Eli's Photography Blog

Bill + Sam – Junkyard Engagement Photography

I’ve been to a few junkyards in the past looking for various parts, but this is the first time I’ve ever brought a couple to photograph. I have to say, salvage yards make for some pretty good portrait locations. Yeah, there are a few hazards and you might want to update your tetanus shot before we go, but if you’re anything like my friends Bill and Sam, you’d love the idea. Back in February when they booked with me, they said they wanted something different. Honestly this was a really fun e-session, I had a blast climbing on top of the cars and getting stuck. Thanks for helping me down, Bill. : ) Can’t wait until their wedding in May!

Tuesdays with Eli – I Still Love Video

This “Tuesdays with Eli” is a little different from the blogs in the past. I wanted to give you guys just a little taste of where I have came from. I started in the wedding industry shooting wedding videos. This was a few years ago, technology has changed rapidly since. I have a confession to make, even though I am a full time wedding photographer, I still have a love for video. Can’t a guy have two loves? Haha. I do believe that there is something timeless about photographs. Something that a video can’t emulate, this is why I am a photographer. I just wanted to share this little “date story” with you guys. Not sure if I will do any more of these, I guess that depends if anyone is interested or not. : ) I actually shot this about 6 months ago, I wasn’t sure what I wanted to do with it at the time, I knew I just wanted to shoot it. It went down just like my engagement sessions. We spent a couple hours together hanging out, and taking photos. The couple in this video are actually my sister and brother in law. They tied the knot in November of 2005. Elana has been super supportive of me and my business since the beginning. Before I even knew what I wanted to do, she trusted me with her wedding photos before I was a photographer. Nick has helped me out so many times when I’ve been in a pinch. Supportive family and encouraging people around me, are the reason I am where I am today. I thank God for blessing me and people around me for extending their help.

Nick + Elana Date Story from Eli Murray on Vimeo.

Music by: Ingrid Michaelson – “Can’t Help Falling in Love”

I hope you liked my little video. Just to clarify, I am not a wedding videographer. I encourage you to look into having a videographer for your wedding, I know many great videographers I can refer you to. I only shared this video because at the moment, I can do this. Not your wedding day, just an addition to the engagement session.
Here’s the technical stuff. I shot this with a Nikon D90 and a couple prime lenses. I used a Glidecam 2000 Pro to steady the shots. I spent about 1/2 an hour editing this together. I just picked a few of my favorite shots and threw them together. Now that I have shot one of these “Engagement Videos/Date Story”  I have an idea of what I want to do next time.
Leave me some love at let me know what you think. All you videographers, be easy on me. I’m just a photographer. Haha

Scott + Karlyn – Searcy Portrait Photographer

Last Thursday I had an opportunity to spend a few hours with Scott and Karlyn. Scott is finishing up school here in Searcy at Harding University. He’s darn close to being finished and he and Karlyn are both Arizona bound. I too share their love for the West, but I’m quite happy with my home in Arkansas for now. Karlyn is an artist, check out her blog here. Karlyn and Scott actually got married in Arizona back in 08′, but they wanted some photos to remember there time spent together here at school. We spent a couple hours walking around their old stomping grounds taking photos for memories sake. I’m so glad Karlyn contacted me, because I had a blast on this shoot, and we made great photos and I have some new friends!  Also, this is the first blog post that I’ve done with a title. Leave me some love and let me know what you guys think about that. Enjoy!

Jordan + Danielle Reception – Arkansas Wedding Photographer

As promised, here is the rest of my favorite photos from Jordan & Danielle’s wedding in Hot Springs. The reception was at The Porterhouse. They also decided to have some sweet live music to dance to, my buddy Matthew Huff can play mean some guitar.  The reception was a lot of fun, and I got to surprise everyone with a same-day photo slideshow. It wasn’t planed, and it was a first for me, but I had my new macbook so I decided to throw together a quick slideshow. Everyone seemed to love it! Here are a couple photos from the reception. Enjoy!

Horse drawn carriage. Always a classic.

Jordan + Danielle Anthony Chapel Ceremony – Hot Springs Photographer

Jordan & Danielle are two of my favorite people. Super fun, relaxed, easy going, and they are crazy in love with each other. From the first time that we sat down to meet, I knew we’d be a great match. They told me how much the loved my work and then said “Just do your thing on our wedding day and we’ll be happy”. I was super excited about shooting at the Anthony Chapel at Garven Gardens in Hot Springs. This really is a beautiful location and the light couldn’t have been better. I had just got back from Vegas and was still recovering from WPPI, so I was very happy to have my good buddy Jason Crader backing me up as a second shooter. Here are a few of my favorites from the wedding ceremony. I’ll have more from the reception tomorrow. Enjoy!

Tuesdays With Eli – WPPI, Las Vegas, & Friends!

Today is Tuesday! I have to apologize for not getting my “Tuesdays with Eli” blog post up sooner for you guys. I’m still here in Las Vegas for the giant WPPI convention and things are a bit crazy! There is so much going on I really don’t have time to blog, but I know that you guys are waiting on it! Haha. As I’m typing this, I’m sitting here in the MGM Hotel’s lobby up against the wall using their electricity and free WiFi. This is Vegas, it’s 2010, you would think there would be free WiFi everywhere…there’s not. This week has been so much fun! I’ve meet so many people and seen so much stuff. My feet hurt, because for 3 days I’ve walked everywhere and let me tell you this place is not small. I still have 2 days left, and I’m trying to get as much as possible out of this trip. I really am have a super great time, but I’m also really starting to miss Leslie. The people in the photography industry are some of the best, positive, friendly, and inspiring people. To get this many people in one area that all love what they do radiates excitement! I can’t wait to get back and share all that I’ve seen and heard with my friends back home that didn’t get to come. I’m sure thankful that I’ve had the oppertunity to go to WPPI! God has blessed my life immensely, and I’m excited to share with others!
Here are a couple photos for you guys that I took while walking the Vegas Strip! I also wanted to let you guys download them if you wanted for prints or desktop wallpapers if you want. So here you go, Enjoy! Full downloads here: PhotoA, PhotoB, PhotoC.

Geoff & Olivia – Arizona Portrait Photography

I wrapping up my week with my brother, Geoff. I stayed at his sweet pad for 6 days, a little mini vacation before spending the next week on the Vegas strip for WPPI. I had a super great relaxing week with my bro. He showed me the beautiful mountains, lakes, rivers, and valleys of this Arizona desert landscape.  I have to say that this really is some beautiful county out West. On Friday I asked Geoff and his girlfriend, Olivia, if they would let me take some portraits of them. I’ve taken a lot of landscape photos while I’ve been here, but I’m really a people photographer. I was beginning to get the portrait itch. This landscape was just begging me to add some people into the photograph. We went right before twilight, and kept shooting after the sun dropped. Enjoy!

Kele & Jonathan Luigs – Arkansas Wedding Part 2

As promised, here is part two of the Luigs wedding!

All the photos from the entire wedding can be viewed/purchased here.

All the photos from the entire wedding can be viewed/purchased here.

Kele & Jonathan Luigs – Arkansas Wedding Part 1

So I’ve decided to break up Kele & Jonathan’s wedding into two parts because I have so many great photos that I wanted to share. I didn’t want to overload you guys with too many in one blog post, so come back tomorrow for part two. When I first photographed Jonathan & Kele’s engagement photos I knew there was a possibility that Jonathan might get drafted to the NFL, but when I found out that he was picked by the Cincinnati Bengals I was super excited for them both! The football season was a little hard on Jonathan, but he was a trooper . He had surgery two weeks before the wedding, but walked without crutches just about the whole night. Football players are hard core. Here are a few of my favorites from their wedding.

There were some strict rules shooting inside the church, but I was sure glade that I had my buddy Geoff there as a second shooter. He got all the great shots of during the ceremony, I was restricted to the very back of the Church.

I absolutely love these portraits! Immediately after the ceremony I pulled Jonathan & Kele outside to do some real quick portraits of the newlyweds.

Stay tuned for the rest of the wedding on Friday!

All the photos from the entire wedding can be viewed/purchased here.

Tuesdays with Eli – Vegas Baby

Hey, hey everyone! Well I made it safely to Vegas. Vegas Baby!

I landed yesterday and my brother picked me up at the airport. He lives about an hour away from Vegas in a little town called Bullhead City, Arizona. I’ll be staying here at his place for this week before the WPPI convention next week. I’ve got lots of planning to do before the convention, but I have to say, this is one sweet pad I’m staying at. I can work from the back deck still pick up WiFi and look right over the flowing Colorado River. Pretty Sweet!

Here’s a couple iPhone pictures from the flight!