Koyaanisqatsi

One of the things I like to do for fun is to walk around campus taking pictures of the exteriors (and occasionally interiors) of buildings. Yes, I know: I'm odd that way. But it makes me happy, so I do it.

On this particular morning, I was playing with some monochrome shots, having fun photographing scenes with lots of straight lines. And I took this one looking toward one of the entrances of the new Chemistry building just above Ritenour.

It's a favorite scene, and I have photographed it often, but somehow it hasn't made it to Blip until now. I enjoy playing with the light and the lines. There is usually something soothing about all of those orderly lines.

But on this day, I decided to do something different. So I've taken my standard shot and given it a little twist. I conjured up the word Koyaanisqatsi to go with it. Does the twisted version make you feel . . . uncomfortable? It does me, a little.

Koyaanisqatsi is a Hopi term that means "life out of balance." It is also the name of a 1983 film which I've never seen. The song to accompany this image is by Philip Glass: the title track of the film, Koyaanisqatsi.