Chuck_893 Loc: Lincoln, Nebraska, USA

If anybody has already brought this up, I apologize, but I did a pretty thorough search and it doesn't look like it. There has been a mostly friendly controversy over the actual color of a dress that has gone viral on the web (see below). The version that first appeared on the internet is the one in the middle.

When I first saw the picture, I identified the dress as white with gold trim. I saw the unmistakable blue cast, but I still identified the dress as white, just assuming that there was skylight reflected in the white since it was obviously backlit. My wife looked at the same picture and also saw a white dress with gold trim.

Later I saw the version on the right, which turns out to be correct: the actual dress is blue, with black trim.

Well, long story shorter, there has been a lot of science published on this thing (as to exactly why the dress was perceived by some as white and others as blue) but I got thinking, well duh (!), if I look closely, all I had to see (I think :shock: ) is that the background is so badly blown out on all the pictures that that would skew the colors. Right?

Well, that's what I think. :mrgreen: What do you think?

This group has been white balanced. The one in the middle is as originally published. The real color is at right.

(Download)

This version shows better the difference in background exposure

davidrb Loc: Half way there on the 45th Parallel

Saw a story on network new last (?) nite. Ugly in any color is still ugly.

minniev Loc: MIssissippi

This has been of interest to me too. Typically if I accidentally or on purpose overexpose, I don't get color changes that look like this. I had a hard time believing something else wasn't afoot. My husband and I looked at it together on my laptop, both of us saw only the gold and white.

THEN: I left the image of the gold and white dress (It was the version in the middle of your downloadable trio) showing on my laptop while I did some chore, and the cat tipped the screen backwards at about a 45 degree angle and LO, the deep blue/black dress appeared.

Now I know why the photos I develop on my laptop always require a little extra look on the big screen before I print or post.But I still don't understand.

Whuff Loc: Marshalltown, Iowa

Wow! This guy is extraordinarily grouchy today.

Old Timer Loc: Greenfield, In.

Typical for him.


:cry: :cry: :cry:

Chuck_893 Loc: Lincoln, Nebraska, USA

Actually, I kinda like the dress. :wink: Ah HAH! I'm on my laptop right now and I just tipped the screen and "LO, the deep blue/black dress appeared." I've long known that screen angle makes a difference, but it didn't occur to me that the answer could be that simple. I think you nailed it. The reason one person could see white and gold, but someone standing right alongside could see (correctly) blue and black is because of their relative angle to the screen! Thanks!! :thumbup: :thumbup: (Thanks, Whuff and Old Timer.) :wink:

f8lee Loc: New Mexico

Geez, I guess it was only a matter of time until this ridiculosity appeared here...

I saw a graphic that illustrates how odd human vision can be, and attached it here. Note the two sides of the cube (if you want to call them that). They appear to be different shades, yes? Now, take a ruler or other thin solid object and place it over the seam between the upper and lower segments. What do you see then?

(Download)

Chuck_893 Loc: Lincoln, Nebraska, USA

Sure, the two halves are identical. Incidentally, if you tip your screen (or stand up if you're on a desktop) you'll see that density change.

I'm sorry to have presented a ridiculosity. When I started on this site I happily jumped in with both feet, thinking I could contribute and/or learn something. What I quickly learned is that there are far too many quick-on-the-trigger types who belittle and sneer. I went away for months, but I thought I'd come back and see if anything changed.

Guess not.

f8lee Loc: New Mexico

Sorry, @Chuck - I wasn't referring to your post but rather the fact that this stupid dress thing has taken over the media altogether. This graphic seems to make clear the effect of background on perceived color, etc. - not meant to offend you. Don't go away...

joer Loc: Colorado/Illinois

I think you are correct.

JD750 Loc: SoCal

Saw this the other day, a coworker saw blue and I saw gold, on the same phone, same time, same lighting. I didn't know what it was about or have any preconceived notion of what I was supposed to see.

Photographers (should) know that cameras record color different than the human eye sees color, so why all the skepticism and negativity about this image? Apparently there is some biological reason for it. And it's a great example of how differently we are all wired!

Could there possibly be something to learn from it? Yes, for some, but alas not for others, because for them, it's a waste of energy to try to open their minds to something new because they already know everything there is to know.

JD750 Loc: SoCal

Yes there are "Far too many quick-on-the-trigger types who belittle and sneer." But they walk among us and letting them affect how you feel is the worst tragedy. Just ignore them and focus on all the good responses from people who want to share in learning. We far outnumber the belittlers but are unfortunately, less vocal.

minniev Loc: MIssissippi

Photo forum folks all over the net have been interested in this. Who should be more interested in the rendering and perception of color in a photo than photographers? I'm just surprised no more folks here thought it fascinating, from an photographic perspective.

No, not much has changed. Some trolls and grumps left but others arrived to take their places. One member recently noted that it takes all kinds of animals to make a zoo. I try to remember that. There's plenty of interesting people here who do like to share.

Hope you hang around. Sharing curiosities about color perception in photos is far more interesting to me than the endless wrangling about raw vs jpeg, canon vs nikon, pp vs no pp. Helps keep balance in the zoo :)

Kimosabi

Hi Chuck:

This issue sure got more attention than it needed but it raises the question of differences in color perception and what affects them. An article in the Washington Post said the following:

“Wired had the best explanation of the science behind the dress’ shifting colors. When your brain tries to figure out what color something is, it essentially subtracts the lighting and background colors around it, or as the neuroscientist interviewed by Wired says, tries to “discount the chromatic bias of the daylight axis.” This is why you can identify an apple as red whether you see it at noon or at dusk.”

You can see the complete article at:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/wonkblog/wp/2015/02/27/12-fascinating-optical-illusions-show-how-color-can-trick-the-eye/?wpisrc=nl_evening&wpmm=1

It also has other illustrations and interesting optical illusions.

Here's a minimalist illustration by Wikipedia user Dodek. The grey bar across the center is actually one constant color:



Any comments on this?

UHH post 2-28-15
Attached file:
(Download)

BHC Loc: Strawberry Valley, JF, USA

Grouchy, maybe; but he's right!