Can you compose better with your left eye?

[Jonathan Brewer]

Well let me think, I'm dominant with my right eye, hear mostly with my left ear, I'm left handed, my right armpit itches more than my left, and most of the time I sit on my right buttock.

Maybe if I wiggle the toes on my left foot while I rub my right kneecap with my left arm when I fire the shutter, it'll improve my pics.

On the days that I forget to use my deodorant, I seem to go from people photographer to landscape photographer. Maybe if I just use deodorant on my right armpit it'll get people on the side where my dominant eye is.

By the way, Ray Charles is a creative genius, so which eye is he using? I typed this with both eyes closed.

Ciao

[David Willis]

When I read this, I tried to recall my neuroanatomy. It's been more recent than George, but still far enough away to be a bit hazy. But I think George is right.

The control of the eyes by the same hemisphere refers, as I recall, to the nerves controlling the muscles that move the eyes (cranial nerves III, IV, VI).

Check out

http://psych.athabascau.ca/html/Psych289/Biotutorials/11/part1.html

for a picture of how it works.

Dave

Dave

[Jim Galli]

I've been nearly blind in my left eye since childhood. Without my pemission, my body has compensated by using my right eye for almost everything. I can read with my left, but not on a CRT. So if I make a good photograph I chock it up to seeing like a camera does. Even though I'm close enough to see clearly on the ground glass with either eye, subconsciously my right eye takes over.

[Robb Reed]

Pete...

Optic nerves from each eye project into each hemisphere in the occipital lobes. The optic nerve from each eye crosses over into the contralateral hemisphere at the optic chiasm. The eye is for neurologic purposes a hemisphere itself that is divided into left, right, upper and lower quadrants. Each quadrant has representation in the occipital lobes. The processing of basic sensory information may be performed in varios other areas of the cortex...the projections from the occipiatl lobes lead in many directions. Whether and what the "right hemisphere" of the brain has to do with composing an image is complicated beyond the simple notions of right brain dominance over non-verbal function...

Yours,

Robb Reed

[Chad Jarvis]

Yet another otherwise fine mind ruined by psychology.

[Greg Pratt]

i've always noticed, when looking through a 35mm camera, that my eyes have quite different senses of balance. -- chris jordan August 03, 2001. I have noticed the same thing. I thought it was me, for I hate 35mm. Not for it's mechanical perfection but my problems with viewing. My right eye seems to cast the subject to the left a tad. In the studio this shift amounted to 1/2 inch on 5x7 print. The left seemed to be consistently better although not as sharp. Oh well, back to the ground glass.

[Pete Andrews]

Thanks guys! I've enjoyed my holiday immensely, and my critical reasoning has returned to its normal, and amusedly cynical, level. In other words, I can now laugh heartily at my previous gullibility.

My own knowledge of physiology is sketchy, and I was taking for granted the information that was put forward in the book I was reading. Since it was written by a Cambridge professor (albeit of Physics), I thought he might know what he was talking about. Apparently not.The whole thing is based on some research which tends to show that human females are statistically 'prettier' (a very un-PC choice of words, I know, perhaps the word 'attractive' might be better) on the right side of their face.This gives rise to the theory that the collective male left-eye is the one that judges female aesthetic.Or, (my own theory, and more likely, IMHO) the right side of the face gets more exercise, and so has better muscle tone.

Anyway, be all that as it may, I did try the left eye thing for my holiday snaps, and it did seem to give a slightly different 'perspective' on things. However, since the pictures weren't a ha'p'orth (colloquialism for 'halfpenny-worth') better, I don't think I'm going to be making a concious effort to change eyes.I'll be a bit more critical of crackpot theories in future. Thanks again, especially to those of you with a better knowledge of physiology and anatomy.

[Kerosene Hat]

Stateside it's so early I have trouble getting either eye open. I am right handed and left eyed (I believe the official title for this is cross dominant vision). The only problem with this inherited feature is with an SLR or rangefinder camera. Before auto winders I had to be careful not to put my right thumb in my eye to advance the film. Maybe that was the reason I went to large format 8)

So, virtually every photograph I have made has been with my left eye. And as with all photographers, 99% of them are forgettable.

Have a pleasant holiday.

Same thing with me. Eat and play billiards lefty, otherwise right-handed and left-eyed. I can't say I've ever felt at a creative advantage for that purpose, lol. At least LF slows down the rate at which one can make forgettable images.

[Drew Wiley]

There's any easy way to solve this. Just survey those photographers who also happen to be pirates. They often have one eye patched.

[Jac@stafford.net]

There's any easy way to solve this. Just survey those photographers who also happen to be pirates. They often have one eye patched.

Captain itchy-eye's story

Sailor: So, Captain, how is it you have a hook for a hand?
Captain: Aye, t'was when the Great Whale bit it off!
Sailor: And the eye patch?
Captain: Yay, t'was the first day of getting the hook.