A system, computer-readable medium, and method are provided for generating images based on adaptations of the human visual system. An input image is received, an effect provoking change is received, and an afterimage resulting from a cumulative effect of human visual adaptation is computed based on the effect provoking change and a per-photoreceptor type physiological adaptation of the human visual system. The computed afterimage may include a bleaching afterimage effect and/or a local adaptation afterimage effect. The computed afterimage is then accumulated into an output image for display.