I often find myself wanting to listen to a more peaceful, soulful music when I’m matting or framing my prints. When such a mood strikes me, I head to station 77 on XM radio – Audio Visions. The name of the station strikes me as interesting because of the use of the word “Visions” in its title.
I often read that photographers try to create imagery that has a musical sense about it. To make an image with a visual experience as palpable as that elicited by music is a great challenge. Some great photographers studied music before picking up a camera. How much of Ansel Adams’ success as a photographer can be attributed to the fact that he was also a gifted pianist?
So when I see a music station seemingly suggest that their music selection should elicit a visual experience, it makes me wonder. Does every artist try to elicit a response from senses not immediately involved with their medium? Smells and taste can powerfully evoke memories (a visual experience?). Writing can be so descriptive as to allow the reader to perfectly visualize a scene or even elicit a Pavlovian response. Then again, photographers talk about imagery that is poetic.
Maybe there is a certain insecurity artists have about their chosen mediums that make them want to test the success of their endeavor against the responses people have to other mediums? I don’t know. But I do find it intriguing how often those working in a certain medium discuss their work with vocabulary of other mediums.
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Certain music can have a visual quality to me in the sense that it elicits a sense or feeling that my brain will convert into imagery. Some music inspires a mental image of calm seas, some of horses running across a desert, etc., etc.
I believe there is a distinct link between photography and music, and I hope as I become a better guitar player, perhaps it will also permeate into some of my photography!
Love this shot Paul – absolutely mesmerizing.