One "i" or 2?

After the birds of prey visit on Sunday we were discussing a number of things and a couple of the top photographers in the group said they shoot with both eyes open and it makes one more aware of what is happening outside of the viewfinder and therefore what might soon be happening in the viewfinder.

Makes sense I guess but isn't it also a distraction?

Would anyone using this method care to expand on it?

I use both. It's strange at first but you get used to it. It doesn't distract once you're familiar with it since you can only focus your attention on one thing you see.

The purpose is you being distracted when needed. The brain picks up movement even when you not focus on it and the both-eye technique is used for that. One eye creates tunnel-vision. You're only seeing the one thing in your viewfinder and often miss a much better shot or opportunity right next to it.

Multiple parts in the brain process visual information which implies you seeing things you don't consciously see.

Here's a short vid on blindsight which explains some of the funkier methods it processes info.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R4SYxTecL8E

We're all familiar with it. I think about everyone of us has been walking in the dark or another environment that heightens our senses and where we get startled by "something" that's there but we didn't see.

I will use both eyes in situations like this described, where I need to be better aware of what's moving around but not in the viewfinder. In general, however, I'm a one eye guy.

Since I'm left eye dominant (and left handed), using both eyes doesn't help particularly much since a good chunk of my right eye's field of vision is obscured by the camera body and my right hand anyway. But yes, when I've used that technique on gun or bow sights it can be distracting until you get used to it.

I've been trying it and it takes some getting used to - old habits die hard.
At this stage I seem to be more aware of what is outside of the view finder than what is in it.

Lawrence said:

I've been trying it and it takes some getting used to - old habits die hard.
At this stage I seem to be more aware of what is outside of the view finder than what is in it.

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The trick is to ignore what you see with the other eye but that at first requires to constantly focus on the viewfinder one. It's like gathering more info fast by looking without focusing your eyes. That too requires effort in the beginning but goes better each try.

I use two. If I use one eye I get a headache over long duration shooting.

One eye.

Both - at a wedding I need to be seeing what is happening around me as well as what is happening through the viewfinder.

I personally use 1 eye. I am ambidextrious (probably screwed the spelling up prety bad there), but even so, I use my left eye.

BackdoorHippie said:

I will use both eyes in situations like this described, where I need to be better aware of what's moving around but not in the viewfinder. In general, however, I'm a one eye guy.

Click to expand...

Ditto, but I use the viewfinder "left-eyed", so my right eye's FOV is often blocked quite a bit.

I had to switch to my right eye. I don't know what's different these days but I shot left before digital but now my nose no longer fits. Even when shooting right I occasionally manage to push some button.

And no, my nose ain't that big.

I just use one eye, and close the other, when I take the DSLR out on sunday I will use both eyes and see if there is a differents.

I will give the two eye approach a go.
To be honest I hadn't even thought of this before reading this thread..

I also use the right eye and close the left

Thanks a ton for sharing this..will help a lot
Need to adjust to the two eye approach asap


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wornish said:

I will give the two eye approach a go.
To be honest I hadn't even thought of this before reading this thread..

Click to expand...

While it's not useful for every kind of shot, even in macro it has the advantage that when you're in the zone and some critter suddenly jumps forward in your viewfinder, you no longer jump backward.

I shoot left eye. Always have, always will. And it comes with the expected amount of nose prints on the screen.