Eli's Photography Blog

Cityfest Little Rock Arkansas 2009

Last weekend I had a chance to visit Central Arkansas’ Cityfest. Luis Palau is the man behind the Cityfest idea. Cityfest is food, music, speakers, and fun centered around Christian outreach. It’s a free event open to anyone. I like to think of it as a Christian Woodstock. It’s a great way for people who may be uncomfortable with the current church outreach to have a chance to get to know Christ. I first heard about Cityfest from the church I attend, Church at Rock Creek, they’ve done a great job promoting this event. According to the statistics from Cityfest Twitter account: 55,000 people attended cityfest. 1,400 people responded to Christ. 600 homeless served. 2 tons of food was collected.  I had family portraits the same day as Cityfest, so I didn’t have a chance to stay long, but I did get to eat some awesome Chicken Teriyaki and I also got to see some of the Motocross Freestyle action. Those dudes are pretty crazy on a motorcycle. Here are some of my favorite photos! Enjoy!

Freestyle Motocross Kiss of Death

Father & Son at Cityfest

Motocross Freestyle Trick

Motocross Hart Attack

Crowd at Cityfest

Angela & Chris Engagements Pinnacle Mountain State Park

Sunday afternoon I met up with Chris & Angela at the Base of Pinnacle Mountain in Little Rock. Angela knew right away after we first spoke, that she wanted something fun and outdoors for her engagement session. It had to be outdoorsy, both Chris and Angela both love the “open air”. I knew that we had to be somewhere that fit their personalities for the photos to be the most natural, so together we picked Pinnacle Mountain State Park. Sunday was absolutely gorgeous, we could not have picked a better day. Oh course the Park was packed full of people, because it was so nice. We started with some photos up the Mountain just a little bit, then moved down toward the open fields as the sun was setting. Angela and Chris actually first met me at the Kiss The Brides Expo in Little Rock this year. They entered into the couples with the “best kiss” and won! They’re getting married in July and I’m very excited them both. Enjoy the photos!

Autumn in Arkansas

Happy Couple Autumn

Engagement Portraits Little Rock

Cowboy Boots

Engagement Ring

Candice Modern Maternity Portraits in Little Rock

Monday afternoon I had the pleasure of photographing Candice and her husband Ray at one of the happiest times of their lives. They’re going to have their first child Jaycee Alice in early January. Candice and Ray had a very small intimate wedding. I had the great pleasure of photographing Candice’s bridal portraits in 2008. Candice and Ray are a super sweet couple and I have no doubt what great parents they will both make. My goal with their maternity portraits was to capture this unique time of their lives.. in a simple, natural, and intimate way. I couldn’t help but think that someday little Jaycee will be all grown up and have and opportunity to look back at these photos. That will be very cool. We met up Downtown Little Rock near the Clinton Library and this was the result. I absolutely love Fall. This season is beautiful in Arkansas. Enjoy!

New Parents Love

Mother-to-be

Little Rock Maternity Portrait

Modern Maternity Portrait

Arkansas Maternity Photo

Maternity Portraits Little Rock

First Family Photo

Adam & Erin Engagement Photos Downtown Little Rock

Erin and Adam were referred to me from another couple Kele and Jonathan, who I shot engagements for back in July. I guess Kele & Jonathan had such a great time me, they wanted to share wedding photographer with their friends. Adam and Erin are my first couple right now booked for May. I’m super excited about their wedding. We met up at Allsopp Park for engagement session and started in on the pictures when our photo shoot was slightly interrupted by a light rain shower. That didn’t stop us though, we jumped under one of the pavilions and hung out for a second while the rain did it’s thing. I grabbed these shots.

Kissing under a pavilion.

Little Rock Engagement Photos

Here are some of my other favorites when the rain cleared.

Couple kissing on rocks.

Engagement ring photo.

Then Adam suggested we try another park he knew of, which was a great idea. Check out that view of downtown!

Kissing on rock wall.

Kissing in Little Rock park.

A quick change of cloths, then we headed downtown. I love the this one!

Kissing in front of brick wall.

Couple Downtown Little Rock

Engagement Photos Downtown LR

Congrats you guys, can’t wait tell the wedding!

Brent & Rachel Engagement Portraits Downtown Little Rock

My good friends Brent and Rachel are getting married! I am honored that Rachel asked me to be their wedding photographer. I am a little sad that because I will be taking the photos on their big day, I won’t get to be in the wedding party. I guess that’s just the nature of the game. Really though, I am very happy for them both. I have known Brent for quite a while now, and Rachel is perfect for him. They make a great couple and make my job really easy. We met up at the Riverfront Park in Little Rock. The weather was perfect for this e-session. It was right before the cold front moved in, but it was still overcast. Downtown Little Rock is great place to take portraits. There’s so many interesting textures and areas it’s almost unlimited for ideas. Here are just a few of some of my personal favorite photos from the session. I used some of the Totally Rad Actions for photoshop on these. I downloaded the demo pack that came with just a few actions. I really like the look, I had to turn the opacity down on most of them though. I didn’t want it to be to much for the photos. Just enough to add to them. Let me know what you guys think. Give me some feedback. Brent and Rach, congrats you guys. I hope you like your photos. I can’t wait until the wedding.

Little Rock Engagement Portraits

Kissing on Hilltop

Engaged Couple Little Rock

Making out on Green Hillside

Kissing on Park Bench

Riverfront Park Engagements

Edgy Engagement Portrait

Modern Engagement Portrait

Downtown Little Rock Art Couple

Laughing Couple Portraits

Oh yeah, I love this one because I caught then laughing and being themselves, but I also noticed that the sign says reserved parking for “data file” storage. I thought that was weird.

Wedding photography websites should be easy to use.

Personally I like the idea of an easy to use website, especially if you’re a bride looking for a wedding photographer. However, my good friends over at Shift Creative not only like this idea, they live by it. Shift insisted that if I wanted to make a site that was pleasant and easy to use for brides to be that we should do some remodeling. So just like that, today I’m proud to announce that elimurray.com has a new look. You can follow me on the social sites, check out my latest work, and interact with my blog post. I hope you guys like it. I will be blogging at least once a week. Telling you all about my life, my missions, my photos, and my happy clients. Thanks for stopping by, if I can help you out at all with family portraits or baby photos or if you know some friends that are getting married, send them my way. I’d love to meet them.

Kele & Jonathan E-Session at War Memorial

Kele found me at the Kiss the Brides Expo at the Verizon Arena. After Kele and Jonathan Luigs get married, they are moving to Cincinnati where Jonathan is going to play pro football for the Cincinnati Bengals.  You may have heard Jonathan’s name before, he played for the Arkansas Razorbacks and won a few awards. I wish I was a little more football savy I could probably tell you more, I’m just happy to take some pictures of a football celebrity.  Unfortunately I don’t know much about the sport, but I do know that it is pretty cool that he is going to play pro. They were a great couple and have great chemisty. It was beautiful weather when we shot these photos. We met up at War Memorial Stadium in Little Rock. I also had some great help help from my good friend Mark with Roxy Creative. You can see more of their photos there.  I am very excited to photograph their wedding in February.  Congratulations you guys, thanks for falling in love and giving me a call.

War Memorial Engagement Photos

Razorback Piggyback

Jonathan Luigs Engagment Photo

War Memorial Stadium Little Rock

Kissing with dog watching

Jonathan Luigs Future Wife

The Hunt Family Portraits

I try to stay away from over-using photographer “hot spots” like the Old Mill in North Little Rock. I think just about every portrait photographer in Arkansas has taken pictures at the Old Mill. The problem is that it’s just way too beautiful of a location not to shoot there. There are so many flowers and greenery, set in wonderful textured rocks. When we took these, it had just rained and it was still pretty overcast. The temperature was perfect, very unlike what an Arkansas summer should be. Lauren asked me what they should wear, I told them bright colors, anything colorful and happy. I think they did a great job. I love the contrast with the colors in these pictures. I hope to do many more Mother/Daughter portraits. I had a great time with Lauren and her Mom. Thanks for giving me a call you guys. I hope you like the photos.

Helen's Bridal Portraits at Burns Park

Helen is one happy bride. She planned her wedding to happen on the beach in Costa Rica. She contacted me about 3 weeks before she left for the wedding about doing some Bridal Portraits here in Arkansas. Of course I begged her to take me along with here to Costa Rica too. Haha. Unfortunately she already had booked a photographer as part of the beach wedding package. We met up at the old covered bridge in Burns Park. As far as I know, this is one of the only covered bridges in Arkansas. I really loved this area, and I think that the style of Helen’s dress really complimented my style for this photo shoot. I love Arkansas old rustic areas. The one’s that can make a bridal portrait look timeless. Congrats Helen!

Dustin & Dixie Engagement Photos

Dixie found me at the Kiss The Brides Expo at the Verizon Arena here in Little Rock. I am very excited to be doing there wedding photography in September. Dustin and Dixie are wonderful couple, they’re both athletic and enjoy being outside. Dixie explained that their dogs are like their children, so they defiantly wanted them in the photos. I know what some people might say about photographing dogs and children, but I thought it was a great idea. Plus I had help from my good buddy Mark with Roxy Creative. He’s a big help with the photos and will be my second photographer at their wedding. We decided to shoot Dixie and Dustin’s engagements at the Big Dam Bridge on the North Little Rock side. Congrats you guys, I hope you like the photos.