Project Vision 21

Recently, I stopped to photograph a flower whose vibrant colors, illuminated by the early morning sun, inspired me to take several pictures of the same flower, in the same spot, at almost the same moment, and with the same camera—but using different filters. The result was the three images shared above, each one revealing something different about the very same flower.

One photo was taken with the automatic filter, which supposedly captures a version of the flower that closely resembles what the human eye sees. Another was taken with the vivid color filter, where the background darkens and the colors become more intense. The third was taken using a monochrome filter, in which, naturally, everything appears in black and white.

This little experiment led me to reflect on how, in our daily lives, we apply different “filters” to our perception of reality—filters such as dogmas, beliefs, opinions, or narratives. As a result, we often see a filtered reality. But unlike changing camera filters with a click, we’re frequently unaware of the filters we apply to reality ourselves.

Of course, this is not a new insight. The Spanish poet and philosopher Ramón de Campoamor (1817–1901) is often credited with the well-known phrase, “Everything depends on the color of the glass through which one looks.” In other words, each person perceives reality differently—and even more so, interprets those perceptions through their own personal filters.

In another context, Anaïs Nin, in her 1961 book Seduction of the Minotaur, wrote: “We don’t see things as they are. We see them as we are.” In fact, this thought has been expressed many times before and may even trace back to Rabbi Samuel ben Nahman in the 3rd or 4th century, as quoted in the Talmud (Berakhot 55b).

Either way, all of our perception is filtered—by our capacity to perceive and to interpret, our past experiences, our current interactions, and our hopes and desires for the future. And as mentioned earlier, both imposed and self-imposed beliefs and narratives add their own filters as well.

That’s why, going back to the image of the flower, some people only see the world in black and white—and insist no other options exist. They are trapped in a dualistic mindset where anyone who isn’t with them is against them. Then there are those who see everything in bright, saturated colors—either because that’s how they truly live or because they’re caught in a dangerous self-deception.

Today, however, the situation is becoming even more complicated. Beyond the internal filters we’ve discussed, we now perceive reality almost exclusively through a screen—or as some call it, a “black mirror.” Because of this, we only see and think about what technology and its algorithms allow us to.

So then, what filters are you using, consciously or unconsciously, to perceive and understand the reality of your life? Are you living a one-dimensional black and white life? Are you living a life of vivid colors? I am just asking.