Moments are key to great photojournalism. A photo with no moment has little meaning behind it.
The “decisive moment” does not always have to be the game-winning touchdown, or the crowd rushing Franklin Street after beating Duke at Coach K’s last home game. Moments are everywhere — all the time.
Students playing ultimate frisbee in the snow on the quad, your friend making the funniest joke you have ever heard, a child’s parents kissing them on the cheek as they say goodnight, opening the rejection letter from your dream school — these are all moments of value.
Moments can be tragic, spontaneous, joyful, silly or quiet. They can be incredibly private and personal, or public and extravagant. One thing that I love the most about photos is that they have the power to transport the viewer into these moment, allowing them to connect with a total stranger in a matter of seconds.
I always like to think that my eyes are connected directly to my heart. While I am out shooting, I feel what I see.
However, music evokes an intense variety of emotions that I cannot quite communicate in a still image. And photos cannot always do a moment justice, but the right song can.
To me, these songs are moments in and of themselves. Each one of the songs on this playlist is associated with a memory of mine, or it reminds me of a person, a place or feeling.
Even if I am just sitting in my room staring at the wall, opening Spotify and playing Hippo Campus can turn my boredom around. A quick car drive to the grocery store evolves into an expedition when “Live Well” by Palace blasts through the speakers — a song that reminds me of a road trip with my friends through the mountains, the autumn leaves of which were the most vivid I had ever seen.
I hope that listeners can use this playlist to create new moments like I've been able to.
