Monocular Vision and its impact on Composition

[JacobIverson]

Hi all,

First time poster, long time (accountless) lurker.

While I've seen a few vision-related threads here, I was curious if there are members who only have central vision in one eye (like myself – in my right) and how they feel that impacts their work.

Personally, I was born this way, so I have no conception of what normal depth perception is. Retinal scar via sickness during pregnancy.

I am familiar with a few totally blind photographers, like Kurt Weston – Does anyone know any who work (or spent awhile working) with monocular vision?

I vastly prefer SLR viewing for my work, and consider the viewfinder as just a reduction of my normal vision. Perhaps, for me, that's the satisfying element. Does anyone relate?

 

[Chan Tran]

Actually that would make what you see more like what the camera captures.

 

[cowanw]

I can totally relate. Worse as one ages and gets floaters in the seeing eye there can be a wait for vision to clear and what one looks at to register. But I never really found this a problem with any of my cameras as the view itself is monocular and the sense of 3D must come from other clues that become second nature. So you are not alone!

 

[snusmumriken]

I have normally binocular vision, but I find it hugely beneficial to close my non-dominant eye when I'm sizing up a scene and considering its photo opportunities.

 

[cliveh]

I don't understand your question. Unless you are talking about stereo photography, most cameras have one lens and viewed through one eye.

 

[Pieter12]

Albert Watson famously has vision only in one eye. Hence his book, "Cyclops,"

 

[MattKing]

I expect your eyesight has an effect on how you view the world.
Which I don't intend as a pun, even if it may seem like it.
And how you see and experience the world around you does impact your photography, even if the impact is subtle.
I wonder, for instance, how you might experience the entries in this month's Monthly Shooting Assignment: "Wide Angle Perspective".

 

[wiltw]

Stereo photography was developed because the usual camera (one lens) 'flattened' the scene...same as monocular vision.
So nowadays, most photographers (viewing thru a camera viewfinder or looking at the LCD display of a point-and-shoot) merely see things the way you do...no inherent perception of how far Y is behind X, same as what is displayed in a photographic print.

 

[Pieter12]

An individual with vision in just one eye would see the world as a camera does, possibly noticing compositions that a stereo vision photographer might not.