In the first chapter of The Real World of Image by Trudy Smoke and Alan Robbins presents five different points that described how our vision works, how we can improve our vision, how our eyes piece together images and how our eyes fill in blind spots among several other key topics that have to do with our vision. I believe that a lot of valid points were made throughout the first chapter such as exercises people can do to improve their vision, but there were also other ideas that I thought to be dramatically over exaggerated . As this chapter explained vision and how it has such a great impact on our life it made me realize the large role our eyes do play in our lives.
In the second section of the chapter called Seeing and Awareness written by Deborah Curtiss, talked about how we can improve our foveal, peripheral, and scanning vision. As I was reading through this chapter I trying out some of the techniques myself, I would have to agree that these exercises will be able to put our eyes to their full use. According to Deborah Curtis, “An expanded and strengthened use of our eyes to perceive the visual world with interest, breadth, and depth, can lead to expanded metal capacity as well” (Curtiss, pg. 9). I have only tried each of these exercises once but I want to continue practicing them because I do truly believe that by focusing our vision we will become more aware of our world around us.
In the third section of the chapter called The Vision Thing: Mainly in the Brain written by Denise Grady, touched on points of lighting, blind spots and how our brain fills in the things we can’t exactly see. A key topic in this chapter was also how the lighting in our world controls our vision. Anstis created goggles that reversed the lighting causing her to the world just like a photo negative and after a couple of days she lost interest in food because it no long appeased to her anymore (pg. 11). I think that it would be crazy to how my vision reversed, even though it would only be a visual transition, would have a great effect on my outlook on this world just as Anstis did.
I would have to say that the most interesting section in the whole chapter would be When Babies Become Aware of Themselves by Mark Pendergrast as he writes about the development of babies and how their self image is part of shaping their lives. This section talked about how self-awareness helps us become who we are as people. Although I would think of this idea to be somewhat conceited I have to agree with it to some extent. Self-awareness helps us build confidence.
The fourth section however I didn’t exactly agree with and found to be a little over the top. Seeing by Annie Dillard brought up a point that I found hard to believe. Such as when I was reading about the little girl that was born blind and then she had a surgery to recover her eyes. She at first saw the world as a beautiful thing but at times she would scream in terror that she was afraid because she now how the ability of sight.
I would have to say that this first chapter was an interesting read and I am happy to expand my knowledge on the act of seeing. Although I don’t agree with all the theories I always enjoy reading or hearing about what other people have to say.
