Weekly Challenge: Photograph When One Door Closes….

GUEST POST:

This week is a guest post St. Louis-based photographer David Adams. Dave’s always on the look-out for doors on our photo walks together so I knew he had plenty of door photos for this post! Follow Dave’s Door Adventures on his Facebook page and @dave_adams_images

This week, the theme is to:

Photograph When One Door Closes…

Doors can be many things. They can be barriers, they can be invitations. They can be utilitarian, they can be ornate. Doors can show personality or they can protect us from the world. We like doors so much that we buy collages of interesting doors from around the world.

There are things known and things unknown and in between are the doors.

~ Jim Morrison

This is the door that got me started on doors. Since then, I have posted more than 200 door pictures in my Facebook door album. I can’t stop. Some people roll their eyes, but others keep asking for more!

This door looks like it is a gateway between the known and the unknown. It is so weathered, it makes me wonder what it has been through over the years. And what has been through it. And what is lurking behind it now.

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Here are some tips for photographing doors this week:

This sounds obvious but first, start looking at doors. Most are mundane. But after a while you will start noticing that some stand out. Look for color, shape, decoration and detail. Find that door with personality.

This challenge is about closed doors so no peaking inside!

Churches are great places to find beautiful doors especially old churches because they tend to be ornate, including their doors. Here is the front door to St. Margaret of Scotland Catholic Church in the Shaw neighborhood in south St. Louis.

Some places are known for their doors. Many places in Europe have old and interesting doors – doors that have been around for centuries. In the U.S., the older cities like New Orleans work as well.

Franklin D. Roosevelt once said, “New Orleans makes it possible to go to Europe without ever leaving the United States.” I’ve have the best luck finding doors in the French Quarter.

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But don’t discount the doors closer to home. Go and explore an old neighborhood in your city. The older buildings tend to have more interesting architectural details. They were built in an age that seemed to have more pride in craftsmanship. And older doors, if not well maintained, will display a patina or a weathered texture or peeled paint. That is why I even enjoy venturing into depressed neighborhoods with abandoned buildings. Though make sure you watch out for your personal safety!

These doors are from depressed neighborhoods in north St. Louis.

43879153_287799538502566_4533201903479160832_n — Photo by Dave Adams

Don’t forget to look for industrial doors, too. Often these doors will show the wear and tear of use. These doors are in West Bottoms, an old factory/warehouse district near downtown Kansas City, that is being revived as a resale and entertainment district. This photo shows doors in three stages: open (or rather, missing), half open, and closed.

Remember this challenge is about photographing when one door closes…..(another opens).

43734288_345259216227514_4868248780366938112_n — Photo by Dave Adams

There’s no need to choose just one door this week. Door collages are popular for postcards. It’s easy to make a collection through PicMonkey or PhotoCollage.

Happy Hunting!

Share your posts in the Comments below or share with the tag #photoyogadoorcloses for a chance to have your photo featured on PhotoYoga.

Guest Contributor:

Dave Adams

Photography is my passion and future full-time occupation. I look for beauty in the overlooked, in my travels and in my home town.

Find more of Dave’s photos on his Facebook page and follow him on Instagram @dave_adams_images

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This post is sponsored by PhotoYoga.

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