The Story Behind This Photo
Last week, I published an article telling the story behind my LinkedIn headline, “The least qualified person in quantum.” The featured image, which is currently my LinkedIn profile photo, seemingly got more attention than the article I shared it with. Given the popularity of the photo, I decided I might as well share its story, too.
The Seed
You still see it from time to time, but not nearly as often as a few years ago. Back then, there was a steady stream of images of people “working” on the “chandeliers” of superconducting quantum computers. It looked almost as if literally everyone’s job in quantum was to tinker inside dilution refrigerators. The paradigm was incredibly prolific.
I obviously don’t work in a lab, so I’ve never had an opportunity to take such an image. And even if I did, you may have noticed that it’s not my style to simply blend in with everyone else. So, I somehow came up with the idea to spoof it. But let’s be honest here: with jargon like “chandelier,” there’s no creative genius at play.
A Hotel Lobby
It was probably about a year from the inception of this idea until the actual photo. I live in the Philippines, and I just don’t see chandeliers on a daily basis. I remember seeing a few along the way that just wouldn’t be right for this photo, so I decided to be patient and keep searching.
Finally, in May 2023, I was checking into a hotel in Pampanga, Philippines. I was there with a couple that had just picked me from the airport and brought me to the event site, where the hotel was a short walk away. In other words, we had just met.
As I turned away from the counter, probably to join the couple for lunch, I spotted the chandelier you see in the image. It was hanging in the lobby, near the stairwell in the image. It was hanging low enough that it looked like I’d be able to reach it if I stood on one of the nearby sofas. So, after a year of searching, lunch would have to wait because a photo needed to be taken.
Now, here’s the part you can’t see in the image. This couple was there to hear about quantum computing, not because they knew about quantum computing. Realistically, the receptionists, security guards, and other hotel staff must’ve known nothing about quantum computers. And, of course, other guests were checking in, all likely oblivious to what the crazy foreigner was about to do.
So, this image is of me standing barefoot on a sofa in the lobby of a hotel where I had never stayed before, and playing with their chandelier without having explained to anyone what I was about to do or why. Nor did I ask for permission. And the photo was taken by the nice couple who had just picked up some obvious whackjob from the airport and probably thought I wanted to be photographed with the chandelier as my background. But then I took my shoes off, and it went downhill for them from there.
Epilogue
After the event, the nice couple that had picked me up from the airport and took this photo were not the ones to drop me back off at the airport. I can’t say that I blame them….
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