The Illusion Trail · Stop 3

Head on a Plate

Slide beneath the table and your body vanishes, leaving only your head, floating on a platter as if conjured for an enchanted feast.

A photographer captures the Head on a Plate illusion: a head appears under a glass dome on a wooden table in the woods, with no body visible beneath.
How to capture it

A small cast of conspirators

The table has a hole in the seat and a mirror hidden beneath. Kneel under it, slot your head through, and the camera will swear there is nothing else of you.

1

Slot your head through

Kneel under the table and carefully push your head up through the hole. Find a position where you feel steady.

2

Add a serving partner

Optional, but recommended. A second person stands beside the table and pretends to serve, season, or eat the floating head.

3

Take the shot

Slot your phone into the photo point and snap. Message us if you need a photographer.

Three things to avoid

Common mistakes

  • Make sure your feet don't show below the table.
  • The serving partner must not appear in the mirror reflection.
  • Don't stand behind the table, or you'll look chopped in half too.
Continue the trail

More wonders ahead

Each stop on the trail is a different illusion. Follow the path through the trees, and don't forget to take a photo at every one.