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A closer look at animal eyes with photographer Suren Manvelyan

8 min read

Inspiring People
Source: surenmanvelyan.com

From crocodiles to chameleons, animals’ eyes are specially adapted to the needs and environment of the individual species, and the variety is both mesmerising and astonishing.

Macro photography reveals hidden details and alien landscapes

Armenian photographer Suren Manvelyan created a fascinating Animal Eyes close-up photo series. His images reveal vibrant colours and intricate details, and seeing something that’s hidden from the naked eye is always the beauty of macro photography. With these 30+ closeup images, one is able to see details such as the irises’ colour gradients, textures, patterns and even tiny blood vessels, causing these eyes to look like bizarre alien landscapes.

The pupil of a viper has a vertical slit that gives it night vision.
1. Viper The pupil of a viper has a vertical slit that gives it night vision. Source: surenmanvelyan.com
The heron’s eyes are ideal for hunting fish below the water’s surface.
2. Heron The heron’s eyes are ideal for hunting fish below the water’s surface. Source: surenmanvelyan.com
Sharks have membranes around their eyes that increase visual sensitivity with a reflective screen.
3. Shark Sharks have membranes around their eyes that increase visual sensitivity with a reflective screen. Source: surenmanvelyan.com
Horses have monocular vision.
4. Horse Horses have monocular vision. Source: surenmanvelyan.com
This tomato frog has many different types of optic nerves.
5. Tomato frog This tomato frog has many different types of optic nerves. Source: surenmanvelyan.com
Human eyes must recycle calcium to properly function.
6. Human Human eyes must recycle calcium to properly function. Source: surenmanvelyan.com
It used to be believed that dogs, like this Pekinese, can only see in black and white, but their vision isn’t quite that limited. They simply cannot perceive all the colours that humans can.
7. Dog It used to be believed that dogs, like this Pekinese, can only see in black and white, but their vision isn’t quite that limited. They simply cannot perceive all the colours that humans can. Source: surenmanvelyan.com
This hippo’s eye is adapted for nighttime.
8. Hippopotamus This hippo’s eye is adapted for nighttime. Source: surenmanvelyan.com
This deer’s eye looks like some kind of alien creature.
9. Deer This deer’s eye looks like some kind of alien creature. Source: surenmanvelyan.com
All cats, like this Siamese cat, are born with blue eyes. They may change five or six weeks later, but sometimes they remain blue.
10. Cat All cats, like this Siamese cat, are born with blue eyes. They may change five or six weeks later, but sometimes they remain blue. Source: surenmanvelyan.com
Unlike other birds, the athene noctua owl is able to blink one eye and turn its head three-quarters of its total rotation.
11. Owl Unlike other birds, the athene noctua owl is able to blink one eye and turn its head three-quarters of its total rotation. Source: surenmanvelyan.com
Parrots’ ultraviolet vision allow them to see the maturation of fruits.
12. Parrot Parrots’ ultraviolet vision allow them to see the maturation of fruits. Source: surenmanvelyan.com
Peacocks have lateral eyes to help them escape predators.
13. Peacock Peacocks have lateral eyes to help them escape predators. Source: surenmanvelyan.com
Like humans, chimps have binocular vision.
14. Chimpanzee Like humans, chimps have binocular vision. Source: surenmanvelyan.com
Sterlet fish have oddly shaped pupils.
15. Fish Sterlet fish have oddly shaped pupils. Source: surenmanvelyan.com
A crow’s eyes almost look like they’re frosted over.
16. Crow A crow’s eyes almost look like they’re frosted over. Source: surenmanvelyan.com
A chinchilla has truly striking eyes. It looks like a landscape.
17. Chinchilla A chinchilla has truly striking eyes. It looks like a landscape. Source: surenmanvelyan.com
Slugs, with their eyes on long stalks, have surprisingly strong vision.
18. Slug Slugs, with their eyes on long stalks, have surprisingly strong vision. Source: surenmanvelyan.com
Macaws see everything in ultraviolet vision.
19. Macaw Macaws see everything in ultraviolet vision. Source: surenmanvelyan.com
The hexagonal lenses of a bee are so strong that they can see ultraviolet rays that humans can’t even perceive.
20. Bee The hexagonal lenses of a bee are so strong that they can see ultraviolet rays that humans can’t even perceive. Source: surenmanvelyan.com
Clear eyes like that of a husky can develop problems more easily.
21. Dog (husky) Clear eyes like that of a husky can develop problems more easily. Source: surenmanvelyan.com
Lemurs have such excellent night vision that they can still make out colours in almost complete darkness.
22. Lemur Lemurs have such excellent night vision that they can still make out colours in almost complete darkness. Source: surenmanvelyan.com
Acara fish can only see in two dimensions.
23. Fish (Acara) Acara fish can only see in two dimensions. Source: surenmanvelyan.com
Camels have three eyelids, but they are so thin that camels can still see even when their eyes are closed.
24. Camel Camels have three eyelids, but they are so thin that camels can still see even when their eyes are closed. Source: surenmanvelyan.com
Octopus have binocular vision
25. Octopus Octopus have binocular vision Source: surenmanvelyan.com
Owls cannot easily see from close distances, but they are excellent from farther away, particularly in low light.
26. Owl Owls cannot easily see from close distances, but they are excellent from farther away, particularly in low light. Source: surenmanvelyan.com
Marine mammals, like this whale, have limited vision because of the way the water refracts light.
27. Whale Marine mammals, like this whale, have limited vision because of the way the water refracts light. Source: surenmanvelyan.com
A tokay gecko has transparent eyelids.
28. Gecko A tokay gecko has transparent eyelids. Source: surenmanvelyan.com
This python’s eye looks prehistoric.
29. Snake This python’s eye looks prehistoric. Source: surenmanvelyan.com
Chameleons can rotate their eyes 360 degrees independently of one another!
30. Chameleon Chameleons can rotate their eyes 360 degrees independently of one another! Source: surenmanvelyan.com
A goat’s wide pupils give them 330 degrees of vision, as opposed to a human’s 185-degree view.
31. Goat A goat’s wide pupils give them 330 degrees of vision, as opposed to a human’s 185-degree view. Source: surenmanvelyan.com
Dragonflies have eyes that consist of thousands of thousands of tiny hexagonal eyes, giving them nearly 360-degree vision.
32. Dragonfly Dragonflies have eyes that consist of thousands of thousands of tiny hexagonal eyes, giving them nearly 360-degree vision. Source: surenmanvelyan.com
Penguins have eyes that allow them to see better underwater.
33. Penguin Penguins have eyes that allow them to see better underwater. Source: surenmanvelyan.com
A crocodile’s eyes can adapt to twilight or nighttime.
34. Crocodile A crocodile’s eyes can adapt to twilight or nighttime. Source: surenmanvelyan.com
Llamas have eyes that adjust to high altitudes.
35. Llama Llamas have eyes that adjust to high altitudes. Source: surenmanvelyan.com
Because geckos are nocturnal, their eyes are more light-sensitive, with the pupils constricting when they hit light.
36. Gecko Because geckos are nocturnal, their eyes are more light-sensitive, with the pupils constricting when they hit light. Source: surenmanvelyan.com
Cats can see eight times better than humans.
37. Cat Cats can see eight times better than humans. Source: surenmanvelyan.com

Suren Manvelyan

Born in Armenia in 1976, Suren Manvelyan started to photograph when he was sixteen and became a professional photographer in 2006. His photographic interests span from Macro to Portraits, Creative photo projects, Landscape, and much more. Suren’s photos have been published in numerous magazines and newspapers in Armenia and worldwide.

His latest popular series of close ups of a human eye – entitled “Your beautiful eyes,” together with a similar series on “Animal eyes,” have had millions of views on the Web. 

They were published by National Geographic, Yahoo!, Die Zeit, The Sun, Daily Mail, The Independent, Telegraph, La Republica,  Liberation, Guardian, Wired, Huffington Post, Wedemain, The Shortlist, DT Magazine, MAXIM, and many others. The photos were also used by BBC Spain, BBC Brasil, WNYC, Gizmondo and many others.

In parallel to photography, for the past ten years Suren has also enjoyed teaching physics, mathematics, projective geometry and astronomy at the Yerevan Waldorf School. From 1997 to 2011 he served as a scientific researcher at the Institute for Physical Research of National Academy of Sciences.

Suren received his PhD in Theoretical Physics from the Yerevan State University in 2001 where his research focused on Quantum Chaos. He received the President Award of the Republic of Armenia the next year for his research work in the field of quantum technologies.

Source: surenmanvelyan.com 

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If you’ve ever scrolled through Instagram or Flickr and seen an incredible close-up photograph of a flower, insect, or even jewelry, you may have wondered how you can get similar photos, especially if you don’t have a camera. Thankfully, you don’t have to buy a DSLR or expensive macro lens to get these kinds of shots. All you need is a mobile phone, a simple accessory, and a bit of curiosity. In this article, I’ll go through some tips to help you get stunning macro photos using your mobile phone.