This still life is a study of both nature and authority. The United States National Park Service has locked a barn door, a product of both man and nature. I move in with my camera in macro mode to stress the USNPS on the lock, its long broken chain, the rusted door latch, and two wooden planks, one painted, the other naturally weathered. The most striking element in this image, however, is the large oval knot in the weathered plank. It has the same coloration as the rusted latch, and becomes a diagonal arrow pointing directly at the latch. What makes it all work is the wealth of detail that becomes visible at this very close range. Not only the initials on the lock, but the rings in the knot, the grain in the doors, the links in the chain, and the scratches on the latch, all become part of the story because of my close-up vantage point.