Watch CBS News

Instagram Photographer Creates San Francisco 'Doortraits'

SAN FRANCISCO (CBS SF) -- Most of us never take time to notice the dozens of doorways we walk through each week.

That's not the case with Julie Gebhardt. When she crosses a threshold, she stops and takes in the beauty.

Gebhardt, a San Francisco hairstylist, has become a social media sensation with her photos on Instagram of San Francisco doors.

"My overarching theme is the beauty of the ordinary," she told KPIX 5.

Her iphone shots have captured a worldwide audience with the Guardian and New York Times dubbing Gebhardt one of the best Instagram photographers in America.

But Gebhardt downplays her fame.

"It's democratic," she said of her art. "Anybody can do it and there's something about that that's so appealing, it's easy to learn."

During her free time, Gebhardt can be found strolling through the city, searching for unique doorways.

"The whole notion of the door as a portal -- the interior and the exterior and the door is that way in," she said of her fascination with doorways.

But she's says there's also a simple message in her art.

"My photography is sort of just saying hey look around," she said.

View CBS News In
CBS News App Open
Chrome Safari Continue
Be the first to know
Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting.