• Question: is it possible to see your own face without a reflection

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      Asked by Smurfette to Aoife, Brian, Conor, Louise, Matthew on 15 Nov 2016.
      • Photo: Louise Mc Grath

        Louise Mc Grath answered on 15 Nov 2016:


        Hi Smurfette,

        I actually don’t think it is possible. We need reflection so we can look at our face, even in cameras there are mirrors which reflect the image. So we would always have to rely on reflection in order to see our beautiful selves!

      • Photo: Brian Caffrey

        Brian Caffrey answered on 15 Nov 2016:


        You’ve answered your own question. What by definition is a reflection? If you can’t reflect light you can’t see yourself. Although technically taking a picture of yourself is looking at yourself without a reflection.

      • Photo: Matthew Kitching

        Matthew Kitching answered on 15 Nov 2016:


        Hi Smurfette

        so I’ve had a pretty big think – and I think it would be super hard to see your own face without a reflection!

        This is because for you to see your face – light needs to bounce off your skin, first, and then bounce off another surface so it can come back to your eyes so you can see it.

        Because the light needs to come back to your eyes, it needs to bounce off something – but I think you can take a picture your face on a surface (like a movie screen) so you could see it with only one reflection.

        If you shone a super bright light on your face, you could focus the light that bounces off it it using a pinhole camera!
        how it works (http://www.alternativephotography.com/wp/processes/pinholes/how-a-pinhole-camera-works)
        or a more simple version:

        How does a Pinhole Camera Work?

        if we put photographic film in it we could take a picture of your face and show you it afterwards – but that still involves light reflecting of surfaces.

        Sorry – thats the best i can think of! have you got any ideas how?

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