is a perceptual phenomenon caused by our eye/brain system that produces the awareness of the light complement (as opposed to pigment complement) in response to viewing an intense pigment Afterimages are perceived responses they cannot be photographed, i e if an intense primary red hue is stared at for a few seconds, a resulting blue-green, or cyan, will be the afterimage This is seen by looking away from the red; this is known as successive contrast
The impression of a vivid sensation retained by the retina of the eye after the cause has been removed; also extended to impressions left of tones, smells, etc