Doors

Today, I published a short interview with Divyakshi Gupta, a photographer and blogger from Mumbai. When I first came upon Divsi’s blog, I was drawn to her use of textures and colors, and also realized we share an obsession for photographing doors. I like what she says about them: “Doors are more than mere photographic subjects or pretty frames. They are stories.”

Viewing her beautiful door images from India has inspired me to gather some of my own photographs of doors over the years. I have many more in my archives — these are just a handful.

A bright blue door in the town of St. George's, Bermuda.
A bright blue door in the town of St. George’s, Bermuda.
A green door in Malta.
A green door in Malta.
Freddie's Saloon, Malta.
Freddie’s Saloon, Malta.
A pair of doors in Valletta, Malta.
A pair of doors in Valletta, Malta.
Old green door in Valletta, Malta.
Old green door in Valletta, Malta.
A door in Chipping Campden, the Cotswolds, England.
A door in Chipping Campden, the Cotswolds, England.
High Street, Chipping Campden, the Cotswolds, England.
High Street, Chipping Campden, the Cotswolds, England.
A door at Gyeongbokgung Palace, Seoul.
A door at Gyeongbokgung Palace, Seoul.
The bathroom door in an Airbnb in Portland, Oregon.
The bathroom door in an Airbnb in Portland, Oregon.
A door in the Albayzin, Granada, Spain.
A door in the Albayzin, Granada, Spain.
A tagged door in Lisbon, Portugal.
A tagged door in Lisbon, Portugal.
A door detail in Cairo, Egypt.
A door detail in Cairo, Egypt.
A door of despair along Brick Lane, London.
A door of despair along Brick Lane, London.
Alhambra door
A door at the Alhambra Palace, Granada, Spain.
Tiny door (and window) on Albion Street, San Francisco.
Tiny door (and window) on Albion Street, San Francisco.
Mailbox on a door in Quebec City.
Mailbox on a door in Quebec City.
A closed storefront in the town of Coloane, Macau.
A closed storefront in the town of Coloane, Macau.
The entrance of a small temple in the town of Coloane, Macau.
The entrance of a small temple in the town of Coloane, Macau.
The exit of La Pedrera, Barcelona, Spain.
The exit of La Pedrera, Barcelona, Spain.
A doorway in the now-gone Kunsthaus Tacheles, Berlin, Germany.
A doorway in the now-gone Kunsthaus Tacheles, Berlin, Germany.
A blue door in the Alfama district of Lisbon, Portugal.
A blue door in the Alfama district of Lisbon, Portugal.
The tomato red door of my tiny house in Sonoma County, California.
The tomato red door of my tiny house in Sonoma County, California.

Taken with an iPhone 5s or Canon G11. Top featured image from the Royal Naval Dockyard in Bermuda.

Published by Cheri Lucas Rowlands

Senior editor at Longreads / Automattic

46 thoughts on “Doors

  1. A truly great series of doors. Love them. Once I was thinking of knocking on the doors I photographed, to have the owner standing in the door as well. I wonder what that would have shown us? But no, I am too shy and I guess, behind many doors there is nobody living anymore.

  2. When they were very young, I had a discussion with our children about doors. They wondered if doors led in or led out, if they were a portal to or a portal from. They wondered if ‘to’ is positive and ‘from’ is negative. They wondered if leaving is more scary than entering.

    Your doors, Ms. Rowlands, have strength and character and memory. If they could talk, what would they say?

  3. Great pictures and very inspirational as its every view to their thoughts behind the door. Each pictures gives me mental space, an opportunity to think for a change rather than bombarded with words that induce our perspectives on things. Extremely refreshing!!!

  4. …doors. I’ve knocked on a lot of them. But, I find that each door owner needs to appreciate why I’ve knocked…the last time someone knocked on my door at 1AM was a ‘Loving Warning’ of the fire in our building. I’m just saying….

  5. Yes you’re right. And every door has its own story behind it. They all open a new start with hope which makes us like doors more. You inspired me very much! Thank you for sharing these amazing pictures with us! :))

  6. Awesome! Anything that helps promote one of my favorite photography subjects is good news!
    I’ll be sure to send a bunch of our Thursday Doors crew over to see this and join in later this week – cheers! 😀

  7. You have truly captured the true essence of what open pathways can mean! While doors present an option of entrance or egress such as life! With the representation of various artwork and design this is true simulation of the various gateways we shall encounter during this magnificent journey of LIFE! Yes!! Well done!! And thanks for the photography tips! #IPhone

  8. Serendipitously stumbled upon your blog and this post while surfing. Just wanted to say that this collection of doors is super awesome. There’s always something psychologically intriguing about doors…the subconscious connotation of “the unknown” on the other side–a natural sense of mystery. I especially love the older more run down doors the best. I feel like they always carry a deeper story. Anyway, love the post!

  9. This post is like poetry, so much said with so little. You really feel whole stories in the doors. That tiny door and window, and the door with the painting of an anxious guy holding his head are awesome.

  10. Cheri, where have you been hiding all these? Breathtaking. I love doors, too, and yours are exceptional. You are quite a wide-ranging traveler. Appreciate the tiny house shot at the end, too. I find your work inspiring.

    1. Thanks, Cynthia — what a nice comment. I’ve been taking door photos for a long time, although didn’t realize the pattern (and obsession) until later! I think I have enough for a nice little photo book 🙂

      Thanks for reading 🙂

  11. Divsi’s curiosity is contagious — now I want to know what’s behind these doors, too! Thank you for sharing these beautiful and intriguing images.

  12. These are bright and beautiful. Each one is unique with their own story to tell. Wonderful collection of pictures!

  13. I too am fascinated by doors. We live in South West France, and the thing I find most interesting here are not so much the doors to houses but the doors in old walls that lead to secret gardens and courtyards. What looks plain and neglected from the road can lead to hidden oasis.

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