Michael Murphy
Growing up in New Jersey, I’ve naturally seen the world differently. Little things that fascinated me like listening to the cars pass by with that swoosh sound that I imitated with my toy cars. It was that raw beauty I adapted over the years. I remember the days with some point and shoot film Kodak cameras that I had taking random images. In a way, that was my introduction to photography.
In 2009, that love for it had returned. When I lived in New York City, on my way home I stopped at a small magazine/newspaper shop in Union Square and the December 2009 issue of Popular Photography caught my eye. I had this strong urge and desire to purchase it and look at those images and read more about the craft. I had some buddies who were also into it already and I was picking their brains about their cameras and it intrigued me even more.
In late 2010, I purchased my first DSLR camera. It was a Canon EOS Rebel XT that I still have today as a reminder of my humble beginnings, as well as that same December 2009 issue of Popular Photography.
For a brief time, I attended the New York Institute for Photography but dropped out. I personally didn’t feel as if I was grasping it that way. I needed more time to learn the camera and basics and the school didn’t work out for me.
I spent time studying through Youtube from artist like Karl Taylor, Peter Lik and many others and I grew to be more in tune towards Landscapes. The beauty that lingers all around us we tend to overlook I began to become captivated by it overall.
In 2014, I moved to Duluth, Minnesota and still reside here currently. Since I’ve been here, I became drawn to Lake Superior. The largest of the Great Lakes and the scenery around its something special.
When I set out to shoot somewhere around the Lake, those grassroots come back to me when I was a child. Viewing the world differently. My work often is praised by its unique compositions or the painters vibe. I’m grateful for all the years of honing that style to my benefit.
“It’s not just an image to me; its the story behind each capture”
Going out on a long road trip or going out for sunrise is one thing, being in the moment is another. It’s never about just an image to me, it’s the story behind it. The moments from each image that is showcase on this site will show this. I can take in a scene and literally dive into my emotions and zone in on what my eyes catch and then the gears start spinning in my mind.
The vibes that I feel on scene will play a huge part on how I see things. In a way, it’s like watching a painter zero in on their masterpiece that they’re working on. You know something good is going to happen but you don’t know how it’s gonna happen. Once, I feel like I captured the moment as the stage has been set, I leave with a memory. Something I can replay in my mind fully and relive those emotions all over again.
“I see the world through the emotions I have at that moment”
With landscapes, it could evoke emotions that you never knew that are buried deep within. I see the world through the emotions I have at the moment. I always make time while i’m shooting to take in the moment. No day is ever alike so I cherish the days while I can.
Photography being a form of art is what I gravitate to strongly. The lighting, the mood, all of it intrigues me. In locations around Lake Superior that i’ve been to are in just pure silence.
The raw natural beauty of this planet is uncanny. I thank God for this gift, and vision that I was blessed with. In ways, it’s my way to contribute to the world by capturing the scenery thats staged upon me. I’m truly grateful for it all.
“There’s a connection that I feel with landscapes”
There’s a connection that I feel with landscapes. There’s an energy that I feel when on location. Spiritual in many ways. It’s hard to explain. The best way I can describe it as if I was guided to a specific location at the given time to capture it at the right moment to highlight its beauty.
My gallery reflects the creative lens through which I view the world. I believe that there’s poetry within my work that tells the story of this world.
I leave from a location far different than when I arrived. It changes me on many different levels. Photography has given me an opportunity to explore more and appreciate the little things in life more. It drives me to get out more and constantly look at the world differently.