Up the Down Staircase

Here is a real life example of "Schröder's staircase" illusion. This optical illusion is one of the more famous, classic reversible figures. Can you see the stairs right side up and upside down?

Up the Down Staircase
Flickr Artist: theentiremikey

Here is the classic version of the illusion.

Schröder's staircase
Looking at the illusion above, if the green wall is closest to you then you will be walking upside down. If the pink wall is closest to you then you are walking upright. Either way you are walking on the same blue treads. Of course if your willing to walk sideways then you can use the black treads.

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Jet Engine Optical Illusion

It is rare that an actual photograph will exhibit the feel of motion. This photo is an example of a real life anomalous motion optical illusion. Not everyone is able to see every illusion so I ask, is it just me or does this static image appear to be rotating?

Jet engine optical illusion
Flickr Artist: Johnny Vulkan

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High Tide Illusion

Global warming has caused the seas to rise, yet somehow women, men and fish are getting along just fine. This is an excellent photograph by flickr artist Jef Safi.

Understand that this has not been digitally manipulated in any way. How do you suppose he got this effect? I guess it could just be an experimental under water commune.

Horizona dream . .
Flickr Artist: jef safi

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America's Cup Sailing Illusion

In honor of the current defending America's Cup champion, Team Alinghi (the black and red ship below) of Geneva, Switzerland, here is a real life sailing illusion. Which direction are these ships sailing? Away from us, toward us or one in each direction.

The novice sailor might take up to 15 seconds to derive the correct answer.


Your 15 seconds are up what is the correct answer? Was your initial thought correct or did reality come to you slightly after that first thought. I'll tell you this much at first glance I was wrong, blinked my eyes, then concluded correctly.

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Fountains Abbey Obelisk Illusion

This is the third item that Dave Barlow sent me. He took this photo while on holiday at Fountains Abbey, UK, last year. When he got home he realized there was an illusion that the obelisk seemed as tall or taller than the church.

My question is, how tall is the obelisk seen here?

Taller than the church?
As tall as the church?
3/4 as tall as the church?
1/2 as tall as the church?
1/4 as tall as the church?

Dave Barlow
copyright 2012
used w/permission



Now view the following from a different angle. How close was your guess?



St Marys Church @ the Abbey
Flickr Artist: JuanJ
Tags: photos, optical_illusions, illusions, art

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Tea Cup Ride Illusion

A coffee counter, a tea cup, just the right angle, and voila these men are sharing Disney's Tea Cup ride while at lunch.

Excellent juxtaposition.

"Would You Care to Join Me in a Cup of Coffee?"
Flickr Artist: SF buckaroo
Tags: photos, optical_illusions, illusions, art

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Graffiti in the Sky Illusion

This was a truly interesting photo. No digital manipulation, just a straight up old fashioned photograph.

motel illusion
Flickr Artist: źéń
See more of his photos
at Zenography


So how do you think this was accomplished?

The photographer only says this about the image, "Taken from the pool at the Duke Inn, VA".

Now you know what I know. Exactly how was this done?

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Optical Illusion Arches

Jos de Mey

The below unretouched real photograph reminded me of the above piece of art by Jos de Mey. Jos paints an arch that clearly can't exist in the real world. At least that's what I thought until I saw this photo. How do you think the effect in the below photo was accomplished


Locus of control
Flickr Artist: ilConte

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Pope or Devil Optical Illusion

The recent installation of Pope Benedict XVI gave rise to numerous stories in newspapers across the world. There were literally thousands of photos used by various news services.

Imagine the surprise of many faithful Catholics in New York when they saw this AP wire service photo used in amNew York newspaper.

In this photo, due to the optical illusion of horns coming out of the Pope's head it is hard to tell if this is a man of God or possibly a stooge of the devil. Needless to say many people took time to write the newspaper and let them know that they weren't happy by this illusion.

The newspaper printed the below two letters they received and an apology to anyone who may have been offended by this optical illusion.

One of my readers sent me the bottom picture but for the life of me I can't find the email anywhere. If you sent this to me leave me a comment so I can thank you properly.

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Coca-Cola 600 Optical Illusion

One of the readers (Andy Marsh) of Optical Illusions Etc... was at the Cola-Cola 600 NASCAR race a few weekends back. While there he saw something amazing.

Yes, I know Jimmy Johnson's win at the end was an amazing finish, but that was no optical illusion or was it? I mean it is "Lowes Motor Speedway" and Jimmy Johnson is sponsored by "Lowes, this was his third straight win of the Coca-Cola 600. I think this might need further investigation, but I digress.

What Andy saw was a woman prior to the race some how climb up a 200 foot pole. He noted the amazing feat. Later he saw them disassembling the pole, during this process he realized it wasn't a pole at all, but in fact was a ladder viewed from the side. He took the below photo and sent it to me. Thanks Andy.

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Summertime Optical Illusion Fun

I constantly get people coming to this site by searching for "scary optical illusion", I've seen many optical illusions but I wouldn't call any of them scary. Unless of course you are 4 years old. I mean if you were very young then this illusion might be scary.



Personally I love this illusion it is a special summertime illusion that the whole family can enjoy.

For those of you that get to the beach this year try your own illusion and send the picture in to this site. I might create a special section for do it yourself illusions. This won't be limited to beach illusions, any image that tricks our perception is welcome.

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Pro-athlete Optical Illusion?

Below is what could be the first Pro-athlete optical illusion. Here we have two apparent members of teams in the National Basketball Association squaring off on the court in anticipation of a duel of titans. How was this picture produced? What lighting, special effects or camera lens could account for the seeming disparity in height? Could it be a image that was created in a software package like Photoshop?



Or could it just be that one player is in fact 5 foot 5 inches tall and the other is 7 foot 1 inch tall?

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Church Railing Optical Illusion

Robert Jacobson a student at Southern Adventist University in Tennessee passed this church every time he would transit to the local grocery store.

On more than one occasion he thought to himself that the illusion he noticed from the road was fascinating and one of these days he should take a picture of these church railings and share them with others. On this day he remembered.

A moment of brilliance struck me today when I was getting ready to go to the grocery store. "Bring your digital camera!" I thought to myself. Every time I pass this church sign I tell myself, "One of these days you gotta take a picture of those stairs."

This is the approximate view you see as you crest the hill and first see the stairs. Robert explains why the picture isn't taken from exactly the position you first see it from.

I wish I could have taken the picture from the very crest in question, but I would have had to stand right in the middle of the road, and there were a lot of cars. There were safety concerns.

From this angle they look a little cockeyed, nothing amazing, they just go off in different directions. So what is so special about these rails? He further states.

But WAIT! Are they really crooked? Your vehicle descends the crest and moves swiftly past the front of the building. You look up quickly from changing the radio dial to 90.5 WSMC just in time to get another look at those handrails:

Whoaaaa! This was a surprise. I didn't expect to look up and see that these two rails were parallel. I'm sure examples like this can be found all around us. Thanks Robert for allowing me to use your images on this page. Go to his page and read his full take on this illusion including his take on explaining this phenomenon.

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