Broken Physics
AI doesn't calculate light rays; it guesses pixel values. This fundamental disconnect leads to shadows that defy the sun and reflections that show a different world.
The Two-Sun Problem
In the real world, unless you are on Tatooine, there is only one sun. This means all shadows must be parallel (or converge to a single point) and fall in the same direction.
How to Spot It:
- 1.Trace the Shadows: Draw a mental line from the object tip to the shadow tip. Do all these lines point back to the same light source? Any deviation suggests a local generation error.
- 2.Rim Lighting Mismatches: If a person is backlit (halo of light around hair), their face should be in shadow. AI often lights the face perfectly anyway, creating a "studio light" that doesn't exist in the scene.
The Mirror Trap
Reflections require a "Theory of Mind" for 3D space. The AI needs to know what the back of a shirt looks like to reflect it in a mirror. Since it generates images 2-dimensionally, it often hallucinates a new front-facing version of the person in the mirror.
Inconsistent Details
Check the jewelry, tie color, or buttons in the reflection. They frequently differ from the real object. A red tie might become blue in the mirror.
The "Vampire" Glitch
Sometimes objects simply don't cast a reflection at all, or cast a reflection when they shouldn't (like a vampire). Look for objects on shiny tables.
Material Logic
Different materials interact with light differently. Wood absorbs, metal reflects, skin scatters (subsurface scattering).
AI tends to apply a "universal gloss." You might see:
- Wet Clothing: Clothes that look inexplicably shiny or plastic-like.
- Flesh-Metal: Metal objects that have the soft texture of skin, or skin that reflects the world like chrome.
- Melting Solids: Rigid objects (phones, guns, cars) that curve or droop as if made of wax.