Judy Burr, APSA, MPSA
October 2026 - Multiple Doors
About the Image(s)
This was taken in an old bank building near Pittsburgh, PA. I used an Olympus EM5 Mark II with an 9-18 mm lens at 20mm (2X factor). AA was 1/20, aperture f 9, ISO 250. I liked the repetition of the doors.
9 comments posted
Judy -
I tend to agree with you - a good review shouldn't begin with "I like" but here I can't help it, I really like the contrast between the elegant, paneled doors and deteriorating walls - I think it's striking - and can almost feel the abandonment. The panels and peeling paint create strong visual interest - there's a quiet elegance to it.
Thsi is an evocative image with strong texture, depth, and an implied story. My only hesitation concerns the visual flow. The bright central hallway draws me in immediately, but the doors on either side then compete for my attention, leaving me uncertain where to linger.- nonetheless, a truly interesting capture a lot of us may have walked right by. Nice job
Posted: 10/03/2026 21:12:36
I tend to agree with you - a good review shouldn't begin with "I like" but here I can't help it, I really like the contrast between the elegant, paneled doors and deteriorating walls - I think it's striking - and can almost feel the abandonment. The panels and peeling paint create strong visual interest - there's a quiet elegance to it.
Thsi is an evocative image with strong texture, depth, and an implied story. My only hesitation concerns the visual flow. The bright central hallway draws me in immediately, but the doors on either side then compete for my attention, leaving me uncertain where to linger.- nonetheless, a truly interesting capture a lot of us may have walked right by. Nice job
Posted: 10/03/2026 21:12:36
Thanks for your comments. There are often multiple possibilites when we shoot. I'll have to go back and look to see what else I have. The main attraction was the bank vault. There were several old dental offices in the building but they were less photogenic. Posted: 10/24/2026 21:25:53
Love the image, especially the section behind the door. I think I would have zoomed in on just that section and made an abstract. The image makes one wonder how many coats of paint are on these walls? Great lighting in the image. Looks like it was a well constructed building with carved doors, chair railings and wide molding along the floor, so sad to see historic places deteriorating. Posted: 10/04/2026 00:26:01
I agree it is sad to see deterioration, but I love photographing old, falling apart buildings and all they offer. Posted: 10/24/2026 21:27:04
You did an awesome job capturing all of the detail and texture in this old, abandoned room. I can imagine that photographing this space required a lot of decisions regarding angle, lighting etc. It evokes a lot of emotion. I really like it. Posted: 10/04/2026 19:04:30
Thanks. We had several hours in the building and it was a challenge to decide where to spend time. I had seen pictures of the vault which made me want to go. There was much more to see. Posted: 10/24/2026 21:28:33
Hello Judy, I think this is a beautiful image, I love deteriorating builds and such. I agree with Butch about the bright hallway, to me that is the least interesting part of the image. I think that either of the doors could constitute a strong image on their own. Was this an abandoned building left unattended or did you go on an outing to photograph buildings like this? Posted: 10/06/2026 21:35:17
It was a photo outing with a guide who specialized in abandoned buildings. I have been on several trips with him, but he moved to NY and I am not able to do any more. I have plenty to work through though. Posted: 10/24/2026 21:24:08
Hi Judy,
Your image is Burr-eutiful, as always when it comes to shooting aging interiors.
I actually love the uphill flow of the rectangles from left to right. I didn't do a great job isolating the individual shapes, but I hope you can still see the geometric flow I was seeing. It gives the image a really interesting sense of movement. Posted: 10/06/2026 21:36:31
Your image is Burr-eutiful, as always when it comes to shooting aging interiors.
I actually love the uphill flow of the rectangles from left to right. I didn't do a great job isolating the individual shapes, but I hope you can still see the geometric flow I was seeing. It gives the image a really interesting sense of movement. Posted: 10/06/2026 21:36:31