Talk – “Seeing – the Eye and the Evolution of Vision” (Tony North)
13 January 2026 @ 7:30 pm - 10:00 pm
This is a talk with a difference. As photographers, our main sense is our sight, whether we are taking shots, processing them, or appreciating them. This talk focuses on our faculty of vision – how we see, and how this all important ability evolved. The topics covered are:
1. The human eye: its anatomy and function. The cornea, iris, lens and retina.
2. How the eye is similar to, and different from, a camera (including focusing, aperture and light detection and processing)
3. How the brain processes the signals from the retina leading to perception, with a look at several amazing optical illusions which shed light on this process
4. The variety of eye types in the animal kingdom
5. How and why seeing evolved, with a focus on colour vision, and a look at why most mammals do not have full colour vision, and yet we do
The presentation is richly illustrated with photos and graphics. There are also lots of activities you can take part in, to learn how the eye works and why various aspects of vision evolved.
Anyone with a camera will find this talk both fascinating and fun!