is photograohic memory a thing that comes naturally(by birth), or can a person obtain it themselves?

Question

Can you get photographic memory by classes or proctive? Is the only way by birth? Im pretty sure that with enough practice u can get it but how???

Answer 1

it can just be natural, but i think you can develop it

Answer 2

While one cannot completely discount the possibility of a photographic memory, since there have been some very rare individuals with truly extraordinary powers of memory, those examples of outstanding memory that have been studied have all turned out to be due to the use of powerful memory strategies.

The lesson we can draw from most examples of "photographic memory" is that there are truly effective memory strategies, and anyone who wants to put in the requisite time and energy can achieve such a powerful memory. However, the point that most so-called "memory trainers" don't make, is that to achieve such levels of mastery requires a great deal of practice. Moreover, their accomplishments are specific to the memory task they have practiced. That is, achieving a high level of skill at remembering names doesn't mean you'll be any better at remembering things you've read, or things you have to do.

Practicing a particular strategy leads to skill at that strategy, it doesn't lead to a "good memory". There is no such thing as a good memory, and no such thing as a bad one. You may be good at remembering some things, and poor at remembering others.
References
Ericsson, K.A. (1985). Memory skill. Canadian Journal of Psychology, 39, 188-231.
Higbee, Kenneth L. Your memory. How it works and how to improve it. NY: Simon & Schuster, Inc., 1988.
Thompson, C. P., Cowan, T.M. & Frieman, J. Memory search by a memorist. Hillsdale, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum ***., 1993.
VR

Answer 3

The wikipedia article on photographic memory argues that it is inborn, in a tiny number of ordinary people, some autistic people and people suffering from synesthesia, where their senses are all linked in their minds, so that they both see and smell or hear colors, etc.

Something you might look at is an interesting book I read a few years ago called 'Drawing on the right side of the brain' (see link). It teaches the art of portrait drawing and sketching using a new observational technique that allows anyone to draw great looking portarits of people's faces, etc, with just a few days tuition. It worked for me. You might find that the close attention to detail and seeing people and objects the way an artist sees them might help you to memorise scenes. For example, instead of looking at someones lips and drawing stereotypical lips, you relax and very slowly draw the curves of the lips, their size in proportion to other facialt features, etc.

Paying attention to the relationships between things and not just the things themselves may help you to memorise things.

For example :-

How far down the head is the tip of the nose? 40%, 50%, 60%?

How dark are the lips in comparison to the skin of the cheeks?

What color are the blue eyes in comparison to other blue objects? Sky-blue? Grey like a wolf's eyes?

etc.

You can look for relationships of size and color and shape etc when sketching or memorising a country-cottage or city scene.

More conventional books and videos on drawing and painting are worth looking at too, or you could take an evening-class.

Answer 4

I'd say Photographic Memory is something determined by how much imagination you have. As I child, I wasn't too imaginative, but over time I used it a lot to 'watch' scenario's in my head. It's a cool/neat way of doing so. Just try visualizing things more often, and eventually it should give you visual memory!