Ocular reflex is a complicated business, and it’s hard to understand how it works, but it is very interesting, if you can manage it. There are apparently four basic types of eye movement : saccades , smooth pursuit movements , vergence movements and vestibulo-ocular movements. Each constitutes a different ways of looking at or focusing on a target. The vestibule-ocular reflex is to do with keeping yours eyes on the target whilst your head is moving around. Here’s a definition from Wikipedia.
“The vestibulo-ocular reflex. A rotation of the head is detected, which triggers an inhibitory signal to the extra ocular muscles on one side and an excitatory signal to the muscles on the other side. The result is a compensatory movement of the eyes”.
This is something like what happens when you are trying to photograph a target and still be aware of the situation, the surroundings or any other sensory information. Don’t lose your head and keep your eye on the prize…. as they say. These photographs were all taken in Michigan. This is another series of photographs on American life, or more specifically on photographing American life as a tourist.
John Spencer Photographs 