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“I believe you can't improve upon reality, there are no photographic skills or camera technologies capable of competing with what the human eye can see and the brain can imagine. What I try to do is get the most out of my equipment and technique to freeze those special moments in time that make reality so remarkable and worth remembering. I use my camera like an artist with a paintbrush and canvas to bend reality, sometimes adding to it or subtracting from it and offering different perspectives using ideas I get from my subjects and my own creativity.

Although I currently shoot with the most modern equipment, I came into the digital age kicking and screaming. My equipment and software is modern, but my technique and approach is old-school. For many years, I developed my own film and made my own prints and enlargements. My first camera was a grade school science project using a Quaker Oats box and a pinhole for a lens. My next camera was one of the old range finder cameras you now see in flea markets or sold as antiques. I graduated to German medium format manual cameras and then to Nikon SLRs. My thought process is still somewhat rooted in the film age. I feel it is important to know what you are doing, my customer’s time and each shot is precious. Modern technology will allow you to take a lot of good pictures, but the great ones require patience, knowledge and sometimes a little luck. Technology can't totally make up for a lack of skill; I don't believe in taking 100 pictures and hoping one of them comes out right. I believe in 'measure twice and cut once', trying to get it right the first time and not being overly reliant on trendy Photoshop editing to fix mistakes.

Before I picked up a camera, I was an artist; I painted portraits, still lifes and landscapes using oils and acrylics on canvas. I still consider myself an artist, I’ve simply traded in my paint brush for a camera. I see the world in pictures; I view each day as a photographic opportunity, which is why my camera is rarely more than an arm’s length away. And when I don't have my camera with me, I am mentally taking pictures of what I see throughout the day. I love the beauty found in nature, movement, the human form and I have a never ending child-like fascination with the effects of color and light.

I would like the opportunity to show you the benefits of working with an artist and true professional...someone who places the upmost value on providing a first class photography experience and doing so as affordable as possible. You are not just a customer; I want to get to know you as a person, I don’t want to just take your picture, I want to be your photographer, your family and friend's photographer and build life-long relationships."

One of my favorite quotes is, “Pursue your passion and you will never work a day in your life.”

Michael Murray

Galleries

Kishko Family Portraits

The Kishko Family of North Carolina; assisted by photographer, Catheri ...

Updated: Dec 04, 2012 11:04am PST

Columbia Race For The Cure

Updated: Oct 15, 2012 2:41pm PST

Dogs (Candids)

Updated: Sep 30, 2012 11:33am PST

Austin

Austin is a 19 year old aspiring professional musician. These shots we ...

Updated: Sep 30, 2012 9:14am PST

Outdoor Concerts

Music from the 2012 Charity Chase Mud Run in Davidson NC, contact Tim ...

Updated: Jun 29, 2012 12:52pm PST

Charity Chase Mud Run

Updated: Jun 25, 2012 12:14pm PST

President Barack Obama

I was a photographer at President Barack Obama's speech at the Daimler ...

Updated: Jun 25, 2012 7:55am PST

Dances of India

Updated: Jun 18, 2012 4:01pm PST

2009 Charlotte Ramblin Rose Triathlon

Ramblin' Rose Women's Triathlon tour is presented by Endurance Magazi ...

Updated: May 16, 2012 8:01pm PST

2009 Chapel Hill Ramblin Rose Triathlon

Ramblin' Rose Women's Triathlon tour is presented by Endurance Magazi ...

Updated: May 16, 2012 7:58pm PST

Honey

Honey is a pharmacist and occasional model from Southern California. I ...

Updated: May 04, 2012 2:45pm PST

Some of my Favorites

Updated: May 04, 2012 2:34pm PST

Pole Dancers

Updated: May 04, 2012 2:21pm PST

FFS Photoshoot 1

Please note that these photos are not for sale, distribution or downlo ...

Updated: Mar 18, 2012 3:28pm PST

Kinsley

I met Kinsley about 15 minutes before she was about to walk the runway ...

Updated: Feb 28, 2012 2:14pm PST

Kasie

Kasie was a very interesting subject in that she was quite shy quite f ...

Updated: Feb 28, 2012 2:10pm PST

Flowers

Updated: Jan 27, 2012 10:56am PST

Action Sports

Updated: Dec 24, 2011 10:12am PST

Miss South Carolina Pole Dance Championship

Updated: Dec 23, 2011 5:52am PST

Miss Georgia Pole Dance Championship

Updated: Dec 23, 2011 3:08am PST

Miss North Carolina Pole Dance Championship

Updated: Dec 22, 2011 2:08pm PST

Heather

Heather is a North Carolina based teenage model under contract with th ...

Updated: Dec 08, 2011 7:03pm PST

Paige

As any photographer will tell you, with young models, in time, you nev ...

Updated: Dec 08, 2011 3:03pm PST

Amanda & Pete

I was so captivated by this young couple’s story, that I would have sh ...

Updated: Dec 07, 2011 5:08pm PST

Marlene

Let me start by saying Marlene is not a model and to the best of my kn ...

Updated: Dec 07, 2011 5:01pm PST

Fiona

This is Fiona at age 19 in 2010. This was Fiona's first professional p ...

Updated: Dec 07, 2011 11:22am PST

Mike and Marlene

This was vow renewal ceremony shot in the Grand Cayman Islands; unfort ...

Updated: Dec 04, 2011 11:51am PST

Clayton and Thersa

I liike the bold step this couple took in deciding to integrate their ...

Updated: Dec 04, 2011 11:42am PST

Matt and Shanna

The last wedding I shot using a film camera (Hasselblad 500c); I would ...

Updated: Dec 04, 2011 11:36am PST

David and Lisa

I was only a participant in David and Lisa's wedding; I was not the of ...

Updated: Dec 03, 2011 11:41am PST

Wilsons

This wedding was shot in the Pocono Mountains of Pennsylvania using on ...

Updated: Dec 03, 2011 11:28am PST

Roulhacs

Mr. Roulhac is a one of my wife's co-workers and friends, which meant ...

Updated: Dec 03, 2011 11:26am PST

Bartrams

It always helps to have a beautiful bride, a beautiful venue, bright r ...

Updated: Dec 03, 2011 12:00am PST


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