Door Locks

It takes time for a door to drop as much as this and, during that time, the grain in the wood has become pronounced, the iron has rusted and stained the wood, and all of that might have been lost if the definition in this capture had not been so good. An advantage of capturing old items is that they tend to have a story to tell (or guess at) and this one appears to have a lot of history.

One of the advantages of age is the accumulated history acquired over time. This lock has it in spades, not just because of the interesting plaque welded to its body but the layers of past paint, the rusted bolts, and even the door it is affixed to. My initial interest was attracted by the wonderful colour palette of this image, and then to be drawn to the lock itself. Indeed, it is so intriguing that it would improve with a more descriptive title than “Old Lock”!

To an engineer, this is a fascinating image, but I can fully understand others not being so excited by it. The image may be a boring documentary but its perfect detail is why I like it so much. You can see the levers and how they prevent the deadlock from moving without a key. Quite educational and outstanding in as much as there were so few others of the workings of a lock that this had to compete with in my “Door Locks” contest.

I like this study of a sliding bolt latch, complete with padlock and key. I agree that it could be described as a “Door Lock” and thus qualify for my contest but I didn’t feel that it ‘hit the button’ as well as some of the other contributions. The detail is perfect, showing-off the different surfaces of each component. It’s left me wondering if the bolt has ever been used…

I love the ornate detail of this old lock. It is this added detail that makes it so delightful; from a time when the extra effort to embellish something added value to a product. I even like the guide that helps to get the key into its hole in the dark (or when under the influence). It’s great that the light has lifted the highlights and give the decoration such depth.

This is a most fascinating lock and, thanks to the quality of the image, one that’s a joy to study. It has been removed from the door so that we an see the inside what would normally be covered by the door itself. Sadly, we’re teased by the plate that hides the actual workings of the lock, however. The rear handle appears to move vertically, rather than rotate as most do, so I wonder if there’s a reason for that? That key also looks as if it won’t actually fit, but it’s a lovely shape and provides a good illustration of where one would go. Your title intrigues me: if this is a safety lock, I’m curious about its special features. A lovely crisp image and Highly Commended in my “Door Locks” contest.

The contrasting colour of the painted door lifts this old lock from obscurity by not having been painted also. As a result, you can enjoy the elegant shape of the unusual back plate, The light draws attention the artwork in the delightful handle, before I wonder about the number of bolts used to strengthen the door. An eye-catching image of an attractive lock on an open door.

May I first thank everyone who submitted an entry to this contest. There were many interesting images but several were not on brief, even though they were good images. I encourage entrants to read the brief, besides the subject of a contest, before submitting an entry. You may seek inspiration from whatever has already been entered but take care not to be misled by others who have not read the brief either. If yours was only of a keyhole, a latch, or of a distant door and not of a lock that’s operated by a key or code, then I probably considered it “off-brief”. I have granted merits to some of them, however, for I do not wish to discourage members from entering contests. After all, it’s the taking part that matters most and we don’t all see things in the same light.

You could hardly fail to notice this creative image, because of the shaft of light falling across it diagonally and the contrasting shadows that arise. The light picks out the classic shape of the door panels, including blemishes, and I like the way it even carries the shadow of the knob across the door, to occupy the centre of the image. I asked for an imaginative presentation of a door lock, and this is it! And it’s not even an exotic lock! Congratulations on being my first choice in my “Door Locks” contest!

The lighting for this delightful lock is just perfect, picking out details in the brass knobs and decorations on the casing. This is no ordinary lock, but I’d have been happier if the royal connection had been explained sin more detail.

This is an excellent shot of a common or every-day rim lock. There’s nothing exotic about this simple lock, yet it’s been made more interesting by the addition of some keys. The result is a credible image of the door to someone’s ‘man-cave’ (who else would not have dusted off the cob-webs first). The door is open, yet the lock is locked and the keys are on the wrong side. This, I suppose is ‘photographer’s licence’ but who cares so long as it works and that subtle placement of a plumber’s services would not have been possible otherwise. Completely perfect!

I like the stark presentation of this modern lock. There is little of artistic merit to admire as it has been made to perform a function rather than for its appearance. Never-the-less, there is a beauty to behold in the way that the light catches the three mighty deadlocks before reflecting back towards the camera. This is an substantial lock which causes me to wonder what it protects?

This is a good documentary image of a door lock. By taking a view from this angle, we see both the key hole and the latches. Indeed, in this case it seems that a modern mortice lock has replaced an older one. From the front plate, this may not be so obvious except, perhaps, for the key hole modification. The shiny handle suggests that it remains in regular use, although a bolt (behind) seems to be used to stop access rather than a key. Not that that matters, this fascinating image has occupied my eye for quite a while.

I like the title of this image. It’s a mortice lock and should be embedded into a door, rather than lying on some kind of fabric. Maybe it’s just been removed, or perhaps it’s waiting to be installed? The brass and contrasting colours show off a boring lock rather well. Even the diagonal placement across the image helps to lift it another notch. Well done for creating a different, yet interesting, view of a “Door Lock”.

The key hole of this lock caught my attention first. It’s more or less in the centre of of the image and the fact that I can see right through it drew me in, as if there might be something to spy on the other side. Not to be disappointed, the eye can wander from that key hole to the worn wood and rusty brackets. If it could talk, I’m sure it would have plenty to say.

Mortice locks are difficult to photograph because they are embedded into the door and generally hidden from view. That has been overcome, here, by picturing an open door. Not only that, the bolt is sticking out and we have an unusual view, looking upwards. This is a most creative shot of a mundane subject, nicely focussed on the deadbolt and thereby creating interest. Well done for being so creative. It’s remarkable what can be achieved with a smartphone.

Thank you for this fascinating image of a door lock. I like the reflection of the key in the polished brass of the lock casing. It would appear that the lock is no longer used for security as its key is now captive by way of a chain. A lovely image with plenty of detail.