Neurons in visual cortex respond to all kinds of stimuli – spots, bars, gratings, noise, and photographs of supermodels. Are natural stimuli such as photographs better for figuring out how the visual system works than synthetic stimuli? The computation and systems focus features a pair of Perspectives taking separate sides of this debate. Gidon Felsen and Yang Dan present the benefits of natural stimuli , countered by Nicole Rust and Tony Movshon.

We’ve heard rumblings from the vision community about these two pieces and have received inquiries about opportunities to comment on them – here you are.