Click pic to view timothymurray..com
What can I say, it was love at first shoot when I photographed my first wedding back in 2002. I was the first all digital wedding photographer in Austin, TX shooting over 65 weddings while establishing a digital workflow that elated couples. I eventually moved on from wedding photography and went to Los Angeles in order to help big name celebrity photographers transition from film to digital as a digital tech, assistant and professional retoucher. By 2010 I was ready to strike out on my own as a commercial and editorial photographer in New York City. I hit the ground running working for athletic apparel brands such as Keds and Reebok while photographing editorial portraits for Rolling Stone and Vice. In 2012 I put up a gallery show and published a book on nightlife called The Color of Night. A first of its kind shot entirely without a flash. I recently put out a second edition focused on the vibrant nightlife where I live, The Color of Night: Brooklyn.
Coming out of pandemic lockdown in the summer of 2022 there seemed to be a big wave of weddings. So I decided to grab my camera, dust off my suits and jump in. I quickly fell back in love with capturing such meaningful moments of love, family and friends. I find such joy in giving real people real memories of probably the biggest day of their lives. It's an honor and responsibility that I take seriously. So have a look around and if you like what you see, feel free to contact me with any questions or to set up a time to meet.
Thanks!
5 Questions
When did you first fall in love with photography?
Probably like most people my age (don’t ask!) by digging into my parents drawer full of photos. Did you know my parents had lives of their own before I was born? It was all so fascinating. These stories and moments and now I was part of it all. It wasn’t until high school in Carmel, IN that I starting taking photography seriously. There was a photography class with a darkroom and I got my hands on a real 35mm film camera. The instantaneous high I felt when I hit the button and knew I got the shot, paired with the meditative technical side of developing and printing, had me hooked. My teacher was very encouraging. She submitted me to a state photography competition that got me noticed by the Savannah College of Art and Design. They offered me a scholarship and 4 years later I graduated with my B.F.A. in Photography
How would you describe your mindset while photographing?
I feel as though I am the eye of the hurricane. All this outpouring of energy is swirling around me and there I am calmly moving in the same direction capturing everything until the storm breaks. So I do lots of prep work in order to remain calm and flexible. From reading instruction manuals to testing and caring for my equipment, location scouting and lots of communication with my clients and the team that helps make it all happen. It’s a very fun surreal experience. My favorite feeling though is delivering the images. For them their day was a blur and when I post their images everything literally comes into focus. Most clients are like, “How did you capture all this? We didn’t even notice you!”
What would you say sets you apart from other photographers?
I guess I’d say my experience and my respect. I’ve been taking pictures since 1992, way back in the analog days when you had to know you got the shot because you knew how to read light and had confidence in your knowledge of film and the zone system. Fortunately I’m great with computers and technology so when the shift to digital happened I really embraced it and all its advantages. I’ve been using Photoshop since the very first version and I’m always staying up to date and pushing technology in creative ways in order to offer my clients the best possible images and deliverables. I’ve also probably worked every job there is in the industry and I’ve shot every type of professional photography out there. What can I say? I've been around! As for my respect, I mean that not only in my respect for the art form of photography and its history but also because I respect my clients. I know how anxiety inducing shoot days can be and I do all I can to reassure them . . . I got it!
What do you like to do in your spare time?
Spare time? What’s that? Just kidding. I do actually put my camera down and step away from my computer occasionally. When I do, I love to watch and play basketball as well as play music. I actually find both inform my photography skills. With basketball it’s working together on a team and positioning my self for the best possible shot. And with music I love to help create and enter into flow states with fellow musicians. There are emotional pockets and energy vortexes that are magical in much the same way I feel when I’m photographing. Also, I love to go outdoors hiking, biking and camping. It’s how I recharge my batteries while my all my spare camera batteries are charging.
What’s your favorite camera?
I’d have to say my Polaroid 690. It’s so cool looking and has all these crazy advanced but old school features. It’s got a built in flash that tilts in tandem with the auto focus for perfect exposure and the auto focus works by sonar meaning it sends out high frequency sound waves that echo back from the subject to the camera. It’s mind-blowing! On top of all that who doesn’t love to watch a polaroid develop right in front of their eyes. I still haven’t found a digital camera that can recreate that feeling and look of a classic Polaroid. If I had an endless supply of Polaroid 600 film, I’d take that camera out constantly to take pics of people and give the pictures away just to see the looks on their faces. They're precious, both the subject and the photograph.