I've chosen to respond to "The Art of Instant Gratification" by Stephen Joel Trachtenberg. I chose it mainly because I'm interested in the evolution of picture taking, from early Kodak products to modern digital technology.
Trachtenberg's basic point is to compare modes of photography since it was debuted in the early 1800s. He puts emphasis on the notion of instant gratification. For instance, to get pictures from the first hand held Kodak in the early 1900s, you had to send in the entire camera back to the company and wait for them to return the pictures. Not exactly "instant." In the 1940s, with the invention of the polaroid, people could take a picture and wait barely a minute before having the picture in their hands. Now with digital photography, it is easy to snap a photo, put it on your computer and upload it to the internet for any to see, all within a couple minutes. It isn't really clear in the article whether or not Trachtenberg regards this as a positive development or a negative one, though I think it's more towards the latter when he says things like "What was once a religious mystery is now a technological wonder."
Are these ideas relevant to my practice as a media artist? Definetily. Film, especially independent film, is completely different today because of digital technology, and basically all of the films I've made and photographs I've taken have been digital.
Sunday, December 7, 2008
Wednesday, December 3, 2008
Video Hardware/Software Repsonses
The Olympus digital camera was simple and easy to use. There were very few settings, so most of the time it was really just point and shoot. It's not as good as my own personal digital camera, and it's definietly not as good as my video camera. Still, for this assignment, the ease of use came in handy, and I really didn't have any problems at all with it. My perfect camera would be just as easy to use as the Olympus, but with more features and more quality.
This is probably about the 10th or so video I've edited with Adobe Premiere. I was pretty rushed at the end of the assignment, and if I'd had more time I would have tried to take more advantage of the many features it comes with. I will definitely keep using it, as it is extremely easy to use.
This is probably about the 10th or so video I've edited with Adobe Premiere. I was pretty rushed at the end of the assignment, and if I'd had more time I would have tried to take more advantage of the many features it comes with. I will definitely keep using it, as it is extremely easy to use.
Monday, October 27, 2008
Audio Hardware/Software Response
Once I got the hand of soldering, the microphone building was pretty fun and pretty easy. The mics themselves worked very well, I never noticed any problems. I really don't know what my ideal setup would be... probably something really expensive?
The MiniDisc recorder on the other hand... My first one was fine, but the replacement I got simply didn't work. It would start out okay, but when I would press 'Stop' it would delete everything I had just recorded... no good. I eventually borrowed someone else's and I've now gotten a new one that works fine, so that's good. When the recorder works right it's fine, there's a couple things that could make it a little easier but it's mostly good.
I had used Audacity before, and I remembered how to do pretty much everything. I really barely used it though, just to try to get rid of some wind sound and that's pretty much it. It's definitely a good program though, and I'm sure I'll be using it again.
The MiniDisc recorder on the other hand... My first one was fine, but the replacement I got simply didn't work. It would start out okay, but when I would press 'Stop' it would delete everything I had just recorded... no good. I eventually borrowed someone else's and I've now gotten a new one that works fine, so that's good. When the recorder works right it's fine, there's a couple things that could make it a little easier but it's mostly good.
I had used Audacity before, and I remembered how to do pretty much everything. I really barely used it though, just to try to get rid of some wind sound and that's pretty much it. It's definitely a good program though, and I'm sure I'll be using it again.
Tuesday, October 21, 2008
10 Questions
1. How can I experiment with holding the microphones in two different places?
2. Will there be different types of noises during different times of the day?
3. Where could I record the least possible amount of noise?
4. Can I get to anyplace where there is little/no human involvement?
5. Will people get mad at me when I record and take pictures of them?
6. Where can I go to get a good echo?
7. Where can I go to get good nature sounds?
8. Can I find music anywhere?
9. I’ve been on ground level pretty much the whole time; can I find some way to get higher or lower?
10. Will I be able to avoid breaking/losing anything else?
Stay tuned…
2. Will there be different types of noises during different times of the day?
3. Where could I record the least possible amount of noise?
4. Can I get to anyplace where there is little/no human involvement?
5. Will people get mad at me when I record and take pictures of them?
6. Where can I go to get a good echo?
7. Where can I go to get good nature sounds?
8. Can I find music anywhere?
9. I’ve been on ground level pretty much the whole time; can I find some way to get higher or lower?
10. Will I be able to avoid breaking/losing anything else?
Stay tuned…
Drift 1 Response: It Could Have Been Worse
I had a pretty good time going out on my drifts. Besides the whole “dropping the MD recorder into
As for more positive moments, there were plenty. Two that really stick out for me are these: A couple sitting on a park bench by a fountain (they could see me, but I don’t think they knew I was recording them…). In the recording you couldn’t really hear what they were saying but you can make out the occasional phrase. The thing I really liked about this was how much it reminded me of how my parents talk to each other. The fountain in the background only added to the serenity of the scene. Unfortunately, this recording will never be heard, due to my clumsiness on wet rocks… Another moment I really enjoyed (and managed to keep) was when I found two wind chimes right next to each other, one making high pitched noises, one low. It really was a perfect sound, and I spent about 10 or 15 minutes there, experimenting with microphone placement and just listening to how the two chimes interacted with each other.
The main thing I was surprised about on my drifts was, simply, how much stuff there is all around us. You can really find interesting noises and sights anywhere you go. I also found myself getting more emotionally attached to what I was hearing, especially those two situations I talked about before. On a completely different note, another thing that surprised me was my ability to catch things as I slip and fall. Really, I could have lost a lot more then just the recorder (mainly Mitch’s $300 digital camera and my $150 headphones). So good for me.
My favorite part of the whole drift was definitely those two wind chimes. I really could have spent much longer there just listening to them, as long as the wind kept up.
Sunday, September 28, 2008
On a Clear Day...
Gary Ferrington’s article “On a Clear Day I Can Hear Forever” is the one writing that really connected with me. So many of the sounds he describes I can picture vividly: the garbage truck breaking the silence early in the morning, airplanes you can hear for 10 minutes because there are no other sounds to block it out, and the faraway sounds of children playing and train whistles. It is almost nostalgic for me, as many of these sounds remind me of the sounds I would hear back home in Saint Paul.
The article basically consists of Ferrington describing the noises and sounds he can hear from his house. He writes the article in present tense, describing sounds as he hears them, using phrases like “As I write this…” Ferrington describes these noises as positive things, even ones that many would consider annoying, like the early morning garbage truck. He says that, even if they might not be the most pleasant sounds, they are still a part of his city and neighborhood, and they should be accepted for that.
As a media artist, the main thing I take away from this is that I should always try to notice everything in what I’m doing, whether it be visual or audio. There are always different sounds and images all around us, and the more aware of those we are, the better off we’ll be.
The article basically consists of Ferrington describing the noises and sounds he can hear from his house. He writes the article in present tense, describing sounds as he hears them, using phrases like “As I write this…” Ferrington describes these noises as positive things, even ones that many would consider annoying, like the early morning garbage truck. He says that, even if they might not be the most pleasant sounds, they are still a part of his city and neighborhood, and they should be accepted for that.
As a media artist, the main thing I take away from this is that I should always try to notice everything in what I’m doing, whether it be visual or audio. There are always different sounds and images all around us, and the more aware of those we are, the better off we’ll be.
Sunday, September 14, 2008
Soundwalk 9/10
Were you able to find places and spaces where you could really listen?
Yes. Really, anywhere works well, as there are interesting noises pretty much anywhere you go. Outside of Mitchell Hall was very good as there was a good mix of natural sounds (birds, wind) and human/machine noises (talking, cars).
Was it possible to move without making a sound?
No. There is no way to be completely silent, even when not moving you're still breathing or making some other small noise.
What happened when you plugged your ears, and then unplugged them?
Right when I unplugged my ears, the sound was much more clear than it had been before. Things like wind and far away noises were briefly amplified.
In your sound log exercise, what types of sounds were you able to hear? List them.
Car engines, car doors, car brakes, buses, bus doors, that "PSH!" noise buses make, wind, talking, coughing, shouting, birds chirping, a truck beeping, motorcycle engine, airplanes, loud hip hop from a car, cicadas, a bird cawing, paper rustling, pens on paper, people breathing...
Were you able to differentiate between sounds that had a recognizable source and those sounds you could not place?
There weren't really any noises that I couldn't place. Some faraway sounds were harder to identify but I could pretty much tell what everything was.
Human sounds? Mechanical sounds? Natural sounds?
There was pretty much always talking going on, as well as laughing, coughing, and a little yelling. Mechanical sounds mostly came from cars and some building noises (a generator I think?) It was a windy day so that noise was pretty much around us all of the time. There were also a lot of birds chirping and cicada calls.
Were you able to detect subtleties in the everpresent drone?
Yes. Much of that "drone" came from wind and car noises, as well as the generator outside the union.
Extremely close sounds? Sounds coming from very far away?
Close sounds were mostly human made sounds from our group: breathing, paper rustling, pens writing, soft talking, footsteps, etc. Faraway sounds included airplanes, car engines and horns, and the occasional person yelling.
What kinds of wind effects were you able to detect (for example, the leaves of trees don't make sounds until they are activated by the wind)?
The wind was pretty much constant, so I could always hear it blowing through the leaves and grass. It also made some noises with the paper people were writing on.
Were you able to intervene in the urban landscape and create your own sounds by knocking on a resonant piece of metal, activating wind chimes, etc.?
We experimented with the echo in the paring garage (about 4 seconds) and with a metal railing on a walkway.
Do you feel you have a new understanding or appreciation of the sounds of our contemporary landscape/cityscape?
Yes. The only times I've ever really just sat and listened to the sounds around me have been in more natural settings, never in an urban area, so this was an interesting experience.
How do you think your soundwalk experience will affect your practice as a media artist, if at all?
I honestly don't know. I think it may help me become more aware of noises around me, especially that "everpresent drone." Time will tell, I guess...
Yes. Really, anywhere works well, as there are interesting noises pretty much anywhere you go. Outside of Mitchell Hall was very good as there was a good mix of natural sounds (birds, wind) and human/machine noises (talking, cars).
Was it possible to move without making a sound?
No. There is no way to be completely silent, even when not moving you're still breathing or making some other small noise.
What happened when you plugged your ears, and then unplugged them?
Right when I unplugged my ears, the sound was much more clear than it had been before. Things like wind and far away noises were briefly amplified.
In your sound log exercise, what types of sounds were you able to hear? List them.
Car engines, car doors, car brakes, buses, bus doors, that "PSH!" noise buses make, wind, talking, coughing, shouting, birds chirping, a truck beeping, motorcycle engine, airplanes, loud hip hop from a car, cicadas, a bird cawing, paper rustling, pens on paper, people breathing...
Were you able to differentiate between sounds that had a recognizable source and those sounds you could not place?
There weren't really any noises that I couldn't place. Some faraway sounds were harder to identify but I could pretty much tell what everything was.
Human sounds? Mechanical sounds? Natural sounds?
There was pretty much always talking going on, as well as laughing, coughing, and a little yelling. Mechanical sounds mostly came from cars and some building noises (a generator I think?) It was a windy day so that noise was pretty much around us all of the time. There were also a lot of birds chirping and cicada calls.
Were you able to detect subtleties in the everpresent drone?
Yes. Much of that "drone" came from wind and car noises, as well as the generator outside the union.
Extremely close sounds? Sounds coming from very far away?
Close sounds were mostly human made sounds from our group: breathing, paper rustling, pens writing, soft talking, footsteps, etc. Faraway sounds included airplanes, car engines and horns, and the occasional person yelling.
What kinds of wind effects were you able to detect (for example, the leaves of trees don't make sounds until they are activated by the wind)?
The wind was pretty much constant, so I could always hear it blowing through the leaves and grass. It also made some noises with the paper people were writing on.
Were you able to intervene in the urban landscape and create your own sounds by knocking on a resonant piece of metal, activating wind chimes, etc.?
We experimented with the echo in the paring garage (about 4 seconds) and with a metal railing on a walkway.
Do you feel you have a new understanding or appreciation of the sounds of our contemporary landscape/cityscape?
Yes. The only times I've ever really just sat and listened to the sounds around me have been in more natural settings, never in an urban area, so this was an interesting experience.
How do you think your soundwalk experience will affect your practice as a media artist, if at all?
I honestly don't know. I think it may help me become more aware of noises around me, especially that "everpresent drone." Time will tell, I guess...
Standard Introduction To Blog Post
My name's Gus and this is my blog. Woo. My real name's actually William but I have never been called that ever. I like Radiohead, David Lynch, and canoeing in the Arctic. I'll be blogging here about sound and other fun stuff.
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