Jim Marks photo
DYNAMO has revealed the secret behind seven incredible new illusions for a new campaign which will help people add a bit of magic to their selfies.
The magician appears to be floating above the London skyline using an umbrella, shrinking himself l to the size of a pint glass and jumping crowds of people on a pedal bike in the series of clever illusions for the Samsung Galaxy S7 promo.
By using a mix of "forced perspective" techniques, combined with everyday items he's provided a simple guide on how you can achieve special effects yourself.
The Magician Impossible star said: "Ever since I was a child, I have been interested in looking at the world in different ways. I have always been fascinated by the fact that a simple twist on perspective can completely affect our perception of an image. I wanted this concept for the Everyday Illusions pictures.
"They say magicians should never give away their secrets - but for one time only, I wanted to create a series of illusions that anyone can create and show you exactly how to do it.
"The pictures highlight the incredible resolution and focus of the new Samsung Galaxy S7 phone. The Images are forced perspective alongside a few simple props to create mind boggling illusions which I believe anyone can achievewith a little time and imagination."
Here's a guide to the illusions
ILLUSION 1 – GODZILLA – Dynamo appears to tower over a London traffic scene. We created a miniaturised London road with some props to create a forced perspective illusion that really makes you look twice
ILLUSION 2 – THE PUB CHAIR – This illusion uses a simple chair prop. The seat of the chair is actually a separate component which is put further back in the shot which when lined up makes whoever is sitting on it look tiny
ILLUSION 3 – WALL OF WATER - I wanted to try a really cool shot using water, and just by flipping the orientation of the image, I was able to create this incredible image of me walking out of a wall of water.
ILLUSION 4 – THE MATRIX – Creating the illusion that you are standing on a ledge is all about finding the right location, in this case, a concrete bench. The paper aeroplane really adds to the shot casting shadows and confusing the orientation. This shot was caught by using the super-fast focus on the S7 to capture the plane in flight
ILLUSION 5 – BMX JUMP - When I was younger I used to be into BMXing. I’d try loads of crazy scores but I wasn’t that good at it. But using some very clever camera work, you can actually become the ultimate extreme sports star – all you need is your imagination a birds-eye view
ILLUSION 6 – BOOTS – this is by far the easiest illusion of the set but it’s still brilliantly effective and very easy to create, shooting from a low angle and positioning the boots to line with your feet – simple!
ILLUSION 7 – MARY POPPINS – This shot showcases the super-fast shutter speed of the S7 – if you haven’t guessed already this involves a trampoline a decent stretch of sky and trying to look like you are walking rather than jumping! Having a ‘burst mode’ on your camera phone really helps as one out of 10 shots will achieve the right effect
BONUS: STAGE FACE - Dynamo shot a final ‘Bonus’ illusion he has called ‘Stage Face’ – onstage during his tour at the Liverpool Echo Arena
