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!)


[img]/cfs-file.ashx/__key/CommunityServer.Components.UserFiles/00.00.00.23.16/Gannet-2_5F00_1.jpg[/img][img]/cfs-file.ashx/__key/CommunityServer.Components.UserFiles/00.00.00.23.16/Gannet_5F00_1.jpg[/img]

[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.