The world’s weirder than you think. And it can take looking through your camera lens from a peculiar angle for you to finally realize you’re living in Wonderland. Welcome to the wonderful world of illusions and intriguing photography, brought to you by the aptly named ‘Confusing Perspectives’ subreddit.

The 1.51-million-strong r/confusing_perspective subreddit celebrates “puzzling perspectives, confusing angles, and missing context,” and their pics offer a glimpse into how something completely ordinary can look downright bizarre by moving just a few inches. Take a peek at the very best optical illusions shared on the subreddit, and don’t forget to upvote the ones that you enjoyed the most, Pandas. Let us know in the comments which of these made you look twice (or, let’s get real, thrice in some cases). No, that cat isn’t really floating… or is it?!

Are you in the mood for some more puzzling-yet-gorgeous photos? If so, then you really need to make yourself a cup of coffee or tea and check out Bored Panda’s first article about the ‘Confusing Perspectives’ community right over here. It’s the kind of stuff that really makes you want to be a professional photographer, doesn’t it?

Professional photographer Dominic Sberna, from Ohio, was kind enough to share his insights about the importance of perspective with Bored Panda. Check out what he told us as you scroll down, Pandas.

#1 It’s Not A Guy Putting His Hand In The Front Of His Friends Pants

Image credits: Schwarzmodh

Perspective really is everything in photography (well, alongside lighting, of course).

“The angle of vantage for the photographer can really change an image,” photographer Dominic told Bored Panda that changing the perspective can completely change what the photo makes the audience feel.

“It all depends on what you’re going for. It’s best to play around and try different things to see what looks best and what works best depending on your subject,” he urged other photographers, veteran and amateur alike, to experiment and play around with different angles.

#2 Bert From Sesame Street Spotted On The Street

Image credits: tFighterPilot

#3 Mr. Tiny Legs

Image credits: DiosMioMan63

Bored Panda wanted to get Dominic’s opinion on what photographers ought to do if they’ve got a project in mind and they’re experimenting with perspective techniques they’ve never tried before. He told us that focus is key here.

“Make sure to not lose sight of what you’re trying to achieve in your image,” he told us. “Have a clear goal in mind with what you’re trying to convey.”

#4 When You Can’t Find Your Sandwich

Image credits: Flimsy_Researcher

#5 Floating Cat?

Image credits: Flamind666

#6 These Clouds In Minnesota Look Like The Ocean

Image credits: foxynipz

Meanwhile, photographer Dominic shared some of his thoughts on how to avoid creating confusing perspectives by accident and, instead, create the desired effect.

“Follow the rules of composition and don’t make things too small. I have photos of rock climbers at a national park in Nevada, where I personally feel the overall perspective is a bit lost,” he said that every professional has some pictures that they now see could have used a bit more work or a few more snaps.

“Make sure the audience is able to understand what it is they’re supposed to be seeing and comparing the perspective to the surroundings at hand,” he said.

#7 Dog Reading A Pamphlet On The Bus

Image credits: phantomvibrations

#8 Giant Cat

Image credits: DragonDrawer14

#9 My Friend Learning To Snowboard

Image credits: Mystical_Cat

The ‘Confusing Perspectives’ subreddit recently celebrated its 8th birthday. Around since the ancient era of 2014, the community has grown absolutely massive thanks to the friendly members, competent moderators, as well as the interesting angle (pun totally intended) of the pictures themselves.

Weirdness fascinates us. And in a world where visual media is king, pictures that get us to do a double-take don’t just stand out from the crowd. They go viral. Visual puzzles are fun to figure out, and they make us consider how we could repeat the same effects.

Obviously, a lot of you Pandas are bound to follow r/confusing_perspective after looking through this list. However, there are some rules that you have to be aware of if you want to be a productive member of their community.

#10 Thought They Were Miming Their Awards

Image credits: dbpsyfi

#11 Charles Davis Captured This Image Of Australian Budgerigars (Budgies) In A Tree. There’s No Leaves

Image credits: yeoyoey

#12 Truck Looks Like It Has A Possum Logo

Image credits: Ih8hate

First of all (and not surprisingly), the content has to be on point. The goal of the sub is to feature photos and videos with confusing perspectives. So that’s what you should post. Memes, cartoons, sketches, and anything that’s been modified “to deceive the viewer” will end up removed by the mod team. Low-quality images and screenshots of other Reddit posts are also a no-go.

Meanwhile, make sure that the title of your post is accurate and descriptive. Try not to mislead other redditors. The titles have to be factually correct and can’t be low-effort. In short, avoid clickbait.

Even if you stumble upon an amazing pic that you think would be perfect for ‘Confusing Perspectives,’ don’t just rush off and post it. Take some time to do a bit of research: check if someone else from the community hasn’t already shared that particular pic recently. The sub shares info in the sidebar on how you can quickly check for reposts.

#13 Flexible Footballer

Image credits: Flimsy_Researcher

#14 My Pet Bird Taking A Bath Looks Like It’s Being Boiled Alive

Image credits: NOCHNOY_

#15 8 Hours Worth Of Detailing A Black Car

Image credits: gemao_o

Instances of pareidolia, the totally awesome phenomenon where we see faces and familiar shapes everywhere we look, is a bit of a grey area. Sometimes, the mods allow pareidolia-related content if it involved forced perspective (a bit on that below). However, as a rule of thumb, pareidolia pics should be posted on r/Pareidolia.

Forced perspective is a technique that helps photographers create optical illusions by playing around with the size of objects. Pros can change the angle of the pic and make certain people or objects appear larger or smaller than they actually are. This way, they manipulate our perspective and create a lot of fun content. Yup, ‘holding’ the Eiffel Tower or the Tower of Pisa in your hand are two examples of this.

And last of all, the team running the sub asks all members to be civil towards each other. That means no hate, political discussions, or creepy compliments. There’s no tolerance for intolerance in the group.

#16 Dirt Bike

Image credits: mickeyslim

#17 From An Ask-A-Vet Group. I Thought It Was About A Birth Defect

Image credits: Quiet-Overall

#18 Guy Behind Wife Snuck His Rather Large Hand On Her Shoulder, While Kid Behind Me Cupped A Feel Around My Love Handles

Image credits: SammoB

Some of the photos shared on r/confusing_perspective are downright spooky. It almost feels like we’ve stepped into The Twilight Zone (or accidentally proved the existence of The Matrix… or both!).

A while back, Bored Panda spoke with Doug Murano about why people love weird content and have such a fascination with the supernatural. Doug is an award-winning editor and writer, and knows why mystery, horror, and strangeness are such huge hits.

“I suspect that most of us—regardless of our spiritual beliefs—have a longing for something beyond this life. Human beings seem to be pre-programmed with this urge,” he shared with Bored Panda.

“My professional expertise is limited to fiction, but I’ll say this: I’ve seen enough real magic and wonder in the world to make me think twice about whether the supernatural is real—and I think that’s a healthy thing. It’s perhaps less important to believe any given tale than it is to remain open to experiences while leaving room in your head and in your heart for belief.”

#19 Conjoined Canines

Image credits: BeanzMeanzBranston

#20 Never Skip Arm Day

Image credits: SteamedHaam

#21 Buff Dog

Image credits: SIRoA

Meanwhile, let’s circle back a bit to pareidolia. Previously, Bored Panda spoke about the phenomenon with Professor Kang Lee, from the University of Toronto.

“Pareidolia illustrates the interaction between the visual cortex and the frontal cortex of the human brain. It suggests that our brain is highly sensitive and expecting to encounter and process some special classes of objects in our environment because they are biological and socially important to our adaptions to the environment,” he said.

#22 Bodiless Dog

Image credits: Vixi0n

#23 What A Great Pic

Image credits: Thryloz

#24 Had No Idea My Wife Was Part Dog

Image credits: mepfeiff

“For example, when you are walking in a dark street in the evening, your brain is on high alert to detect whether any threat will jump out any moment. In this case, you are more likely to have face or human pareidolia because it is important for you to err on the side of caution if you mistake a tree as a human being,” the professor explained to Bored Panda.

“For some people, their frontal cortex’s expectation for certain objects (e.g., faces) become so high that they see faces in many situations where no faces exist. Even in this kind of situation, it is normal. There is nothing wrong with these individuals,” he said.

#25 Trees With Christmas Lights Under The Snow

Image credits: XXmynameisNeganXX

#26 We Can Now Project The News Into The Sky

Image credits: laudida

#27 Those Are Not Grass Pants

Image credits: Flimsy_Researcher

“Pareidolia is different from paranoia or delusion or abnormal vision of individuals with psychosis. In fact, a recent study shows that those people with pareidolia tend to be more creative. Also, people who are religious may be able to see religious icons in non face objects as well.”

According to the professor, our imaginations (centered in our frontal cortex) greatly affect our perception (based in the visual cortex, in the occipital lobe). Pareidolia, according to Professor Lee, proves that “what we see are not things over there in the world but actually the co-creation of what is out there physically and what is in our mind mentally through our expectations and imaginations.”

#28 My Dog & I Recreated Van Gogh’s Smoking Skull Painting With Fabric, Clothes Etc. Original Painting On The Left, Our Recreation On The Right

Image credits: WearyFrog

#29 Lahaina Noon When The Sun Shines From Directly Above In Hawaii

Image credits: equiinferno

#30 Getting A Real Handful

Image credits: GreekNord

“Pareidolia is a broader phenomenon as it extends to touch and sound and other sensory channels. For example, you sometimes sense your phone vibrating when it is not, it is a tactile form of pareidolia. When you hear voices in a noisy environment, it is an auditory form of pareidolia.”

#31 Floating Above A Manhole

Image credits: woonie

#32 Face Off

Image credits: mogulee

#33 Wait, Where Are We Going?

Image credits: Okay-Look

#34 The Eagle Statue Turns Into A Pirate At Night

Image credits: Exotic-Custard-8293

#35 The Clouds Look Like The Ocean

Image credits: Intermeatconnection

#36 This Dj

Image credits: Tojcee

#37 Catception

Image credits: rushiiestoniia

#38 The Sun Is A Lightbulb

Image credits: lizziegolucky

#39 Firetype Cat

Image credits: ARYAN_108

#40 Sometimes… Life Is A Bed Of Roses

Image credits: Flimsy_Researcher

#41 Blanket Lines Up Nicely With My Dog’s Face

Image credits: Skratchy9

#42 Thought This Was A Picture Of A Guy Swimming In The Ocean

Image credits: LurkingAlpaca

#43 The Flying Catmobile

Image credits: lofoforos

#44 These Burnout Marks

Image credits: monimikke

#45 Big Feet

Image credits: F**k_on_tatami

#46 Camouflaged Road In Finland During The Continuation War (June 27, 1941)

Image credits: Jnsjknn

#47 Was Told To Post This Dried Coffee Puddle From Last Night Here. Looks Like A Fantasy Map. Also Looks Like It’s Lumpy Or Has Elevation But It’s Completely Flat And Smooth

Image credits: romero3500

#48 Bride Legs Over Groom Shoulder’s

Image credits: IMissYouSooMuch

#49 A Girl Lying Back Against A Dog

Image credits: DelWentilator

#50 Dog In A Bubble

Image credits: pgh_dude412

#51 Radiator Skyline

Image credits: atoady11

#52 This Man Has Unexpectedly Smooth Legs

Image credits: penguin198719

#53 Three Headed Deer

Image credits: Speeider

#54 He’s Ringing His Little Bell

Image credits: Ibrahim_MK

#55 Bird Drinking Water

Image credits: TheMostBacon

#56 Hey Peta Come Here

Image credits: mpcamposz

#57 Sailing Through The Sky

Image credits: sadturtle12

#58 Down Bad

Image credits: blake_HEADACHE

#59 It’s Embarrassing Until You Realise They’re The Reflection Of The Chairs In The Room

Image credits: 4BDUL4Z1Z

#60 This Man Is Really In Tune With Nature

Image credits: MCA1910

#61 Saw This On Ig

Image credits: Silvar1

#62 Catshelf

Image credits: BandoSometimes

#63 Someone Broke The Cat

Image credits: phi_rus

#64 There Is No Water In This Picture

Image credits: Exotic-Custard-8293

#65 Above The Clouds

Image credits: Throwaway86747291

#66 Shoulder Pads

Image credits: Smiffy60

#67 Huge Suit

Image credits: mg_slim

#68 Window Heater Melted The Window

Image credits: sashatikhonov

#69 My Wife Had Feet The Last Time I Checked

Image credits: Aloof-Goof

#70 This Is Not A Room, Turn Your Phone 90° To The Left

Image credits: h0d0d0r

#71 Those Giant Tomatoes

Image credits: V1L0

#72 Headless Security Guard Officer

Image credits: NixothePaladin

#73 This Absolute Unit Of A Truck

Image credits: SchrodingersCatPics

#74 Straight From LOTR

Image credits: Sankuchithan_

#75 A Child Hugging His Decapitated Mother

Image credits: FuntCungus

#76 Girl Climbing Through A Metal Bar

Image credits: randumchicken

#77 Dog With Arms

Image credits: fallacyfallacy

#78 Bendable

Image credits: lynivvinyl

#79 My Brother’s Very Long Arm

Image credits: solipsisticly

#80 Spider-Cat

Image credits: scot816

#81 Giant Fish

Image credits: blob_ditddit

#82 Hotel Hallway Makes Her Look Tiny

Image credits: Relevant_Computer642

#83 Just A Cow. Its Name Is Bertha

Image credits: Shpinc

#84 Oh Bother

Image credits: Chafeynipples

#85 Who Let This Panther In My House??

Image credits: Latter-Prize-5847

#86 Highrise Window Washer Using New Footsqueegee™ Technology

Image credits: mkraft

#87 An Unsafe Bridge Across Doggo Chasm

Image credits: EyeOughta

#88 She Does A Lot Of Leg Stretches

Image credits: kabukistar

#89 Caterpillar

Image credits: mopeiobebeast

#90 This Is An Octopus

Image credits: B-L-O-C-K-S

#91 Floating Upper Body

Image credits: julex

#92 Looking Up From The Lobby Of The Marriott Marquis, Atlanta

Image credits: tripacrossamerica

#93 Just Moving An Entire Apartment Block

Image credits: teretnicilo

#94 Fade Into The Floor

Image credits: nissin00

#95 Love The Smell Of The Fresh Sea Hair

Image credits: braddamit

#96 He Is Thicc

Image credits: brunanass

#97 Half Boob

Image credits: izacktorres

#98 A Very Human Tumor

Image credits: gxjxjd

#99 Dog With Human Legs

Image credits: Luxifer9000

#100 Tim Giving Some Love

Image credits: TheGayTrashcan16

#101 Four Legs vs. No Legs

Image credits: CharmanderBing

#102 Giant Lady

Image credits: Kilika2

#103 This Is A Flat Wall

Image credits: gromulin

#104 Parallel Universe Behind The Fence

Image credits: Meskalink

#105 Tiny Arm Is Tiny

Image credits: louisrobbins

#106 When You Get A Labrador Thrown At You

Image credits: jamesnaranja90

#107 A Portal To Another Dimension

Image credits: absolutelynotright

#108 A Very Hairy Wedding Dress

Image credits: VisDev82

#109 Clear Wheel

Image credits: Unibeetle

#110 Not Sure If I Was In Lane Number 1 Or 0

Image credits: aliwalisaurus

#111 Haid Al-Jazil, A Miniature City Or Full Size City

Image credits: Fresh2791

#112 Accidental Cosplay

Image credits: PleadingMackrel

#113 Dua Lipa She Hulk Arm

Image credits: Core10thGen

#114 Floating Pizza

Image credits: ultraviolencebeam

#115 Dog Has Long Legs

Image credits: Themusicison

#116 Long Arm

Image credits: Flamind666

#117 Tennis Player Get His Grandad Courtside Seats By Smuggling Him In His Bag

Image credits: Rockyfan123

#118 New Star Wars Show Has Butts Driving Speeders

Image credits: ScarySpencer

#119 There Aren’t Any Clouds In This Picture

Image credits: CatDadMilhouse

#120 Look At Those Two Buildings In The Background. Which One Is Closer ?

Image credits: Exotic-Custard-8293

#121 Flying Kayak

Image credits: GShockly

#122 4 Shades Of Blue In One Photo In Antarctica

Image credits: Useful_Wolf_7027

#123 Candle On Snow

Image credits: applied_upgrade

#124 This Broken Wine Glass Looks Like It’s Standing Upwards

Image credits: SamSchw

#125 An Elbow

Image credits: Substantial_Gur_8230

#126 Me As Stretch Arm Girl

Image credits: needleandtorch

#127 Photo Of James Webb Space Telescope Makes The Man In The Middle Look Tiny

Image credits: GeneralMustard2

#128 This Toll Gate In Seoul, Korea

Image credits: SilverHead7

#129 This Empty Microwave

Image credits: haybe26

#130 Some Dude Does A Peace Sign While Holding A Sign With Both Hands

Image credits: kenthekungfujesus

#131 My Dog And His Shadow Decided To Spend Some Time Apart

Image credits: BigDende

#132 Underwater Pine Trees In A Flooded Canyon

Image credits: drempire

#133 Your Shoulders Doing Okay?

Image credits: plshelpmyssn

#134 What A Fan

Image credits: Dennis_Gachanja

#135 Looking At This Marble Floor Mosaic At The Santa Maria Del Fiore In Florence, Italy Is Like Gazing At The Light At The End Of A Tunnel

Image credits: toeprint

#136 Legs

Image credits: EscapeFromSiberia

#137 Base Camp Looks Like Scattered Trash

Image credits: _Volta

#138 Glass Truck

Image credits: Teillu

#139 A Single Pic Or A Collage?

Image credits: sinmantky

Source: boredpanda.com