Naked Science Forum

General Science => General Science => Topic started by: lucy mutugi on 20/12/2016 09:49:45

Title: Why do eyes in pictures seem to follow you?
Post by: lucy mutugi on 20/12/2016 09:49:45

lucy mutugi  asked the Naked Scientists:
   
My 10year old daughter (Angela) wants to know,if you look at a big photo portrait as you pass ,why does the eyes seem to follow someone.

Thanks. Lucy.
What do you think?

Title: Re: Why do eyes in pictures seem to follow you?
Post by: Colin2B on 30/12/2016 17:47:13

This is due to perspective.
Imaging a drawing of a house in perspective. Because the drawing is a 2d representation of the house the perspective is the same whether you look straight at the picture of from off centre.
The same is true of faces, they are drawn in perspective e.g. foreshortened nose. So when an artist paints the eyes looking straight at the artist, that perspective is the same no matter where you view the painting from.

Title: Re: Why do eyes in pictures seem to follow you?
Post by: Bored chemist on 04/01/2017 12:19:53

The picture is flat. Wherever you are in the room, you can see both eyes in the picture.
Ordinarily, if you can see both of someones eyes (without the nose getting in the way) they are looking more or less straight at you.
So it always looks as if the picture's face is looking at you.