Illusion or my imagination?

[cian3307]

Hi folks,


I took the bottom shot of a Gannet last year and was very happy with it. However, while messing around on photoshop last night, I mirrored it (top) and to my eye the the result is far better. The bird seems to be more 'in your face' when placed on the right side of the pic. Am I imagining this? I am heavily right eye dominant, could this be effecting my perception of the shot? The OOF background on the left contributes to the effect. Does anyone else get this effect or does anyone know if this is a common occurence with off centre subjects?


(Critique of the shot most welcome too!)


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[TheRoff]

I agree, the photo with the bird on the right does make it seem more dominate, but I certainly cannot explain why the placing has that effect.





Larry

[Bryan Carnathan]

That's funny - I too like the top image better. And I've thought about this as I frame my own images. I have a personal preference for sure. It would be interesting to hear what everyone else thinks.

[cian3307]

I'd be interested to hear if any left eye dominant people like the other image best.

[Anthony]

Interesting, I noticed asimilareffect once when I reversed a picture of our dog.


Anyway, great picture. What lens did you use?

[ultima16888]

I'd like to hear about what left handed people say haha. I feel that it's about we are used to reaching out with our right hand and it feels comfortable when something is within our reach. the fact that the bird is so close it feels at eye level it feels as if it's coming off the page, and right side is within our dominance domain. on the second thought, how does lefty shoot with any camera? haha, there's a market, someone grab it and get rich with it.


on the 2nd thought, I think they'll still like the top image, because it feels more comfortable, much likeFibonaccisequence, it's not so much that it works, it's that we see so much of it, if something is close to the sequence format it just feels right. and the world is definitely designed for righty...

[twistedphrame]

I'm left eye dominant but right handed for just about everything. I like the top one was well it seems sharper to me, which I know is a lie haha.





Two things may be influencing this. The first is that we were told that you like the top one better that as we read what you did we can see the top one only (at least on my screen). Secondly we see that one first so we begin to associate with that one then we see the second one which we are less familiar with (barely but first impressions are important).


This is different when you were editing it, you saw the bottom first, but as we edit we make adjustments for improvements, alot of times I'll do something and say 'Oh that's much better' and then come back to the two images and realize that no it actually is not better at all. We are looking for a change for the better so we find one. Going to go ahead and say this is like the plecebo effect with pills.


I think it would be very interesting (though we can't actually make the choice now that we've seen this) to post this somewhere else first with just the images switched and then with just the text at the bottom of the post and then with the images switched and the text at the bottom. The text at the bottom takes out your opinion from the equation switching it up changes which everyone sees first (obviously) be an interesting little experiment.

[cian3307]

Thanks for the very informed comments everyone. Lots of food for thought.


In response to Anthony, I used a 16 or 17 year old Canon 75-300 f4-5.6 zoom (non-IS)! Typical that I spend a small fortune on L series lenses and one of my best pics is taken with my cheapest lens[:)] Having said that, if Iuse it as a 100-200 f8 it can produce the goods!

[Gian Luca]

<span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA;"]Apparently I am the only one, but I prefer the image with the bird on the right. I guess I tent to read things starting from the right, so with the bird positioned on the right I see it as a first thing?!?

[Oren]

Well I guess it might be something with our brain - if you know all thos tests and games found on the net.


Personally, I prefer the picture on the bottom. I'm not sure why, but on the top one, the blurry background to the left doesn't feel good on my eyes, on the other hand, when the blurry background on the right - as in the bottom picture, it feels easier on my eyes.

[Gian Luca]

<p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;" class="MsoNormal"]<span style="font-size: small;"]<span style="font-family: Calibri;"]Sorry my previous post was wrong.<o:p></o:p>
<p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;" class="MsoNormal"]<span style="font-size: small;"]<span style="font-family: Calibri;"]Apparently I am the only one, but I prefer the image with the bird on the left. I guess I tent to read things starting from the left, so with the bird positioned on the right I see it as a first thing?!?<o:p></o:p>

[Oren]

You are wrong again - you are not the only one [:P]

[Sinh Nhut Nguyen]

Honestly I think they're both nice. The hardest part is exposing the white, you did a great job!

[ShutterbugJohan]

I'm left-eye dominant and right-handed. My first impression was that I much prefer the bottom one. However, after reading the comments, I find that I prefer the top one. [:^)] It seems to have more impact... somehow, and the bottom one seems more peaceful. What kind of bird is it?

[Stefan Stuart Fletcher]

OK, so I may be the only left-handed person replying here, but one obvious (?) reason why we all seem to agree with your modification is that you've made the sunlight-shadow follow the visual lead-in and focus on your main subject.


Remember how the bottom left-hand corner is the area humans look at last in an image?


There is a natural propensity (at least for people living in the northern hemisphere) to follow light from left to right, which may go some way to explaining the increasingly mild prejudice against us lefties / southpaws, etc. (Perhaps the fact that our handwriting is illegible doesn't help...)

[cian3307]

What kind of bird is it?
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Hi Shutterbug, it is a Northern Gannet (Morus Bassana), a large seabird - wingspan of 2 metres. Those eyes make it a great subject to photo!

[Kyle Webb]

Cian3307,


I believe that this phenominon is best explained by understanding that the originalimage has no symmetry inherent in it. So when you mirror it - it seams to be a completely different image (your mind wants to perceive it as a completely different image). By definition this an illusion.


Magazines as well as video productions use this technique to make more images out of the ones that they have to increase the number ofimages and video clips if needed.

[Victor]

Hello there,


I'm left-handed and have to adjust often to a right-handers world. As such I've noticed the peculiar things that emerge from this. When a subject is on the left side (looking right) it gives a since of opening and peering out into a much larger world. In contrast the bird on the right side (looking left) seems to close you off and give you a since of opposition or dominance. Partly I think this is because we have become accustomed to the left to right book format. The left page of an open book signifies the journey continues and the right page signifies and end. I think its subconscious of course. But I've also noticed this in cinematography as well. The next time your watching a movie take note to see if the action flows from left to right across the frame. In the instances that it doesn't I think you usually find the antagonist or opposition taking dominance. Here's the interesting part for me, if this is true what does this say about our personalities and subject matter? Personally I like the bird on the left. Its less dominant, and gives a greater since of romance and draws your eye outward to a large world. While the one on the right closes you off and feels more claustrophobic; however it does seem to give a greater impact. Of course I could be full of it too! Its a great picture regardless!

[Ken Schwarz]

I've noticed this effect in my photos, too. At least for me, my eye is comfortable following diagonal lines that go up and to the right. The bottom photo reminds me of my 401K.


I don't think it's too mysterious: in the top photo, the lines guide you to the bird's eye, which is the center of attention. In the bottom one, the bird is looking at something (and pointing at it, too--with its beak), but you can't see what it is. This is frustrating. If there were a big walrus on the right, it would be the center of attention and the bird would just be a pointer to it. Then it would be fine.

[Colin]

Back when I used to wrestle, I usually lead with my right side, so the picture on the right side looks like I could get a better grip without getting stabbed in the neck :D