Fairy Dust? No! Photo anomalies.

[KateHW]

Since I'm relatively new and not known by everyone yet, I want to preface this by saying I'm not looking for a woo explanation. Photography is a hobby of mine and I was taking some self-portraits yesterday (hence the new avatar). I got about 10 photos so far (I discover more as I look through them) that have an odd sort of light reflected on my eyeballs. It's only on profile or semi-profile shots (but not all of them), with my eyes looking away from the camera and never on straight-on shots. It kind of looks superimposed, but then, I'm not an expert. I was wondering if any resident people of knowledge can tell me what's going on so I can prevent it in the future because even though I can photoshop it out, it takes away from the natural quality of the photo. Also, I figured I'd post it on a skeptic's forum in case some spiritualist came across it and thought it was fairy dust. :D

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2113/2285141994_457024b66d.jpg

Oh. It would probably helpful to add that my only light source was a single beam. There is a porch window across the room catty corner in front of me. The blinds were closed but blinds aren't fool-proof. I've been having vision trouble lately. I know cataracts show up milky. Does anything show up, er, splotchy?

[~enigma~]

Since I'm relatively new and not known by everyone yet, I want to preface this by saying I'm not looking for a woo explanation. Photography is a hobby of mine and I was taking some self-portraits yesterday (hence the new avatar). I got about 10 photos so far (I discover more as I look through them) that have an odd sort of light reflected on my eyeballs. It's only on profile or semi-profile shots (but not all of them), with my eyes looking away from the camera and never on straight-on shots. It kind of looks superimposed, but then, I'm not an expert. I was wondering if any resident people of knowledge can tell me what's going on so I can prevent it in the future because even though I can photoshop it out, it takes away from the natural quality of the photo. Also, I figured I'd post it on a skeptic's forum in case some spiritualist came across it and thought it was fairy dust. :D

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2113/2285141994_457024b66d.jpg

Oh. It would probably helpful to add that my only light source was a single beam. There is a porch window across the room catty corner in front of me. The blinds were closed but blinds aren't fool-proof. I've been having vision trouble lately. I know cataracts show up milky. Does anything show up, er, splotchy?
You have the shining. Want to go up to Colorado for a week?

[KateHW]

You have the shining. Want to go up to Colorado for a week?Oh, so that's what's going on with my stomach. Tony. It all makes sense now. :D


You don't, ah, talk in a creepy voice while waggling your finger about, do you?

[~enigma~]

Oh, so that's what's going on with my stomach. Tony. It all makes sense now. :D


You don't, ah, talk in a creepy voice while waggling your finger about, do you?
With a Brooklyn accent to boot :)

[KateHW]

Now I'm imagining a tiny leather jacket, tiny sunglasses and a tiny cigarette on your Brooklyn-accented waggling finger. Named Tony.

Southerners can dish out stereotypes, too. :D

[~enigma~]

Now I'm imagining a tiny leather jacket, tiny sunglasses and a tiny cigarette on your Brooklyn-accented waggling finger. Named Tony.

Southerners can dish out stereotypes, too. :D
Hmm...then what's my problem...I am in Texas. Didn't I become a southener after going through a summer here in a fur coat?

PS NO cigarettes since April 2003 (took part in clinical trials for Chantrix)

[fuelair]

Since I'm relatively new and not known by everyone yet, I want to preface this by saying I'm not looking for a woo explanation. Photography is a hobby of mine and I was taking some self-portraits yesterday (hence the new avatar). I got about 10 photos so far (I discover more as I look through them) that have an odd sort of light reflected on my eyeballs. It's only on profile or semi-profile shots (but not all of them), with my eyes looking away from the camera and never on straight-on shots. It kind of looks superimposed, but then, I'm not an expert. I was wondering if any resident people of knowledge can tell me what's going on so I can prevent it in the future because even though I can photoshop it out, it takes away from the natural quality of the photo. Also, I figured I'd post it on a skeptic's forum in case some spiritualist came across it and thought it was fairy dust. :D

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2113/2285141994_457024b66d.jpg

Oh. It would probably helpful to add that my only light source was a single beam. There is a porch window across the room catty corner in front of me. The blinds were closed but blinds aren't fool-proof. I've been having vision trouble lately. I know cataracts show up milky. Does anything show up, er, splotchy?Single lamp clear - and didn't appear electronic - but I am not noticing and/or interpreting correctly what you are talking about. (I do not see/notice any anomalies). Unless you have a pic where it is really obvious or you can mark where on your eye you are referring to I am lost. BTW, I have been doing photography for around 54 years (started at 8 - though not anything wild then!!)!

[KateHW]

Single lamp clear - and didn't appear electronic - but I am not noticing and/or interpreting correctly what you are talking about. (I do not see/notice any anomalies). Unless you have a pic where it is really obvious or you can mark where on your eye you are referring to I am lost. BTW, I have been doing photography for around 54 years (started at 8 - though not anything wild then!!)!
It's a smattering of white dots in my left (your right) eye. There are a couple in my right, as well. I can circle it in photoshop. :)

Also, I think my screen setting is lighter with more contrast than that of others because I've had this issue with other photos.

[m_huber]

Nice to see other Mississippians on the forum!

As to the question, I have to agree that I don't see this as really odd. But not fairy dust.

BTW, nice face ;)

[steve s]

Was there anything shiny in the room? Your eye could be reflecting objects elsewhere in the room. You've also got two small dots in your other eye as well.

Steve S.

[~enigma~]

I think it is just a reflection from the window...

[KateHW]

For fuelair. Here's a detail that should be a bit better. :)

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2289/2287640002_882de70f54_o.jpg

M Huber, thanks! I don't think it's astoundingly odd, but it is annoying and since it's happening in my portrait corner I'd like to figure out what's going on so I can stop it.

Steve S. - there was a brass chandelier about two and a half feet above and to the left of my head. It wasn't really left enough for me to catch a glint of it in my eye (though I was looking left). The beam was pointing straight forward. It's not impossible, though. I'll have to put my husband in the chair and make him slump (as he's half a foot taller than I am) and see what happens. :)

[Tumblehome]

I had to brighten the picture to see the anomalies. It's hard to tell, but it looks like there might hair hanging down in front of your left eye, as there is over the right eye. If so, it could be light reflecting off those hairs.

If that isn't it, then the only explanation is fairy dust. ;)

[~enigma~]

The arc matches exactly the lower curve of the iris of your eye. It is a reflection of the window with possibly a little refraction coming off the stroma of the iris.

ETA - Or you really have the shining :)

[KateHW]

*checks boxes next to Fairy dust and Shining* :)

I think I just need to get a dark, heavy curtain or only do indoor photography at night.

[N.Texas]

Could be the chandelier. Perhaps you should try a black card near your head and placed where it doesn't flag the light hitting your face. Just a thought.

[Timothy]

Could you explain the areas that appear to be digitally altered (sharp edged areas of black that contain the "reflections")? This does not appear to be an unaltered photo.

[Ron_Tomkins]

I'm not sure this "fairy dust" takes away from the natural quality of the photo. Either way, I wouldn't personally try to correct it. It does add a certain beauty of "imperfection" to the whole picture which is always an atractive factor (in addition to the model's inherent appeal). I think that the natural factor is precisely the inevitability of the final result. And in my personal opinion, the final result needs no additional touch.


...But then again, it might be fairy dust. :)

[JEROME DA GNOME]

Since I'm relatively new and not known by everyone yet, I want to preface this by saying I'm not looking for a woo explanation. Photography is a hobby of mine and I was taking some self-portraits yesterday (hence the new avatar). I got about 10 photos so far (I discover more as I look through them) that have an odd sort of light reflected on my eyeballs. It's only on profile or semi-profile shots (but not all of them), with my eyes looking away from the camera and never on straight-on shots. It kind of looks superimposed, but then, I'm not an expert. I was wondering if any resident people of knowledge can tell me what's going on so I can prevent it in the future because even though I can photoshop it out, it takes away from the natural quality of the photo. Also, I figured I'd post it on a skeptic's forum in case some spiritualist came across it and thought it was fairy dust. :D

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2113/2285141994_457024b66d.jpg

Oh. It would probably helpful to add that my only light source was a single beam. There is a porch window across the room catty corner in front of me. The blinds were closed but blinds aren't fool-proof. I've been having vision trouble lately. I know cataracts show up milky. Does anything show up, er, splotchy?


I have no idea about the anomaly, just keep posting photos! :)

[KateHW]

Could you explain the areas that appear to be digitally altered (sharp edged areas of black that contain the "reflections")? This does not appear to be an unaltered photo.
Fuelair couldn't see it in the original so I upped the contrast, so the second pic is indeed altered (upped contrast on selected area). I thought I had mentioned it but looking back I see I didn't. Thanks for pointing that out.




ETA: Aww, shucks, guys, thanks. :)

[Timothy]

Have you had LASIK, radial keratotomy, or any other type of corneal surgery?

[KateHW]

Have you had LASIK, radial keratotomy, or any other type of corneal surgery?No. My only 'eye thing' is that I was diagnosed with diabetic retinopathy which is strange in that I don't have diabetes. My eyes can get really red and irritated-looking. They don't really look it in this photo, though, and I'm not sure what that could mean for the light sprinkles.

We could be completely woo-tastic here and prescribe homeopathic medicines based on a groundless diagnosis based on the fairy dust in my eye. I'm going to go get some arsenic tincture immediately. Now we have them beat at their own game. Somehow. Er.

[~enigma~]

No. My only 'eye thing' is that I was diagnosed with diabetic retinopathy which is strange in that I don't have diabetes. My eyes can get really red and irritated-looking. They don't really look it in this photo, though, and I'm not sure what that could mean for the light sprinkles.

We could be completely woo-tastic here and prescribe homeopathic medicines based on a groundless diagnosis based on the fairy dust in my eye. I'm going to go get some arsenic tincture immediately. Now we have them beat at their own game. Somehow. Er.
On that note, time for bed so let me go take my 100C caffeine and go to sleep :D

ETA - Your eyes are fine - maybe even glowing...you preggers :D

[Timothy]

I'm at a loss at present. More info might help.

1) Provide as much detail as possible about the camera, lens, exposure settings, etc.
2) Light source: continuous or flash, size, configuration, distance, etc.
3) Post other images in which the light sprinkles appear and those in which they do not appear.
4) Diagram showing relative locations of objects in the room.

[MattusMaximus]

ETA: Aww, shucks, guys, thanks. :)


It is a beautiful photograph. Thank you for posting it.

Nothing like flirtation via the Internet, eh? ;)

[tripi]

I saw a segment on Animal Planet not too long ago about worms that live in your eye. Dunno...I'm just saying.

[m_huber]

You could solve the problem, of course, by photoshopping the specks out. Honestly, though, I don't think they detract from the picture at all.

[geni]

Could you explain the areas that appear to be digitally altered (sharp edged areas of black that contain the "reflections")? This does not appear to be an unaltered photo.

JPG compression artifacts.

[Wangler]

I would imagine this is a JPEG, which means those are likely compression artifacts.

Of course, CCD's are susceptible to gamma ray tracks, as well as nuclear decay tracks (many optical glasses have small traces of radioactive isotopes).

Keith

[DRBUZZ0]

That's kinda weird. It looks like it could be a reflection so maybe try different lighting? You mention only the one source. Maybe something more defused?

Oh also, you have really nice skin and seem to be rather easy on the eyes in general, ifyaknowwhatImean, so feel free to post more..

[steve s]

I played with the levels to bring up the shadow detail. Sure doesn't look like compression artifacts to me. It looks painted into the pic (the other eye as well.) If I didn't know better I'd say that either Kate is playing with us, or someone is playing with Kate.

click to enlarge
http://forums.randi.org/imagehosting/thum_815447c1b4f363f09.jpg (http://forums.randi.org/vbimghost.php?do=displayimg&imgid=11000)

Steve S.

[zeusbheld]

The arc matches exactly the lower curve of the iris of your eye. It is a reflection of the window with possibly a little refraction coming off the stroma of the iris.

seconded. if the effect happens again, play around with flagging off potential sources of light/reflections.

if you're going to get a curtain, the best stuff in the world is duvetine; it's boring black but very opaque and used to black out windows when shooting day-for-night in film production.

[Quinn]

JPG compression artifacts.

It's not JPG compression. They're the faces of demons. There can be no other explanation.

GOD IS.




[Disclaimer: The above is a somewhat inside joke for the old-timers. Sorry for the interruption.]

[zeusbheld]

I played with the levels to bring up the shadow detail. Sure doesn't look like compression artifacts to me. It looks painted into the pic (the other eye as well.) If I didn't know better I'd say that either Kate is playing with us, or someone is playing with Kate.


Steve S.

agree that it's not JPEG artifacts. they tend to happen at high-contrast borders, so any compression artifacting would be a byproduct (unless there are more kinds of JPEG artifacts than i'm aware of).

giving her the benefit of the doubt, and given the placement, it sure looks like a reflection to me.

[N.Texas]

I played with the levels to bring up the shadow detail. Sure doesn't look like compression artifacts to me. It looks painted into the pic (the other eye as well.) If I didn't know better I'd say that either Kate is playing with us, or someone is playing with Kate.

click to enlarge
http://forums.randi.org/imagehosting/thum_815447c1b4f363f09.jpg (http://forums.randi.org/vbimghost.php?do=displayimg&imgid=11000)

Steve S.


I think you and Timothy got it. Round black areas in the eye with specks. Hmmm. The noise in the black areas with the specs don't have the same amount of noise the other areas have.

[Soapy Sam]

Could the camera be using some sort of automatic redeye suppression?

[N.Texas]

That's an idea. I know cameras have that but don't have one that does to compare. I would like to know how the camera reduces that with software and not just a few preflashes. It doesn't take out the specular highlights but it might creep into them a bit and make it look strange at times.

[steve s]

I'm sticking with it being painted in. Look carefully at Kate's right eye (on our left.) It looks like there's a hair passing directly over the pupil, but the hair is behind the black splotch. If it were a reflection, the hair would be visible over the black spot.

Steve S.

[Soapy Sam]

That's an idea. I know cameras have that but don't have one that does to compare. I would like to know how the camera reduces that with software and not just a few preflashes. It doesn't take out the specular highlights but it might creep into them a bit and make it look strange at times.
I don't know how the camera would do it either, but they change so fast, it's hard to keep up. I was just looking for a possible alternative to..

I'm sticking with it being painted in. Look carefully at Kate's right eye (on our left.) It looks like there's a hair passing directly over the pupil, but the hair is behind the black splotch. If it were a reflection, the hair would be visible over the black spot.

Steve S.

...it does look that way.

[N.Texas]

It does look painted in to me too. Is it the camera software, Kate or other?

[Soapy Sam]

I conclude Kate has never, in fact, been to the Moon.

[KateHW]

I conclude Kate has never, in fact, been to the Moon.
You, sir, are a liar. Filthy liar. I have been to the moon at least eleventy times on my privately owned space rocket and I have the passport stamps (stamped by real cheese people!) to prove it.

Also, regarding the dark area around the white dots in the second photo detail, if you look, you'll see I explained to Timothy that I had selected the area and upped the contrast because fuelair said he could not make out the anomaly in the original photo (in the original post).

Here:
Could you explain the areas that appear to be digitally altered (sharp edged areas of black that contain the "reflections")? This does not appear to be an unaltered photo.
Fuelair couldn't see it in the original so I upped the contrast, so the second pic is indeed altered (upped contrast on selected area). I thought I had mentioned it but looking back I see I didn't. Thanks for pointing that out.

The first picture is unaltered except for a bit of chapping on the lip I corrected because it was gross and unfit for public gazing. But no, I didn't edit in the dots. :)

Someone asked where things are in relation to me. Here is a photo.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v442/Porphyros_Petal/Random%20pics%20for%20lj%20or%20xanga/paintjob1.jpg

Things that weren't there at the time of the photo are the dangly things on the hanging lamp and the things on the table. I'm seated on the left side. Looking at it that way I think it's more possible the lamp is reflecting the beam and causing the weird light thingies. Either that or afternoon sun coming through the blinds across the room (of which I don't have a picture). The blacking sounds like a good idea. Maybe I can also get a black felt bag to cover the brass hanging lamp.

[zeusbheld]

aha! done with MIRRORS.

[JEROME DA GNOME]

I don't have anything to say. I just wanted an excuse to view this thread again. :)

[athon]

I'm not a photographer, nor do I play one on tv, but I am an artist who's stared at enough bodies and faces a number of times. This reminds me a little of one time I was drawing a girl who was sitting at a desk near a lamp. I liked the shadows, so took out my sketchpad and starting drawing. There were similar reflections from her eyelashes, believe it or not. I mentioned it to her, thinking she was wearing some special sort of mascara or something.

Anyway, my money is on light reflecting in a peculiar way from your iris or lashes. You do look a little like a model I drew once, though. Maybe there's a whole race of freakish women out there whose souls leak out their eyeballs.

Athon

[KateHW]

I don't have anything to say. I just wanted an excuse to view this thread again. :):blush:


Anyway, my money is on light reflecting in a peculiar way from your iris or lashes. You do look a little like a model I drew once, though. Maybe there's a whole race of freakish women out there whose souls leak out their eyeballs.
It looks a bit like the light is on my sclera on the right, though, but it's hard to tell because it's highly shadowed (even in the largest version). If my soul leaks out my eyeball, will a dementor get it like in Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban? Or was it my soul leaking out so the camera could steal it, and if so, since I'm the photographer, did I just re-capture it? This is confusing woo territory. :(

This is one thing I love about photography. When I sketch or paint, I know what it looks like as it's happening. With photography, sure, I have a viewfinder, but I'm never really sure what I have until I upload them. Then it's a matter of going back and correcting 'set' or lighting or manual setting problems. Once you change one element you have to adjust the rest and it may or may not throw everything else off. Taking a good photo is more complicated than people think. Then again, it's the same with sketching and painting. :)

[athon]

It looks a bit like the light is on my sclera on the right, though, but it's hard to tell because it's highly shadowed (even in the largest version). If my soul leaks out my eyeball, will a dementor get it like in Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban? Or was it my soul leaking out so the camera could steal it, and if so, since I'm the photographer, did I just re-capture it? This is confusing woo territory. :(

Great thing about wooville is it doesn't matter. Make it up as you go along and then change your mind later.

Could it be eyelashes, perhaps?

This is one thing I love about photography. When I sketch or paint, I know what it looks like as it's happening. With photography, sure, I have a viewfinder, but I'm never really sure what I have until I upload them. Then it's a matter of going back and correcting 'set' or lighting or manual setting problems. Once you change one element you have to adjust the rest and it may or may not throw everything else off. Taking a good photo is more complicated than people think. Then again, it's the same with sketching and painting. :)


I'd love to learn how to do decent photography. It's on my big 'list of things to do'. I find drawing relaxing, and love to do children's art (I've got a range of my pieces at www.chthonicdreams.com). But learning new media is something I'm always up for.

Athon

[Dan O.]

If you can reproduce that shot you could find out exactly what the reflection is. What you need is a shot with your face illuminated as before and a shot with everything in exactly the same place but with the corner of the room illuminated instead. Since it would be nearly impossible to keep your head and eyes positioned exactly the same for the two shots, you could use a small reflective ornament with something else to shade it from the light source instead . By superimposing the two shots you will see where the pixie dust highlights in the first line up with the reflected objects seen in the second.

[steve s]

Also, regarding the dark area around the white dots in the second photo detail, if you look, you'll see I explained to Timothy that I had selected the area and upped the contrast because fuelair said he could not make out the anomaly in the original photo (in the original post).


Sorry, I didnt realize that. Here's the original pick adjusted. It still looks really strange, like a shiny golden slug crawling out of your eye.

click to enlarge
http://forums.randi.org/imagehosting/thum_815447c3a51645cbd.jpg (http://forums.randi.org/vbimghost.php?do=displayimg&imgid=11029)


Steve S.

[KateHW]

Sorry, I didnt realize that. Here's the original pick adjusted. It still looks really strange, like a shiny golden slug crawling out of your eye.

click to enlarge
http://forums.randi.org/imagehosting/thum_815447c3a51645cbd.jpg (http://forums.randi.org/vbimghost.php?do=displayimg&imgid=11029)


Steve S.
Good night, that's strange. Not even the white dots (or space slug, if you will) so much but my pupil in the other eye looks distorted. Lightening it up helps show it's not my eyelashes or iris, though. It stops at my nose line and goes through my sclera and through bits of my iris. I'm pretty sure it's reflected light from the chandelier and would look more like it if I had a higher quality camera (I have a nice canon point-and-shoot, but a nice point-and-shoot is still a point-and-shoot). It's not a red-eye reduction malfunction because it was on manual override. It's not a flash glare because, well, no flash. :)

[KateHW]

I'd love to learn how to do decent photography. It's on my big 'list of things to do'. I find drawing relaxing, and love to do children's art (I've got a range of my pieces at www.chthonicdreams.com). But learning new media is something I'm always up for.

Athon
I really like your stuff! It reminds me of illustrations in Neil Gaiman children's works. :) I just recently got into photography because I can't rely on my hands to draw or paint that much these days and I need to do something creative or else I get antsy and depressed so I picked up my camera and started playing around with it. That's all it takes. :)

If you can reproduce that shot you could find out exactly what the reflection is. What you need is a shot with your face illuminated as before and a shot with everything in exactly the same place but with the corner of the room illuminated instead. Since it would be nearly impossible to keep your head and eyes positioned exactly the same for the two shots, you could use a small reflective ornament with something else to shade it from the light source instead . By superimposing the two shots you will see where the pixie dust highlights in the first line up with the reflected objects seen in the second.I've taken a lot of photos in that corner, at that time of day with that same light at that location with the camera angled the same way - I'm not saying identically, but I think this is a matter of very small degrees here and it would take hours if not days to recreate this phenomena (or I could get lucky and get it very soon - who knows). I think I'm going to first try the curtain, which I'm going to need to get anyway, and wrap something around the lamp (which won't take up much time) and see if that does the trick. If it doesn't, I will surely try to recreate the shot so I can pinpoint exactly what happened and take out the problem. As it stands my living/dining room area is pretty bare bones so it should be pretty easy to determine. :)

[zeusbheld]

With photography, sure, I have a viewfinder, but I'm never really sure what I have until I upload them. to a point, i agree... but... most cameras have that little window thingy on the back where you can preview it... you don't use it? why?

Taking a good photo is more complicated than people think. Then again, it's the same with sketching and painting. :)

correct on both counts.

ps i still think an odd reflection, and the camera's in-camera sharpening make it look more contrasty than it otherwise would have.

what kind of camera is it btw?

[athon]

I really like your stuff! It reminds me of illustrations in Neil Gaiman children's works. :)

Wow, you really know how to sweet-talk a guy like me. :D I don't think you could have given a nicer compliment. Thanks! (yeah, I'm a huge Gaiman fan)

I just recently got into photography because I can't rely on my hands to draw or paint that much these days and I need to do something creative or else I get antsy and depressed so I picked up my camera and started playing around with it. That's all it takes. :)


I bought a camera (don't ask what type; I used to know a bit about it but haven't done much with it in a few years) and used it in the Middle East. I learned that I have an eye for composition but no idea what I was doing technically. From that advice I vowed to go get lessons.

That was in 2005.

Athon