22 Stunning Examples of Light and Shadow Playing Tricks (23 Photos)

Sometimes shadows fall in ways that feel like they're trolling us, or even revealing our true inner selves hidden from the world. The interplay of light and shadow can result in truly fascinating optical illusions, so we’ve rounded up a fantastic collection of the best examples for you.







Thanks to the shadow, the snow on the path melted into a stunning pattern





One-of-a-kind stockings: nobody else has a pair like these!



Cthulhu cat



Birds on an awning



Symbolic



The shadow on the stairs looks like an extra set of steps



This guy projected an image of a building onto his wall using a camera obscura effect



A mesmerizing play of light in a swamp—no oil slick required



A cat and its holy belly



An airplane's shadow encircled by a rainbow halo



A levitating car



Pure childhood bliss



The shadow of a glass creates a portrait of Homer Simpson



When you're a cat on the outside, but a rat at heart



This hotel uses shadows to display room numbers



The shadow of this glass looks just like a rose



Portuguese photographer Tiago Silva creates mind-bending optical illusions with zero Photoshop



This Einstein bust casts a sinister shadow



"I thought the car had a custom paint job, but I was disappointed to realize it was just shadows."



Is Donald Trump hiding in the next room?



An impressive 3D effect created entirely by shadows



Seeing the Eye of Sauron? Time to lay off the booze!