eye open or closed: Seemsthat when shooting birds in flight or othe moving subjects ie cars, boats ect. If I keep one eye on the viewfinder and the other open and on the subject I find...

bob fleer Loc: Annapolis, MD

Seemsthat when shooting birds in flight or othe moving subjects ie cars, boats ect. If I keep one eye on the viewfinder and the other open and on the subject I find it easier to follow the subject and keep it in frame. Any one else do this or is it just me?

dennis2146 Loc: Eastern Idaho

bob fleer wrote:

Seemsthat when shooting birds in flight or othe moving subjects ie cars, boats ect. If I keep one eye on the viewfinder and the other open and on the subject I find it easier to follow the subject and keep it in frame. Any one else do this or is it just me?

I do the same thing as well when necessary. It is an old fashioned way to do things and I believe was adapted from shooting firearms at flying birds or even moving targets with rifles or handguns. It is easier to keep your eye on the target when using both eyes. It also gives a better perspective.

Dennis

Longshadow Loc: Audubon, PA, United States

Yup, just in general.
One eye observes the whole scene, the other eye does the composition.
(Sometimes they conflict and I have to close my non-viewfinder eye for a second to "reset" the view...)

NormanTheGr8 Loc: Racine, Wisconsin

It also gives a slightly better view of changing surroundings

lamiaceae Loc: San Luis Obispo County, CA

bob fleer wrote:

Seemsthat when shooting birds in flight or othe moving subjects ie cars, boats ect. If I keep one eye on the viewfinder and the other open and on the subject I find it easier to follow the subject and keep it in frame. Any one else do this or is it just me?

I've done it for cars, horses, etc.

Stardust Loc: Central Illinois

Have always done it, especially anywhere when people are around, so can be aware if someone is going to enter the frame. An absolute necessity if shooting video too.

Gene51 Loc: Yonkers, NY, now in LSD (LowerSlowerDelaware)

Then there is this:

https://petapixel.com/2012/03/20/use-a-red-dot-sight-for-locating-subjects-with-super-telephoto-lenses/

And an adapter for rifle-based sights

https://www.365astronomy.com/Blitz-Hotshoe-dSLR-Camera-Adapter-for-Red-Dot-Finder.html

speters Loc: Grangeville/Idaho

bob fleer wrote:

Seemsthat when shooting birds in flight or othe moving subjects ie cars, boats ect. If I keep one eye on the viewfinder and the other open and on the subject I find it easier to follow the subject and keep it in frame. Any one else do this or is it just me?

Yes, I do the same thing, also do it when shooting firearms!

cochese

Always for fast paced photos. Especially effective when I was shooting the kids sports games. My non viewfinder eye could keep track of the field while the viewfinder was on a specific play/player. Very effective for baseball when I wanted to be able to time my shot to have a chaance of a shot with a player making contact with the ball after the potch.

billnikon Loc: Pennsylvania/Ohio/Florida/Maui/Oregon/Vermont

bob fleer wrote:

Seemsthat when shooting birds in flight or othe moving subjects ie cars, boats ect. If I keep one eye on the viewfinder and the other open and on the subject I find it easier to follow the subject and keep it in frame. Any one else do this or is it just me?

Yes, but once I get the bird in my cross hairs, I close my second eye.

ggab Loc: ?

billnikon wrote:

Yes, but once I get the bird in my cross hairs, I close my second eye.

khorinek

bob fleer wrote:

Seemsthat when shooting birds in flight or othe moving subjects ie cars, boats ect. If I keep one eye on the viewfinder and the other open and on the subject I find it easier to follow the subject and keep it in frame. Any one else do this or is it just me?

I shoot with my right eye on the viewfinder and my left eye on my subject and/or surroundings.

jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY

Yes, keeping both eyes open can be useful. I don't give it much thought, as one or two eyes open will work. Of course, the eye that is up against the eyepiece should be open.

Nikon1201

It will also afford you better photos at air shows.

Eddy Vortex

Depends on my focal length. I find it confusing visually to see 18mm (or 400mm) viewfinder and 55mm naked eye at the same time. I use one eye open to focus.