BUMPS (MOUNDS)
Flip direction to invert perception.
Flip direction to invert perception.
Depth from Shading
Light, shadow, and the assumption of the sun.
🧐 What do you see?▼
You see a series of bumps (mounds) on the screen.Toggle Direction. The bumps instantly transform into hollows (craters).
🧠 Why this works▼
Our visual system evolved under a single, constant light source: the Sun. Because the sun is always above us, our brain interprets light on the top/shadow on the bottom as a convex object (sticking out).
When that pattern is flipped (light on bottom/shadow on top), the brain reaches the only logical conclusion: the object isconcave (pointing in). This is why satellites can mistakenly show mountain ranges as canyons if the photo is rotated!