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I love a great skyline!

As someone who loves to explore different skylines, I went on a search to find an incredible skyline shot (for free). Two of my all-time favorites are the iconic New York skyline and the picturesque Cincinnati skyline.

The image I ultimately selected of the New York skyline looked as though it were plucked from an action-packed superhero movie scene.
During my search for the skyline photo, I stumbled upon the selected audio file. It instantly reminded me of the classic television series “Knight Rider.”
I loved how seamlessly the audio file complemented the New York skyline photo. The image already had the essence of an action movie, and the accompanying MP3 felt like the perfect montage music for a thrilling action sequence.

CC Information

MP3

“skyline” by Andreas Verhamme is licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0.

Images

“Skyline – New York City, New York at night” by Trodel is licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0.

“Cincinnati Skyline” by PunkToad is licensed under CC BY 2.0.

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!

Greetings, fellow adventurers! Today, I invite you to join me on a virtual journey through an enchanting island filled with mysterious caves and echoes of a prehistoric past. Behold the captivating photograph that ignited my curiosity! A group of fearless souls embarking on a boating expedition through an island adorned with caves and high peaks. The play of light and shadow, the algae waters, and the looming caverns create an atmosphere that summons my inner explorer.

The island’s rugged terrain and hidden caves resemble one of my favorite iconic rides at Universal Studios, Jurassic Park. I wanted to add the resonating roars of dinosaurs to transport you to a realm where the line between fiction and reality blurs. Picture yourself gliding through the water, surrounded by the haunting calls of extinct creatures.

The fusion of visuals and sounds creates a multisensory adventure, enhancing the photo. The sound of flying insects harmonizing with distant roars would heighten any traveler with a sense of anxiety and fear. The island becomes a portal to a bygone era, where science fiction becomes a reality.

As we begin a new year, society is often overwhelmed with the pressure of making resolutions, plans for transformation, and large changes. I’ve reflected on this concept heavily this month with friends on the importance of giving our bodies and minds more grace during this time. When naturally, the winter season is a time for our bodies to find rest, stillness, and reflection.

As we look around us, we are in the thick of winter and everything comes back to life in the spring. So why do we try to perform as though it is spring or summer?  Each season has its unique purpose and rhythm, and I think it’s important to acknowledge this.

I enjoyed interpreting this photo as a portrayal of attempting to rest and relax while being surrounded by the harsh, blunt, and edged personality of winter. A simple reminder that we don’t need to rush into the new year and can gently make it to spring.

There’s no view quite like the desert sky. One of my favorite things about living in Arizona is the state’s efforts to decrease light pollution. We lead the world in dark sky locations, with twenty areas across the state specially designated for preserving the ability to observe the night sky. Light pollution negatively affects so many aspects of life, including the reproductive health of animals, the life cycles of plants, and even the health of humans. My city, Tucson, and the surrounding county of Pima have made great efforts to reduce light pollution in and around the city. Thanks to these efforts, Saguaro National Park – which lies on the outskirts of the city – has officially been designated as an “Urban Night Sky Place” by the International Dark Sky Association, one of only nine of these places in the world.

This photo of the Sonoroan Desert showcases the majesty of the night sky. The ethereal feeling of the accompanying audio enhances that celestial grandeur. As the music plays, it transports you to a cool desert night among the saguaros. Imagine the view of the stars in the photo moving slowly as the earth rotates, allowing you to view each constellation’s beauty.

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.

Jellyfish by Lennart Tange is licensed under CC BY 2.0 Deed

Distant Fantasy by Doxent Zsigmond is licensed under CC BY 3.0 Deed

I’ve spent a lot of the last three years thinking about exactly what I’d like to do and what it will take to do it! I’ve also spent a lot of the last three years consuming media, from books (three years ago I finished my BA in English), movies (the older the better), and even video games, which has inspired the image choice and fantastical score I’ve chosen today. The game itself isn’t important, but it contains a giant purple jellyfish you can summon when the chips are down to help you get through tough parts. The fact that this game and its predecessors don’t have a difficulty meter is unique in the current era, and adapting your style while encountering obstacles becomes not just encouraged but necessary. Much like life!Some games aren’t difficult enough to force people to do that, and there’s a place for easy, leisurely games as well. Some situations in life aren’t difficult enough to force us to change, and sometimes in life periods of respite are necessary too. Resting is important, but not resting too long on laurels.

On a more colorful note, I recently spoke with a friend who told me the retail establishment she worked at started pushing out purple in the last couple months. That made me think of design and marketing, and whether or not my recent reconnection with the regal color was a conscious decision or marketing manipulation. It also made me think of the symbolism behind colors and why artists and designers choose them to represent certain themes (for instance, purple is commonly used to represent poisonous characters).