Wednesday, January 11, 2012

About Engine3Photo


In the Spring of 1980, the Old Orchard Beach Fire Department held a dedication ceremony. A bronze plaque was placed under the driver's side door of their new Mack CF pumper, designated Engine 3. The truck was dedicated to the memory of the Assistant Chief of the department from 1953 to 1963, William R. Murphy, Sr. It was also dedicated to his son, who shared his name. William R. Murphy, Jr served the department from 1958 to 1977, when he was lost to a heart attack after rescuing a dog that had fallen through the ice at Milliken Mills Pond. It seems to me that the skies above Old Orchard often hold the fires they spent years fighting, especially at sunrise.
My name is David Murphy. In 1977, the firefighters in Old Orchard Beach used to call me "Truck", both because I loved the fire trucks and because whenever I was in my dad's old International pickup, I was standing on the bench seat inches away from him. When I decided to try and make a name with my photography, I decided it would not be my own. For one, there are many photographers with the same name. More importantly to me, Engine3Photo represents my dedication of my work to my dad.
Since returning to a childhood appreciation of photography that my mother encouraged, I have been blessed with the opportunity to witness many spectacular sights in my home in Southern Maine. I challenge myself to capture and preserve them in such a manner that those who view my work feel like they could have been standing right beside me experiencing it for themselves.
In addition to my landscape and nature work, I have also practiced event photography through many concerts for my own portfolio and through gameday coverage for the Portland Pirates through regular season games in the 2009-10 and 2010-11 regular seasons, as well as playoff series against the Manchester Monarchs, Connecticut Whale and the eventual 2011 Calder Cup Champion Binghamton Senators.
In 2011, I also received my first award, a bronze award in the 2011 Epson International Pano Awards for my stitched panoramic composition of Casco Bay from Portland Headlight past Ram Island. The piece was titled "Doris' Dawn" in memory of my mother. When reflecting on the piece a week after the work was captured, I felt that she was given the opportunity to observe my life from Heaven. After seeing my struggles and the 4 week old grandson she never had the chance to interact with, I could almost here her in my mind saying "Lord, if ever you were going to paint the most beautiful sunrise I could ask or imagine, the son you gave me is down on those rocks, and he needs this". My sunrises are a collaboration with my Creator, an act of worship, and dedicated to the memory of my mother, who taught me how to truly appreciate them with a simple prayer. "Lord, thank you for the sunshine, even though we can't see it. We know that it's only because it's where it's needed most">

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