Hi guys! This is Janine from Pangolin Photo Safaris, and today I want to talk
to you about how to shoot with both eyes open in wildlife photography.
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All righty! Let's get started...shooting with both eyes open.
Well, that is easier said than done, because it depends on which eye of ours
is the dominant eye. 70% of the world's population is the right eye dominant,
which is why cameras are laid out the way they are, with the viewfinder set
slightly to the left hand side, so that our nose has some space to go past on
the other angle. However, 29% of the world's population is left eye dominant, and they
really do struggle, because they have to hold their face quite awkwardly towards
the right angle of the camera, so that their nose is always sort of in the way.
About 1% of the population has no dominant eye at all. If you want to know
which of your eyes is dominant, there is a very, very easy test. You form a
triangle with your fingers and you focus on a distant subject far away.
If you close your left eye, and that subject is still in the center of that triangle,
that means your right eye dominant. However, if that subject has shifted
completely out of your triangle, that would mean your left eye dominant.
Can you change your dominance? YES! With a lot of training you can, or even with a laser surgery.
...that is quite a drastic measure, that may be professional archers would take.
I wouldn't advise it for a hobby photographer. But, let's continue with
those that have no trouble shooting through their right eye, therefore
holding the camera like this. It's quite natural that people close their
left eye so they focus on the image that they see through the viewfinder, on
their right eye. I however if you're so focused on that one particular subject, you tend
to not perceive any other movements of your environment, and you might miss out...
especially in wildlife photography! I want to take a particular example,
for instance, if you're watching a Kingfisher, let's say a Pied Kingfisher, dive multiple
times - possibly bathing in order to preen himself afterwards. There is no way you
will be taking the camera down, and up quick enough...that you can get the shot
where the Pied Kingfisher re-emerges out of the water with all the water falling off it.
So, I tend to suggest to my guests to focus on the water - somewhat in
the area that you have been observing the Kingfisher to dive in. Choose a high
f-stop, high depth of field for some error margin, but then the best trick is
to keep the left eye open. So, with the right eye you're currently observing the
water, so that you can find the area that the Pied Kingfisher is diving into...and
he takes a moment to turn around in the water and come back up, so you have a
split second there. But with the left eye you're watching the branch. The perch.
That the Pied Kingfisher has chosen, in order to dive down from. So this split
second that he departs from his perch, you're fully aware of it, so you're ready
to search the water for when the Pied Kingfisher hits. So, the way it should be
looking in your brain...is it should be one image that merges together.
So, on the one side, you see the pipe Kingfisher sitting, and on the other side you see
the smooth water surface. So, you have two images merged into one in your brain.
It takes quite a lot of concentration effort, that allows you to gauge the situation right.
That holds for quite a lot of the action photography.
If you want to get that shot of the cheetah jumping on a kill, so you are
watching that cheetah but you want to make sure you're not missing out on
the animals running away..or other action movement in there. So, keep both eyes open.
You will miss out on a lot less that's going on out there.
You might notice other action, and quickly divert you attention to see if it's of interest.
Last but not least...squinting your eye all the time is
actually rather uncomfortable. That might even give you wrinkles at the end of the day.
So, if your right eye dominant. Try it out. Shoot with both eyes open, especially when
it comes to action photography. Relax your face. Breathe in. Breathe out.
It takes a bit of concentration, but it with a little bit of practice, you can get used to it.
If you have any questions with regards to shooting with both eyes open,
or any comments or ideas. How you could potentially retrain yourself?
Please leave them in the comment section below. I would love to hear from you.
I really hope I see you soon again.
Bye bye!