O L I V I A  B R A C L E Y

Storytelling is a very personal way to get insight into someone’s life. Because stories are so personal, it can be very hard to tell them in a traditional way. Music is a powerful way to tell a story without using verbal language. Music can tell stories through the instrument being played, changes in tempo, note duration, accents, the use of crescendos and decrescendos, and so much more. A happy story could be told using a ukulele and and an upbeat tempo whereas a sad story could be told using a violin, longer notes, and a slower tempo.

My idea for this photo is to tell a story through music. The model of the photo is in the process of writing their story as shown through the action of writing notes on sheet music while playing the guitar. The body language of the model is important because it helps convey the idea that she is in the process of writing a song. She is leaned over the guitar like she has just played something beautiful and she needs to write it down before she forgets it. It is important that the model is writing down music notes rather than lyrics because it solidifies the idea that music is another language that can be used to tell a story. I made the environment of the photo a bedroom because bedrooms are a very personal space. It is usually one of the only places a person can have to themselves, which is why it is a perfect place to be writing their personal story.