How many times, out of the blue, do you feel a rush of happiness, or suddenly you are plunged into sadness? It may be that without being entirely aware, you were listening to a song that sparked these emotions.
Music plays havoc on your emotional compass and can influence a wide variety of daily life activities; one of these is photography. We might never have equated sounds with still images, but the composition of the images can vary according to the music you are listening to while you capture or edit them. The music you listen to has a direct impact on the way you see the world. Don’t believe this? Look at the following examples.
We might believe that creative and artistic expressions are free from influence, almost divine in the way they touch artists. We have discovered that this is not the case: an artist is heavily impacted by their context, their feelings, and moods. For instance, if someone is depressed, it will be harder to paint a jolly landscape because no matter how hard they stare at the canvas, their perspective will be colored by their emotions, and this melancholy will be seen on the paint and resulting brushstrokes.
Diverse scientific studies have proven the influence music has over artistic activities, especially photographers whose job is to capture fleeting moments. To prove this inextricable link, the photographer Jay Yeager points out that depending on the music he is listening to, his photographs acquire a unique pattern. He shares two photographic series whose only difference is the music he was listening to in the time of their creation.
The music theme that inspired Yeager for this first series is the following:
For Yeager, the photographs previously shown are influenced unconsciously by this song. We suggest you listen to this song, and as you see every picture, try to imagine the source of inspiration that drives Yeager. Look at the colors, shapes, settings, and even the attitude of the subjects that appear in the compositions.
The second series were influenced by the following theme:
Each image can tell you how it is related to a song. There is a direct correlation between the heartbeat and the music we listen to. Apparently, the former becomes in sync with the latter, so a slow heartbeat that is in tune with a soft melody creates a strong diastolic pressure, making our brain feel sad or depressed. On the other hand, a fast beat is related to excitement, and upbeat melodies can make us feel joy or love. The formula is simple: a minor key can sound sad, and a major key can be happy.
A study carried out by the University of Missouri was able to measure this relationship. Researchers asked a group of people to register their emotions after listening for two weeks a selection of songs that have a quick beat. Another group was offered medium key songs following the same instructions. The results showed that in just two weeks of listening to upbeat, happy music, a person’s mood could drastically change.
The influence of music on the brain is undeniable. A single song can increase our creative capacity and enable us to fashion truly complex pieces of art. Your favorite music can unleash the full potential of your imagination, so we suggest you listen to your favorite songs while painting, studying, writing, and even sleeping.
