This Hungarian optical illusion photo went viral – which way is the guy facing?

The tricky optical illusion photo was posted two days ago on Reddit and created a huge buzz among users with a keen eye for art. The most important question the photo raises is whether the mysterious dark figure seen in the picture is facing away or towards the camera. It has left viewers scratching their heads to figure it out. 

If you want to take a bit of a mental break from work, looking at optical illusions is a great way to recharge and clear out your mind. These images are made to make you question reality. Optical illusion pictures turn into something else when you squint or may have two meanings at once. At times, you really need to do a double-take to understand what is shown in the picture. In the past few years, the Internet has given us many mind-boggling images that stumped viewers and kept them confused for days. Just think of the infamous dress that appeared either blue or black or the pink and white/teal and gray Nike shoes. These illusions have greatly divided users and were the talk of the Internet for quite some time. 

Read also: Bewildering brand new Museum of Illusions opened in Budapest

A recent example of viral optical illusions is the work of a Hungarian photographer which a Reddit user called inhuszar stumbled upon and shared on the popular social network. The picture depicts the silhouette of a group of people chilling in the outdoors at sunset. The sinking sun paints lovely pastel hues on the sky, however, the main focus is on the silhouette of a man who is holding a camera up towards the distance. At first glance, it seems as if he is facing front but at a closer look, the man appears to have his back to the viewers. The Hungarian optical illusion photo was picked up by several well-known US and UK magazines. It split opinions creating endless arguments in the comment sections of the many content-sharing platforms.

One person wrote: “We need Sherlock Holmes on this one. Or Spock. Logic dictates that he is looking away.”

Another user was sure that he cracked the mystery, commenting: “If he’s facing the toward the camera, what object is he taking a picture? If it’s the sunset, his face would be visible as the light shines on it. Therefore it’s his back we see.”

While one person joked: “He’s actually facing both ways at the same time.”

Debates raged, but at the end of the day it all comes down to lighting or perspective. Can you figure out which way the man is facing?

Is he facing away or towards the camera? from opticalillusions

If you are hungry for more viral photographs, take a look at another Reddit treasure from 2020. A Hungarian photographer, Attila Manek, recreated the photo of the same mother and daughter shopping at the farmers’ market on Museum Boulevard in Budapest after 30 years. The original photo was taken in 1987. At that time, many users drew a resemblance between the young woman and Princess Diana for their similar features and haircut, while others praised her hard work and charisma. The two figures in the photo are actually the photographer’s wife and daughter. With this picture, he wanted the call people’s attention to the so-called ‘second shift’, the burdens many working mothers face who have to juggle numerous responsibilities at once.  Similar to the recent optical illusion photo, this Reddit post also went viral demonstrating the talent and creativity of Hungarian photographers.

Picture on the right went viral recently. 33 years later the same protagonists recreated it. from pics

• Read also: Masters of illusion – Hungarians behind Hollywood movie props – PHOTOS, VIDEOS

Source: Helló Magyar