Eye Dominance: Why you should know this as a Photographer
©Omar Eduardo. All Rights Reserved
I know what you’re probably thinking… why should I care about Eye Dominance? What’s the big deal, anyway? I never really thought about it either, until I discovered it was the key to my photography woes…
I didn’t get the photography bug until later in my life, 2001 to be exact around my 34th birthday. I purchased a Canon G1 camera and took my first pictures on the beach in Southern California where I live. Well, I got hooked! But I had one problem - weak eyes. I have worn glasses or contacts since I was a young child, quite near sighted, astigmatism, you name it.
I tried initially to use the viewfinder, read up on the correct way to hold the camera, etc. But every time I tried to use the viewfinder I would get a migraine within 10 minutes! Every time… without fail. I tried leaving both eyes open instead of closing my left eye - no good, headache city.
So, I chalked it up to having crappy eyes and proceeded to keep taking photos relying on the LCD screen on my cameras. For the record, I’m a camera junkie with a day job that allows me to have some “disposable cash”, so I’ve owned a lot of cameras since I started - a Canon G1, Canon G2, Canon Powershot Pro 1, Canon S2, and Panasonic FZ18. But I’ve been a slave to the LCD screen, so a DSLR has been something I’ve lusted after but could never have.
©Kris Arnold. All Rights Reserved
Then the whole DSLR “Live View” craze started. I tried the Panasonic Lumix L1 and attempted to use it’s live view implementation exclusively. But it’s somewhat clunky, and I still couldn’t use the viewfinder without headaches. And as I started learning more about photography I developed a more critical eye with my own photos. This led to major frustration and disappointment as I learned one of the golden rules - Everything looks sharp in the LCD!
Over and over I would get my photos home, open them on my computer, zoom into what I thought was a good photo and it was soft. Or as the pros would say - it wasn’t “tack sharp”. I’d try to sharpen some in Photoshop, but the frustration was mounting. Not to mention the horrible stance I’ve been using in order to compose and shoot everything from the LCD screen… ugh!
I’m now 41, and I started having problems at my “day job” working with computers. So it was time for a trip to the Eye Doctor, to lay out all my problems and figure things out. I had also decided that I was going to do whatever it took to be able to use a viewfinder, even if I had to buy a custom optics, because I want to move to DSLR.
It seems the problems at the office with my computer is a focusing problem and I need to move to bifocals (I can’t tell you how much it hurts to write that word). I wanted to continue to wear contacts, and they make bifocal contacts - so we started doing all the tests. The way these work is that one eye is optimized for distance and one is optimized for near focusing, so we had to do an Eye Dominance test because your dominant eye has to be the one that focuses to the distance.
Believe it or not, this test is really simple and anyone can do it. Here are the steps:
Cup your hands together so they form a circle about 3 inches in diameter or smaller that you can look through. - Pick an object to look at, and put it dead center in the circle. This can be anything really - a bottle of aspirin, a soft drink can, some lettering on a sign, etc. Just make sure it’s in the middle of the circle.
- Close one eye while looking at the object. Then open that eye and close the other eye.
Now, when you closed one of your eyes the object would have still been in the middle of the circle. When you closed the other eye, the object would have “disappeared”. It kind of “shifts” completely out of the circle. When the object vanished, whatever eye you had CLOSED at that moment is your Dominant Eye.
Well, surprise, surprise…. I found out that I am Right-Handed BUT Left Eye Dominant! They refer to this as “Cross Eye Dominance”. Why is that a huge deal? Because every description I’ve read and picture I’ve seen about holding your camera tells you to look through the viewfinder with your Right Eye. I just got an insert with the latest issue of Practical Photography, and it has a whole section on “how to hold your digital SLR”, with your right eye looking through the viewfinder.
So, I’ve been using my non-dominant eye and oftentimes closing my dominant eye. For someone who is left eye dominant this is awful. Not only was it causing my headaches, but I was using the eye that doesn’t focus as well for distance viewing to try and focus. Your dominant eye also does the majority of your depth perception, again a nightmare by using the wrong eye. But I was following all the articles and descriptions about the “correct” way to hold your camera - as I’m sure many other people do. It just isn’t “correct” for everybody.
©Idalí Beltré Acevedo. All Rights Reserved
Well, this was definitely an eye opener (pun intended) for me. So now, I start over again. I have to learn to hold a camera differently and start using the viewfinder. It feels awkward, and I’m still not sure if I’m doing this right. But it’ll be worth it, because I’ll finally be able to combat my shaky stance with a good grip and hopefully purchase that DSLR I’ve been saving for.
I’ve seen discussions going on around the net, and people talking about “switching to using the left eye for stability.” I strongly suggest you figure out your eye dominance first before doing this. If you continually use your non-dominant eye you will cause problems down the road for yourself. If you already are near-sighted or far-sighted and have a prescription to correct this with glasses or contacts - using the wrong eye will make your condition deteriorate as you get older.
I’d love to hear from you as I start my re-learning process, particularly if you also have the left eye dominance issue or a cross eye dominance. And if anyone has a link to some instructions or pictures for holding a camera when using your left eye, please post them below for me.
Barbara House is an avid photography hobbyist and the face behind Shutterbug Source Photography Tips. After falling in love with photography in 2001, she has become dedicated to providing resources to other photography enthusiasts through this weblog - as well as pursuing her own photography career and becoming active in the photography community internationally.
Trackback by photographyVoter.com on 29 June 2008:
Eye Dominance: Why you should know this as a Photographer…
I know what you’re probably thinking… why should I care about Eye Dominance? What’s the big deal, anyway? I never really thought about it either, until I discovered it was the key to my photography woes……
Comment by Wirehead Arts
on 1 July 2008:
I think it was easy for me because my dominant (And also best) eye is my right eye, so I don’t give it a second thought.
The problem, of course, is that cameras are generally designed for right-handed, right-eyed people, so using your left eye isn’t quite as handy.
Comment by Elja Trum
on 3 July 2008:
Interesting article, I never thought about it.
I did you test and I’m left-eyed too (and right handed). Then I picked up my dSLR to see which eye I use. Turns out I’m already used to using my left eye. Just grew that way naturally as I started shooting.
In fact, I tried using the right eye just now and that totally s*cks.
Comment by Claudius Coenen
on 3 July 2008:
I first learned about eye dominance from the film Fire Birds with Nicolas Cage. The Character he plays also has trouble flying because of his eye dominance.
In the movie they “retrain” him for the other eye… i don’t know if that is scientifically sound… but it is a funny scene to watch
Comment by Lucy
on 3 July 2008:
Interesting article. I’m neither left nor right handed, but a sort of combination (left hand for delicate tasks like writing and drawing, right hand for anything requiring strength) so I went with what I felt to be right and patently ignored the manuals! I’m glad I did because your article confirms my left-eyedness.
Comment by dawn
on 3 July 2008:
this approach to correction is one that not all optometrists and opthomologists subscribe too–the idea of treating eyes differently is one that only works for a small percentage. Some people are happy with it, many people are not. It does not work satisfactorally for most. The idea that it should be uniformly applied as a remedy is indeed flawed. It may have worked well for well, but it does not for many more.
My primary concern with this line of thought is that some laser procedures recommend this kind of approach when a person has one “thick” lens and one thin one, a common enough occurrence. So they suggest a procedure–a permanent procedure–that applies the same approach–one eye is myopic, the other long-distance. But without having tried this via contact lenses, it is very uncertain whether a person can live with this happily, yet there is no undoing this procedure. People pay a great deal for these procedures and yet they are not being warned of the relatively high numbers that cannot adjust to this approach of “eye dominance”.
Be cautioned–it works very well for some, but they are in the small numbers.
regards,
dawn
Comment by ardaly
on 4 July 2008:
wow, this article is something new for me, I realized that I’ve been using my left eye too, but I knew that it suppose to use the right eye… but I always use my left eye
Comment by Berno
on 7 July 2008:
Guess what! I figured out I also have cross eye dominance, but I’m left handed while it is my right eye that is dominant (luckily). Anyway, if you’re lefet-handed, you easily find out this world is being created for right-handed people (even in the smallest details, like pencil brands’ names upside down when holding with your left hand), so don’t mind that left-eye dominance too much, it’s only an inconvenience when photographing
Comment by Lewis Woodyard
on 7 July 2008:
I am a sports shooter who uses the left eye (non-dominant) to see through the viewfinder and the right eye to survey the action around me. This way I can see the magnified view and the overall view at the same time. This is not possible using the right eye, because the left eye would be blocked by the camera back.
Comment by Harry
on 7 July 2008:
I am VERY left eye dominant. So much so that my brain mostly ignores my right eye and I have very limited depth perception - was never a good ball sport person! I am also right handed. I have been shooting professionally for over ten years and have always used my left eye - just because.
Very interesting!
Thanks!
Pingback by Фотоссылки — Тут Хумора.NET on 10 July 2008:
[...] Если он начинает мяться – бросайте такого фотографа. Eye Dominance: Why you should know this as a Photographer. О том, как важно знать фотографу — который из его [...]
Trackback by nature sound on 11 July 2008:
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Comment by G. Ralph Kuntz, MD
on 18 July 2008:
I too am right-handed, but left-eye-dominant. Fortunately I discovered this at a young age and have always used my left eye to compose photographs (even in the old days before they invented film :-)).
Trackback by wedding photographer on 22 July 2008:
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Pingback by Averigua tu ojo dominante « i.uve.a.ene on 4 August 2008:
[...] del ojo dominante ya lo había visto con anterioridad en varios foros y artículos, sobre todo de fotografía, pero nunca le había dado demasiada importancia y tan siquiera me había parado a hacer las [...]
Pingback by F/1.0 » Blog Archive » Eye dominance and photography on 25 August 2008:
[...] recently read this article on “eye dominance” and photography, and it made me curious. Even since the first time I picked up a camera I’ve instinctively [...]
Comment by Rasmus
on 26 August 2008:
What a great test. Turns out I was already using my dominant eye, when looking through the viewfinder. Still, it was fun to try it.
Rasmuss last blog post..Model Profile: Diane
Comment by Kieffer
on 26 August 2008:
I’ve done this test about a dozen times now, and it keeps switching back and forth. What does that mean?!
Comment by Cat Advice
on 29 August 2008:
Continue making great posts like this!
Comment by fotographx
on 6 October 2008:
35mm film cameras were made for right eyed and right handed people. The viewfinder was always left of center so you could use your right eye to focus and your left eye to keep track of what was going on around you. The film advance lever was on the right side so you didn’t have to move your eye from the view finder, unless of course you were left eye dominant then the film advance lever was right in the middle of your forehead. One adapts. Interesting article.
Comment by Trevor
on 23 October 2008:
I just discovered your test and took it. I’m 48 and right handed, so I’d always assumed I was right-eye dominant. Turns out I’m left-eye dominant. This explains so much!
It’s a revelation to me, and I appreciate your helping me to discover the truth.
Pingback by Photography Watch » Eye dominance and photography on 29 October 2008:
[...] recently read this article on “eye dominance” and photography, and it made me curious. Even since the first time I picked up a camera I’ve instinctively [...]
Trackback by rapidshare links on 3 November 2008:
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Comment by JUJU
on 13 November 2008:
THIS IS COO!!