Why is this called One? Because it’s a project that started with one idea: Put one lens on one camera and go out one afternoon in search of one subject to photograph. Then, using only one purely analog synthesizer (capable of playing only one note at a time with but one oscillator), compose a complete score. Combine that score with the photos to create slightly over one minute’s worth of brow-furrowing trippy madness. Release it to the world on day one of the new year, and see if one person, somewhere, anywhere, actually enjoys the result…
One from grEGORy simpson on Vimeo.
ABOUT THESE PHOTOS: Everything was shot with an Olympus OM-D E-M1 using an Olympus 60mm macro lens. All sound design was done on an Arturia MiniBrute analog synthesizer, and recorded one-note-at-a-time into a multitrack recorder — old school, early-1970’s synth-pioneer style.
If you find these photos enjoyable or the articles beneficial, please consider making a DONATION to this site’s continuing evolution. As you’ve likely realized, ULTRAsomething is not an aggregator site — serious time and effort go into developing the original content contained within these virtual walls.
Very nice! Very strange!
Happy New Year!
Sir, thank you for the above creation! You are somewhat of a Borges in photography in regards to genious content as well as the mind tickling effects the works have on me. A great start of 2014!
Trippy? Indeed! And while I know next-to-nothing about making music, I can appreciate listening to it. I think the visual component is essential to making this work. Very cool! Thanks!
Hello egor
All the best for the new year and look forward to your words of wit and wisdom.
Works for me, with or without the visuals. Favorite section is 8 to 22 seconds.
Like the panning and fading.
Jason
This was fun.
Shall give away my age when I say that we used to do things like this when I was at school in the late 60’s and project the images at after school events to trippy soundtrack like early pink floyd saucerfull of secrets… I had just started doing real closeups and any failed exposures were just taken to chemistry lessons and eaten with chemicals and bunsen burner heat.
O happy days…
Caroline: Thanks for latching on to the retro vibe. It was certainly my desire that this piece evoke that sort of feeling — though I was definitely trying to channel Wendy Carlos and Isao Tomita more than Pink Floyd (this time, anyway). Oh, and kudos for actually remembering having been to those photo ‘happenings.’ I suspect many of your classmates might not.
Jason: Glad you liked those 14 seconds. I’ll see what I can do to increase the good bits to around 20 seconds next time.
Tom: Most of my vBooks would fail miserably as either stand-alone photos or stand-alone music. With each vBook, my goal is to find a new way of presenting photos & music, in combination, such that they support each other yet cannot exist without each other.
Emil, Christophe: Glad you enjoyed. Thanks for commenting.