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Author Archives: The Daily Grunge
Scenes of decay
I’ve posted this image before, but it deserves another look. I love acquired texture, the patina of life. This parking lot was once a busy scene of commerce: businesses were thriving and serving customers, until a fire wiped out most of it. Now it’s a field of rubble, but amazingly, there are a few buildings still standing, and commerce is still going on, in different forms.
But unfortunately, I don’t think this area will ever thrive again, and in my head I hear an anthem for rural American, the center of industrialism that nourished communities, that are gone and will probably relocate someplace else, and maybe provide jobs for other people who probably deserve it. But, one can feel the grief of this bygone age.
Snowed In
This image is from Liminal. We had our once-annual snowstorm here (Asheville, NC) in December, and my yard buddha statue was up to its neck in snow. (It is about 36 inches high which gives you an idea how much this storm produced.)
Since there was nothing else too do, being snowed in, I wandered around the yard taking pictures, and spotted this, half in shadow and half in sun. it seemed so serene and totally representing what Zen means to me: not one thing or the other, not dark nor light but both at once – hey, that’s exactly what Liminal is all about.
This image was produced with my Sony RX100III, and cropped and curve-adjusted in Photoshop.
Matter and Anti-Matter
This is a page that didn’t make it into Liminal, although it defines the concept of the book. these are some of the transitional states that I explore, themes of not being quite one thing or another. And also, the page gave me a chance to play with typography, which is one of my favorite ways to spend time. I can take one phrase, a word even, and get lost for hours framing it in different ways, designing it in such a way that it conveys meaning or evokes some particular feeling.
Art Tunnel
This is one of my favorite images from Liminal (see previous post for announcement and link). The original inspiration was the door of a painter’s studio in the River Arts District, which was layered with paint, comics, playing cards, and general wear. There is something about texture that is just fascinating to me. I took a picture of the door, and layered it with a picture of another favorite subject, a tunnel. (This was one of the tunnels on the Blue Ridge Parkway, that goes under a part of the mountain. When the Parkway closed because of a storm, I hiked up and took pictures.)
After layering the images, it was a matter of applying filters and adjusting blend modes and opacity until I got the effect I was after. Aside from the visual, it appeals deeply to me because it gives me a feeling of glimpsing down into a creative space. That’s exactly why I created this image for Liminal – doors are in between one room and another, and tunnels provide access through otherwise impenetrable areas. Together, this is magic.
Liminal, now available on Amazon
Link here: https://www.amazon.com/Liminal-shirley-braley/dp/0368030504/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=shirley+braley+liminal&qid=1549805541&s=books&sr=1-1-spell
This book is an exploration of techniques that have appealed to me for a long time, images I see in my head that are crying out for release into the greater world. The response to these images has surprised me: instead of seeing them as obscure, introverted or obtuse, people like them. They appeal to the eye, because you have to look more deeply, think more.
i love watching people leaf through the book; I can see where they pause, where they move the book closer to see it better, what pages they go back to. I love feedback, which sounds strange, because often it’s not fun, but it’s a great gift. Your responses to my work are of great value, so thank you in advance for ordering the book. Enjoy, and be sure to leave a review on Amazon.
Into the vortex
I attended a hot air balloon festival recently in Auburn, Maine. The best view was from this suspension bridge over the Androscoggin River. I like the shots I got of the bridge, but I can’t just leave it at that. I took a photo of a dead tree, used Photoshop’s radial blur, and blended that layer with the bridge. 
My little love
The graphic design projects have been taking up as much time as photography lately. This is a sign I designed for my tiny house. it will be printed on white metal, 12″ x 18″.If you aren’t familiar with Dave Grisman’s version of this song (Shady Grove, a standard), you should check it out. It makes my hair stand on end, it’s so beautiful.
The Bees
This is a shot of a beehive taken through glass. You can see my reflection, in a black t shirt, behind the bees. Once in a while you get a shot that you love so much, you keep looking at it. There are so many things I like about this: the detail with the bees’ bodies; the different focal points; the reflection (always a favorite shot for me); and even the colors.
My book is finally out!
So far, “iPhoneography – where reality intersects with imagination” is only available on Blurb. But far more exciting is the fact that it is DONE and published and available.
Blurb link here: http://www.blurb.com/b?ebook=673004
Amazon link to follow, which will include the print version.
Just wanted to give you all a heads up that it is on its way. This volume includes my favorite photos from TheDailyGrunge, as well as a few newer works that have never made it onto the blog. A few of the flash fictions are also included.