Everybody is coming up with their own ways to pass the time during the COVD-19 pandemic. For some people that means reading, while for others, it means binge-watching their favorite shows. For photographer Tim Doyle, it meant finally finishing up a poster project he’s been working on called “The Doorways of Memphis Churches.”
It is exactly what it sounds like: a collage of the church doorways found throughout Memphis.
“I’ve worked on this poster project off and on over the last two or three months, waiting for cloudy (but not rainy) days so there wouldn’t be harsh shadows in the doorways,” Doyle told Memphis Magazine. “Editing it took longer than shooting it, because it’s like putting together a jigsaw puzzle that changes every time you move one piece.”
The result is surprisingly beautiful. Doyle said that poster has gotten a great response, mostly because everyone tries to identify the churches.
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“One of the fascinating things when you’re doing something like this is what you start to notice. On any errand I ran, I’d see a church I’d never seen before, even if I’d driven by it hundreds of times. Then, circling back to get a better look, I’d inevitably see another church, or a piece of art I’d never noticed, or a business I didn’t know was there,” he told Memphis Magazine. “It’s actually a bit embarrassing how much of my surroundings I’m oblivious to on a daily basis, even as a photographer. And the remedy is as simple as choosing to look.”
“The Doorways of Memphis Churches” is available in various sizes as a print, poster, and more. You can even get it printed on a T-shirt or tote bag!
