Thursday, February 19, 2015

PetaPixel: xkcd Comic Pokes Fun at the Concept of the Golden Ratio in Photography

goldenspiral


xkcd ‘s latest comic, titled “Flowcharts,” is a tongue-in-cheek take on the concept of the golden ratio (or golden spiral) in photography. It’s a flow chart in which one of the steps reads: “Do you like when people find the golden spiral in random images?” If you choose “yes” from there, you’re taken on a golden ratio journey that magically fits the design of the chart.


Here’s how explain xkcd explains this:



The title text and the faint image of a golden spiral parody the fact that the golden spiral is superimposed on nearly everything. The golden spiral is a spiral that has the growth rate of the golden ratio, a number that has inspired both artists and mathematicians alike. However, people try to find the golden ratio in seemingly random objects, and they fall to confirmation bias when drawing a golden spiral on top that seemingly fits.



When you click the comic on the xkcd site, you’re presented with a number of random photographs in which Randall Munroe (the guy behind the webcomic) found the golden ratio:


3


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7


1


Bill Gates Reclining on Desk


Flowcharts [xkcd via Reddit]







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