Critique Welcomed Hotels

[Paul Lange]

As some of you may know I spend a lot of time in hotels, some more "interesting" than others. I always take my camera with me on trips in case I get a spare few hours to wonder around. Sometimes I don't but I do get to spend a fair amount of time in the hotel room. I have started to photographs them to try to portray the similarities and the differences. Although sometimes there can be big differences from country to country there are similarities too especially in hotel rooms.

These were taken in a governmental run airport hotel in Almaty, Kazakhstan. The building is from the soviet era and very much retains that air to it. I am still trying to work out if this idea is any good and I wanted to see if people get it. Please by all means tell me what you think of the photographs and if you think that they sum up the room by showing just small fragments of it.


_DSC1906.jpg by Paul R Lange, on Flickr



_DSC1912.jpg by Paul R Lange, on Flickr



_DSC1924.jpg by Paul R Lange, on Flickr



_DSC1915.jpg by Paul R Lange, on Flickr

 

[Glenn Clabo]

Paul...I get it...and I love it. These somewhat minimalistic shots tell the much larger tale of one who has traveled. I really...really like it. I want more.

 

[Darren Turner]

Brilliant Idea Paul, could make an amazing ongoing project. Living and working in a hotel i am VERY interested in following this series should you continue on with the project.

must say this place looks quite grim.........makes for excellent photos though

Daz

 

[Pete Askew]

I too think it is a great idea and it is, as you say, the details that really highlight the differences (especially in the chain hotels). And what a great start. Love the cable and the light under the curtain.

 

[Allan Batchelor]

Wonders if Paul is Pyscho.....that sure looks like bloody on that shower heed

I like them Pul it does give a sense of where the hotel is in the world of where these countries stand in the development stakes

 

[Paul Lange]

Thanks guys I have another small series from another Hotel in a place called Shymkent, also in Kazakhstan. I will post them soon. I have some others from hotels in other places but some in some hotels it is harder to get the idea to work and I'm not sure that I hit the nail on the head with those.

 

[Rob MacKillop]

I missed this thread, Paul. Good stuff. Just the tones alone speak of run down Eastern Block government-run buildings. Very good.

 

[Dan Cattermole]

Such a good idea Paul, very minimalistic alter really effective.
I think it makes it more interesting as the place is filthy, however, saying that, I also think it'd be just as effective compositionally if it was clean..... obviously.
Looking forward to seeing what else you have in store.

 

[Lesley Jones]

They remind me of a similar hotel I stayed in at the beginning and end of my trip to Mongolia. Also Russian in style, it used to have a warden at the end of every floor. I especially love the first two here

 

[Brian Moore]

Love the curtains shot, Paul! (Others too are excellent, but the curtains one is special.)

 

[Paul Lange]

Thank you for the comments I am glad people like them. I have been playing with the idea for some time now not sure whether it worked or not. It seems it does after all. Now I am left wondering why it took me so long to see.

 

[Glenn Clabo]

Paul...Stop wondering and get on the road and shooting.