One of the most basic and most effective skills I've learned is to use "splatter vision" or more scientifically - peripheral vision. In my case, I picked it up from learning tracking, stalking and hunting techniques - as it enables one to detect slight movements in any type of terrain, sometimes even revealing extremely-well camouflaged objects. It's also said to be how animals regularly see, and how humans see unless severely trained to focus (ie. our literary culture).
Before I describe what I know myself (from my own experience and other's) about the effects of splatter vision, I propose a drill on which you can discover that on your own - and probably come up with stuff I didn't notice myself.
Drill #1: The Human Camera
This drill doesn't really deal with splatter vision directly, but I found it to be extremely revealing about vision in general. Ideally, this should be done in pears, where one partner is the "camera" and the other the "photographer".
The camera should shut his/her eyes. Then the photographer leads the camera by holding the camera's hand in his own and by placing another hand on the camera's back. The idea is to move around within a certain area (I prefer in a relatively unknown natural setting, but I think anywhere would be just fine), seeking to shoot "interesting" photos.
When the photographer wants to "shoot" - he/she squeezes the cameras hand, and the camera opens his/her eyes for a split second, the shuts them close again.
After doing so for about fifteen minutes, try to describe how your vision reacts in those short snapshots.
Drill #2: Discovering splatter vision
Definitely do this outside, where you can see the horizon, or just far enough away.
- Bring your hands together straight in front of you, and move them apart just a little bit. Look at the area between you hands and concentrate on seeing just that area, but seeing it good. Seeing it entirely. Notice everything that goes on between your palms...
- Slowly move your hands away from each other, without moving your eyes keeping your attention on whatever there is between them. Do this until your palms reach the edges of your field of vision.
- Wiggle your palms or fingers on the outskirts of your vision and see if you can notice the movements. Start moving your palms around the edge of your vision (a big circle).
- Remove your palms and see if you can remain in that state.
Use this splatter vision in different settings and note what you experience.
Drill #3: Advanced application
Practice rapidly going in and out of splatter vision.
Use it while walking slowly. Then walking regularly. Then Running. Use it in crowds, on the bus, etc.
I looked around and found some material on the web, but I strongly suggest you try it out for yourselves first, and only then read about it:
- ehow how-to: [1]
- Peripheral Vision on Wikipedia: [2]
- blog post mentioning usage of splatter vision by FBI personnel security, and taking it a theoretical step further.
- And best of all: A very nice of articles on exploring vision and perception.