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Optical illusion in photography

Gilles Guérin - photographer - France





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About "optical illusion"























The "optical illusion"


In what we calls the "optical illusion" there are two kinds of things:
The first category includes graphics in general where the juxtapositions of colors and forms induce "visual" impressions different of the graphics themselves. It is indeed illusion, but contrary to the perspective which is an onely optiqal/geometric phenomenon, the deterioration results of wrongs (cerebrals) interpretations of visual informations.
The second category, it's also graphics but wanting to be to the representation of elements of reality and which represents them in a knowingly wrong way. Here is indeed illusion. But once again it is not really "optical illusions". The drawings are graphic creations; we thus makes with them what we wants. And here tell the word "illusion" does not have any sens. If the fact of representing graphically and in an wrong way an element of reality astonishes us, it is that we tend to even confuse the representation of the reality with reality. The illusion thus resides making confusion between reality and its representation.

In both cases (differents), the illusion thus result of the operation of our mind and not of opticals phenomenons.

Finally and in regard to this "illusion " phenomenon on a photograph, which is happend is strictly equivalent: A photograph is only one chart of reality. And the fact of modifying the photographic image is a step strictly equivalent to the fact of creating a graphics. But here the psychological effect is stronger; because photography even is confused with reality than the drawing.


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