07.22. | Musical Joy and Profile-Picture Panic at Haus der Musik!

After last week's museum adventure—which gave us roughly as much inspiration as an entire season of reality TV—we took over Vienna's Haus der Musik. More than twenty enthusiastic, mildly caffeine-dependent people gathered, and almost everyone had already survived at least one of our slightly mad photography expeditions.

So by the time we entered the museum, we already had a routine. Military precision? Well... perhaps more of a cheerful single-file line. But enthusiasm counts.

The first assignment? A treasure hunt.

Not for gold or diamonds, of course. We were hunting for corners, objects and moods that would make someone looking at the photograph immediately want to buy a museum ticket. Imagine an image that whispers very loudly: “Come here. You don't want to miss this noisy wonderland.”

Haus der Musik: Where Even the Toilet Could Have a Soundtrack by Bach

What exactly is Haus der Musik?

Imagine a place where sound becomes tangible and music seems to come at you from every direction. You don't simply look at exhibits; you experience sound.

You can move through interactive spaces where every step creates a new acoustic experience. You can discover how different instruments behave and how sound changes depending on frequency, space and perception. There is even a virtual conductor's podium where you can conduct the Vienna Philharmonic—or at least attempt to.

Be warned: if your conducting goes badly, the virtual musicians will make their displeasure quite clear.

And then there is the iconic musical staircase, where each step produces a note, as though Mozart himself were following you around.

In short, if you've ever wondered what it might feel like to have lunch in the middle of a symphony, this is a good place to start.

Profile-Picture Drama in the Spotlight

Once we had properly immersed ourselves in the world of sound, it was time for the “pair up and create together” section.

I gathered everyone on the next floor and introduced the real challenge: use the museum as a backdrop and portray one another as if each person were a major artist.

A few people had only changed their profile picture the week before, using a photograph so good that even grandma had congratulated them.

Now they faced a terrible dilemma: what if today's museum portrait turned out even better?

Pure drama. A severe outbreak of Nearly Perfect Profile Picture Syndrome.

Final Chord in the Café—and a Very Precise Prater Announcement

After we'd seen the exhibition and survived the profile-picture crisis, we moved to a nearby café, where the discussions, laughter and “what did YOU see?” debates continued.

The atmosphere was so good that, somewhere between the steam from the coffee and the smell of cake, next week's location was decided: the Prater amusement park.

Roller coasters, carousels and, quite possibly, the challenge of making an artistic photograph while falling through the air.

But first, let's look at the pictures. They tell the story better than I can.

Who managed the most “artistic” pose?

And whose profile picture is now in serious danger?

Part of the BANHALMI ecosystem

For the professional context and practical side of portrait photography, visit the BANHALMI professional website. Related art series, books and exhibitions are preserved in the BANHALMI ART archive.