The Lost Art of Childhood by Adrian C. Murray

Photographer Adrian C. Murray has a brand new book he’d like to get published through Kickstarter called The Last Art of Childhood. His magical photos speak for themselves. Murray takes photos of his own children with their dog and teddy bear in ways that evoke the spirit of childhood. 500px recently featured him on their blog and was able to interview him about his project. Here we learn the concept behind the book: “The lost art of childhood has a double meaning to me,” he states. “First and foremost, the viewers of the book will typically be adults. Adults who, over time, have lost their sense of childlike wonder and amazement. It’s a natural progression of life, as we come to understand more about the world and take on greater amounts of responsibilities. This starts to whittle down our own perception of the world into the narrow boxes we deal with in the day to day. Taxes, mortgages, the nine to five grind. These activities and worries consume our ability to look at the world in amazement and wonder. It takes a conscious effort for us to get back to our younger selves, and remember what it was like to look at the world with a young set of eyes. To view life as the masterful piece of art that it is. Childhood becomes lost.”

A former dentist, Murray recently transitioned to becoming a full time photographer. He doesn’t post process in Photoshop, rather, he uses Lightroom for all of his edits. Most photos were taken in his hometown of Kentucky, at local parks near his home. He’s also photographed in Idaho where his wife is from and in California, where he was raised. “From swinging above a creek, to eating with deer, there are some of my most recognizable images taken in California. I had an amazing childhood there myself and each time we visit I want to give my kids a taste of what I had growing up.”

Murray reminds me of Elena Shumilova in that they both are to capture what it was like to be a child; the imagination and curiosity that come with it. Their photos also have a similar feel to them, appearing timeless and classic. (Here’s an old post I wrote about Murray’s adorable teddy bear shots.)

The 12″ x 12″ cloth bound hardcover book has over 60 color images across 120 pages with accompanying quotations. On Kickstarter, his goal is to raise $30,000. Let’s help him!