Born in Portsmouth, Virginia to a Navy officer and his wife, Heather Murphy’s childhood involved frequent cross-country moves. The famous Navy slogan “it’s not just a job, it’s an adventure” speaks volumes. She attended numerous schools on both coasts until settling in for four years – the longest time ever in one school – at Saint Francis University. There, Murphy gained valuable instruction in photography and fine art composition while obtaining a degree in English and Journalism.

Her 19-year professional career focused on marketing and public relations for corporations, non-profits and the government. Presently, she serves as Director of Communications for Pinal County.

She formed Southpaw Fine Photos.com in 2005 as a way to share her work with nature lovers everywhere.

Murphy’s camera is a constant travel companion with much of her leisure time devoted to taking photographs and building her portfolio. Recent travels have taken her to Monterey, the Napa and Sonoma Valleys in California; Washington, DC and surrounding areas; San Diego, Southern Louisiana, New England, Alaska, Yellowstone and Newfoundland, Canada.

Heather Murphy adopted Arizona as her home state in 1996, first settling in Peoria and then relocating to Chandler’s Ocotillo area in 2004.

Heather Murphy got her first camera as a gift at about age seven.  A passion was born.  Since then, she has traveled in the United States and abroad documenting her journeys, local curiosities and the ever changing landscape.  Most known for intimate portraits of flowers and all things nautical, Murphy finds beauty in the world around her.

“Whether preserving the past, recording a moment in time or capturing history in the making, creating a lasting image is something primal,” Murphy says.  “We long to remember.  For me, photography is remembering.  Photography is also way to take us out of our individual worlds and transport us to another, more beautiful place.”

In keeping with her desire to share rare beauty, each image is signed, numbered and produced in small editions of 250, unless otherwise noted.  Once the 250^th print is sold, the image is retired and no longer available as a matted or framed print.