Tuesday 20 August 2013

Cat Whisperer / Seeing Is Believing

To anyone who reads this blog (or most fashion blogs, come to think of it) it probably looks like we live in a world of eternal sunshine. And if you've happened to read my blog lately, a world of endless picnics as well. Well there is a good reason for that. Night time shoots are really, really hard. Not only do you have to deal with blurry focus and dark shadows obscuring your face, or super shiny skin and hair if you decide to use the flash, people also seem to get mad if you sit on the road when they're trying to drive on it. Which was just *rude*, really, because car lights made our photos look awesome - my favourite photo is the top one exactly for this reason!

Annika's top - c/o Oasap
Annika's skirt - c/o Sheinside
Annika's bag - c/o Jump from Paper
Annika's tights - Ebay
Annika's shoes - c/o Sammydress
cat mask - Venice
Ashley's shirt - Sportsgirl
Ashley's skirt - c/o Romwe (note: size up. Way up.)*
Ashley's shoes - Chicory (Japanese brand)

*note about Ashley's skirt - it is ludicrously small and we don't recommend buying it unless you don't plan on walking anywhere, moving your legs or breathing.

Oh, and the cat mask we used as a prop in some of the photos also had the effect of attracting this little guy. What a cutie! Here's a photo of me being a mad cat lady.


I don't think I've shared this on my blog before, but it's one of the things that really got me interested in science. The Rubber Hand illusion is an important "proof of concept" of the idea of neuroplasticity - or that the different bits of your brain are not stuck in stone. You've probably come across the term "hardwired" before - that's what this means. In the early 20th Century, neuroscientists were very keen on the idea of Brain Localisation - i.e. you had a section of your brain that controls your hand, a part that "sees", a part that controls your legs, a part that controls your facial muscles - and so on - and that these couldn't ever really change (or, they were "hardwired").

The Rubber Hand illusion shows that the idea of localisation cannot be right. Very, very quickly, the brain is able to adopt the idea that a foreign object, like a fake hand, is actually part of the body.
If you found that interesting, one of my favourite neuroscientists (with one of the coolest-ever accents) Ramachandran has pioneered this field and talks about Phantom Limbs among other things in this TED talk - I highly recommend you watch it.








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20 comments:

  1. you both look so unbelievably cool! I love those blue velvet shoes.

    The video is very interesting. I can't believe how quickly their brains could adopt the rubber hand!

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  3. I really like this shoot! We should do night time shoots more often! ;)

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    1. We should shoot together more often ;) does this mean you're coming to live in Australia?? :O haha

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    2. We should shoot together more often ;) does this mean you're coming to live in Australia?? :O haha

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  4. i love the first picture too! nevermind those rude drivers, these pictures are fabulous! you both look great

    xo Sarah
    http://absolutelysarahx.blogspot.com

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  5. i love you, girls! :) you both are so cute! :*

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  6. Cute as always!

    xx

    -C.C.

    http://rosecolored-telescope-eyes.blogspot.com

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  7. You're right, the first shot is amazing! Though I don't want you to get hit by a car for the sake of the perfect shot!

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  8. These pictures look awesome! I love your top, Annika. You girls look like you're in a magazine!

    xox Sammi
    www.thesoubrettebrunette.blogspot.com

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  9. Such a massive fan of Ramachandran! I think I've seen every clip of him on youtube about 20 times (no mean feat) and he is always fascinating in interviews. On the fashion side I love your ice-lolly shirt and that's so cute a little cat turned up to join you! XXXX

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    1. Nice! He's such a cool guy haha. I definitely agree - he is fascinating! He always has the best examples for what he's trying to explain.

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  10. the lighting is really awesome in the first photo! <3

    toinfinitynbeyond13.blogspot.hk

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  11. You two look super cutes! Loving the cat tights.

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  12. You girls are the cutest!!

    Xo, Hannah

    sweetsweetnoir.net

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  13. I like these night photos! Something a bit different. And the cat mask is super super super creepy. Animal masks freak me out. I think they remind me of Donnie Darko. They definitely belong in the shadows and blurry world of nighttime photography.

    The rubber hand illusion also completely freaks me out. I read about that one in "Phantoms in the Brain" by Ramachandran. I love that book. So many crazy/creepy/amazing factoids!

    - Hannah
    she could be a pharmer in those clothes

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    1. Hahaha, well it seems like I just freaked you right out with this whole post! I love that book by Ramachandran, it was the second neuroscience/psychology book I ever read and made me completely fall in love with science, in fact.

      Also, Donnie darko is the movie I watch whenever I am down, to cheer me up, haha. Does that make me a bit weird..?

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