Experiment with mobile photography in one of my favorite gardens.

I visited a familiar place, the Lan Su Chinese Garden. It was a cool and rainy middle of the day in the middle of the week. There weren't many people there. The moody atmosphere gave the garden a certain magic I'd never experienced before.

My Recording method was predetermined: I would use the camera in my phone. I randomly drew two Discover cards: Pattern and Sound. I slowly wandered the garden, seeking patterns of sound that could be visually explained. Rather than conducting a thorough inventory, I focused on the patterns that evoked the strongest emotional reactions.

Some sound patterns were easy to photograph: Raindrops splashing into the pond. Other patterns were impossible to record in the moment. For example, I couldn't photograph the juxtaposition of rain splashing on pebbles with a train whistle blowing in the distance. Of course, I could later dig up a photograph of a train. But it wouldn't be my photograph, and it wouldn't be right now. So I decided to caption each image immediately after taking it. With a few words, I could fill in those missing pieces, and share the full impact these sound patterns had on my experience of the garden.

So my basic routine became: Discover a sound pattern. Take a photograph. Choose an Instagram filter that best accentuates the pattern. Write a brief caption. Post immediately to Tumblr. Move on.

This was an immensely satisfying way of exploring a familiar place. I wasn't worried about seeing everything, and enjoyed the "treasure hunt" for sound patterns. It turns out that rainy days at Lan Su are full of rhythm and atmosphere!

Rhythms Made Visible

First Posted: January 21, 2012 by J. Havah Marx.

A treasure hunt for patterns of sound, inside a walled garden.