HellO!
I’m Murali. A visual storyteller exploring the intersection of photography, illustration, and graphic design.
I’m inspired by the details that often go unnoticed: a fleeting glance of light, a quiet corner of a city, the mood between frames. My work captures these moments across mediums—through photos, hand-drawn illustrations, and design-led visuals.
From national parks to everyday scenes, each project is a chance to blend color, composition, and creativity into something that resonates. This site is a collection of those stories.
Thanks for visiting!
Latest Postcards
Exploring the liminal space where the Pacific Ocean meets the Marin Headlands, this series documents the shifting boundary of Rodeo Beach. From the suspended anticipation of surfers in the swell to the historic red-roofed barracks of Fort Cronkhite standing against the hills, the images capture the quiet tension and enduring transition between wild waters, rugged earth, and human history.
This series deconstructs the iconic landscape into its essential components, focusing on the interplay between heavy engineering and the natural world. It zooms in on the industrial geometry of the Golden Gate—the sweeping diagonals of suspension cables and the Art Deco silhouette of the towers—while contrasting them against the organic, rugged textures of the Marin coastline. From the dense, shimmering grid of the San Francisco skyline to the lonely outpost of the Point Bonita Lighthouse and the winding ribbons of coastal roads, these images highlight the enduring forms that define this meeting point of land, sea, and sky.
This series captures the atmospheric journey along the ridges of the Marin Headlands, where the winding dirt trails cut through the coastal scrub. From this high vantage point, the Golden Gate Bridge is viewed not just as a structure, but as part of the landscape, emerging dramatically from the cool, rolling fog. The images emphasize the scale of the harbor entrance, framing the quiet movement of cargo ships and sailboats as they pass beneath the massive span.
This series captures the atmospheric journey along the ridges of the Marin Headlands, where the winding dirt trails cut through the coastal scrub. From this high vantage point, the Golden Gate Bridge is viewed not just as a structure, but as part of the landscape, emerging dramatically from the cool, rolling fog. The images emphasize the scale of the harbor entrance, framing the quiet movement of cargo ships and sailboats as they pass beneath the massive span.
Latest Blog Posts
I love the creative process, but like everyone else, I only have 24 hours in a day. To keep my momentum going without burning out, I’ve hired a new assistant: Gemini. By offloading the "packaging" and technical hurdles to AI, I’m finding more time to focus on the parts of photography and design I actually love. Here is why I’m choosing to embrace the help.
Style isn’t something you lock down — it’s something you pass through. What looks like inconsistency up close is often growth in hindsight. Like seasons, your work changes because you do.
Failing in public isn’t a lack of confidence. It’s proof that you trust your process enough to be seen before the outcome is clear.
Creativity thrives on rhythm, not pressure. Flow can carry you for miles, but the moment momentum feels like urgency, the work begins to strain. Knowing when to push and when to pause is what keeps the spark alive — and keeps the art honest.
Comics
In a pond where every fish has an opinion and none of them are helpful, the koi gather for their daily debate: is the leaf suspicious, is the water too dramatic today, and who exactly stirred the algae without permission? Between overthinkers, skeptics, and self-appointed philosophers, this unlikely council of fish proves one thing — even in calm waters, the drama runs deep.
They’re back… though they never really left. The legendary Nap Pile has reassembled on the pier, stacking sleep on sleep like it’s a group project no one wants to lead. Nothing happens, and that’s exactly the point. In this sequel, their dedication to doing less somehow reaches new heights.
They’ve reached peak laziness. No tides to chase. No fish to hunt. Just a pier, the sun, and the unwavering commitment to doing absolutely nothing. If relaxation were a sport, these seals would win gold by refusing to stand up for the medal.
Perched on her wooden throne at Cowell Ranch, Anna the hummingbird delivers swift judgment on every hiker who dares walk past her fence.
Cities
A photographic glimpse into New York City’s pulse—featuring the Brooklyn Bridge, Central Park, Rockefeller Center, and the Statue of Liberty.
A photographic walk through the streets of New Orleans—where sound, texture, and tradition meet on every corner.
Pulse is a street photography series from Atlanta—capturing fleeting gestures, city textures, and southern urban energy.
Photos from the National Mall in Washington D.C.—from the grandeur of its memorials to quiet architectural lines and civic spaces.
National Parks
A photographic journey through Zion National Park, from the towering cliffs of Angel’s Landing to the quiet sprawl of Zion Valley.
A photographic journey through some of the American Southwest’s most iconic landscapes—Grand Canyon, Antelope Canyon, Horseshoe Bend, and the desert in between.
Photos from Big Bend National Park—where desert, river, and mountain converge under expansive Texas skies.
Tools of My Trade
-
I have used Canon bodies all along. Right now, I am shooting with a Canon R6 Mark II. I previously used a Canon 7D.
-
My go-to lens these days are the Canon RF70-200mm F2.8 L IS USM and the Canon RF24-70mm F2.8 L IS USM. I also use the Canon Canon RF 100-400mm f/5.6-8 IS USM, Canon RF 16mm f/2.8 STM Lens, and the Canon RF 35mm f/1.8 IS Macro STM Lens as needed.
-
I currently use software in the Adobe Creative Cloud suite — Bridge for organizing, Lightroom and Photoshop for editing, After Effects for motion, Illustrator for graphics, and Premiere Pro for video. I use Procreate on my iPad for hand-drawn illustrations.