Why I Listen to Music While Photographing #9

Light, rhythm, and the silence I choose.

For those who know me, it’s no secret:
I love music.

I grew up playing drums and guitar – and ever since I was a kid, music has been everything to me.
I rarely leave the house without headphones.
And that doesn’t change when I pick up a camera.

In fact, listening to music is one of my favorite ways to focus while photographing.

Some might ask, “Isn’t it distracting?”
Or even “Doesn’t it disconnect you from your surroundings?”

Yes. That’s exactly the point.

With noise-cancelling headphones, I don’t hear anything else.
No traffic. No small talk. No construction noise.
Just the frame in front of me, the light, and my thoughts.

It’s not about isolation.
It’s about clarity.
About creating a space where everything else fades.

What kind of music do I listen to?
Almost everything.
Wherever the mood takes me.

Of course, my musical home is somewhere between indie and alternative rock.
But when I’m out shooting, I often find myself listening to classical music.
Nothing too heavy – I’m no expert –
but Mozart, Beethoven, or Strauss can shift something in me.

Especially in places like Salzburg,
Mozart feels like part of the light.

If photography is about presence,
music is the rhythm that carries me into it.

Salzburg, Austria 2024