August Assignment - Photograph a Motel or Hotel Room

August is vacation month in the northern hemisphere and many of you will be staying in a motel, hotel, pension or inn for at least one night.

Though motel rooms can be cookie cutter and banal, many photographers have found inspiration between the four white walls and heavy pile carpeting in these transitional spaces. Helmut Newton popularized the use of hotels in fashion photography. Some photographers even have a fetish for motels (caution: this link may not be appropriate for younger or more sensitive Photosig users).

The challenge is to find something different or a new way to see the room. You can use the room as a background for a portrait or just photograph the bath towels in the twilight. The important thing is to break to mold a bit.

Other ideas could be:

Portraits of the hotel staff in the hallways (be sure to tip!).

Self portraits in the mirror.

Look for a geometric composition in the elements of the room. This is a good example from another photo critique site.

If you are not going to be staying at a motel or hotel this month, you can do photos of hotel or motel lobbies or exteriors. I would most like to see interactions with rooms, but anything is potentially interesting.

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