I've been watching photography tutorials on YouTube for about two months now, but when I try to apply what I see, I forget it pretty quickly. What method works better for learning and actually remembering what you see in videos?
The problem is that most people end up with a notebook full of notes they never look at again, so even if you write everything down properly, if you don't go back to those notes in the next few days you'll forget it anyway. What actually works is doing the practice the same day you watch the video or the next day, and then doing it again a week later, even if it's just quickly. If you just pile up videos without actually getting your hands dirty and practicing, the information's gonna go straight in the trash.
I tend to forget things if I just watch them go by on the screen, so what works for me is constantly pausing and jotting down the key points while the video's running, then I practice that same day. With photography specifically, the best thing is to take a shot after each concept you understand instead of watching five videos straight without touching the camera, because retention really sticks when you connect the theory to the tangible result right away.
The thing is, videos are passive by nature, so even if you take notes or pause, if you don't do anything with that information within the next 48 hours you'll forget it anyway. What's worked for me is applying what you see while you're watching it: grab your camera during the video, try out the settings they're explaining, mess up in real time. Then, once you're done, go back to that same video a week later without touching the camera and see if you remember the logic behind what you were doing, not just the steps. Notes are fine but they're just support, not the solution; your memory muscle gets trained by doing, not writing.
When I first started following tutorials on something new, I had exactly the same problem - I'd watch a complete video, feel like I'd understood everything, and the next day I wouldn't remember anything. What changed for me was doing a small, minimal project right after each video, even if it was just something tiny: if I watched a tutorial on composition, I'd take a photo applying that same thing that same day. You don't need to wait to have the perfect setup or to understand everything - just apply the basics while it's still fresh in your head. Notes help, but if you don't use them within the next 48 hours they're pretty much useless; on the other hand, if you do something practical even just once, your brain anchors it way better. Combine that with going back to your notes a week later to refresh, and then it actually sticks.
Are you taking photos after watching each video or just consuming content? The thing nobody mentions is that you need to **do the exercise while the video is still fresh in your mind**, not wait until the next day. Pause, jot down the key idea in one line (don't write out whole paragraphs), and before you move on, grab your camera and try whatever you just saw, even if it's just a quick shot. The common mistake is thinking notes are enough - they're not. Your memory sticks when you connect theory with immediate action, not when you write it down. If you wait 48 hours to practice, you've already lost a big chunk of what you learned.
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