Photographic memory...

Photographic memory - Can one really gain photographic memory by training the brain?
@ahgong (10064)
Singapore
November 3, 2009 1:26am CST
There are some people with the innate talent of a photographic memory. And they sure are able to rip a darn good lot of benefits from it. From remembering loads of information that are especially useful in rote learning and exam regurgitation to impressing friends and family with spurting out endless lists of facts and figures. And it is also said that people with photographic memory are able to read faster, process and retain the information they read better. For those who do not have the natural talent of a photographic memory, there are loads of programs in the market available that claims that photographic memory can be trained. My question is, can it really be trained? Has anyone of you ever tried those memory programs? Did you attain a photographic memory after that? Or did you know of anyone who tried and successfully gained a photographic memory?
2 people like this
10 responses
@kun2349 (23381)
• Singapore
4 Nov 09
Photographic memory definitely can be trained.. hehe ^_^ IT's just a matter of how we use our brains.. For those professionals, they are using their brains in two ways, making use of both right and left.. Such as using left for numbers, and right for directions etc.. While most of us, are only using our right or left, very seldom we are using both.. hehe ^_^ I do admit i have good memory, but it's not photographic.. lol =D Sometimes, things depends on our genres as well ^_^
@ahgong (10064)
• Singapore
9 Nov 09
Yeah... that is what is written in most memory literature you find online. I am wondering, if it is possible to make it such that you can maximize the potential of your mind! From photographic memory to ESP to... who knows what other capabilities the mind is able to have? It would be great to be able to master the techniques to make the mind photographic as a starting point.
@ahgong (10064)
• Singapore
10 Nov 09
Huh? I have done that test before. How is that related to whether you have photographic memory or not?
@kun2349 (23381)
• Singapore
10 Nov 09
IT's definitely possible.. U can try one simple test though, to know if u are able to do it.. haha =D With your right palm tapping on right knee and left fist tapping on left knee, both continously, before u suddenly change the action of both hands, with right palm become right fist, and left fist becoming left palm.. lol =D
1 person likes this
@rsa101 (37952)
• Philippines
3 Nov 09
I have never seen a program that would train our minds to become photographic. I am curios about that program as my mind is slowly slowing down already because of age and stress. But in as far as I know this skill is inherited from genes and cannot just be achieved via training or any program that would make you brain remember easily. although I have some exercises that would make you remind or recall memories you have stored in your mind but that is not a full proof that you would make it a photographic memory.
1 person likes this
@rsa101 (37952)
• Philippines
9 Nov 09
I wonder about it too because most people I know that have that ability are really bright people in their early years and they did not go through training or exercises. It just got into them and I think they were lucky about having it. I have seen that he was really reading dictionary and he was able to easily memorize definitions of words in that book. It was really an amazing skill he had that no one in our batch was able to do.
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@ahgong (10064)
• Singapore
10 Nov 09
Wow... reading a dictionary and then regurgitating it? Ha ha ha ha ha... that would have been a really nice ice breaker for any situations. Some people are just born lucky eh?
@ahgong (10064)
• Singapore
9 Nov 09
Well, there were a few programs that I could remember from network shopping. One of them was the kevin tredueu (hope I got the name right) program. Then there was another one... erm... I thing it was Harry Lorraine Mind Map or something. I wonder, those who bought the program ever got the photographic memory after going thru the programs.
1 person likes this
@applefreak (3130)
• Singapore
7 Nov 09
I won't say I have a photographic memory. People around me are used to my forgetfulness. However, I remember information about things I'm interested in. I can recall the result of a medical research published in the newspaper from years ago. That is if the information is of interest to me. I guess we all are able to remember things that interests us.
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@ahgong (10064)
• Singapore
9 Nov 09
I am sure with photographic memory, we will also be getting rid of unwanted information. The mind is a wonderful miracle. And if you can make it even better than it already is, that would be great! Imagine all the wonderful things you can do with a photographic memory!
• Philippines
4 Nov 09
Those who have photographic memories are gifted. Only few have these gifts. I believe it's innate and can be enhanced through practice. . . I have no plans of exerting extra effort to make my memory photographic. I am already thankful for what i have right now.
1 person likes this
@ahgong (10064)
• Singapore
9 Nov 09
Ah... I see what you mean. But why not want a gift if the gift can be useful? If I can find the method to train my mind to be photographic, I sure would want to put in the effort to make my mind photographic!
@solared (1207)
• United States
3 Nov 09
I have a excellent memory, while it is a blessing it is also a burden, because something you wanna forget and you just can't you remember every little detail.
@ahgong (10064)
• Singapore
9 Nov 09
Hmm... this is the first time I hear of people complaining about having photographic memory. Interesting. I have never seen it from that perspective before. But the pros of having a photographic memory, or in your case, excellent memory, out weighs the cons. No?
• United States
4 Nov 09
i have a habit of not remembering things till i vision or photographic image is depected then i can usually remember the situation that and names i gotta see a face to rememeber people i dont see on a regular basis
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@ahgong (10064)
• Singapore
9 Nov 09
Ah... another visual person! At least you still can remember the name when you have a visual. I can have the visual, remember when and where we met, but still have no idea what the name is! And it can be really frustrating at times.
@samson1967 (7414)
• India
3 Nov 09
I aam a traveller and nature from past three decades,I can remember the good pictures, which I saw in real till the end. Some times to my surprise, I even imagine the picture of the new place, which I am yet to see...Be natural...
1 person likes this
@ahgong (10064)
• Singapore
9 Nov 09
Yeah, I tend to remember visual stuff too. But when it comes to words, or other non-visual stuff, I can never remember them well. It is always a vague memory. Or a flash that I did something somewhere sometime ago. If only I could remember other stuff as well as the visual stuff. That will be way cool!
@cher913 (25782)
• Canada
3 Nov 09
i sure wish i was that lucky to have that type of memory. everything i have had to memorize i have had to study forever! i am pretty good at visualizing things though, but that could be because i am pretty creative.
1 person likes this
@ahgong (10064)
• Singapore
9 Nov 09
ha ha ha ha ha... so you are a visual person too! Yeah... it would be really cool to have a photographic memory, doesn't it? Then we could read so much more and retain so much more knowledge! I wonder, if it is possible to train the brain to be photographic!
• Brisbane, Australia
3 Nov 09
I do not know if photographic memory is concerned with your study habits or education related queries in form of exams and all but yes, I accept that I do have photographic memory which is related to places I have visited or people I have met or seen in my life even though some incidents which I do not try to keep it in mind or to remember it but just a one hint or sign reminds me whole things exactly same. I do not take studies as photographic memory because it is process of knowledge you adapting and learning for your own benefit or education purpose.
1 person likes this
@ahgong (10064)
• Singapore
9 Nov 09
Nah... nothing to do with study habits. Just wondering if photographic memory can be trained. Or is it only given by nature to a selected few! It would be cool to have photographic memory!
• United States
3 Nov 09
Photographic memory can be trained, but only under certain conditions. I was born with it, but I lose it as I got older (I'm only 18) - But I used to be able to remember every single little detail about my day. Makes me kinda sad that it's gone but hey, life goes on.
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@ahgong (10064)
• Singapore
9 Nov 09
Really? Under certain conditions photographic memory can be trained? What are these conditions you mentioned? Is it easy to train your mind to be photographic? How long does it take to train the mind? How often do we need to train in order to keep that photographic memory?