# Photography Ruins your Memory...



## pwp (Dec 10, 2013)

Here's an interesting piece to be taken with a grain of salt that suggests photographing an event may interfere with your memory of that event:
http://www.smh.com.au/lifestyle/life/taking-photos-interferes-with-memory-study-20131210-hv54b.html

I thought about it for a minute and I have to say I agree, though from a different context to the research results. In my work I've often photographed absolutely extraordinary people, many with international reputations across all sorts of professions and pursuits. This has often been a necessarily short session, frequently with a journalist/reporter and the interview and photos may have to be completed in 30 minutes. Afterwards people may ask me, "lucky you meeting that person, what are they like, what did they say...?" And because I have been so locked onto getting the shots, I realise my memory of the experience is flawed. Of course it's not always this way, but some great encounters certainly have left me with scant recollections because of the upfront pressure to come back with great shots.

You can extrapolate this out into all sorts of areas. For example on the home front, I see other parents at kids Christmas concerts so intent on getting video coverage of their child that they miss the magic of the moment completely. And so on. Food for thought as we head into Christmas and vacations.

-pw


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## AcutancePhotography (Dec 11, 2013)

I think I read something about that. ;D


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## eli452 (Dec 11, 2013)

pwp said:


> ...
> You can extrapolate this out into all sorts of areas. For example on the home front, I see other parents at kids Christmas concerts so intent on getting video coverage of their child that they miss the magic of the moment completely. And so on. Food for thought as we head into Christmas and vacations.
> -pw



One reason I shoot stills and not video as a tourist.
I once so a little boy walks his mother in the grand corridor of the Louver while she filmed, big great painting little screen.
On the other hand I'm soon 55 and many childhood memories are the ones in the pictures...
So watch the child, snap stills, buy the events DVD.


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## Marsu42 (Dec 11, 2013)

eli452 said:


> One reason I shoot stills and not video as a tourist.



+1, my tourist photography supports my memory and enhances it, while people doing video seem to see nothing of the original scenery because they have a camera in front of them most of the time.

I'm sure I would have forgotten far fewer nice moments in my life if digital photography had evolved earlier, allowing me to snap "markers" for free - often I don't shoot the "big picture", but small parts that have an emotional value for me and then trigger the memory of the wider circumstance.


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## cellomaster27 (Dec 11, 2013)

Marsu42 said:


> eli452 said:
> 
> 
> > One reason I shoot stills and not video as a tourist.
> ...



Both points make sense. Like me snapping a photo inside a bus on the way to Machu Picchu... Helps me to recall things better. Going on the dead road.. Snapping rather crappy shots but for the memory.. Or for if I died. Haha! I don't have the camera in front of me for very long unless it's appropriate to get a worthy shot. This is all with vacations and trips. Food, hotel, bus, airport, activities, shops, etc. not pictures that you may put up on flickr or Facebook but things that will help you to recall and cherish priceless memories. 

On the other hand, yes, if you're just shooting most of the time, you will miss out on a lot except for what you capture. Unless you're on the job, enjoy yourself more than just taking pictures. Yes memories come from pictures after the occasion but if photos/videos are all that you remember, might as well oogle google photos and save your money and time. Especially with family, spend time with them.. Maybe that means putting the camera down for a bit. Enjoy to remember moments!


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## Click (Dec 11, 2013)

AcutancePhotography said:


> I think I read something about that. ;D



;D ;D ;D


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## CR00 (Dec 11, 2013)

I guess those photographers in the research were taking jpeg pictures. I spend hours looking & editing my pictures and they help my ability to remember them better, plus I still have pictures to remind me years from now.


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## Botts (Dec 12, 2013)

Marsu42 said:


> eli452 said:
> 
> 
> > One reason I shoot stills and not video as a tourist.
> ...



I need to get better at the emotional value parts. I've started actively trying to think about what I want to shoot more now, and actually shoot less. This has really helped with remembering things. I've also started to try and experience things twice; with my camera in the bag the first time around. I used to be in the 1500-2500 shots in a 4 day trip range, now I'm in the 300-500 range (including bracketing).

I.e. the first time I rode the new Cars in Disneyland, I chose to keep the camera in the bag, and experience it all, then photograph it the next time I rode.

[quote author=the Article]"Research has suggested that the sheer volume and lack of organisation of digital photos for personal memories discourages many people from accessing and reminiscing about them. In order to remember, we have to access and interact with the photos, rather than just amass them," said Dr Henkel.
[/quote]

I always make an Aperture Photo Book after the vacation, I find this way I have an incentive to look back on my photos and share them with others in a format much more appealing than the slideshow.


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## candc (Dec 12, 2013)

For me its just the opposite. I always look and feel first and then take a photo if its something I want to photograph. By doing so I remember the exact moment even if I never look at the photo again. Just like making a list helps me remember what's on it even if I don't refer to it.


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## AcutancePhotography (Dec 12, 2013)

candc said:


> For me its just the opposite. I always look and feel first and then take a photo if its something I want to photograph.



Depending on the model, that can get you a slap in the face. ;D


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## Drizzt321 (Dec 12, 2013)

Snapping a few photos isn't bad, but when you constantly have a camera with you and shooting photos of everything it definitely gets in the way of enjoying the event/experience. I decided at last years Burning Man to leave my camera and venture forth without it, and it was by far a better experience. Sure, a ton of awesome photo opportunities existed, but I actually got to _experience_ them, instead of capturing them for later


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## Dylan777 (Dec 12, 2013)

Marsu42 said:


> eli452 said:
> 
> 
> > One reason I shoot stills and not video as a tourist.
> ...



+1 with Marsu42,
My wife and I got married in 2006. I wasn't really into photography at that time. I bought little Canon P&S camera at Samy's before our honeymoon trip in Hawaii. Occasionally, I look back at those pictures, all memories still there. I still feel the warm ocean, the wind, and the air through those photos. 

Sometime, it doesn't matter what type of camera you shoot it. Matter is to have a camera when it needs it


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## Arctic Photo (Dec 12, 2013)

I once met Mick Jagger. He came up to my table during a charity lunch as he knew a couple of women therw that worked for a charity org that he supported. I was the only man at the table. He greeted us with a 'Hello ladies!'. Had it been anyone else I might have objected. But he stayed a while and chatted to us all very graciously for a few minutes. Me and my wife didn't ask for an autograph or took any pictures. The moment is still there ten years later and it's a great story.

Having said that I still like to take pictures to document moments.

PWP, what you're talking about is a professional session where you're focusing on your work. I'm only a hobbyist, but have published and sold some work, during my portrait sessions I seldom remember details and what was said etc. as I've been focusing on what I'm doing.


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## Valvebounce (Dec 12, 2013)

Hi Folks.
We are on holiday, and were out today driving across Alston Moor, she spots a hawk hovering at the side of the road, I say it's too foggy to get a decent picture, she says we could just stop and watch!  : ;D

We did stop and watch for 5 mins until he / she vanished in the fog. A spectacular creature, a great moment but will probably cherish the preceding exchange more!

Cheers Graham.


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## Pandypix (Dec 14, 2013)

Hubby and I make an annual trip (pilgrimage) to Crescent Heads a surf spot north coast, NSW Australia. Not much around except school vacation time. 
This year we stayed two weeks, two long weeks of nil surf he was a bit grumpy, but I spent countless hours on top of the rocky headland watching
for humpback Whales and saw dozens while I waited for them to show there was a Sea Eagle family to watch for, if I did not have a reasonable lens on my 
camera I would have not seen as much of these wonderful animals. One look at these photos and I am right back on the headland salt breeze in my face.
Memory still works


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