What Is It Like To Have a Photographic Memory?

Two follow up questions: 1) Would it then be safe to conclude that Mozart probably had photographic memory, since he could remember a whole song just by listening to it once ? 2) Do people with photographic memory feel isolated, and if yes, do they suffer from it ? The author hinted at that, but I wonder if there is any kind of general trait there.

I had a somewhat atypical memory through early high school. Long story short: I was really, really good at memorizing books without trying to, and could recall them word-for-word, with essentially random access inside the book if you spotted me two sentences to work off of.

This also extended to remembering events/conversations/etc in my own life, and they often became "intrusive thoughts." Was anybody hear ever picked on in 3rd grade? Imagine reliving that incident, in photographic detail, for no darned good reason during an 8th grade field trip.

I was honestly happy/sad when I "grew out of it." Happy for the obvious reason, a little sad that I can no longer recite the entire Hobbit as a party trick. (It took me longer than you would think to figure out that this was not actually as effective as a party trick as I thought it was.)

My understanding is that there's many, many flavors of atypical memories. I have a friend from high school who also has one, also (like myself) in solution with a few other issues which will get you referred to a school counselor. He can still quote my drivers license number, which he saw for five seconds 15 years ago.

There's a higher level of photographic memory that very few people are capable of. Those that can call on demand images of the past at will. I've met one, and knew of a teacher who knew one. Like the author of this article stated. It can be a curse, nightmares and things they don't want to remember stick with them. Forever.

Although a lot of people also have really great memory, which can arguably said to be "somewhat photographic" as the author said. In which case, I do as well. I cannot agree that being able to walk through a previous scene with a bird's eye view is part of being photographic memory though. I think that as just powerful spatial visualization combined with good memory.

It is interesting. He is intelligent and has a very good grasp on reality, but does not seem to know himself very well. (e.g. not being able to control his thoughts and visualizations/memories)

It would be tremendous to master the self as well as reality -- then one could control his emotions and visuals, as well as channel it according to their will.

At least for me I would say yes. I know I can think of my grandmother's house and immediately smell it.