Project: Experiencing Photos Beyond Sight

Why This Idea?

Photography has always been a big part of how I see the world. From framing shots to setting grids and making reels, I love capturing moments. Street photography, especially, fascinates me—so much emotion, so many stories in a single frame.

But photos are just still images. The emotions behind them—the warmth of the moment, the movement, the atmosphere—stay locked inside. I started wondering, what if we could truly experience a photo instead of just looking? Even if we could relive just a small part of that moment, wouldn’t that be something special?

How It Works?

Turning Photos Into Experiences
I love photography, but sometimes, a picture alone doesn’t feel like enough.

Turn Photos into Music – Colors and temperature in an image could generate sounds that match the mood. A warm sunset might have deep, rich tones, while a rainy street could create soft, airy melodies.

Make Memories Shift – Instead of staying still, photos could slowly glitch, fade, or change, just like memories do over time.

Feel a Photo’s Emotion – A connected device could provide vibrations or haptic feedback based on the mood—soft pulses for happy moments, deeper sensations for intense ones.

Who Would Use It?

1. Students & creatives – To experiment with photos how memories and emotions can be felt, in a different format.

2. Photographers & artists – A new way to showcase work where photos become immersive experiences.

3. Travelers & explorers – Could capture a place, animal, building, with sound making it interactive.

4. Storytellers & filmmakers – To add depth to narratives, making audiences feel moments rather than just see them.

5. People with visual impairments – A way to experience photos beyond sight, through music and vibrations.

6. Museums & exhibitions – A tool to bring history, processes, messages to common public life.

This is still a work in progress, but the goal is simple: photos shouldn’t just be looked at—they should be felt, heard, and experienced. These are some rough ideas I’m exploring—there’s still a lot to figure out, but they open up new ways to experience photography.

A. Music from Memories

Some photos feel warm and joyful, others quiet and calm. What if a photo could create music that matched its mood?

• A camera could detect colors and temperature in the image.

• Bright, warm-toned photos might generate deep, rich sounds, while cool, rainy scenes could produce soft, airy melodies.

• Each photo would have its own unique soundscape, turning a moment into music.

Still to explore: Mapping emotions to sounds accurately and deciding how much control users should have over the music.

B. Moving Pixels – A Memory That Shifts Over Time

Memories don’t stay sharp forever—they fade, change, and sometimes come back in flashes. What if photos worked the same way?

• Instead of a still image, the photo could turn into a shifting pixel mosaic.

• The pixels could glitch, fade, or move when touched or viewed in different ways.

Still to explore: What kind of interaction makes sense—should the pixels react based on time, touch, or something else?

C. Feeling the Memory Through Touch

Some moments are light and joyful, others heavy and intense. What if you could physically feel a photo’s emotion?

• A camera could analyze the emotional tone of a photo.

• A connected device (like a phone or wearable) could respond with vibrations matching the mood.

• A happy moment might feel like soft pulses, while a deeper, more intense memory could create stronger sensations.

Still to explore: The best way to translate emotion into touch and whether haptic feedback should be subtle or immersive.

Turning Photos Into Experiences

These are just rough ideas for now—a starting point for exploring how photography can go beyond just sight. There’s still a lot to figure out, from the technology to the user experience. But the goal remains the same: to make photos something you don’t just see, but truly experience.