Photographic memory

[Tha-Flash]

I'm wondering has anyone honestly actually developed a photographic memory or do u think you've had it since you were born?

I'm not talking about speed reading here. I'm talking about where you could look at a piece of information or data. Like a phone number (or something longer) for a few seconds and then remember it correctly.

[Champagne]

I've always been able to do that with certain things. I'm brilliant at memorizing phone numbers and will only remember it for as long as I need to (i.e. once I get to write it down somewhere I don't need it in my head anymore!).

I'm also good at remembering where things are. My boyfriend uses me for this all the time. He can never find anything and he knows that if he asks me I'll have a pretty good idea. It's as if my mind takes a photograph so I can picture where I last spotted something.

My mind also stores useless facts! I was watching QI the other week and there was a bonus question of 200 points if anyone could spot the link to 'cuttlefish'. It was so obscure that they thought nobody would get it. Then up pops a sepia photograph in the show and I shouted out, "Cuttlefish!". And I was correct!! It was a fact I'd obviously picked up from somewhere previously and the question prompted my mind to dig out this fact.

It's all very bizarre really.

[dot.hawkes]

I developed this type opf memory when I was studying for my GCEs, mahaged a grade 1 Geography because I had memorised all the maps and diagrams for the Rhur valley and The lancashire Plain,

Years later when i was tutoring family history, i was able to go through 20 2 hour sessions on 20 different topics and remember every fact and date, and i still have all that in my memory banks I think, when i first started and had to put the class plans together, I used so many sources that my memory seemed to kick in and I was able to relate the dates to the events.

[azif]

I drive quite a bit everyday and i've developed a keen eye for number plates. I can now remember plates and if I see them near my house and I see them again somewhere I can spot people from my area! Sad I know lol

[Tha-Flash]

Great responses.

I think it's all about how you put that info into your head so it's easier to retrieve.

I was interested in all this memory stuff along time ago when Derren Brown's Mind Control was being shown.. I uploaded the Casino, Blackjack one: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L1mweFSqACU :)

[kick3m0n]

interesting question Flash :o)
my good memory got me through school and uni with minimal effort it has to be said. It's not photographic, but I do recall things very easily. Now it seems my head is just full of useless info .... but, my recall is as good as ever. When I'm asked a question about something I should know, the answer literally pops into my head before I've really thought about it, and 99% of the time, I'm right. I just say what I see, as it were lol As you said champers, sometimes it's stuff I don't even know I know, but my brain's stored it away somewhere for later :o)
Unfortunately, my memory for 'things I need to do today' is shockingly poor, and I find myself writing lists and reminders these days. Funny how memory works really.

[Mr Tall]

I can't remember a thing - I recently rented the same DVD from your Video shop 3 times in a row, and I can't for the life of me remember what it is.

[isj032]

I'm not sure about having a 'photographic memory', i'd say i have a trained one... Try reading or downloading (Limewire:) a book by a man called Harry Lorayne, it is an interesting read if nothing else!