Photographer Accidentally Captures Brilliant Optical Illusion of “Three-Headed Deer” Roaming in Forest

Optical Illusion Photo of 3-Headed Deer

At first glance, photographer Renatas Jakaitis appears to have captured something straight out of science fiction. Three deer heads seemingly sprout from one body as they peer at you from the snowy surroundings. This isn't the  work of Photoshop; however, it’s all an optical illusion. The three-headed deer doesn’t exist, but it’s moments like this in photography that capture the imagination.

Getting an incredible shot like this one is often about being in the right place at the right time. To capture this image, Jakaitis was walking behind the deer in the forests of Lithuania, snapping photos along the way. The sound of the camera shutter caused the animals, who were walking one after the other, to turn their heads all at the same time and produce this mind-bending image.

It’s incredible luck to capture a photo like this, and fortune was certainly on Jakaitis’ side. “I think my camera shutter gave me away, as they quickly looked up when I started capturing them,” he said at the time. “I was lucky to get them all looking at the camera all at once before they disappeared, they all ran away when they saw me! They must have been camera shy.”

Since snapping the famed photo (years ago), Jakaitis has continued to photograph wildlife. Scroll down for some of his recent photos.

Photographer Renatas Jakaitis captured the surreal sight of a “three-headed” deer and has continued to snap photos of wildlife.

Wildlife Photography by Renatas JakaitisWildlife Photography by Renatas JakaitisWildlife Photography by Renatas JakaitisWildlife Photography by Renatas JakaitisWildlife Photography by Renatas JakaitisWildlife Photography by Renatas JakaitisWildlife Photography by Renatas JakaitisWildlife Photography by Renatas JakaitisWildlife Photography by Renatas JakaitisWildlife Photography by Renatas JakaitisWildlife Photography by Renatas JakaitisWildlife Photography by Renatas JakaitisWildlife Photography by Renatas JakaitisRenatas Jakaitis: Facebook

My Modern Met granted permission to feature photos by Renatas Jakaitis.

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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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