DOORS AND WINDOWS 

Doors and windows draw me in, especially those attached to abandoned houses and buildings. They speak to me. They beg questions. Who lived there? What was their lifestyle like? What did they see when they opened that window or door?

The technical side of photographing these subjects is quite straightforward. Composition-wise, I am simply photographing a door or a window and not much else. As for depth-of-field (f/stops), doors and windows don't have much depth-- f/8 and go for it. In other words, you don't have to fuss much about what f/stop to use. You definitely don't need a high f/stop (f/10 or higher). As for exposure, I prefer matrix metering, or evaluative, or entire scene, depending on your camera manufacturer. If the exposure is off a bit, I rely on my exposure compensation dial to fine-tune my exposures in-camera.

Where do I find interesting doors and windows? I love taking the "blue roads" on a map--those narrow two-lane highways off the beaten path. Every time I enter a town with a population of 2,000 or less, I will slowly drive into or walk into backways and alleyways. Sometimes I will also go down those dirt roads in the county to look for abandoned buildings and houses. And sometimes they're right off the highway! On a side note, I love going into any small local cafe to have breakfast or lunch-- it's a sociological experience.

Speaking of sociological experiences, I was at the check-out counter in one of those local cafes when I spotted a sign behind the cashier that read, "Nothin' much happens in a small town, but the rumors sure make up for it."

Okay, with that introduction, let me share some of my favorite doors and windows.

The first two were not on abandoned buildings, but they got my attention, nonetheless. This door was a side door on a Catholic church in Waco, Texas. The color, shape, and simplicity gave me a sense of calm and tranquility. I also noticed there was no doorknob, which added mystery. You can't get in? You can't get out? 

I found this other intriguing door on a Spanish mission in San Antonio, Texas. It was part of the Concepcíon Mission, which is on the Mission Trail in the city. Only one of the doors was open, pulling me toward a spiritual candle on the wall inside, as if saying, "You are welcome here." What is your interpretation?

This window looked like a framed painting. It was an apartment in an old building in the old mining town of Victor, Colorado. In lieu of curtains, someone just placed a colorful sheet on the window. 

This reminds me of The Eagles' song lyrics, "You can check out anytime you like, but you can never leave." 

This door had succumbed to nature in Broken Bow, Oklahoma. There was not much door to see. I wonder how long it took Mother Nature to take back what humankind had left behind.

Nature had also started to overcome this window. The window was high from the ground, so you know that the encroaching plant was tall. It seemed to decorate that now unattractive window. Check out that stone exterior. 

Now, this one has humor built into it. At quick glance, this doesn't look like a door on an abandoned house. Someone got creative and, on a large piece of plywood, painted a silhouette of a cowboy carrying a saddle. Then the big chunk of plywood was nailed from the inside to cover the doorway. 

This door, found in Marble, Colorado, was the most creative door I have ever photographed. Those thin shapes you see above the cowboy are icicles. It was a very cold winter day.

I love this door with a transom window above it. It looks so weathered and tired. Those random wires seem to be yelling, "We're free!." As ugly as this door is, I love the colors on the brick and wall underneath. It's so ugly it's beautiful. 

I found this scene in an alley in the small historic, highly visited, town of Jefferson, Texas, near the Louisiana border.  

I found these windows in St. Joe, Arkansas, along Highway 65. I don't believe this building is even standing anymore. In my Right Brain Photography classes, which piggyback on my book by the same title, I talk about the concept of impermanence. If you see something interesting, take it before it's gone! That goes for life as well. Nothing lasts forever.

This is my last example. This door was once part of a thriving motel. Why the exterior wall was painted half red and half pink, I have no idea, but I'm glad it was. It was so surreal. Oh, if those walls could talk.

So, look for a state road map of your choice, look for those small towns, and start driving. Use those unique town names as your "GPS"-- like Marble, St. Joe, Coffee, Broken Bow, or Muleshoe. And, be sure to have breakfast at one of those quaint cafes, like "The Roundup, "Mudhouse Cafe," etc.