Tag: photography

Photography and Neuropsychology: How Emotional Images Activate Memory and Imagination

by Tatiana Belova (Tanya Beloved)
Professional photographer, two-time winner of the “Best Photographs of Russia” competition, author of over 2000 family and individual sessions across the USA, Europe, and CIS countries. Featured in Forbes, USA Today, and other major publications.

California, USA

Website: https://tanyabeloved.com

A Glimpse That Lingers

When we look at a photograph that moves us — a child laughing in a puddle, a parent’s tearful smile, a portrait where someone meets our gaze so truthfully — something in our brain lights up. Not just metaphorically. In fMRI scans, the hippocampus (our memory hub), the amygdala (our emotion processor), and the visual cortex all flash into activity.

Photography doesn’t just show. It reactivates. It replays old memories, triggers new narratives, and even projects forward into imagined futures.

I have worked with over 2000 families and individuals across the U.S. and Europe, capturing more than portraits — I capture neural echoes. When people view their own images afterward, they often say, “I remember exactly what I felt.” And their bodies remember, too.

The Brain Behind the Lens

Neuropsychology tells us that emotionally charged images activate multiple systems:

  • Amygdala – for emotional tagging
  • Hippocampus – to link feelings with past experiences
  • Prefrontal Cortex – to interpret and assign meaning
  • Default Mode Network (DMN) – engaged in self-referential thinking and imagination

A photo, especially a personal photo, serves as a stimulus that ignites the entire memory-imagination-emotion triad. This is why family albums, personal portraits, and emotionally resonant visual stories feel so powerful — they are not passive. They are interactive stimuli for our inner world.

Visual Therapy, in Practice

In my sessions, I’ve often observed how clients begin narrating their life stories through a single image. A mother sees a photograph with her child and says, “This reminds me of how my mom used to hold me.” An elderly man holds a black-and-white photo I took and begins to cry — “I haven’t seen me like this in decades.”

This is not coincidence. This is cognitive-emotional activation.

I began incorporating soft guided reflection into my post-shoot viewing sessions. I ask: “What does this moment remind you of?”, “Do you see yourself differently here?”, “Where does this feeling live in your body?” Often, the answer opens not just memory — but healing.

Brain Zones Activated by Emotional Portraiture

Brain Region — Function

Visual Cortex — decoding visual detail
Amygdala — tagging emotional salience
Hippocampus — associating memory traces
Default Mode Network (DMN) — projecting identity, imagining self
Prefrontal Cortex — assigning narrative and value

Why Photographers Must Understand the Mind

In an era dominated by AI-generated images, authentic photography becomes a neurological anchor. AI can replicate a smile — but not the emotional resonance behind it. True photography speaks the language of the nervous system. It can soothe, evoke, reflect, or even disrupt — consciously and unconsciously.

Understanding this helps photographers move from technical creators to emotional translators. And it helps clients understand their images not just as “pictures,” but as emotional tools for self-knowledge.

Final Insight

Photographs are not just memories — they are maps of identity. They light up our minds like constellations. And in this light, we see not only who we were — but who we are becoming.

References

  • Kandel, E. (2012). The Age of Insight: The Quest to Understand the Unconscious in Art, Mind, and Brain.
  • LeDoux, J. (2015). Anxious: Using the Brain to Understand and Treat Fear and Anxiety.
  • Immordino-Yang, M. H. (2016). Emotions, Learning, and the Brain: Exploring the Educational Implications of Affective Neuroscience.
  • Schacter, D. L. (2021). The Seven Sins of Memory: How the Mind Forgets and Remembers.

Date: November 17, 2025

Unlocking the Potential of Off-Season Photography in Travel Marketing

In a digital landscape saturated with glossy travel photos and postcard-perfect moments, a new visual trend is emerging—off-season photography. This less conventional approach offers both aesthetic and strategic benefits, especially for destinations looking to differentiate themselves in a competitive tourism market.

Photo by Quang Nguyen Vinh on Pexels.com

Travel photography has long been a cornerstone of destination marketing. It helps shape traveler expectations, build emotional appeal, and convey a location’s story. However, much of today’s travel imagery relies on formulaic visuals: bright skies, iconic landmarks, and bustling scenes. While effective in establishing recognition, such images often fall short of generating lasting emotional impact.

According to an article on TravelDailyNews, off-season photography introduces a fresh perspective by showcasing destinations during periods of quiet and transition. This timing reveals a different side of places—more subtle, often more authentic, and deeply human.

The Artistic and Emotional Power of Stillness

By stepping away from the crowd, off-season visuals capture a mood rather than a moment. They highlight the poetry in emptiness, the glow of streetlights in early twilight, or the solitude of a mist-covered harbor. These images feel introspective, encouraging viewers to imagine themselves within the scene—not as tourists but as participants in everyday life.

This emotional depth makes off-season photography particularly compelling for travelers seeking meaningful and immersive experiences. In an era where authenticity is a primary driver for travel choices, showing a destination as it exists beyond peak tourism lends credibility and emotional pull to marketing campaigns.

Aligning with Contemporary Travel Trends

Modern travelers, particularly millennials and Gen Z, are increasingly motivated by the desire to explore less conventional paths. They seek uniqueness, local culture, and the opportunity to escape from tourist-heavy areas. Off-season visuals directly support this mindset, presenting destinations in a way that feels less commercial and more personal.

Furthermore, this approach contributes to the goals of sustainable tourism. Encouraging visits outside of high season helps reduce strain on infrastructure and the environment, while supporting local economies year-round. It also broadens the narrative of what a destination can offer, beyond its most popular months.

A Strategic Asset for Destination Marketing

From a marketing perspective, incorporating off-season photography allows tourism boards and agencies to diversify their content portfolio. These visuals add nuance to destination branding, offering alternatives to the standard high-season image sets that dominate brochures and social media.

More importantly, they can help redefine the identity of a place. By showcasing moments of quiet beauty and everyday charm, destinations can communicate values such as authenticity, introspection, and resilience. These attributes resonate well during periods of brand transition or repositioning.

Marketers who use off-season imagery often report improved engagement. Viewers are more likely to pause, reflect, and emotionally connect with images that feel honest and unexpected. This engagement is not just emotional—it’s also strategic, contributing to longer-term brand loyalty and trust.

Practical Considerations and Implementation

To effectively leverage off-season content, marketers should think in terms of narrative consistency rather than isolated shots. A well-edited series that explores mood, tone, and place-specific details can function as a visual essay. This kind of content is particularly effective for editorial publications, destination blogs, and trade presentations.

Flexibility is crucial. Conditions in the off-season are less predictable, but that unpredictability often gives rise to the most memorable images. A shift in weather or a spontaneous street scene can lead to content that feels alive and unrehearsed.

Another key advantage is exclusivity. Off-season photos are difficult to replicate, making them valuable long-term assets in a destination’s visual archive. Unlike stock imagery, these photos retain their uniqueness and narrative strength over time.

Conclusion

Off-season photography is more than a niche technique—it’s a shift in perspective that brings clarity, emotion, and authenticity to travel marketing. As travelers increasingly seek deeper connections and less curated experiences, this approach offers a powerful tool for standing out and telling richer, more meaningful stories.

Curious Facts about Victorian-Era Photography

Photography has progressed significantly. On occasion, it’s difficult to accept that high-contrast photos were the main sort accessible a few decades prior. These days, we have countless choices. Furthermore, we should refrain from discussing contemporary photography’s prevailing fashions like the selfie.

Photography has progressed significantly. On occasion, it's difficult to accept that high-contrast photos were the main sort accessible a few decades prior. These days, we have countless choices. Furthermore, we should refrain from discussing contemporary photography's prevailing fashions like the selfie. Yet, we need a restraining infrastructure on photography crazes. Individuals who lived when the camera was created appear to have would be wise to — and more bizarre — photography crazes than we do. Check here and learn more about animation: https://create.vista.com/features/background-remover/. Below are curious facts about Victorian-Era photography. 1. Postmortem Photography Postmortem photography was an unusual kind that affected live individuals taking pictures of the body of a dead family member. It was customary in the nineteenth and mid-twentieth hundreds of years. Photos were costly at that point, and most didn't take pictures throughout their lives. The main open door was after their demises. It was many times the main image of the departed individual. Postmortem photography was conceivable because a great many people passed on at home. Most pictures were of kids since baby mortality was high at that point. Before the image was taken, the youngsters were spruced up — once in a while, encompassed by blossoms and toys. Their moms even conveyed the children at times. The photos frequently looked as though the dead youngsters were snoozing. More established kids and grown-ups were set up with belts, pulleys, and switches. Some even remained as though they were alive. The eyes were, in many cases, glaringly apparent clues, and photographic artists sometimes added glass eyes to cause it to seem like the dead individual was checking the camera out. Considering that transportation was untrustworthy and dead individuals turned out to be solid following a couple of hours (called meticulousness Mortis), family members frequently sent for the photographic artist before the individual passed on. The picture takers occasionally showed up after thoroughness Mortis had set in. In any case, that was usually not an issue since they were pros at controlling firm cadavers. Postmortem photography gradually vanished as advances in medication made individuals live longer. More individuals likewise passed on in medical clinics rather than their homes. Cameras and photos got less expensive after some time, and many people had different pictures of themselves and their relatives. 2. Hidden Mother Photography Early photography had long openness times. The subject was expected to stay still for 30 seconds before an image could be taken. It is challenging to have a grown-up stand by and gaze at a camera for 30 seconds. It isn't easy to have a kid in such a position. For this reason, moms sometimes concealed behind the scenes while holding their kids set up. This was called hidden mother photography. Most moms covered themselves with garments to mix in with the foundation. Others were veiled as seats, backgrounds, drapes, or anything that would conceal them from showing up in the photo. 3. Smileless Photos Individuals seldom grinned in early photographs, particularly those taken during the nineteenth and mid-twentieth hundreds of years. There were a few explanations behind this. Early photography was viewed as an expansion of painting, and artworks should look regular. This implies that grinning and something besides a level look were not permitted. There was likewise after-death photography. As we previously referenced, pictures taken during postmortem meetings were often the main picture a family had of their late family member. The photos were expected to worship a dead individual — a characteristic look was the most preferred. Another explanation was the long openness seasons of early cameras. As we previously referenced, subjects were expected to stay still. This implied that they were expected to keep a solitary look to try not to wind up with a foggy mouth. Most subjects picked to have a face with a level look since it was the simplest to keep up with. Another explanation was the way that Victorians didn't grin. There was the inescapable conviction that main simpletons smiled. No one needed to be viewed as a dolt since they smiled in a photograph 4. Hand-Colored Photos Some nineteenth and mid-twentieth-century pictures appear in variety even though colored photography was idealized during the twentieth hundred years. How could this be? By laying out over photographs. Johann Baptist Isenring began the hand-hued photo craze when he covered up a high-contrast photograph with color and gum Arabic. A few different picture takers before long joined the prevailing fashion. A famous picture taker was Yokohama Matsusaburo, who served as a painter and lithographer. Matsusaburo made his previously hued photo during the 1860s and was eminent for his hand-colored pictures. Hand-colored photography arrived at its level toward the start of the twentieth 100 years yet passed on a quick demise when a stable variety of movies and variety prints opened up during the 1950s.

Yet, we need a restraining infrastructure on photography crazes. Individuals who lived when the camera was created appear to have would be wise to — and more bizarre — photography crazes than we do.

Below are curious facts about Victorian-Era photography. 

  1. Postmortem Photography

Postmortem photography was an unusual kind that affected live individuals taking pictures of the body of a dead family member. It was customary in the nineteenth and mid-twentieth hundreds of years.

Photos were costly at that point, and most didn’t take pictures throughout their lives. The main open door was after their demises. It was many times the main image of the departed individual.

Postmortem photography was conceivable because a great many people passed on at home. Most pictures were of kids since baby mortality was high at that point. 

Before the image was taken, the youngsters were spruced up — once in a while, encompassed by blossoms and toys. Their moms even conveyed the children at times. The photos frequently looked as though the dead youngsters were snoozing.

More established kids and grown-ups were set up with belts, pulleys, and switches. Some even remained as though they were alive. 

The eyes were, in many cases, glaringly apparent clues, and photographic artists sometimes added glass eyes to cause it to seem like the dead individual was checking the camera out.

Considering that transportation was untrustworthy and dead individuals turned out to be solid following a couple of hours (called meticulousness Mortis), family members frequently sent for the photographic artist before the individual passed on. 

The picture takers occasionally showed up after thoroughness Mortis had set in. In any case, that was usually not an issue since they were pros at controlling firm cadavers.

Postmortem photography gradually vanished as advances in medication made individuals live longer. 

More individuals likewise passed on in medical clinics rather than their homes. Cameras and photos got less expensive after some time, and many people had different pictures of themselves and their relatives.

  • Hidden Mother Photography

Early photography had long openness times. The subject was expected to stay still for 30 seconds before an image could be taken. It is challenging to have a grown-up stand by and gaze at a camera for 30 seconds. It isn’t easy to have a kid in such a position.

For this reason, moms sometimes concealed behind the scenes while holding their kids set up. This was called hidden mother photography. 

Most moms covered themselves with garments to mix in with the foundation. Others were veiled as seats, backgrounds, drapes, or anything that would conceal them from showing up in the photo.

  • Smileless Photos

Individuals seldom grinned in early photographs, particularly those taken during the nineteenth and mid-twentieth hundreds of years. There were a few explanations behind this. Early photography was viewed as an expansion of painting, and artworks should look regular. This implies that grinning and something besides a level look were not permitted.

There was likewise after-death photography. As we previously referenced, pictures taken during postmortem meetings were often the main picture a family had of their late family member. The photos were expected to worship a dead individual — a characteristic look was the most preferred.

Another explanation was the long openness seasons of early cameras. As we previously referenced, subjects were expected to stay still. This implied that they were expected to keep a solitary look to try not to wind up with a foggy mouth. 

Most subjects picked to have a face with a level look since it was the simplest to keep up with.

Another explanation was the way that Victorians didn’t grin. There was the inescapable conviction that main simpletons smiled. No one needed to be viewed as a dolt since they smiled in a photograph

  • Hand-Colored Photos

Some nineteenth and mid-twentieth-century pictures appear in variety even though colored photography was idealized during the twentieth hundred years. How could this be? By laying out over photographs.

Johann Baptist Isenring began the hand-hued photo craze when he covered up a high-contrast photograph with color and gum Arabic. 

A few different picture takers before long joined the prevailing fashion. A famous picture taker was Yokohama Matsusaburo, who served as a painter and lithographer.

Matsusaburo made his previously hued photo during the 1860s and was eminent for his hand-colored pictures. 

Hand-colored photography arrived at its level toward the start of the twentieth 100 years yet passed on a quick demise when a stable variety of movies and variety prints opened up during the 1950s.

Capturing the moments through the digital eye

We as a human, we’re born as a social creature who likes to connect, befriend them and share memories. Earlier, we usually jot them down into personal diary. However, people still prefer to write in a journal, but in the age of digitalisation, blogging is on the verge. The blog has several media like images, videos, and noteworthy to mention, “the camera” through which they capture it. Almost every digital device like the smartphone, digital cameras, DSLRs used for capturing moments and sharing them with friends, relatives and acquaintances. Even the cameras used for security purposes like home security, theft detection etc. We also heard about thermal imaging camera, IR camera used for scientific purposes, also by photographers for night scenes while filming a documentary or a show.

A girl with a camera.
A girl capturing an image through a camera

Why do we need a camera when we have eyes to see it? The camera can be a boon or bane, useful for creating history so that people can know more about us in the future generations, can work as a piece of prime evidence for and save lives. The camera can be bad for several reasons like privacy invasions, clicking pictures without permission. Many institutions, hospitals don’t allow to capture images/videos, and it’s a quite controversial and debatable topic. The camera supports us to visualise the scenes even after a decade or more, and when we look back at them, we can still feel the positive vibes.

An old camera on a desk.
A Black and Silver Film Camera

Every invention has an origin, the portable camera was first invented by Johann Zahn in 1685, although in 1814, Joseph Nicephore Niepce took eight hours to click the first photograph. Before many more camera like instruments has come into the picture, most of them were merely able to screen the image, even pinhole camera is one of the discoveries such made. Now, we can share it in digital format, make a fabulous endzone video, and apply filters where AI has played a significant role. We share the images and showcase our memories on social media, through emails and also physical printed with photo frame. Earlier, the old technologies used photographic plate or on the film, now due to advancement in science and technology, we use the electronic image sensor. You may have heard the term CMOS sensor, a semiconductor device used in imaging after the 1960s before that CCD image sensor as seen in earlier digital cameras.

We know a lot about its history, let’s see how the digital camera works. There are several patents, and you can see one of them below:

https://patents.google.com/patent/US4131919

Camera lens now is the key to imaging which helps to take images in milliseconds. In simple terms, most of the light around the lens is captured and focused on a single point resulting in a sharp image. Further, conversion into a digitised format takes place. There are numerous processes involved in a single shot of image captured. We can zoom in by moving the lens far from the camera sensor. The focal length is one of the key terms associated with the zooming. You may have seen DSLRs depicting the focal length of the lens, focal aperture. These are some of the few words in the world of photography.

A night shot for a camera lens.
A person holding a camera lens

Researchers from the Chalmers University of Technology in Sweden have devised a technology for ‘metasurfaces’, an artificial material with lots of interacting nanoparticles that can control light. They are working on this as the technology of the camera lens hasn’t changed for an extended period. You can read the publication mentioned below:

https://pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/acsphotonics.9b01809

Photography has a separate fanbase. Almost everyone loves capturing moments, maybe the happiest moment when you made your first steps or perhaps where you got grand success. The digital era keeps on growing and always kept us astonished.