Pictures mimic the human gaze more than most other visual arts. From the position of the camera, generally at eye level to the clarity of the image, what we might call photorealistic to differentiate it from a painting or CGI, photographs have a way of embedding themselves into our brains. Researchers at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology have found that certain elements can make one image more memorable than another.
This also works in reverse, as certain elements will actually ‘lower’ the importance of a picture in our mind. Mountains, trees, and the sky all seemed to decrease the probability that the research subject would retain the image for later. So sorry Tolkien enthusiasts, as important as nature is, our brains seem to prefer people, cars, and, for some reason, floors. This is in line with many of the pictures here, as most involve at least parts of a person or animals which we like to personify as ‘characters,’ in their own right.
While this might feel like it removes the magic of funny images, recent reviews of studies pertaining to what images our mind chooses to remember all indicate that it’s a pretty non-intuitive process. So our brains decide to take, for example, a picture of a girl with a banana in her nose or a heap of audio jacks all plugged together and retain it for reasons that scientists can’t actually understand. A nice part of being human is that we don’t need to understand something or its significance to enjoy it.
In fact, things we don’t quite understand or that we feel like we want more context about actually make certain images and visuals stand out. The MIT research paper found mountains, trees, and the sky negatively correlated with memory, most likely because most of us have a pretty good idea of what these things are. Mountains and the sky, famously, don’t change too much. One look and our brain has ‘resolved’ the picture. The same can be said for picturesque compositions of the sky or anything else your world-traveling friend is posting every other day.
Instead, these weird and funny pics really tickle our curiosity. What does that bear actually think about its plush toy and why does that golden can statue have such a massive arm? These questions compel us, cementing these pictures in our minds. In other words, an image is important because it raises questions. You’ve probably seen compilations like “pictures that need more context” or “images with a lot of stuff going on,” which all utilize this effect. So never sell your mind short, remember, it's a workaholic that would rather see a skateboard with fingerboards for wheels instead of a mountain vista.
Photographers, particularly ones who focus on nature, might be reading this and falling into despair. After all, who likes to learn that the focus of your profession is literally being blocked out by human memories? So here are some suggestions compiled by Scientific American to help protect your photography from becoming forgettable. Add a human, or at least try to get one in the frame. Preferably one moving around, since that seems to help our comprehension and retention. Human-scale objects are helpful as well, from cars to medium-sized bushes.
Travel photographers likely already know this. Sure, it's nice to make a pic of the Eiffel Tower just to have it, but there is always the knowledge that it’s one among thousands if not millions. Maybe you’ll do it at night, you might think. Wrong! It’s actually illegal, as its sparkling lights and decorations are protected by copyright. So it’s fine for your Instagram page, just don’t try to sell it. Travel photographers do let us see into countries and places most of us have never been but at the risk of allowing a foreigner with a camper to define the place.
