Close Up: Julie Shiel of Forgotten Beauty

Take a peek into the world of Forgotten Beauty...

Michelle: Who are you and where are you?

Julie Shiel: My name is Julie Shiel (aka Etsy seller xenya) and I live in Maryland. I'm a published writer and have two collections of my poetry released, but my recent focus has been on my photography.

M: What inspires you?

JS: Abandoned places and things! Urban Exploration is probably my favorite thing to do. I love to research and explore all these old places that have been forgotten. Many of them have a long and interesting history but they are being forgotten. I try to document these places as well as I can before they get torn down to make way for strip malls and developments. There is a lot of beauty in decay. I love to see nature taking these places over, and some of the things left behind are just amazing.

M: How much time do you currently spend on your photography?

JS: Not as much as I'd like! Abandoned hospitals and the like aren't exactly littering up the landscape around me, so I have to travel a bit to find them. It can also be quite dangerous. I'm disabled so I have to do it when I'm having a good period. Recently I've been photographing things closer to home, but I'm really looking forward to my next exploration trip.

M: Can you show us one of your favorite images and tell us why it is so special to you?

JS: I had a really hard time picking one for this! I decided on "What Lies Beneath" (above). It was taken in the tunnels below an abandoned state school and hospital. I love the triangles of light coming through the exits against the black of the tunnel. It illuminates the decay and has a sort of soft feel - all that crumbled dust from the walls and ceiling. It shows the walls and ceiling peeling with bits of color here and there from what's left of the paint. You can see where this section of the tunnel ends and continues to the left and right, so it hints at what else is under there. I think people respond to it emotionally, which is what I try for.

M: What equipment do you use?

JS: I use both digital and film cameras. Neither is high end. They are both point and shoot Canon cameras, which is frustrating because there is only so much I can do with them. I hope to get a SLR eventually!

M: Do you print yourself or do you have a lab do it?

JS: I have my photos printed at a lab. I'm trying out a new lab now and just signed up with White House.

M: Aside from your Etsy shop, is there anywhere else we can find you?

JS: You can find me on Trunkt, MySpace (sorely out of date), Indiepublic and Dawanda.

Thank you Julie!

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Michelle from Montage Studio is a photographer and mixed-media artist whose work has been exhibited internationally. She is a proud POE member. You can view her work at her Etsy shop and also see her on her blog.