having a photographic memory

cm1179 · 18 Dec 2011 at 19:00

i don't have one but i understand that people do. does anyone here have one or can anyone explain the gift.

is it really as straight forward as having the capability to see something, take a mental image of it and access it whenever you want to or is it not quite like that?

Brookert · 18 Dec 2011 at 19:02

Don't some people with autism have this? Some can see something for a second and then accurately remember information from it

Crowort · 18 Dec 2011 at 19:04

I think only autistic savants can have this in the true sense.

Shayper · 18 Dec 2011 at 19:10

My mum has a photographic memory when she wants to use it.

I swear she also has xray vision, to be able to tell when I'm skint without opening my statements. Either that or she knows me too well.

nydryl · 18 Dec 2011 at 19:14

Shayper said:
I swear she also has xray vision, to be able to tell when I'm skint without opening my statements. Either that or she knows me too well.

I thought this too then I noticed she was opening my statements

RomanNose · 18 Dec 2011 at 19:16

My mum can instantly tell if I am lying, I don't know how :/.

mattyg · 18 Dec 2011 at 19:18

I can tell when my sons lying he has such an obvious tell its hilarious but we can't tell him.

semi-pro waster · 18 Dec 2011 at 19:19

Shayper said:
I swear she also has xray vision, to be able to tell when I'm skint without opening my statements. Either that or she knows me too well.

Could it be that when you've spent more money that means you'll generally had more transactions so the letter has more pages therefore the obvious conclusion is the thicker the envelope the more skint that Shayper is.

cm1179: a good starting point might be the Wikipedia article for eidetic memory, the definition for that as it says includes more than 'merely' being able to recall visual images in great detail but it's linked, at least colloquially.

Lopéz · 18 Dec 2011 at 19:23

I don't have a "photographic memory" but I do remember things in a very visual way.

For example:

If you asked me a question about a car, and I remembered reading about it in a magazine:
I would remember the information, but also the side of the page it was on (left/right page), whether there were photos on that page, sometimes the colours or fonts, whereabouts on the page it was, stuff like that.

bhavv · 18 Dec 2011 at 19:29

I have memory like a sponge.

I absorb everything I need to know, when I need to know ... and then 3-6 months later its all gone.

Got me through my exams, and then I cant remember anything after the summer.

Vonhelmet · 18 Dec 2011 at 19:37

My memory is often very audio based. If I'm trying to remember, say, whether I locked the house on the way out then it's the memory of the sound of the keys turning in the lock that confirms it to me.

arctine · 18 Dec 2011 at 19:44

Lopéz said:
I don't have a "photographic memory" but I do remember things in a very visual way.

For example:

If you asked me a question about a car, and I remembered reading about it in a magazine:
I would remember the information, but also the side of the page it was on (left/right page), whether there were photos on that page, sometimes the colours or fonts, whereabouts on the page it was, stuff like that.

So...you just have a memory?

Nice.

Vonhelmet · 18 Dec 2011 at 19:46

arctine said:
So...you just have a memory?

Nice.

And you've apparently forgotten your manners.

arctine · 18 Dec 2011 at 19:52

Vonhelmet said:
And you've apparently forgotten your manners.

It was meant to say, so you just have a semi-photographic memory?

Wasn't paying full attention whilst writing as I am watching Dexter.

TNGL · 18 Dec 2011 at 19:54

I just tried to stare at my advent calender for 30 seconds, and then memorise where everything was. Needless to say, I don't have a photographic memory, although I can remember things like an image in my head, just with not much detail. However, I have a good memory (I'd say so anyway), and usually remember the unimportant things as opposed to things I should actually remember.

SheepBeast · 18 Dec 2011 at 20:00

bhavv said:
I have memory like a sponge.

I absorb everything I need to know, when I need to know ... and then 3-6 months later its all gone.

Got me through my exams, and then I cant remember anything after the summer.

Very much the same here. I can learn material extremely quickly but (because admittedly I'm too lazy to practice it) I forget everything within a month or two of my exams.

TNGL · 18 Dec 2011 at 20:02

SheepBeast said:
Very much the same here. I can learn material extremely quickly but (because admittedly I'm too lazy to practice it) I forget everything within a month or two of my exams.

This, as well.

Skilid · 18 Dec 2011 at 20:07

I have a visual memory. If someone asks me to remember to do something, even if I say it over and over in my head, I'll forget to do it. Yet, if I write it on a piece of paper and read it a couple of times I'll remember (even if I throw the piece of paper away before anyone says anything).

I learn much better by looking then listening.

daelo · 18 Dec 2011 at 20:15

Dont know if this is classed as photographic or not but I can remember roads very well.

I.e I can , in my head "drive" down a road several miles as if i was in the car, which is kind of weird i guess!

Would be useful if i was a race drvier

Mawat · 18 Dec 2011 at 20:26

I dunno about photographic memory, but using a technique by remembering items with something familiar, should as walking through your house, it is possible to remember extremely long lists of items. I managed to remember 70 random objects in a test with my sister