The Double Doors
The instant the doors open, with a butler's bow
About The Double Doors
The double doors scene uses the French oak double doors, about 2,480 mm high, as its stage, capturing the instant a butler opens them and bows. The doors stand at the threshold of the Dining Room; from the stillness before they open to the moment the Manor's public face begins, the scene can be told as one continuous story.
Even on a first visit, follow the butler's cue and the shot will come
The double doors scene captures not only the doors themselves but the wait before they open, the butler's hand touching the wood, and the moment a figure appears between them, all as one flow. Your butler agrees a cue with the photographer and matches the movement of the doors to the pace of the bow, so first-time visitors can approach the scene calmly.
After you arrive, your butler checks your luggage and the state of your costume, and clears the floor before the doors so you can walk safely. If you have a long train or small items of your own, we ask how to handle them before you move into position. Where to look once the doors open, whether to start walking or to stand still, is also decided in advance.
Alone, you can compose a poised image of yourself standing at the centre of the doors with the butler's bow. As a couple, one enters first and turns to the other, and a story is born. For up to six, rather than everyone passing at once, your butler uses two rows or turns, guiding you to a composition in which the height of the doors and every face can be seen.
See the Standard shoot
What are the double doors made of, and where do they stand?
| Name | French oak double doors, opening to left and right |
|---|---|
| Height | About 2,480 mm. Beside a figure, the vertical reach shows in the frame |
| Position | The threshold of the Dining Room. When the doors open, the Manor's public face begins |
| Shots | The whole, the white-gloved hand opening the door, a figure through the doors, the bow, the farewell |
| Butler | Male and female butlers. They open and close the doors, check costumes and give the cue |
| Use | The Manor is never let without a butler; one is always present to guide you |
From arrival to farewell, how does the doors scene proceed?
Hearing your wishes
Your butler asks whether you want photographs or film, whether the welcome or the farewell should be the centre, and whether you bring costumes or props. Even if the finished image is vague, we build the order from the impression you wish to keep.
Preparing floor and costume
So that the doors do not catch your costume, your butler checks hem, shoes and props. Costumes you bring are not handled without asking; we confirm with you how to treat them.
Agreeing the cue
Photographer, subject and butler share the starting cue. Your butler sets the speed of the opening, the position of the bow and the moment to raise the eyes.
Capturing the opening
The closed doors, the white-gloved hand, the light through the gap and the bow after full opening are shot in turn. On film, the sound of the doors becomes part of the scene.
Adding movement
Standing still, passing through, turning back: short movements are added. Your butler watches your stride and guides you to where doors and figure do not overlap too much.
The white-gloved hand and the bow convey the scale of the doors
A butler's handling of the doors means choosing how wide to open and where to stand while watching the fold of the doors and the movement of costumes, never hindering your step. Your butler does not move one side abruptly, but opens with an eye to the line the two leaves make. In photographs, the white-gloved hand sets a contrast against the colour of the French oak.
From the front, the symmetry has strength; from an angle, the thickness of the doors and the depth beyond come into view. Beyond the fully open shot, a sequence from a narrow opening to the moment a face appears conveys the easing of the nerves of arrival. Watching the direction of the lens, your butler shifts half a step at a time so as not to hide the subject.
Female and male butlers alike move with the person being received at the centre. Whether the butler appears large in the frame or only a white glove is added depends on the story you wish to tell. When you need photographs of the subject alone, your butler holds the door from outside the frame, so that eyes go to the face and the costume.
Which composition makes the most of the doors' height?
Symmetrical, from the front
A composition that shows the outline of about 2,480 mm straight on. The figure is placed at the centre, aligning the vertical line of the doors with the posture of the costume.
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Close on white gloves and wood
Come close to the hand holding the door and keep the contrast of French oak and white glove. Without showing a face, the butler's presence is told through gesture.
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A back view towards the corridor
Keep shooting after passing through the doors, as your butler leads you along the corridor. Arrival flows naturally into the story of the Manor.
Read moreWhat to bring
- Your camera or smartphone, whatever you plan to shoot with
- The costume and shoes you will wear. Please tell your butler how to handle hems and props
- Props for the scene: an invitation, a bouquet, a ring box
- Reference images, if any, showing how you want the doors opened and where to stand
- Photographer, subjects and companions combined. The Manor accommodates up to six
What to confirm in advance
- No meals are served. You are welcome to bring your own food and drink
- The Manor is never let without a butler. Moving furnishings is confirmed with your butler
- Nothing may be placed so as to obstruct passage or the doors. Positions are adjusted for safety
- Props that could damage the doors or floor are discussed once we know what they are
On rainy days we assess on arrival
- The double doors are an indoor scene, but the effect of rain on travel, deliveries and costumes differs for every shoot. We do not promise unconditionally that the day will run as planned; please consult us in advance.
- We confirm where umbrellas and wet luggage go and the order in which costume and footwear are put right before guiding you to the doors.
QCan I get a good shot of the doors opening on my first visit?
Yes. Your butler agrees the starting cue with the photographer and matches the speed of the opening to the position of the bow. As the movement is rehearsed first, the subject need only think of their gaze and their step.
QWhat compositions suit a shoot alone?
A full-length shot at the centre of the doors, a profile with a hand added, and a back view passing through all work well. Your butler watches the space between costume and doors and guides you to where you do not appear too small.
QCan six of us be photographed at the doors?
Yes, up to six. So as not to hide the height of the doors, we suggest not fixing everyone in one row but separating those standing from those entering.
QCan I pass through the doors in a gown with a long train?
You may bring your own costume. Your butler checks the distance to the doors and the floor, pausing your step where needed, so please tell us the shape of the costume when booking.
QMay a female butler open the doors?
We have both female and male butlers. We take your preference at booking and confirm availability.
QCan I film as well as photograph?
If you wish to film, please tell us the purpose and what you will record when booking. We confirm whether recording the sound of the doors is possible, and if so, agree the cue and the order of walking in advance.
Keep a farewell shot, and the day's story is complete
The farewell shot is the scene at departure when your butler returns your luggage and bows before the double doors. Using the same doors as on arrival, but with the direction of opening, your gaze and your distance from the butler changed, it leaves a quiet afterglow unlike the opening image.
Rather than composing hastily at the end, have your camera or smartphone ready as soon as the last indoor scene is taken. Your butler checks for anything left behind, adjusts your clothes and leads you to the doors. Whether you turn back once or walk straight on is also agreed beforehand.
On anniversaries, shooting arrival and departure from the same spot lets you compare expression and posture side by side. Alone, as a couple or in a party of six, your butler adjusts order and spacing and makes sure the last person is not hidden in the shadow of the doors. If you wish to film the farewell, please tell us what you will record when booking.
How are the doors used for arrival, pre-wedding and commemorative shoots?
| Arrival | Waiting before the closed doors and moving inside as your butler opens them. The nerves of the beginning and the space beyond are kept in one sequence. |
|---|---|
| Pre-wedding opening | After a frontal shot of the full costume and the height of the doors, move to passing through. With a long train or bouquet, your butler checks the distance to the doors before opening. |
| Anniversary group | Rather than a single row of up to six, placing some at the centre and others beyond the doors makes it easier to keep both faces and the outline of the doors. |
| The butler's gesture | Decide first which is the lead: the bow, the hand on the door, or the half step back. White gloves are worn according to what is handled and the scene. |
| Farewell | The same doors seen from the opposite direction, keeping a back view or a bow. Your butler paces the departure and the shoot so that nothing is rushed. |
About using The Studio
- The manor is never let unattended. A butler is present for every booking, and keys are not handed over
- You are welcome to bring your own food and drink. We do not provide meals
- Please use the antique furnishings under the butler's guidance. The armour, hall clock, porcelain and silver are handled by the butler
- Please consult us in advance about loud sound or the use of naked flames
- Prices shown include tax
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Begin the shoot at the moment the doors open
Please tell us your preferred date and time, number of guests, costumes, and whether you want photographs or film. Your butler will prepare the doors and the route through the Manor.