These Architectural Photos Are Optical Illusions That Will Confuse Your Brain

German photographer Max Leitner has published a project titled “Misleading Lines.” It’s a series of architectural photos shot in Warsaw, Poland. They’re not standard architectural images, though: Leitner photographed an urban gymnast from unusual angles perspectives to create mind-bending optical illusions.

The project was done in collaboration with Nikon, the company behind the wide-angle lenses Leitner used for these images. He was shooting with a D850 DSLR.

“Max photographed Warsaw’s most beautiful structures while incorporating urban gymnast Benni Grams to create optical illusions and make the viewer question what’s happening in the images,” Nikon tells PetaPixel.

Many of the images involved stunts by Grams that make walls or ceilings look like the ground.

“Interesting lines surround us, and I’ve always been compelled by photography’s potential to dissect this environment,” Leitner says. “By abstracting and manipulating these lines through composition, you can challenge the viewer’s perception of space. We came to Warsaw to see how far we could push these limits, while doing justice to the magnificent contemporary architecture across the city.”

You can find out more about this project on Nikon Europe’s website and more of Leitner’s work on his website and Instagram.

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