Hauntingly Beautiful Photography: 20 Shots That Showcase Canada’s Spooky Side
Updated: Sep. 30, 2020We asked our contributors to share their most frightening Canadian photography, and they rose to the challenge! From fog shrouded forests to creepy abandoned cottages, these striking shots celebrate the spooky side of the Great White North.
In the Dead of Night
Photographer Bob Wall of Terrace, British Columbia, writes: “St. Paul’s Church under a starry night. This church originated in 1882 and is located at a small native community at Kitwanga, B.C. It has a separate bell tower in front of the church.” Thanks for sharing this hauntingly beautiful image, Bob!
Calm Before the Storm
This lightning storm looks positively frightening! Our “Spooky” Canadian photography challenge inspired Sheri Sanders of Elkford, British Columbia, to share this hauntingly beautiful photo.
Check out more impressive wild weather photography from across Canada.
Caution, Indeed!
Photographer Norman Dyrvik of Sherwood Park, Alberta, writes: “When you’re trying to take photos of the start of the Aurora, hear a noise and switch on your flashlight and see this guy less than ten feet away.” This would terrify us too, Norman!
Don’t miss our collection of great Canadian bird stories.
Last Outpost
Our “Spooky” Theme Pic Challenge inspired Kim MacDonald Cameron of Bow Island, Alberta, to send us this chilling shot taken near Highway 879. Thanks for sharing, Kim! You can see more of Kim’s work in this collection of photos that will get you fired up for a Canadian road trip.
What Lies Beneath
This shot by John Pelechosky of Edmonton is the perfect showcase of how cemeteries can be both beautiful and spooky.
Read up on Toronto’s famous Mount Pleasant Cemetery.
Bad Omen?
Photographer Kim Goslin of Burns Lake, B.C., stumbled upon this lone bird on a gnarled old poplar tree during one of her autumn walks. Spooky, indeed!
Don’t miss these expert tips on mastering silhouette photography in the wild.
Last House on the Left
Mel Diotte of LaSalle, Ontario, writes: “Old home long abandoned. This home is a bit scary as the wild flowers growing around the home brings thoughts of the long lost souls that use to live here many years ago— or are they still there?” We hope not, Mel!
Mel’s beautiful photography also graces our gallery of Canadian lookalikes. Check it out!
Itsy Bitsy Spider
There are millions of people around the world who suffer from arachnophobia—the fear of spiders. The prolific Mel Diotte captures one of 40,000 known species of creepy-crawlies. We’ll try not to have nightmares tonight…
Check out these absolutely beautiful spider webs captured on camera.
House of Dark Shadows
Mel Diotte really nailed our “Spooky” Theme Pic Challenge! In this beautifully composed photo, he used a time exposure to capture both the abandoned old farmhouse and the stars in the night sky above. If you love this shot, you won’t want to miss these eerily gorgeous abandoned churches.
The Fog
Joyce Stolte of Edmonton captured these low-flying clouds near the North Saskatchewan River. They may look beautiful from afar, but we wouldn’t want to drive through them!
You can see more of Joyce’s gorgeous snaps in this showcase of autumn across Canada.
Haunted Castle
Toronto’s Casa Loma takes a terrifying turn at Halloween with the arrival of the Legends of Horror light show. Although it’s cancelled this year due to COVID-19, you can still give yourself goosebumps with this collection of chilling ghost stories.
The Watcher
This dilapidated farmhouse captured by Deb Sandau of Red Deer, Alberta, seems abandoned. But look a bit closer and you’ll find it’s anything but. Brrrr!
In the mood for a scary story or two? Check out the best ghost tours across Canada.
Vision in Greyscale
Here’s another submission by Deb Sandau, who proves with this photo that even the most harmless-looking trees can take a sinister turn in black and white.
Check out more of Deb’s photography in this gallery of Canadian history on camera.
Ghost Light
Photographer Beverly Lafortune of Kanata, Ontario, writes: “This picture was taken in Coaticook, Quebec, at the Forest de Lumiere. Magical things happened as you walked through the forest of light. This was a holographic of a woman dancing around.” Thanks for sharing, Beverly!
Don’t miss this collection of photos celebrating harvest time in Canada.
Fright Night
Through photographic skill and some neat post-production trickery, Linda Sweeney of Miramichi, New Brunswick, composed this image worthy of a Hollywood horror film. Yikes!
You’ll find more of Linda’s creative captures in this gallery of “in the backyard” photography.
The Mist and the Moonlight
We can’t decide what’s spookier in this photo by Shelagh Quinn of Kamloops, British Columbia. Is it the eerie moonlight, or what may or may not be lurking in that vast foggy field? (You can’t blame us for our overactive imagination—we just read these 13 scary facts about Canada.)
Into the Fog
This shot proves that a forest can be creepy even during daylight! Heather Loewen of Lloydminster, Alberta, captured this hauntingly beautiful photo in Collingwood, Ontario.
Don’t miss these atmospheric shots of Saskatchewan’s ghost towns.
Take Shelter
Norma Keith captured an angry sky over Baltimore, Ontario. Batten down the hatches!
You’ll see more of Norma’s photography in this gallery showcasing “what I’m thankful for.”
Haunted Mansion
The approach to this grand estate in Niagara-on-the-Lake was overgrown and a bit ominous when Brett Walther visited in summer 2020.
Check out the most haunted places in Canada.
Mysterious Island
Kelly Roy of Cobourg, Ontario, captured this eerie photo on a very misty morning. Thanks for sharing, Kelly!
Next, check out these photos that capture the spirit of Halloween in Canada.