Opale
If you want to take a break from arguing with your loved ones and strangers on the internet over whether The Dress is white/gold or blue/black, take a look at this video where artist Nacho Guzman uses moving colored lights to make his actress’ face appear to be constantly in flux. It’s much cooler than The Dress, anyway.
You can watch the full music video (“Sparkles and Wine” by Opale) here.
Guzman is lovingly cribbing here from Henri-Georges Clouzot, who used a similar effect in Inferno, except his involves more glitter and, of course, a woman who gets seduced by a Slinky.
The overall point is that light affects the way we see color. Although what’s happening with The Dress is obviously witchcraft. It’s not that an image is changing under lights; it’s that different people are seeing completely different colors at the same time. Is The Dress a duck or is it a rabbit?
Some scientists have theories, while others think we’re years away from understanding it, but we can all agree that that is one poorly lit photograph.
If you want to get more academic about lighting and color temperature in filmmaking, Lights Film School has a straightforward educational video on the subject that bizarrely doesn’t involve a woman humping a Slinky.