Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported (CC BY-SA 3.0 DEED) (Originally posted on Panoramio)
TW: Screaming
For this assignment, I wanted to combine image and sound in a referential way, but also to tell a new story. At first, I wanted to find an unsettling photo and pair it with some kind of spooky music, but that still felt a little too on the nose. My next thought was to pair some kind of nature imagery with human sounds (for example, a flock of flamingos and crowd noises). I decided to combine an image of penguins and the sounds of marching footsteps. It would be a bit of a spoof on the March of the Penguins documentary from about two decades ago.
As penguins typically waddle to their destinations, I found the mental imagery of penguin soldiers to be quite humorous. As I thought about the idea, I began to imagine what these penguins would be fighting for. Enraged by the activities of the human population, this Antarctic army would rise up to stop humans from contributing to climate change. Here, you can see the “invasion” pictured. The image itself reminded me of historical imagery of D-day and the soldiers storming the beaches of Normandy. By pairing it with this audio, you too can imagine the penguins charging into battle.
Hi Christopher! The selected image and audio were full of surprises. I believe the music transformed the meaning of the picture. When I looked at the image firstly, I felt it depicted a cute and heartwarming scene, with penguins lining up to walk ashore from the water. However, when I heard the music, it made me feel anxious and disturbed as if the penguins were expressing their anger and protest, marching towards a battle. Your description added a deeper layer to this interpretation. Human-induced climate change is undoubtedly harmful to animals, and it reminded me of Alfred Hitchcock’s movie “The Birds” which also tells a story of birds rebelling against humans. Your links and the quality of the photo are perfect! Apart from that, I thought a piece of sad and tragic music could also convey the sense of penguins’ habitat being destroyed and their forced relocation!
Oops! Please, disregard my comment on your “cropping” post: admin error. While I did not find the penguins menacing, the tidal-sized wave about deluge their shore was provocative, The size made me wonder if the image had been modified. hat and it has a glowing quality that seems surreal. That, of course, may be attributable to the latitude. The sound was definitely unsettling, even jarring. If you were attempting to create an aural feeling of what we can presume animals’ emotions might as they are facing climate change, you succeeded.
Mr. Rubio, this is hilarious. Before I read your post, I saw penguins running and screaming for their lives. The waves and the penguins appearing to climb with their beaks had me laughing out loud. However, after reading your explanation, I immediately imagined Sparta Soldiers running into battle. All that was missing were sword and stabbing noises. The concept you were going for is easily understandable, and you conveyed it well. Individually, the image of penguins coupled with the sounds of marching footsteps immediately sparked a humorous mental image. The contrast between the comical waddle of penguins and the serious connotation of marching creates an interesting tension. The choice of D-day imagery adds historical weight and significance to the visual element. When combined, the audio indeed transforms the meaning of the image. The screams of terror evoke a sense of urgency and intensity, turning the lighthearted penguin scene into a poignant commentary on climate change. Thinking about alternative audio choices, you might explore the impact of contrasting sounds, such as serene bird calls or calming waves. This could create an ironic twist, highlighting the disparity between the peaceful natural world and the urgency of the penguins’ mission.