When I first started brainstorming for this assignment, I was sitting in my backyard where I often drink my coffee and read in the morning trying to come up with an idea for an image and some audio that would tell a story or create a scene. Then I realized the answer was right in front of me, sitting under the palm trees in my backyard, listening to the wind chimes. My backyard has always been my happy place because of the views and sounds that make it so peaceful, so this is my attempt to recreate that. It’s not the same without the smell of coffee, but it’s a close second!
What is your general reaction to the image and audio selected? I love how simple of an approach you took. I’m starting to wonder if maybe I overthought this assignment! The image looking up at the palm-trees made me feel as if I could have been laying in a hammock in the back hard looking up at the sky, listening to the sound of the wind chimes.
What meanings are conveyed by the image and the audio when viewed separately (each on its own) vs. combined together? Does the sound enhance, alter, and/or transform the meaning/s of the image? If so, explain the effect. The image of palm trees seems to portray quiet, peace, and solitude to me. As for the audio, this might be a regional barrier of understanding, but when I think of wind chimes I think of dawn, dusk, or night. In the north that is when I usually hear them. When you described the picture and audio with your text however, the image and text together make complete sense and work beautifully. I am able to picture myself in that space if I close my eyes.
What other audio choices can you think of that might create interesting or unexpected meanings when combined with the image? The sound of the ocean, a bustling urban city, hurricane winds, or music including something like the pan flute would be interesting.
I love the quiet breezy feeling of the palm trees mixed with the wind chimes. I can almost close my eyes and picture both the palm fronds and the wind chimes moving in the same breeze. Your imagery is brief but evocative. It sounds like your backyard is a haven: a cup of coffee under palm trees. I can’t even imagine, since my backyard is chaos with the neighbors’ new dog; I don’t think I’ve been in my backyard for more than 5 minutes in the last 6 months, let alone long enough to enjoy it! I think I like the idea of your backyard much better!
Hi Delanie! Great job on this week’s Media Lab. As a Floridian, I love the photo you selected. Additionally, I thought your audio paired very well with your photo and really did depict or give the feel of relaxing in the backyard. It also reminded me of being on a swing in the backyard as a child. This picture could be used to depict many things (i.e., Florida tourism and beaches or nightlife). But because of your sound selection, your entire blog post was transformed.
Had you utilized ukulele music or more beach music, the feeling of being in the backyard would be lost. Great selection!