The date is March 8th, 2020. I am currently on my senior year spring break volunteering in the great city of New Orleans when news of the Covid-19 virus starts making headlines. A weird energy started to develop within the city. Crowds of tourists still carried on as usual but the volunteer coordinators were frantically working with other coordinators trying to figure out a plan of action. Needless to say, no one knew what to do and what exactly this virus could do. A stay at home order was issued a few weeks later.
I went back to New Orleans in 2022 to see Elton John in concert. The once bustling tourist destination was quieter then it had the last time I was there. The pandemic had lingering effects on a city so reliant on tourism. The volunteer organization that I had previously worked with and which had been established right after Hurricane Katrina had taken an indefinite hiatus because of the pandemic.
My hope is that the city is starting to recover and get back to where it was before the pandemic hit. The suspenseful music contrasting with a lively image taken in the French Quarter is how I remember the start of the pandemic. The feeling of not knowing what will happen or how long we would be in lockdown is how I felt during those first few weeks. I think I will always remember being in New Orleans when the global pandemic started.
Hi Meagan!
What a great idea for this assignment! This definitely strikes me as a transformative combination. Alone, the image makes me think of lively festivities, while the music is incredibly ominous. Of course, I think the anecdote and title are necessary to really get the connection, but it’s a powerful post.
I’m not really sure what a great alternative audio would be, other than some jazz music that plays up the fact that it’s New Orleans. Likewise, all the formatting and links look good to me! A solid post!
I have visited New Orleans a few times so when looking at the imagine it makes me think of loud music, dancing, and fun, essentially a good time. The chosen sounds is very ominous. When combining the sound with the image, the image is transformed. The image and audio are opposites so when combine the image goes from a fun moment to a heavy and dark moment. An audio that could be combined with the image to create an interesting meaning is maybe the sound of a crowd of people cheering or even eary ghost sound effects. Since New Orleans is said to have a lot of old haunted buildings.
Hey Meagan! From your picture, I was expecting to hear New Orleans brass band style music (think Do Whatcha Wanna). Your image is very lively, but the music you chose has a very what’s-to-come/apocalyptic kind of vibe. It reminds me of when I lived in Louisiana, and Mardi Gras was just a month before the news broke out about Covid. We had no idea what was coming. One of my favorite places in New Orleans shut down during the pandemic and couldn’t open back up due to financial losses. I can only imagine how surreal it was to see the streets of NOLA empty, especially the French Quarter. This was a great post and made me do a little reflection.
Hi Meagan! I have a similar story to you! I was in London during my spring break and when the development of COVID-19 was getting more serious. You could feel a shift in the city about what to do. Saying that, I think your photo and audio work very well together to convey your idea.
When I first saw your photo, I thought the audio was going to be something with trumpets and a fun beat. However, your audio gives your photo a more ominous feel that perfectly conveys your story. It makes you think about the crowd of people as not just visiting, but also spreading germs and possible sickness.
When checking the links, the audio sent me to a 404 page that was unavailable. I don’t know if the audio was just taken down. Other than that, everything looks great. Great job!