Afterimages

Afterimages are visual sensations that persist even after the stimulus that caused them has been removed. These lingering images occur due to the continued activity of the retina and the visual cortex. They can be either positive, appearing in the same colors and brightness as the original image, or negative, displaying inverted colors and brightness. The duration and characteristics of afterimages vary depending on factors such as the intensity of the original stimulus, the duration of exposure, and individual visual characteristics.

Afterimages meaning with examples

• After staring directly at the bright flash of a camera, the photographer saw a persistent positive afterimage, a bright white spot, that momentarily obscured the view. As the afterimage faded, it slowly transitioned into its complementary negative form, leaving a dark afterimage lingering for several more seconds. He took several photos of the flash in a row, making sure the afterimage didn't distort the results of the shoot.
• After watching a fireworks display, the children described vivid, colorful afterimages of exploding bursts that lingered in their vision for several minutes. Each child noticed the differences in the appearance of the different color displays as the colors of the show faded and turned into a more muted array of colors. They playfully tried to 'catch' the afterimages of their favorite displays, marveling at their fleeting presence and their quick fading away.
• The artist experimented with prolonged exposure to saturated colors to induce strong afterimages, which they then used as a visual cue for their creative work. They understood how they could manipulate these ephemeral visual echoes to create the desired effects in their final pieces. This technique helped the artist develop complex imagery in their pieces by using colors with contrasting afterimages and blending them together to create depth.
• After fixating on a green square for thirty seconds, and then looking at a white screen, the subject perceived a red afterimage. This demonstration of the opponent-process theory highlighted how the visual system responds to color. Psychologists use experiments like these to show how our visual system adjusts to varying levels of stimuli. By seeing the contrast, the scientists could explain the visual system more accurately.