CHASING THE LIGHT WITH ELI BRANCH IV
- Remy Styrk
- 13 hours ago
- 6 min read
By Remy Styrk
I sat down with Eli Branch IV over coffee for a glance into his work, curiosities, and view of his world. Flipping through his portfolio, from series to series, it’s clear that Eli’s furtively observant eye animates each image. From macro and abstract to silhouettes and lifestyle, including everything in between, his bold introductory statement, “My Name is Eli, and I chase light and life,” confirms his work is a calculated and romantic capture of arbitrariness and prosaic life.
As a kid, Eli would travel from Chicago to visit his grandma in Oakland. This would mark the indefinite beginning of his love of photography as he consumed and admired his grandma’s sizable collection of National Geographic. Fascinated by the photos and maps, even before having the language to pinpoint the experience, seeing the different ways to capture the world was pivotal to him. Again, cementing “chasing light and life” from an early age.
“I’m an art fan - my art is me being a fan of musical artists. Art is a cypher; it’s improvisational, like breakdancing. It’s a progression of different forms, expressions, questions, and perspectives. It spans globally. National Geographic showed people doing what they love. That thread is still with me, just in different ways. I like to see people living their fullest lives. That’s what I’m drawn to."
In 2004, while studying abroad in Italy, Eli bought a point-and-shoot camera to expand upon capturing his world. It allowed him to focus on the feeling of his images through color and B&W; intuitively communicating, synthesizing, and experiencing new life, new skills, and new surroundings. Importantly, doing this while centering the enjoyment and fun of it all. In 2009, his photography evolved as the birth of his son and the start of a new job brought a substantial multi-sensory shift. He would then spend the next six years primarily photographing his son, documenting the development and the turbulently rich joy of parenthood. Eli mentioned a large part of this era of photos was just snapping when the moment felt right or when something caught his eye.
A Nikon D3400 would find its way into Eli’s hands in 2015, as his mom retired and the pair went to Africa to celebrate. Similar to being spellbound by National Geographic as a kid, the purchase of this new camera, too, would mark a notable moment in his photography. While in Africa, Eli attended the Dakar Biennale (Dak'Art), Senegal’s renowned biennial contemporary art exhibition, to document his world using it—a new tool in a playground. This new era of his photography felt exciting and boundless, as the technical aspects of the craft and the propulsion of feeling harmonized into a deeper ability to create.
A week before the world shut down due to the 2020 COVID pandemic, Eli had been given a macro lens and ring light as a gift. With new tools added to his playground and toolkit, and a world in a standstill, he would go to the library to look through photography books to learn more, notably picking up Jay Maisel’s “It’s Not About the F-Stop.” Aligned with his journey, the book reinforced the sentiment, philosophy, and prompt of “just look, see, and take photos.” And so he did - heading out to experiment with street photography and long exposure while avoiding people. As the world began to slowly open up in 2021, Eli collaborated with The Milkmen DJs at their events to photograph. This led to receiving free ticket passes to shows at Madame Lou’s, officially marking another moment on the photographic timeline, this time the birth of branching into concert photography with new tools and gear. Like any new endeavor, Eli mentioned he struggled to grasp the technicals of it; nonetheless, opening a door that can’t be closed.
Eli would walk around downtown during his lunch breaks to continue the synthesis of technical and feeling, this time incorporating people back into his images as the pandemic restrictions loosened. On one of his walks, he came across a poster advertising the Sudan Archives concert at Showbox SoDo, and immediately bought a ticket. With no media pass and pure passion and determination, he snuck his camera in to photograph the show. While the technical aspects of it presented many barriers, he applied what he had been practicing and managed to capture a few photos, nearly accidentally, that only propelled his love for his work. After viewing them, he stated, “Holy sh*t. I might be onto something.” And only months later, Eli would sneak his camera into Showbox SoDo again to photograph Little Simz, uncovering and cementing visual gems. Those gems would once again multiply with his momentum. Eli started emailing artist teams to request media passes and get on their radar. “Some people reply, a lot don’t, but all it takes is a few. Just keep trying,” he added. He would go on to photograph sports, drag shows, dance performances, musicals, and 20+ concerts around Seattle, including artists Little Dragon, Talib Kweli, LaRussell, and many more; additionally, working closely with playXear and Matador Records.
In the next phase of his craft, Eli hopes to be more disciplined in his work - finding techniques to center himself, stay intentional, and focus the energy and reduce the noise to execute.
Reflecting on his journey and what’s to come, Eli says, “I’m an engineer by trade. [Growing up] I couldn't draw, and I thought I wasn’t an artist. I kinda have closed-loop thinking. Engineers sort of laugh at artists. We’re trained to find the solution through the shortest path. Applying it to photography - approaching getting the light, composition, etc., through an engineer's brain is analytic and creative. Pattern thinking in terms of inputs and outputs. I feel my brain, and engineer’s brain, is wired for slow direct feedback. You get that incremental improvement in photography because it’s visual-cue-based. I prefer direct feedback.”
In addition to becoming more disciplined in craft, Eli is committed to capturing more of the crowd at concerts, principally capturing the energy of the environment. To him, concert photography is, in some distant way, an extension of what he saw in National Geographic - candidly documenting people’s lives.
Eli continues, “I’m an art fan - my art is me being a fan of musical artists. Art is a cypher; it’s improvisational, like breakdancing. It’s a progression of different forms, expressions, questions, and perspectives. It spans globally. National Geographic showed people doing what they love. That thread is still with me, just in different ways. I like to see people living their fullest lives. That’s what I’m drawn to. Getting to see people grow up, accomplish goals, and celebrate themselves. It spans across several different vibes, backgrounds, and ways of life. I take pride in documenting that process through my art.”
Sudan Archives, 2026, image credit Eli Branch IV
Sudan Archives returned to Seattle on Valentine’s Day this year, and Eli secured a media pass for the show, creating a full-circle moment in reflection, craft, celebration, and composition. From putting years of practice into action to channeling and focusing intuition and intent, this go around was a balanced bloom of risk and trust. As I chatted with Eli about the show, he reflected, “I like Sudan Archives sound and aesthetic because I was raised by Black women, and I heard female RnB singers my whole childhood. Beyond the sound and look, I think I gravitate toward the notion of her as the artist/performer/concept of a Black woman who creates on her own terms, in her own style, outside traditional RnB archetypes for Black female artists. Not to say that that is wrong or lesser than. It's to say I value individualism, uniqueness, and being somewhat counter to the status quo.”
Going back to Eli’s statement, “My Name is Eli, and I chase light and life.” I wholeheartedly believe the key ingredient in his ability to do so is, in fact, his own genuine and inspirational light and life.
ABOUT THE ARTIST
Based in Seattle, Washington, Eli Branch IV is a passionate photographer and structural engineer who uses his camera as a tool, paintbrush, and toy to enjoy this thing called life. With a keen eye for detail and a love for experimentation, he skillfully captures the interplay of light, shadow, geometry, and motion in his work. His diverse interests in photography allow him to explore various styles, creating dynamic and compelling images that tell a story. Whether shooting candid urban scenes, macro nature images, concerts, sports, or portraits, Eli brings a fresh and innovative approach to every project. He is constantly searching for his next dose of visual dopamine and looks forward to sharing his love of photography with others.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Remy Styrk is a change agent restoring the ability to dream by approaching philosophy, models of care, and humanness as a syndemic.
As a Black trans man and an award-winning filmmaker, musician, and humanist, Remy has worked with a range of companies from HBO and Microsoft to high schools, groups, and non-profits such as North Sound ACH and the Washington State Syndemic Planning Group, researching how people learn through storytelling, cultural anthropology, creative engagement, and designing custom programs.
Ultimately, he is committed to preserving joy, equity, and the testimony of people coming home to themselves through story stewardship.
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