Graceful Humpback Whale Inverted to Look Like It's Weightless

When you first look at this mesmerizing gif of a humpback whale, it might seem a slightly disorienting. The water's edge, which you'd normally expect at the top of the frame, sits at the bottom. It makes the mammal appear as if it's weightless, and that gravity doesn't apply to this special creature. But stare at the gif long enough, and you'll notice that the entire thing is simply upside down. The small change makes a world of difference.

This momentary confusion was posted by Reddit user TheNoodlyMessiah on the subbreddit called woahdude. Never heard of it? People post breathtaking images and videos that'll make you scratch your head and maybe even utter, “woah.” This graceful whale is no exception, and it reminds us that skewing something (even just a little bit) can offer a new, fantastic point of view.

TheNoodlyMessiah post on Reddit

Sara Barnes

Sara Barnes is a Staff Editor at My Modern Met, Manager of My Modern Met Store, and co-host of the My Modern Met Top Artist Podcast. As an illustrator and writer living in Seattle, she chronicles illustration, embroidery, and beyond through her blog Brown Paper Bag and Instagram @brwnpaperbag. She wrote a book about embroidery artist Sarah K. Benning titled 'Embroidered Life' that was published by Chronicle Books in 2019. Sara is a graduate of the Maryland Institute College of Art. She earned her BFA in Illustration in 2008 and MFA in Illustration Practice in 2013.
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