Why You Like This Photo

The science of perception

What you see is very different from what you think you see...

There's a lot going on behind the scenes when you like a photograph. Maybe something is tricking your brain into believing a static image is alive with motion. But how? Or maybe you're being drawn in by a rich, high-contrast subject. But what's so great about really black blacks and really white whites? And if the composition is subverting your expectations, where did those expectations come from in the first place?

To answer these questions, international award-winning cinematographer Brian Dilg blends photographic fundamentals like exposure, focus, and composition with the latest developments in psychology, cognitive neuroscience, and evolutionary biology, in a thrilling exploration of how a photo works, how your brain perceives it, and why you like the result.