Getting into the rhythm of a new place after a long series of flights.
A PHOTOGRAPHER’S PERSPECTIVE.
The first day of any long distance journey is challenging, but I also feel it’s important for setting the tone of the rest of the trip. The following is a description of how I like to spend my first day in a new location to try and beat jet lag, dust off the cobwebs and settle into a new time zone. I’m no doctor — this is not a doctor’s advice — it’s just what seems to work for me.
I know everyone has their own tricks or techniques for avoiding jet lag, but I thought I’d share my typical routine for when I travel long distances. The best thing I’ve found is — no matter whether I got some sleep on the plane, no matter what time I arrive — don’t take a nap. My flights to Spain are typically overnight, arriving around 7:00 AM and I can seldom sleep on the flight. Still, once I board the plane, I switch my watch to my destination time and when I land, that’s the clock I’m on.
EXAMPLE: EGYPT 2009
As an example, I’ll share a bit from a trip I took to Egypt for a travel writers meeting in 2009. I think I arrived at my hotel in Cairo mid-afternoon. It had been a long trip for me from the central U.S. and I’m sure a nap sounded delightful at that moment, but I didn’t give in. I checked in with my meeting group to pick up my name tag, itinerary, etc. and ran into fellow photographer Chad Case. Chad had done a pre-tour which meant he’d already been in Egypt for a few days by the time I arrived. Seeing that he was a bit more acclimated and clear-headed than I was, I chose to head out on the streets with him to do a little exploratory photography.
The image at the top of this post is literally the first frame I shot after stepping out of the hotel and crossing the street to see this group of women having a bit of a party on a boat on the Nile.
This was frame #2:
Just a couple of guys working outside of a shop on Nile Corniche (I believe was the name of that busy street).
Are these great shots? No. Were they intended to be? Not really. Who knows, I might have taken the shot of the boat just to check to see if everything was working properly and my settings were correct. The point is that I was out moving around and exploring a bit. I find that if the sun is up and I’m somewhat active, I don’t register my lack of sleep so much. And I’m not constantly reminding myself of what time it is back home. I’m trying to get myself into the moment. When the sun does eventually go down, I try and keep my wits about me to eat some dinner (if I’m on an organized trip, this may well be mandatory anyway) and then go to bed. Hopefully to get a decent night’s sleep.
I should also mention that these first two images have never made it into my stock files. In fact, I don’t think I’ve ever even processed them until now beyond whatever batch processing I applied upon import.
The goal of these walks is not to make great photos. It’s about easing into a place. Getting some air. Starting to get the feel for the location. You might make a great shot — anything could happen — but it’s not critical.
Looking at my EXIF data, it appears that I only took my Nikon D300 and a 24-120 zoom lens on this walk. Again, I wasn’t out to shoot for a client. I was just getting my bearings and knocking the cobwebs off my brain. It’s better to travel light on these jaunts rather than haul a big bag around with you when you aren’t yet rested from the trip.
The following shot of the silhouetted bridge is one I had processed early on, but in that version I’d added a golden light to it, emulating a strong warming filter. For the sake of something different this time, I thought I’d try a black and white version.
If anyone knows what that road sign was indicating, I’d love to know.
There were actually some usable images starting to happen, despite my jet lag. Or maybe because of it? Sometimes I can think too much and decide some shots aren’t worth taking when maybe they actually were. I think it’s my old film days talking, telling me I’m spending money with each shutter click. But I’m not now with digital, and I’m trying to be a bit more experimental. If a shot doesn’t work, oh well.
Our route, to the best of my recollection, was Chad’s suggestion. He’d gotten into Cairo earlier and I think he may have scouted the area out a bit before I arrived. We walked south along the Nile until we reached the 6th of October bridge, where we crossed to the other side to where the minaret above was, then started back the way we’d come.
The elevated highways and bridges were useful for getting overhead views of the riverfront (thanks, Chad!). It’s always nice to get a different perspective than just shooting everything at eye level.
The various modes of transportation and the chaos of everyday life was great fun to shoot. The sun was getting lower now, too, which offered some nice light for some backlit shots of people making their ways home, or wherever they were going.
This next shot actually made it into my “keeper” files right from the beginning. The one following it, however, sat overlooked ever since I shot it. These first day walks often don’t yield much so I don’t pay them as much attention when I process images for my stock agencies. Sometimes there are some gems hidden in there though, so I do like to go back through old trips sometimes to see if I can find “lost” images.
Of those last two shots, I can see why I initially went with the first. It’s simpler, cleaner, more graphic. But now, more than 15 years later, I like the second one, too. It’s a little more chaotic but that’s how the place felt. And it shares that nice evening back light.
The next two are from my hotel window, showing how much the message of an image changes by what you choose to include or crop out. The first, distant shot is what you saw looking straight out over the city. The second is looking down into the old neighborhoods that surrounded my hotel. Two very different images taken from the same spot. Note: for these last two I was using an 80-200 on my D300.
And then I went to bed. And slept.
The next morning began with a pre-dawn boat ride on the Nile just a little further south than where Chad and I had walked. I can get a little rusty between trips if I haven’t been doing a lot of photography at home, but arrival day photo walks like this seem to get me back up to speed pretty quickly. That second morning’s boat ride yielded a lot of great images.
So, I’m no doctor, but this process seems to work for me. No matter when you land, have your watch already on local time and fall right into the rhythm of your destination. Resist the temptation to take a nap because it’s bedtime at home. Just try and stay active until night falls where you are.
Then don’t feel bad about maybe going to bed a little early.
Bonus shot:
Here’s one more I took from my hotel, of the same street as the last night shot. I love all of the interactions you can spot between the various people in the windows and on balconies. There’s a real sense of community on this street. (click the image to see a larger version)
