People We Meet: Jeff Murray documents the Excelsior, in film

Film photography relies on anticipation because outcomes cannot be fully predicted. Jeff Murray has shot on film since 2012 and values the process as much as the final image. He uses Kodak Portra 400 for its versatility, sharpness, and professional look, and he stores Fujifilm Provia rolls when he finds them. Film can be costly and supply can be inconsistent, but he considers shooting on film non-negotiable for his documentary project. The project, “Ever Upward,” focuses on San Francisco’s Excelsior District and connects to his long-term interest in the neighborhood. He studies how the area has preserved culture, history, and architecture while still changing over time.

"“If it is a really good shot, it feels more rewarding,” Murray said. Murray shoots almost exclusively on film. His favorite rolls? Kodak Portra 400, which he describes as versatile, sharp and professional-looking. He also stockpiles rolls of Fujifilm Provia in his refrigerator whenever he can find them."

"Film is expensive, the supply can be inconsistent and the outcome is never guaranteed. But for his current documentary photo project about San Francisco's Excelsior District, Murray considers the decision to shoot on film non-negotiable. That project, called “Ever Upward,” which is the translation of the Latin word Excelsior, is the centerpiece of his work at the City College of San Francisco, where he enrolled in a photography program in fall 2024."

"When a documentary news photography class required him to choose a topic for his capstone, he turned to a project he started back in 2018 when he first moved to the Excelsior. Murray, a 33-year-old San Francisco native who moved around the city growing up, has a soft spot for the neighborhood. Coming up near Civic Center and other parts of the city, Murray would take the bus south to the Excelsior with friends to enjoy taquerias and parks when he was a teenager."

"What draws him more now is how the neighborhood has preserved its original texture through a time of great change in the city. That doesn't necessarily mean that the neighborhood is stagnant, Murray said. “The neighborhood, for the most part, has kept a lot of its original culture, history and architecture,” Murray said. “It has a more working-class feel.”"

Read at Mission Local