Ambient photographs

Abstract

Sounds are an integral part of our physical environment and psychological experience. In the context of recording, ambient sounds are defined as those which happen spontaneously without being consciously created for the recording. These can be both natural and man-made. Natural sounds include the sounds of the elements such as water, wind and rain, and of animals such as birds, insects and mammals. Man-made sounds include the noises made by people themselves, such as footsteps, speech and music, and the sound of technology such as traffic, machinery and television. The balance of natural and man-made sounds changes as we move across geographic and cultural boundaries, between rural and urban areas, and into and out of buildings. Ambient sounds in general may be growing louder and more artificial over time, with corresponding losses in natural sounds (Schafer 1977). In fact, each part of the world can be considered to have a soundscape as dynamic and fragile as its landscape and wildlife, and equally in need of protection and management (Schafer 1976).

“It definitely made you more aware of your sense of hearing and more aware of sounds... You had to think more about capturing the sound and taking a photo to go with it, rather than taking a photo and then the sound” (Debbie, audiocamera trial).