Q&A: Doors Of Cape Town

INTERVIEWED BY Michaela Stehr

Photojournalist Barry Havenga began documenting doors and exhibiting his finds on Instagram as Doors of Cape Town after an inspiring trip to New York.

What made you start photographing doors? 

The power of the hashtag! I was in New York in 2012 and my then girlfriend discovered Doors of New York while browsing NYC hashtags on Instagram. We thought it could work in Cape Town because of the diverse architectural influences.

Do you take your camera everywhere?

I usually make a list of doors I’ve spotted and return with my Nikon D3100 SLR. Sundays work well, as it’s quieter and most doors are closed.

Do you have a favourite door or area for finding hidden gems?

Prime areas for doors include the
Bo-Kaap, Chelsea Village in Wynberg and the city centre.

Do you feel like you may run out of doors someday?

When my archive is running low, I post fewer doors, but I certainly won’t compromise on quality. A standard has been set, so new doors have to be special to be “published”. As the account has grown, people have started tagging DoCT, which has helped with undiscovered doors.

Who inspires you on Instagram?

There’s a whole community of door enthusiasts, hence the abundance of hashtags that accompany my posts. I post a lot on my personal account (@Loose_Impediment), where I follow a diverse bunch of photographers and intriguing accounts. Favourites include @SweatEngine (mostly NYC shots), @NatGeo, @MeAndMyMagazines, @CTType and @CityofCapeTown.

What does the future hold for Doors of Cape Town?

A website is in development that will allow people to build their own collage of doors to print on canvas. There’ll be a blank template of 20 squares with the full archive available to choose a personalised print.