Welcome to Illusions and Photography Art

Welcome to our page for illusions.

Here we will show you a variety of examples based on optical illusions which we are exposed every day. On the video where you see one of the best and the world’s most famous master illusionist Al Seckel.

This man shows us amazing experiments in optical and visual illusions. Few other understands it as well to show us how the senses can be fooled.

Research Focus

I am extensively collecting, researching, and experimenting with illusions to understand what conditions are necessary for them to work. Illusions can provide a wonderful window into how the brain works by revealing hidden underlying mechanisms in a way that normal perception fails to do. I am particularly interested in understanding the neuronal correlates of visual and other types of sensory illusions, that is, how they can be explained in terms of the electrophysiology and neuroanatomy of the retinal and cortical networks that mediate visual perception. I have specialized in the following areas:

# Brightness Perception
# Recovery of 3D from 2D
# Size and Distance Perception
# Cross-Modal Illusions

I am also interested in mental spatial imagery and looking for patients who have this particular deficit. I am doing this research in conjunction with my colleagues in Stephen Kosslyn’s laboratory at Harvard University. I officially stopped my long-term affiliation with the Shimojo and Koch laboratories at the California Institute of Technology in 2005 to pursue my own independent research and book writing activities.

Lectures

“Let me first congratulate you and the Singapore Science Centre in organizing this morning’s lecture by Al Seckel. I have enjoyed every single minute of it and I must admit that I have never been so overwhelmed with so much incredible stuff (he) cared to share with us this morning. It had got to go down as one of the best lectures that I have attended in all my life.” — Chua Soo Nam, Lecturer, Ngee Ann Polytechnic

“Many thanks again for Your Mind’s Eye, which both in terms of numbers and interest shown was the high point of the University of Cambridge’s contribution to the National Science Week…I have already been asked by the University if it would be possible to show the material again next year…to witness the great enthusiasm generated by your work” — Richard Stibbs, University of Cambridge

“AMAZING! Thank you so much for taking the time to give the talk at the [MIT] Media Center today. I was one of the stragglers who had to stand in back, because the room was packed and with good reason. :-)” — Rachana Oza, graduate student, MIT

“I am still getting compliments for your superb lecture at Boston University.” — Sheldon Glashow, winner of the Nobel Prize in Physics, Boston University

“Hey, I know you get thousands of these emails, but rock on, that was the best lecture ever! I’m fascinated with optical illusions, and the visuals you provided were amazing!” — Karen Clima, Cornell University

“Many thanks for the terrific lecture last night at Cornell!” — Professor Jim Maaas, Weiss Presidential Fellow of Psychology, Cornell University

I have given invited lectures on illusions and perception at many of the world’s leading universities, including Caltech, Harvard, MIT, Cornell, UCLA, UC Berkeley, USC, UCI, USCD, and internationally at the University of Cambridge, Oxford University, University of London, University of Rome, University of Lund, University of Utrecht, University of Bristol, and so on. I was an invited speaker at the 100th birthday celebrations of the birth of the noted graphic artist M.C. Escher in Italy and have been a frequent lecturer at the Gatherings for Martin Gardner held in Atlanta, GA.

I am an invited participant in John Brockman’s Third Culture group, which is a think tank featuring accomplished thinkers and achievers, who speak out publically on a variety of issues. Please visit this highly interesting web site edge.org

I also give general popular lectures to teacher and school groups. If you are interested in booking a lecture, please contact me at the e-mail below.

I am also involved in mentorship programs with academically gifted students with the Institute for Educational Advancement. To learn about my mentorship program here, please click on this link. http://www.educationaladvancement.org/programs/students/apprenticeship/schedules.php

You can find some of my galleries and illusions that I have supplied at the following locations:

International:
# Hong Kong Centre, Hong Kong
# London Museum of Science, United Kingdom
# Singapore Science Centre, Singapore
# Puzzle Place, United Kingdom
# Calgary Science Centre, Calgary, Canada
# Saskatchewan Science Centre, Regina, Canada
# Xperimet Huset, Sweden
# Technorama, Switzerland
# Technolopolis, Belgium
# Heureka, The Finnish Science Center, Finland
# National Science Centre, Malaysia
# Techniquest, United Kingom
# Science Museum, Tokyo, Japan
# Shizuoka Museum of Art and Science, Shizuoka, Japan

Domestic:
# Museum of Science, Boston, MA
# National Science Center, Augusta, GA
# Science Place, Dallas, TX
# Southwestern Museum, Houston, TX
# Science Museum of Western Virginia, Roanoak, VA
# Wonderworks, Orlando, FL
# Lexington Children’s Center, Lexington, VA
# Liberty Science Center, Liberty State Park, NJ
# Shanandoah Valley Discovery Center, Winchester, VA
# Exploratorium, San Francisco, CA
# Reuben Fleet Space Science Center, San Diego, CA
# South Florida Museum of Science, West Palm Beach, FL
# Explore and More, East Aurora, New York
# Great Lakes Science Center, Cleveland, OH
# COSI, Columbus, OH
# Whitaker Center for Science and Arts, Harrisburg, PA
# Montana Tech Mind Expansion, Butte, MO
# ScienceWorks, Ashland, OR
# Putt Putt Fun House, Webster, TX
# Legoland Amusement Park, San Diego