A photograph of a horse silhouetted against a stunning sunrise has left the internet divided, as viewers cannot agree whether the animal is facing towards or away from the camera. The image, captured by wildlife photographer Villager Jim near Chesterfield, Derbyshire, has sparked a lively debate on social media.
The optical illusion occurs because the bright light of the sunrise obscures the horse's features, making it difficult to determine its orientation. Jim, who prefers to remain anonymous, posted the picture on Facebook with the question: 'Is the horse looking towards me or away?' The post quickly garnered thousands of interactions, with opinions split almost evenly.
One user commented: 'Beautiful. One minute horse is looking towards the sunrise, look again and it's looking towards the camera, awesome.' Another added: 'That's difficult. I first thought away but now I'm not so sure.' The confusion echoes the infamous 'white and gold or black and blue dress' illusion from 2015.
Jim explained that he took the photo while walking near a stable with 15 to 20 horses. He said: 'You've got to get them in the right angle. I walked along so that the sun was in the right position. He was a friendly little guy.' The answer, as revealed by the photographer, is that the horse is facing towards the camera.
