This Photo of ‘Shiny Legs’ is Confusing the Internet Like #TheDress
Remember #TheDress? It’s the viral Internet photo from early 2015 that divided public opinion: some people thought it was a photo of a black and blue dress, and some people thought it was a white and gold dress. Now there’s a new viral image that has people talking. It’s called #TheLegs.
are these legs shiny and oily or are they legs with white paint on them pic.twitter.com/7Z8e8F1JCZ
— kayden ? (@kingkayden) October 26, 2016
The photo was Liked and Retweeted tens of thousands of times, and a day later, seemingly every news outlet was talking about the photo.
While some people say they original saw shiny legs, others are confused as to how anyone can see anything but white paint streaks.
@kingkayden Without a doubt, white paint. There are no light reflections or distortions on the legs as there would be if oiled.
— Gregory Watton (@thewattonshow) October 26, 2016
Photographer David Hobby weighed in on this “brilliant” illusion, saying that it’s a trick car photographers have long used for their work:
Brilliant "shiny legs" illusion with painted-on specular highlights.
FYI, car photogs have long done this (w/Arrid Extra Dry, on tires). https://t.co/nCZsaZskmi
— David Hobby (@strobist) October 27, 2016
Unlike #TheDress, however, the answer to the question has been clear from the beginning. The photograph was originally shared by Instagram user @leonardhoespams with the caption: “I like the feeling of paint on my skin.”
