A Meaningful Moment Through a Meaning(less) Process
While I’ve been editing, selecting and working on the many rolls of processed films from my trips this year, I’ve been listening to a lot more ambient music.
This has partly been influenced by a friend that I’ve been sharing music with. And what has come out of this, is that I think the music I listen to, while I am editing and post-processing – going through the selection process, can have a massive influence on how things unfold and evolve during the birth of new images.
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I wouldn’t for one second assume that the music I’ve been listening to will be for everyone. But if you like ambient music – things like Brian Eno, Boards of Canada, Ulrich Schnauss, or film music from composers such as Thomas Newman, then you might like this piece of music by Stars of the Lid. I think they produce ambient-classical music :-) It has a floaty, dreamy quality to it that allows my mind to focus on what I’m doing in my digital-dark-room, while also obliterate out the real world for a few hours.
I find that listening to some kinds of music during the editing process can be a terrible distraction. I can’t for some reason listen to music with any spoken words in it. It just seems to pull me away from my own thoughts, which isn’t good – as I do believe that post editing requires a high-degree of self reflection, and inner dialog.
Highly repetitive music, as well as the floaty/dreamy music mentioned above – does seem to work for me. I think it’s because it has a hypnotic element to it – which I believe consumes the part of my conscious mind that can’t be quiet. I think repetitive music helps keep this part of my mind occupied, allowing the part of me that has zoned out, to remain in the creative flow that I’m hopefully experiencing.
I have to be aware of my thoughts, which often are only measured by my feelings. If the music is conducive to that, then it tends to help get me into the right creative zone. We all know what that zone is like – it’s when we’re no longer aware of where we are, of how much time is passing by, and all the distractions of every day life have gone. In that sense, it is very similar to the creative zone we experience when we are out in the landscape – time passes by, thoughts float freely away, and we’re left with an empty and calm mind that is ready to be occupied by one thing: the craft of picture making.
I always wondered when this album would show up on your blog. This album is one of the very best out there. One of the (many) reasons I like your work so much, is that your imagery “sounds” like the music off this album. Minimalist, spatial, balanced, uplifting, inspiring, contemplative are a few of the connections I see and hear.
I too am a huge fan of ambient music, especially when I am editing images, or doing just about anything for that matter. I find the lack of lyrics in music to facilitate a more personal and inward journey than when there are lyrics.
I’m glad to see you have discovered these artists, and I wonder if you too see the connection between them and your work, or if it’s just me ;-)
A few other ambient artists to have a look at that I find to be fantastic (and very similar to your photographs)
Jonsi and Alex. (absolutely perfect album)
Brian McBride “when the detail lost its freedom” -member from stars of the lid
Hammock “maybe they will sing for us tomorrow”
Just a few, but some of the better ones out there in my opinion…
If you like the album you posted, I think you will like these as well…especially jonsi and Alex.
Recently, I signed up for one of your workshops (Eigg in April) very excited! And hope to swap some other artists in this realm with you while out there ;-)
Take care
Comment by raynorcz — 26 August, 2012 @ 4:31 pm
Hi Raynorcz,
Many thanks for the posting. It’s much appreciated and glad to see you ‘get’ what I’m on about here.
I’m listening to Alex and Jonsi now. I’ll let you know what I think. But so far, it’s pretty good :-)
Also, many thanks for the very kind words and associations of my imagery to some of the music you listen to. That’s very special to head indeed.
Comment by Bruce Percy — 26 August, 2012 @ 5:07 pm
Totally has to be lyric free, words are a distraction, people pulling you into their world rather than giving you your own imaginary world to play in. There’s also stacks of research backing up the increased brain function from listening to non lyrical music.
I’ve always listened to music to get ‘into the zone’, starting from a young age. My parents always discouraged me studying whilst listening thinking it was a distraction. But without it every single noise would be a distraction, cars on the road, a telephone, even my own heart beating! The rhythm and repetition of music helps you phase out of this world and into another.
Whenever I am driving to a shoot I always listen to Sigur Ros, it really gets me going and is the epitome of what I’d hope to create in pictures. Ye it’s got lyrics but they’re Icelandic and more like another instrument rather than words. Joni and Alex, indeed anything from those guys is magic also.
Comment by Duncan Fawkes — 26 August, 2012 @ 8:25 pm
Hi Duncan,
I’m a Sigur Ros fan too, so it was interesting to find out about Alex and Jonsi today. I love Jonsi’s solo album.
I sometimes like silence though. I seem to be able to enjoy being at home and finding there is a peace, a stillness that is required sometimes, while I’m working on something.
But mostly, my life is filled with music. I think it helps keep us tuned in to our creative side. Music conjures up emotions and often imagery to match – all in the mind of course – and that is a powerful thing, because it aids us in visualising what we want from a landscape when we are there: often I get a strong sense of what I think the final image will be like, even before I’ve set up my tripod.
I think this kind of visualisation is due to dreaming, and dreaming has unfortunately been stamped out of most of us. I get clients on my workshops all the time express that they feel they’ve had their creative side of them stamped out of them because of the restrictions of their job. I can fully sympathise with them.
I’ve always needed ‘dream-time’. It allows me to balance myself. If I’m around too much stimulation, lots of noise, too many things to do – it can become overwhelming. I think photographers seek that space away from things, and they need that time to recalibrate their own self.
I think music is a terrific aid to relaxing, and opening up that creative part of our minds :-)
Comment by Bruce Percy — 26 August, 2012 @ 8:42 pm
I actually didn’t like Jonsi’s solo album. The opener, Go Do, jarred with me in a similar way to Gobbledigook on Með suð í eyrum við spilum endalaust which put me off listening to that for a period. But having revisited that album I love it (Ara Batur is gorgeous) and I listen to it often. So I should revisit Go.
Interestingly, though Takk is the most accessible and Hoppipolla will forever have a special place in my heart, it is their other albums that I return to constantly, where they create a strange musical soup of a landscape for you to swim in. Inni and Hvarf/Heim in particular I return to (and Inni still has Hoppipolla! :)).
If you haven’t, get their film Heima on blue ray, it is so very beautiful.
Anyway, totally agree with what you say, the music breeds ideas and imagination. Though it’s photography I’m drawn to, I do think music is the most powerful of the creative pursuits – it can drive emotion like nothing else. Music has driven me to tears on countless occasions in a way an image, a book or a film wouldn’t.
I agree with the quiet bit too. I tend to use quiet when I want to be super mindful of the present. When I’m shooting I don’t like to listen to music but take it all in. Similarly walking, or cycling or even standing at my semi rural train station waiting for the train to work I just listen to the birds singing. I only put the headphones on when I sit down on the train and everyone starts chatting :)
Music really is awesome.
(without wanting to destroy any cred I may have, I’ve also rediscovered James Horner’s Braveheart OST which I find highly evocative as a Scot :)).
Comment by Duncan Fawkes — 26 August, 2012 @ 10:00 pm
I love all the SOTL stuff, and particularly the two double albums. Well worth checking out The Dead Texan album as well, I’d rate it quite close also.
I guess you must also already know about Biosphere, but in case you haven’t, Substrata is one of the best ever ambient albums.
As other commenters have said, there’s certainly a lovely kind of synergy between your work as these ambient albums, a real treat to behold.
Mike
Comment by mike — 27 August, 2012 @ 4:45 pm
Hi raynorcz,
Right, I’m completely addicted to Alex & Jonsi now. The album has not stopped playing in my home since you told me about it. I think my favourite track is ‘Daniell In the Sea’.
Some of the other artists were less successful for me.
Have you tried John Foxx and Harold Budd’s collaborations?
Comment by Bruce Percy — 30 August, 2012 @ 8:41 pm