A Scenic World

I have a confession: I listen to songs on repeat. Not just a few times, either. When I like a song, I listen to it for days, even weeks on end. I’m convinced that nearly every roommate I have ever lived with has wanted to destroy my computer at some point to make the music stop. In my defense, I like to say that a good song is just as good the hundredth time as it was the first time I heard it. But somehow they disagree.

I wrote a couple of days ago, half-jokingly, that I hoped the song I was listening to at the time hadn’t unduly influenced my post-processing of the engagement photos of my friends. I say “half-jokingly” because God knows the music I listen to really does affect my photography, particularly with the 365 project - what kind of shot I want, what I want to wear, what expression I’ll have, what kind of mood will come across.

You see, I don’t really watch much television. Just Law and Order: Criminal Intent (the one with Vincent D’Onofrio) because of how deliciously far-fetched it is. I have a sick addiction to MTV’s Real World/Road Rules challenges. Top Chef and Project Runway anchor my week, since I know that one or the other will be on Wednesday nights year-round. And then there’s LOST…

But even with all of those shows, I only turn on my TV at most three times a week. And if I’m home, and the television isn’t on, then music is. When I find a song I like, I put it on repeat. I try to absorb the lyrics first, although those are just as easily read as heard. But for good songs, great songs, the music can have so many intricacies and subtleties that it’s impossible to take in all of that in one or two listens.

I wish I had started this blog at the beginning of my 365 project. So many of the photos have their underpinnings in songs. For instance, these three photos are what I like to think of as my “Delicate” series. The song, strangely enough, is from LOST. John had sent me the song, and I had a three-day period where this is all I listened to.

One night, I came home from work late, around midnight, and I put on my iPod, with this song on repeat. I poured a glass of cream soda and sat on my front porch with the intention of reading a bit. Instead, I never opened the book. I just sat there, with this little breeze blowing, and this song playing, and the stars twinkling overhead. I called it my LOST experience, and I made Mike Autry do it a few days later.

Since I didn’t have the foresight to start the 365 project and this blog at the same time, I’m going to be re-visiting some songs that have inspired me. Because really, one must give credit where credit is due.