Faces Everywhere!
Do you see faces everywhere? I definitely do - and I'm not talking about faces in Rorschach tests - faces in everyday items? Seeing faces in everyday objects is actually a common psychological phenomenon called "pareidolia". Does it make a better photographer?
When I say photographers see the world differently, we truly do! Do you see faces everywhere? I definitely do - and I'm not talking about faces in Rorschach tests - faces in everyday items!
Can you see the faces? I see faces so often, I have passed it down to my daughter and we challenge each other to "find the faces", and even use their expressions to create a backstory for them!
Seeing faces in everyday objects is actually a common psychological phenomenon called "pareidolia". One of the more famous episodes was when Diane Duyser saw the Virgin Mary in her grilled cheese in 2004 (and sold it in 2014 for $28,000 as a pop culture icon!) It is unknown why some people can see faces and others cannot, but some scientists believe it indicates a neurotic person (not sure if that is a good thing for me or not!). Other theories indicate a connection with survival.
Carl Sagan has theorized that throughout time, infants that were able to recognize faces smiled back more, which led them to be closer to their caregivers. This, in turn, created a stronger bond, and provided these children a better chance to survive and prosper.
Christopher French also believes the phenomenon developed due to survival, but specifically to provide protection from predators. Even back to the Stone Age, if a person saw (or imagined) a predator in the bushes, they would run away, surviving to live another day!
It is also believed that women may experience this more than men, since they have a better ability to recognize emotions through facial expressions. With this reasoning, maybe this is a good trait for a photographer to have - allowing us to process emotions better and see the perfect shot coming before it happens!
Have you found any faces throughout your day? If you would like to share, I would love to see them! Feel free to share by replying to this post in any of my social media feeds (LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram), or reply to this blog post!
Cheers and happy hunting (you know you're going to go look now!).
Josh
This is a peripheral drift illusion. The image is actually NOT moving.
Don't believe me?
Focus directly on one of the "moving" dots for a few seconds.
Did everything stop?
This is just one way to show how our brains are working to help us make sense of the world, oftentimes without us knowing. In this case, the different white shading on the edges of the circles tricks the brain a bit.Thankfully, most of the time, our brains are more accurate than with this example!
Can You See The Light?
We have been talking lately about the general idea of perspective. Let's get a bit personal and take a peek into my brain and how I see the world on a daily basis. To begin with, I see light and shadows everywhere, which is crucial when creating an image. While most people understand when a room is bright or not, I see more than that.
We have been talking lately about the general idea of perspective. Let's get a bit personal and take a peek into my brain and how I see the world on a daily basis.
To begin with, I see light and shadows everywhere, which is crucial when creating an image. While most people understand when a room is bright or not, I see more than that. I see the shades, nuances, levels, angles, colors, and feeling of light throughout the room. This is easier to see and explain in different situations - one good example is the "golden hour".
Try It Yourself!
If you're interested, here is a simple experiment that shows some dramatic changes in light (weather dependent). About 30 minutes before sunset, step outside, take a breath, and note the feeling the light is giving off. The harshness of the overhead sun is gone, and the light becomes gentler as it now comes in from a sideways angle. In this "golden hour", the world takes on a warm and soft glow.
Want another one?
Wherever you are right now, look at your lights. Are they yellow (not like the bug lights, but a faint yellow)? White? A shade of off-white? What about your lights at home? Does one room have white lights and another room yellow lights? Are your bathroom lights brighter than your other rooms? Does your bathroom vanity have a mashup of white and yellow lights (or differences in brightness?) Do the wall colors make a difference in how the light changes the feeling in each room?
These are just a few examples to show what photographers think about and see when they enter a room.
“It’s one thing to make a picture of what a person looks like;
it’s another thing to make a portrait of who they are.”
– Paul Caponigro
When I say photographers see the world differently, we truly do! I am constantly looking at and evaluating the details throughout the environment to determine the best way to create an image and tell a story. (I see faces everywhere, too - we'll talk about that next time!)
As you go through your day, take a moment to note your current perspective. Try looking at the light - can you see it changing throughout the day? Early morning sunrise. Noon overhead sun. Incoming storm clouds. Clearing skies after rain. Evening golden hour. Lighting helps control the mood of an image, and often our own moods during the day, whether we realize it or not.
Cheers!
Josh
Here is a great example of how a photographer can change your perspective by the way they decide to compose an image, which changes the complete story the image is telling. Click on the image for more examples from this series from Michael Paul Smith.
The Importance of Perspective
Throughout the years, I have learned a lot about life through photography - one of these lessons is about perspective.
Whether in life or behind the lens, your perspective on a topic determines what you see, how you feel and react, and how you share that topic with others. The key is finding the right perspective for each shot, or life situation.
Throughout the years, I have learned a lot about life through photography - one of these lessons is about perspective.
Whether in life or behind the lens, your perspective on a topic determines what you see, how you feel and react, and how you share that topic with others. The key is finding the right perspective for each shot, or life situation. People approach the same situation differently, depending on their perspective. Some people are very attached to their view, while others can adapt and see the situation from different angles, or perspectives.
“It takes a lot of imagination to be a good photographer...[I]n photography everything is so ordinary; it takes a lot of looking before you learn to see the extraordinary.”
– David Bailey
In photography, perspective relates to the depth, order, layout, and relationship between objects in an image. Changing your perspective can create an entirely new image and overall feeling, as objects line up differently, lighting changes, new backgrounds emerge, and previously hidden features are shown. As in life, it is important for photographers to be able to see the entire landscape and all the options that are available.
Good photographers are able to see that entire landscape and find the best perspective for that situation. Whether it means physically moving to create a different perspective to experiment and test, or by being able to successfully imagine what a new perspective could look like, knowing and seeing all of the options is the only way to find the best perspective and get the best shot.
Perspective is sometimes a fickle beast. Finding the right view, behind the lens or in life, helps create an image that tells the right story. The image below is one of my favorites that shows how a difference in perspective can really change how you see a situation. Enjoy - and I hope that you can find the best view and perspective throughout your days!
Cheers!
Josh
This is one my favorites that made the rounds on the internet.
What do you see?
Do you see a girl with very thin legs?
Look again...
How about a girl holding a bag of popcorn?
A New Year!
Welcome to 2021! As we begin this new year, we know that live events and your photography needs are still a bit in flux. Regardless, we want to wish you the best in all of your new opportunities and adventures this year.
As we begin this new year, we know that live events and your photography needs are still a bit in flux. Regardless, we want to wish you the best in all of your new opportunities and adventures this year.
We also wanted to provide a bit of enjoyment by looking at perspective - and the way we all see (or don't see) the world. Professional photographers usually see the world a bit differently, and have a different perspective of the world than everyone else.
“And those who were seen dancing, were thought to be crazy, by those who could not hear the music.” ― Friedrich Nietzsche
We hope that this little peek into a photographer's brain brings some joy and amazement to your day.
Cheers!
Josh
This is the Schröder Staircase.
Can you tell which way the staircase is moving? Where is the top?
(Yes - that is a mirror!)
This is the same set of stairs. At first glance, they look normal, but watch as they rotate. Does your brain flip the stairs the opposite direction like in the mirror? (HINT: They do NOT change direction!)
Can you change them back and forth just by looking at it?
Want a video version to the Schröder Staircase instead?