Meet Jamin Murray

Today we’d like to introduce you to Jamin Murray.

Every artist has a unique story. Can you briefly walk us through yours?
I grew up through middle school playing music, picking up any instrument I could and teaching myself how to play it. I played in the orchestra at school, participated in Vail Youth Symphony, and took a percussion class my freshman and sophomore year at Cienega High School. During all of this, I participated in playing in the worship bands at my church and absolutely loved it. But, my sophomore year of high school, I was inspired by my older sister to take the Photo One class which was the introductory class to photography. The first part of the class was learning photoshop and doing different projects with the software, then later in the year learning how to shoot in manual on a camera.

I really enjoyed making things on photoshop and doing different projects. My teacher also told me that I had an eye for photography and if I kept working hard in his class and I would go far. Sure enough by the end of the year, my teacher had asked me if I wanted to be his Teacher Assistant for following year instead of taking Photo Two as a class next year. Immeadlitly I said yes. The next year came around and I got to work next to my teacher and watch him run this amazing photography program, he and his colleague had built over the years. He gave me opportunities to edit photos, continue to shoot school events, and my favorite part of being his T.A. was when he assigned me the job to create the 2017 senior varsity football poster. All he said was “here’s the PNGs of the seniors, impress me.” And I did just that and took what I learned from the previous year and created a football poster. I’m so blessed and thankful for that opportunity because from there he continued to believe in me and my skills and continued to support me in what I did in Photography and graphic design. I kept shadowing him at the photoshoots he did in his private business, he took me with him to weddings and so many other events. Towards the end of the year, he introduced video to me. I had done a few family videos in the past but nothing serious. I ended up going to a wedding with him and he handed me a 5D Mark IV and said: “impress me.” So, I shot footage and used Premiere on my old and slow windows laptop to edit the footage. I sent it to him, he absolutely loved it and again he saw potential, and from there continued to invest in gear for me to use, took me to more weddings, and I made more videos.

I had learned so much in a year, not only in photography or graphic design but as well as videography. Before the school year ended, I was approached by the second photography teacher who is also the yearbook teacher and offered me the position of being editor of the yearbook for the following school year, (even tho I had no yearbook experience). Jump forward to today in my senior year, I am the yearbook editor, student president of the photography program at Cienega High School, I still am creating wedding videos as well as other promotional videos, continuing to do graphic design, and taking photos for my personal business as well as for the school also.

Please tell us about your art.
I primarily do photography and videography but still do graphic design pretty frequently. For video, I’ve done weddings, engagements, a variety of promotional videos, “hype” videos, as well as some video “just for fun” type of content. For photography, I shoot seniors, prom groups, family photos, engagements, football games, I’ve assisted in weddings, as well as shoot my own work for fun. In graphic design, I can do Invitations for different events, create sports posters, flyers, etc.

When I started out, I knew that this business could be very difficult and competitive. Knowing that I knew I was going to have to work my hardest and give it my all to be able to keep up and be successful. But the thing that got me hooked on photography and videography wasn’t the money or the idea of being successful, But it had the opportunity to really bless people with my work. Good photography and videography can be very expensive. So my mission and my goal are to be able to give someone images whether that be senior photos or family portraits and charge a minimal amount of money. In other words, I think quality images and short videos should be affordable. God has given me a great gift and a special talent, and I want to give back and bless people with and through my work.

What do you think about conditions for artists today? Has life become easier or harder for artists in recent years? What can cities like ours do to encourage and help art and artists thrive?
I think in today’s world, there is a lot of competition. A lot of amazing and talented people. I think it’s tough because technology is getting better and better so people can replicate what a DSLR can do on their iPhone like nothing. Which is making it harder because it allows so many people to participate in this field of art, which creates the competition. That’s one of the things that drives me to be creative and think outside of what’s expected and always trying new things, seeing what others do and learn from it and try to do it in a different new way.

How or where can people see your work? How can people support your work?
People can follow me on Instagram “@Jamin.Murrays.” That is where all of my work is posted, and if needed, my contact info is also available in the bio. I would like to get a website up before the end of the year. Hopefully, that happens, and if so, then that information will be posted on my Instagram. On my IGTV, I also have my wedding videos posted. I’m also on YouTube under “Jamin Murray.”

Contact Info:

• Address:  9075 E. Palms Park Dr. 85715 Tucson, AZ
• Phone: 520-954-8307
• Email: Jamin.Murrays@gmail.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jamin.murrays/?r=nametag

Image Credit:
Cienega High School

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