Eerie photo shows face emerging from a fire but can you see the Devil or Jesus?
Opinion split after Julie Redman captures likeness while disposing of sensitive documents in oil drum
AN EERIE photo of a FACE emerging from flames has divided opinion - with some saying it shows the Devil and others insisting - it’s Jesus.
Julie Redman was stunned to discover the likeness after snapping a quick photo of a fire in an oil drum.
The 52-year-old office administrator, from Tickenham, Somerset, often takes photos of flames to see what shapes appear.
But none have ever caused such a split.
She said: "I found it a bit freaky as I could clearly see a face.
"I was fascinated and wanted to know if my friends and family could see it.
"Much to my amusement, they could also see a face. Some saw the devil, some saw Jesus and a few thought it looked like an actor in Breaking Bad.
"To be honest, I didn't think of anyone instantly, but the more I looked at it, the more it did start to look like an interpretation of a devil.
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"We were burning some sensitive papers at the time. I keep an open mind on the supernatural and believe anything is possible.
"I tend to see faces in all sorts of inanimate objects.
"But logic tells me that this is a trick of the light and background.
"The freakiest thing was other people's reactions, and a lot of people sure feel it's the devil.
"I wonder if it's the association with fire, and that it does appear to have a goatee and I moustache."
Seeing faces in inanimate objects is an example of what is known as facial pareidolia.
Psychologists say that it is a sign of a well-wired brain.
Professor Kang Lee from the University of Toronto who has studied the phenomenon, explains: “Most people think you have to be mentally abnormal to see these types of images, so individuals reporting this phenomenon are often ridiculed.
“But our findings suggest it’s common for people to see non-existent features because human brains are uniquely wired to recognise faces, so that even when there’s only a slight suggestion of facial features the brain automatically interprets it as a face.”
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