Why I Photograph Gates

“What do you do?”  I am a photographer.

“Oh, so you do weddings.”  No, I shoot gates.

Every time, the eyebrows go up, a puzzled look crosses their face and they repeat…gates?!!  Yes, gates… wrought-iron gates. Oh, they say and nod in a knowing way. Sometimes, I think they are nodding because they think I am off my rocker and they are humoring me.

Who in the world photographs gates?

I do! Why? Because they speak to me.

For me, gates are portals, openings into a world of healing, a reflection of a personal journey, a walk along my spiritual path. I discovered this passion quite by accident…

How it all started…

Sitting on a boat in Northern California, I looked across the bay and realized there was a famous community I had not visited. As I was preparing to go on a road trip and didn’t know if I’d ever return, I decided to visit.

There in that hilly community, I discovered my gates sitting on the properties of grand and aged mansions, quietly unused. I fell in love with the reflection of light on the wrought iron and the lush foliage.

I vowed that if I ever returned to the area, I would shoot the gates and create a portfolio of them. Three years later, desire became reality, as I returned to that very community.

Return and shoot the gates with me… meanwhile, visit me at www.carolynjonesphotographs.com.