglasses | None; built from one photo |
| Location | An empty path you find | A path of orange autumn leaves |
| What is yours | Whatever you wear and where you go | Your own trousers and shoes under the sheet |
| People | Often friends in sheets together | One person per image |
The AI version does not replace the fun of a real shoot with friends. It suits people without a sheet to spare, without a free afternoon, or who want a clean version for a profile picture. Because only your legs and shoes show, they are the creative choice that matters. Label the result as AI-made when you post, for example "Shoes are mine, the sheet is AI."
Make your own version
Read the ghost photoshoot origin guide for a short version of this history, then pick a photo with the bedsheet ghost photo guide and follow how to make a ghost photoshoot with AI. Before posting, use the sunglasses sheet ghost checklist and the Oh Klahoma posting guide. For outfit and group ideas, see ghost photoshoot ideas.
Oakgen's template is inspired by the public trend and has no connection with jackjanson88, the other creators mentioned, Jack Stauber or Phoebe Bridgers.
Frequently asked questions
Who started the ghost photoshoot trend?
Know Your Meme credits TikTok user jackjanson88, who posted still photos of himself as a sheet ghost on empty pathways on September 10, 2020.
What is the ghost photoshoot song?
Oh Klahoma, a 2017 song by Jack Stauber. Know Your Meme, PetsRadar and CapCut's template category all tie it to the trend. The Oakgen image is silent, so you add the song in your posting app if it is available there.
Why do the ghosts wear sunglasses?
According to Know Your Meme, katyya posted a version with sunglasses on September 13, 2020, three days after the first one, and it got over 1.3 million views in three days.
Continue your project
More Halloween image trends · Halloween AI photo trends guide · AI photo trend playbook
