DUNCAN —
If anyone else were to drive along a downtown alleyway, all they might see are rundown buildings and trash filled dumpsters, but the eyes of a local photographer sees doors.
It’s not just doors that catch the lens of Debbie Duggar, a Duncan resident, but doors that shout character and give an attitude their surroundings. However, doors were not what gave Duggar her start in photography.
“I’ve always taken pictures,” she said. “I have a big family and they have always taken a lot of pictures.”
Duggar grew up in Lawton in a family of eight children and moved to Duncan in 1987 with her husband Charles and daughter Shannon. At the time, they were looking for a house and Duncan’s ran cheaper.
“It was also a smaller town and Shannon was about to start kindergarten, so we thought it would be a better atmosphere for her,” Duggar said.
However, Duggar does commute to work for her job as the information insurance manager for Fort Sill, where she has been employed for 35 years. Despite that being her main source of income, photography has continued to be a hobby, and now, an additional form of income.
“About three years ago, I started taking photos of more than just people, things that I could use in my house,” Duggar said. “I put them up on Facebook and people started commenting on them and saying I had a good eye for photos.”
Shortly after those comments were made, through the suggestion of her friend Karen Slagle, Duggar joined the Duncan Art Guild and began entering its shows as well as others around the state. She has now participated in four DAG shows and has done well. She also continues to update a Facebook page, DDVisuals.
Duggar is also a member of the Wichita Wildlight Photography Society and said she has learned quite a bit by being involved with both groups.
“You learn how to market yourself and get to hear what others do,” she said. “I had all these photos and I wondered what to do with them all and now I sell them in shows.”
Her favorite things to capture with her camera are old buildings, such as the old Duncan Power House on Sixth Street. And there is her love of doors.
“I enjoy finding the unique beauty in old architecture,” Duggar said.
“It’s fun to go places and down the alleys of old towns because I like the quirky things I find when I start looking.”
Because of the travel her job requires, Duggar gets out of town often and never fails to take her camera. Last March, her job took her to Tucson, Ariz., where she visited a desert museum. Just this summer, she traveled to Baltimore, Maryland, where her eyes took in the immense beauty of old architecture.
“There were so many old buildings, especially downtown, and several churches,” said Duggar. “There was one church that had been built in 1761.”
Although some take their talent into a sole or secondary business, photography has remained a hobby for Duggar. The few people she gets shots of with her camera are her family, which includes her three grandchildren.
“I will probably continue to do it after retirement for fun and extra income,” she said.
Features
Related Photos
-
Oklahoma photographer Debbie Duggar captures the beauty of her home state as she travels, but also never tires of photographing her hometown, Duncan, above, and often can be found in Fuqua Park or other off the beaten path places rebeka rutledge/the duncan banner
-
Duggar arranges photos during Western Spirit Celebration. The bottom image was published in Duncan ... the magazine in March. rebeka rutledge/the duncan banner
Doors open when Duggar’s lens shutters
- Features
-
-
Chisholm Trail Municipal Band to warm up for summer season
Keeping the music going for summer, the Chisholm Trail Municipal Band is looking for participants for its performance season.
-
Katrina Elam shares background on AI’s Kree’s new single 'All Cried Out'
Moments after American Idol 2013 season 12’s Kree Harrison finished performing her new single, “All Cried Out” during the finale show Thursday, a former Bray resident let her friends know just how proud she was of the moment.
-
Heartbeat Studio concludes season with princess theme
Four seniors are among the 57 dancers with Heartbeat Dance Studio from throughout Stephens County who participated in their annual recital Sunday.
-
Taking careers to the classrooms
Recognizing the need for students to learn about the variety of careers offered, several area professionals visited school classrooms Thursday as part of Career Day.
-
Duncan’s Laura Leighe finding fun with newest EP release
For those looking for some upbeat music, look no further than The Laura Leighe EP which was released in January after a year of work for this Duncan native who now lives in Edmond.
-
Church briefs
Area church briefs for Friday, April 5, 2013.
-
March 22 Church Briefs
Editors note: These are the correct church briefs for Friday, March 22 edition of The Duncan Banner. They were not published in today's paper. We regret any inconvenience this may have caused our readers.
-
Chisholm Trail Heritage Center promotes Youth Art Month
Designing your own pair of sunglasses may be just a dream to some but for a few area youths, they were able to do just that to celebrate Youth Art Month Oklahoma.
-
Bosworth’s movie promo tour begins in Duncan
To most, he was known as “The Boz,” the high-flying, mohawk wearing, controversial linebacker who was forever entrenched in Oklahoma football lore when he helped bring the Sooners a national title in 1986.
-
'Blues' show brings fun
While one performer Saturday night glued on sideburns and created a nose out of putty and wax, the other got dressed. After adorning black suits and slapping on Raybans and fedoras, the pair were transformed into their onstage personas as the Briefcase Blues.
- More Features Headlines
-
Chisholm Trail Municipal Band to warm up for summer season
James Gandolfini Dies at Age 51
Fmr. TWA Flight 800 Investigators Want New Probe
Raw: Heat, Spurs Back on Court Ahead of Game 7
Dolce and Gabbana Convicted of Tax Evasion
Paris, Prince Depositions Used in Jackson Trial
Coiffed Cattle Get Their Close-up
In Berlin, Obama Channels Cold War Activism
Police at Patriots Tight End's Home for 2nd Day
Fed Suggests Bond Purchases Could Slow
AP: DOJ Broke Own Rules Seizing Phone Records
Raw: Baby White Rhino Debuts at Australian Zoo
Time Lapse: Rebuilding Bridge Post-collapse
Ohio Woman Accuses 3 of Holding Her Captive
Hunt for Ex-Teamster Boss Hoffa's Remains Ends
