I have always been drawn to taking pictures of the sunsets and admiring the beauty that paints the sky every evening. I was drawn to the Sunset in New Caledonia because it reminded me of how quiet it feels after coming home from a long day at work and school. The colors remind me of a warm, gentle summer evening at Cascades as the sun paints a pretty canvas before telling our side of the world goodnight.
After adding the audio, it felt as though my perspective of the picture changed. I then began to feel as if I was floating in the water on a warm, summer evening, laughing and playing with my friends and family. I could hear the calm movements of the water and the wind blowing everso slightly. The ambient sounds enhance the feeling of the world around the sunset and make me feel as if I were actually there. It began to feel less like a picture and more like a present moment in time.
Both the photograph and the audio tell a simple yet nostalgic story. It feels like the ending of a stressful day, when you are finally able to sit quietly and calm your mind before winding down. The audio then made the image feel more nostalgic and calming, like a shot of dopamine. The sound made the moment feel safer and more powerful rather than letting the image stand alone.
Citations:
Image: Sunset in New Caledonia by Iezalel Williams is licensed under Creative Commons CC0 1.0 Universal Public Domain Dedication.
Source: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Sunset_in_New_Caledonia.jpg
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/
Audio: A Positive And Inspiring Ambient by Muyo5438 is licensed under Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0).
Source: https://freesound.org/people/Muyo5438/sounds/714924/
License: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
Derivative Work License: A Sunset of Serenity by Destiny Rogers is licensed under a Creative Commons License.
Licensed under Creative Commons: Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (CC BY-SA 4.0)
Destiny! First of all, this was such a joy to read during this frigid weather. Second, I’m glad to know someone else shares my love for taking pictures of the sunset! That quiet moment you described after a long day of work or school is something I look forward to year-round, but I agree – nothing compares to a summer sunset. It reminds me of this quote I heard in high school: “The sunset is life’s way of saying, ‘Good job, you survived today. Here’s something pretty!’” I think your ambient music choice does a great job of adding a layer of nostalgia to the image. Even though sunsets are available to us every evening, there are some that stand out way more than others in my memory. I’ve found that elements like the music I was listening to, what I was wearing, and who I was with all add to capturing the magic of a sunset in my memories.
Destiny, I really enjoyed your choices for the image and the music. The reflection of the sun creates a line, drawing your eyes to the sunset. I was also intrigued by the monoliths (which I now think are trees?) on the right-hand side. I had to go to the source image and zoom way in to try to tell what they were, but they were a strong presence, witnessing the sun. The music choice honestly made me feel the same way you described, as though I were on the water, slowly rolling with the waves. It almost created an illusion that the water was actually moving in the photo as I listened to it. Together, they evoke a sense of movement, yet tranquility. I think the music choice enhanced your image; however, I wonder what it would be like if you were able to slow the repetitive beat down — would it create a more calming vision of the sunset?