Barbara Hunley
December 2024 - door knob
About the Image(s)
Several years ago, I took this picture of a door knob in the Texas State Capitol where I worked and retired from. It would be interesting to know how many times that door knob has been opened since 1888 when the capitol was built.
The picture was taken with a Nikon D300 mounted on a tripod at f/16, ISO 800, 10 sec. A flash was not used.
12 comments posted
Hi Barbara: YES -- it would be interesting to know how many hands have opened that door since 1888!! Back in that era of time door hardware was built to last a life time. We still have the technology, however it is not utilized today as it should be. Today everything is supplied by the lowest bidder so the quality suffers.
It looks like the wood work around the antique knob has held up very well over time. Neat Picture!! Posted: 12/12/2024 04:37:56
It looks like the wood work around the antique knob has held up very well over time. Neat Picture!! Posted: 12/12/2024 04:37:56
The doors in the capitol building are solid oak and very heavy. It takes a doorknob like this and heavy sturdy hinges to support it. I have attached a hinge picture. Posted: 12/12/2024 06:45:02
Hi Barbara: Those hinges are the most finely crafted hinges I have ever seen. The etched designs in the hinges are amazing, the work of a highly talented metal craftsman. Then the artist who created the designs on a blue print had a highly artistic sense of design. Thanks for sharing. Posted: 12/12/2024 13:44:01
Murphy...so much of that artistry has been lost and no longer used to more modern designs and now AI. I agree that the artist was indeed gifted with artistic abilities. It would be interesting to know if those blueprints are still in existence. Posted: 12/13/2024 20:40:07
Here I believe that you have captured the essence of close-up / macro photography, showing us the commonplace in ways we might not normally see it. The detail of this doorknob is outstanding and the contrast between the doorknob and the surrounding wood is wonderful. The minimalistic crop you employed here is very effective. I think that you will find that the groups discussion will focus upon how the doorknob and wood looks (as per Murphy's comments), and less about the construction of the image. This is a sign that you have done your job in presenting us with a scene that we can peruse and enjoy. Nice Job ! Posted: 12/12/2024 18:00:33
Thank you Charles for the nice compliment! The Texas Capitol is an interesting place to visit. I was fortunate to work there and enjoy it's grandeur. I am attaching a picture of the detail work in one of the grand staircases. It was an HDR of five images. Posted: 12/13/2024 20:29:11
What can I add to the comments....its been said. It's a great subject and has opened a while new subject category. Thanks for showing it. Posted: 12/15/2024 19:22:02
You are quite welcome. Posted: 12/16/2024 15:00:41
Hi Barbara,
Nice work - one could feel the texture of the wood on this first submission. Excellent capture and processing.
I do not have any suggestion for improvement.
I also relly appreciate the 2 other pictures, also excellent.
Keep on the good work. Posted: 12/16/2024 22:48:38
Nice work - one could feel the texture of the wood on this first submission. Excellent capture and processing.
I do not have any suggestion for improvement.
I also relly appreciate the 2 other pictures, also excellent.
Keep on the good work. Posted: 12/16/2024 22:48:38
Thank you so much Pierre. On my dad's side of the family, we had a cousin that was born in 1885 and lived to be 105 yrs old. I feel sure she and her family were on the grounds of the Capitol the day it was dedicated in 1888 as they did not live far from there. I was fortunate to grow up and know her in my adult years. She was such a dear and loved people. One day I asked her what couples dating would do on a date and she said they would go kodaking. At first I wasn't sure what she meant and then she told me they had a Kodak camera and would take pictures. Just some interesting historical trivia. Posted: 12/16/2024 23:51:43
Funny expression! Posted: 12/16/2024 23:55:03
Hi Barbara: Thanks for sharing some family historical trivia with us, family history is interesting to me. It is really interesting they went kodaking on their outings (just like we do today). Think you inherited some of those family genes that aid you in your photography pursuits today. Posted: 12/22/2024 02:13:27