This is a familiar scene for those who travel and stay in hotel rooms. The number will change from night to night but the scene is almost the same. My work as a flight attendant, has required me to sleep in hotel rooms somewhere between 10-13 nights a month. There have been times when I’ve awoken at night completely disoriented as to where I am. I have also stepped out of my room looking right then left, not sure which direction is the lobby. And, there have been many times I needed to look at my key to remember which room I was in. Those moments happen less and less as I accept this nomadic life.
While shooting film I was not one of those photographers who wrote down important information so when the slides came back I would find myself disoriented. I may like an image but I did not know what shutter speed I used or what aperture I used. I was bracketing almost everything looking for one good image and hopefully a few compliments to boost my ego. With the advent of the digital age and all the information we have immediately, I’m not so disoriented anymore. I no longer wonder what aperture or shutter speed I used. I can adjust right there and take another image. I’ve also learned to use those tools to create the images I want.
However, I must admit that every once in a while I still get disoriented in the field and have been known take a longer route back to my car and not by choice. 🙂 I took this image after I had stepped out of my hotel room to take my camera for a walk and looked both ways to orient myself. I giggled to my self and thought why not take a photo. So, this is really nothing more than a snapshot. I do hope you have a wonderful day and don’t get lost!
12 Comments
Ray Ketcham
I know the feeling although it happens to me at home. All in all that is not really a snapshot, there is an implied story, about the number or the door, I could spend an hr making up a scenario to work with this.
Nothing wrong with being lost, you get to see all new stuff.
QPB
I’ve been traveling an awful lot this year and last week, while flying back home, I thought about how disoriented and out of sync I felt and wondered how you did it as a flight attendant. I appreciate your attitude about living a nomadic life and kind of just leaning in to it!
As for the photo, I agree with Ray. I think it speaks volumes as a story, given what you do for a living. Reminds me a little of Paul’s post awhile back about whether or not a photo stands alone when it tells its story. In context of what we know about you and what you wrote, I think it says alot.
Have a good day!
Earl
Monte, this photo of your room number made me smile as I remembered something that occurred while I was taking photos in a botanical garden with my daughter.
After many photos of the beautiful plants and flowers I made the comment to her that I’d never remember all the names of these flowers when I downloaded the photo files. She looked at me funny and say, “Why don’t you take a photo of the name sign/card as you photograph each plant.” My face went totally blank as the reality of how “lost” I was at that moment dawned on me.
I appreciate how difficult it must be adapting to so frequent changes in location.
Steve Skinner
When I worked as a forester, it was way too easy to get disoriented in the woods on a foggy day and unfortunately the trees were not numbered!
Monte Stevens
@Ray: I agree with you so thanks for looking into that image rather than at it.
@Mary Ann: I had not realized the impact of this simple image and how it related to Paul’s post. All the traveling is one reason I enjoy my downtime, like walking my camera.
@Earl: I experienced the same epiphany while photographing in Inniswood Gardens. I focused so much on the shot itself I would get back and wonder what the heck this was or that was. Now I too take a photo of the sign. 🙂
@Steve: Yes, it is easy to get confused. I was surprised the first time I wandered into the desert. All the cactus look the same. Man was I quickly disoriented.
Rosane Walker
I can totally relate to this! I also travel a lot and sometimes hotels almost feel more comfortable than my own home.
I like your blog, it feels very open and real.
Monte Stevens
@Rosane: After a full day in and aircraft with people, the hotel room can be a place of solitude to re-energize, so I can do it all again the next day, 🙂
Thanks for stopping by and commenting.
Paul L.
Traveling can certainly be disorienting, though I’ve never traveled as much as you do! BTW, when’s your next trip to Savannah? 🙂
Here’s a link that you might find interesting. It is a book done by a fellow blogger, Douglas Stockdale. It’s called Insomnia: Hotel Noir. He travels a lot and made a photo book about the feeling that he gets while traveling so much. It’s a free preview. http://www.blurb.com/books/755171
Monte Stevens
@Paul: I couldn’t get the url to work for some reason but I will try again later. I had no overnights in Savannah for this month and don’t know my schedule for December yet. Is it nice to visit during the holiday season?
Paul
Monte: I’ve never been to Savannah during the holiday season. I might have to do that.
Gerald Hehl
Hi..I am reading your page for a few days now is there any way to subscribe by email
Monte Stevens
Hi, Gerald. I looked around and found a widget where people can subscribe via email and added it. Please check it out and see if it works. And, thanks for stopping by and leaving comments. Hope you enjoy it.