As for the reconstructed faces, my initial reaction is that they look very odd - disquieting, even. My own portrait work has led me to believe that faces aren't normally nearly as close to symmetrical as we might tend to believe.
yeah the perfectly symmetrical faces go into that uncanny valley territory - eep. In art classes years ago, we used to look at portrait paintings and cover one half and then the other, switching back and forth so you could really see how one eye would sag a little, one ear was higher, etc.
I'm with Jane. While the face is likely asymmetrical, the image isn't dead square, as can be seen by the ears. The makeup sure does seem to exaggerate things though!
Jane, great observation. Also on the reconstructed halves, the lighting is a factor. Only the one on the right is possible (equal soft cool lights from the sides).
Part of the reason the one on the left looks so weird is that it is an impossible lighting situation, causing a weird light ridge down the nose and neck.
I've seen some specials that say that "beauty" is based on symmetry...but honestly, symmetry makes things look too...robotic? I don't know, it just doesn't feel right, like the character or something has been drained from it.
Aw yeah! I tried this with my own face awhile back and even with very even lighting, it was astounding, I looked like two separate sisters.. You can see similar symmetry photos at echoism.org. Apparently people look more towards the left side of someone's face? (or something.) Lucky that my left side is more attractive than my right, haha.
PS. @BK, it might be eyelid tape rather than a drawn on crease judging by how her lids seem lifted. But it's hard to tell from the photo xD
I'm not even convinced that the model is the same model. The difference in the ears, the difference in the location of the iris....I'm thinking it's a put-on, 2 models with the help of photoshop.
People's noses don't stick out like that above their eyebrows; her clothes are different on the two sides, and even her hair color is different on the two sides . It's a photomanipulation IMHO.
What a great exercise! I don't think it's a manipulation at all. Her forehead looks completely normal as well as her chin area. You can see that she is wearing a striped shirt and has covered her right shoulder with another shirt over the striped shirt for effect. The asymmetry is due to the face being turned to show more of the made-up side. You can see more of her right ear, then left. Also, when the lighting is enhanced, the composites look more normal rather than the "Avatar" look where the lighting is wrong.
I can't help but comment on the question that Kim and at least one other person has raised about the authenticity of this photo demonstration.
What could the point of going to the trouble of faking such a photo? It's true that the human face - more often than not - is markedly asymmetrical. Make-up exaggerates some features and diminishes others. So clearly make-up would amplify asymmetry when applied to only one side.
As for the issue of the ears: I think it's clear that they appear different only because the shot is a few small degrees from being straight-on.
I think that faking this demo would require more time and energy than not faking it.
Science Daily: Your Left Side Is Your Best Side: Our Left Cheek Shows More Emotion, Which Observers Find More Aesthetically Pleasing http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/04/120420123847.htm
I think the photos were taken with different focal lengths. The width of the neck, and the with of every facial feature is different. The make up one was taken using a long focal length at a long distance, and the "clean" one was taken with a wide angle at a closer distance. At least that´s what I can speculate.
That first image is astounding.
ReplyDeleteAs for the reconstructed faces, my initial reaction is that they look very odd - disquieting, even. My own portrait work has led me to believe that faces aren't normally nearly as close to symmetrical as we might tend to believe.
yeah the perfectly symmetrical faces go into that uncanny valley territory - eep. In art classes years ago, we used to look at portrait paintings and cover one half and then the other, switching back and forth so you could really see how one eye would sag a little, one ear was higher, etc.
ReplyDeletepart of it, of course, is that the photo is not dead on center - so the nearer (her right) offers more surface area
ReplyDeleteI'm with Jane. While the face is likely asymmetrical, the image isn't dead square, as can be seen by the ears. The makeup sure does seem to exaggerate things though!
ReplyDeleteNot to mention, of course, that she used make-up to "draw" the fold over the eye, which she (together with many Asians) lacks in her natural state.
ReplyDeleteJane, great observation. Also on the reconstructed halves, the lighting is a factor. Only the one on the right is possible (equal soft cool lights from the sides).
ReplyDeletePart of the reason the one on the left looks so weird is that it is an impossible lighting situation, causing a weird light ridge down the nose and neck.
I've seen some specials that say that "beauty" is based on symmetry...but honestly, symmetry makes things look too...robotic? I don't know, it just doesn't feel right, like the character or something has been drained from it.
ReplyDeleteAw yeah! I tried this with my own face awhile back and even with very even lighting, it was astounding, I looked like two separate sisters.. You can see similar symmetry photos at echoism.org. Apparently people look more towards the left side of someone's face? (or something.) Lucky that my left side is more attractive than my right, haha.
ReplyDeletePS. @BK, it might be eyelid tape rather than a drawn on crease judging by how her lids seem lifted. But it's hard to tell from the photo xD
I'm not even convinced that the model is the same model. The difference in the ears, the difference in the location of the iris....I'm thinking it's a put-on, 2 models with the help of photoshop.
ReplyDeletePeople's noses don't stick out like that above their eyebrows; her clothes are different on the two sides, and even her hair color is different on the two sides . It's a photomanipulation IMHO.
ReplyDeleteWhat a great exercise! I don't think it's a manipulation at all. Her forehead looks completely normal as well as her chin area. You can see that she is wearing a striped shirt and has covered her right shoulder with another shirt over the striped shirt for effect. The asymmetry is due to the face being turned to show more of the made-up side. You can see more of her right ear, then left. Also, when the lighting is enhanced, the composites look more normal rather than the "Avatar" look where the lighting is wrong.
ReplyDeleteYou shocked my eyes! I also want to enlarge my eyes from making up.
ReplyDeleteflipbook creator
I wish there was a photo of her before any makeup was applied. Then it would be easier to see the asymmetry in her features and facial structures.
ReplyDeleteI am not convinced that these show the same person. Shape of ears is different and other incongruous proportions of bone structure.
ReplyDeleteI can't help but comment on the question that Kim and at least one other person has raised about the authenticity of this photo demonstration.
ReplyDeleteWhat could the point of going to the trouble of faking such a photo? It's true that the human face - more often than not - is markedly asymmetrical. Make-up exaggerates some features and diminishes others. So clearly make-up would amplify asymmetry when applied to only one side.
As for the issue of the ears: I think it's clear that they appear different only because the shot is a few small degrees from being straight-on.
I think that faking this demo would require more time and energy than not faking it.
Science Daily: Your Left Side Is Your Best Side: Our Left Cheek Shows More Emotion, Which Observers Find More Aesthetically Pleasing http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/04/120420123847.htm
ReplyDeleteI think the photos were taken with different focal lengths. The width of the neck, and the with of every facial feature is different. The make up one was taken using a long focal length at a long distance, and the "clean" one was taken with a wide angle at a closer distance. At least that´s what I can speculate.
ReplyDelete