How do you visualize when reading

[DiapDealer]

Say that someone used to be able to visualize books (in the manner that many are describing) they were reading, but that somewhere along the way, they lost most of that ability. Do you think that ability could be "re-learned?" If so, what sort of techniques/exercises/meditation/drugs might be effective to that end, do you think? Do you think one would have to read that way exclusively? Or could one turn it on an off like a switch? You know ... read few books for pure escapist, movie-in-my-head fun and then read a book look like Pangolin mentioned that plays with words, language and/or allegory.

[FinancialWar]

When I read erotic books, my imagination skyrocket.

[soulfuldog]

I'm another of those who forms a mental picture of locations and characters in a book, but that's all. I just read, if I wanted to visualise a story, I'd watch a film?

I wonder if those of us who don't visualise action when reading are all rubbish at decorating? I love how people can think of a colour, or browse furniture in a shop and visualise how it would make their living room look, but I just can't do it!

[Katsunami]

Originally Posted by soulfuldog

I wonder if those of us who don't visualise action when reading are all rubbish at decorating? I love how people can think of a colour, or browse furniture in a shop and visualise how it would make their living room look, but I just can't do it!

You can learn this.

I have learned to see scenes in 18% grey, because I took pictures quite extensively between 2004 and 2010. Now, when looking at a scene, I can predict how a picture will look at "normal exposure" (= exposure meter in the middle).

I can then estimate how much the exposure needs (and can) be adjusted to obtain the picture I want without blowing out highlights, and blocking up shadows; I also already know what fixes will need to be made in post processing.

Working with a calibrated and profiled computer monitor taught me to see basically any color cast on any TV, monitor, or wherever. No specialty about that; it's just a matter of practice.

In the same way, you can practice visualization of objects described to you. At some point, you can visualize as fast as you're reading. Some people don't need to practice this; it's their normal modus operandi.

[Yolina]

Originally Posted by soulfuldog

if I wanted to visualise a story, I'd watch a film?

It's not that I particularly want to visualise the story, it's always happened automatically that way and I don't really like films because they leave no room for my imagination.

And yep to what Katsunami said. Any of us who work with images will just see exposure, colour casts etc. It simply becomes wired into your brain.

[DuskyRose]

Originally Posted by soulfuldog

I'm another of those who forms a mental picture of locations and characters in a book, but that's all. I just read, if I wanted to visualise a story, I'd watch a film?

Visualizing the action is not an option for me. When I can read without glitches, it just happens. If I'm reading so slowly that it doesn't happen, then I usually don't bother finishing the book, because it's not working for me.

Originally Posted by soulfuldog

I wonder if those of us who don't visualise action when reading are all rubbish at decorating? I love how people can think of a colour, or browse furniture in a shop and visualise how it would make their living room look, but I just can't do it!

I can't do it either. I'm horrible at decorating and matching colors. I also have no idea how to dress myself well. I guess if I cared I'd learn. But I hate clothes shopping. Hate shoe shopping. Hate having to have my hair done and don't mess with make up or nail polish. I'm not very 'girly' I guess. Good thing Dear Hubby loves me the way I am!

My dream room is being able to afford to pick out a whole room full of furniture out of a display at a store that has a lot of book shelves along the walls and have it delivered. That's as close to coordinated I'm ever going to get.

[Katsunami]

Originally Posted by DuskyRose

I can't do it either. I'm horrible at decorating and matching colors. I also have no idea how to dress myself well.

That doesn't matter.

But I hate clothes shopping. Hate shoe shopping. Hate having to have my hair done and don't mess with make up or nail polish. I'm not very 'girly' I guess. Good thing Dear Hubby loves me the way I am!

No clothes shopping! Great!
No shoes! Wonderful!
Not 5 hours in front of the mirror! Epic!
Not very girly! Awesome!
Married! Mèèèh.

Spoiler:

That was an open door that had to be kicked in. You asked for it

My dream room is being able to afford to pick out a whole room full of furniture out of a display at a store that has a lot of book shelves along the walls and have it delivered. That's as close to coordinated I'm ever going to get.

Ikea provides that possibility; no problem. They have showrooms that are fully decorated, at least in the Netherlands.

The problem is that you'll get the room delivered in about 18,271 parts.

[Catlady]

I don't visualize when reading, but I'm fine with visualizing how colors and styles go together when making decorating or clothing choices. If I see it, I retain the image. If I've got something at home that's a certain color, for example, I can go off to a store and find a match. What I can't do, though, is describe that color to someone else with any real specificity.

[FinancialWar]

yeah right...

It's impossible to read words without visualising.

[speakingtohe]

I visualise while reading but vaguely. Kind of like I can almost see it out of the corner of my eye.

For the movie thing I have tried it on a couple of books. Maybe it takes me a minute to read a page, and the most physical action is maybe a quarter but generally interspersed with description.

I tried to find a viable sequence of more than a second or two in this book
http://www.amazon.com/Old-Fox-Deceiv...der_B00BHHDMQE

Lots of action in this book and lots of description. But my brain just doesn't seem to want to spontaneously run 1 or 2 second video clips out of several pages of reading no matter how I try to make it.

Often I 'know' what a character looks like, often it hurts my head to try and get more than an impression. And not the authors fault.

When dreaming I dream in colour with basically a movie running in my head. I have ongoing progressive dreams and still remember vividly some dreams from childhood.

I have been trying to see how this can be translated to reading.

So how would one take a segment of a book, short or long and have a video running concurrently at more than an excruciatingly slow snails pace.

I read a lot of action packed mystery/fantasy/adventure and am missing the concept. How can a page or ten with no-one doing much physical be translated by my poor feeble brain into a video like experience. Sure the movie makers do it but they do the action in one go without all of those extra lines of description, thoughts and fellings entering into it.

Maybe I am missing the way it works. Do people see a running video throughout or just little spurts where you see a moment or two of action. I get the impression from the posts that it is an ongoing thing for many. Just zip through the book with constant video running in the brain.

Not saying I want to do this all the time but would like to do it once

Give me your recommendations for books that you read and have a video running while you do it please and I will give it a try.

Thank you
Helen

[Marcy]

Originally Posted by FinancialWar

yeah right...

It's impossible to read words without visualising.

Really? I manage to do it every day.

[FinancialWar]

Originally Posted by Marcy

Really? I manage to do it every day.

yeah sure.

When you see the word Jesus. Do you see a long hair man?

[jemc]

Originally Posted by FinancialWar

yeah sure.

When you see the word Jesus. Do you see a long hair man?

No. I see the word Jesus.

[FinancialWar]

Originally Posted by jemc

No. I see the word Jesus.

What about the word "breast"?

[jemc]

Originally Posted by FinancialWar

What about the word "breast"?

B-r-e-a-s-t.