and how long does transplant shock last? I planted this about 2 months ago, and i initially planted it 2 feet over but i had to move it a week later for that water reel right next to it...

Hard to say if it is getting too much sun. Exactly w-h-e-n does it get sun? The aim is to get shade in the afternoon of the summer months... or dappled sun.

A newly (1st year) planted shrub should receive supplemental water (try 1 gallon per watering) on its first year since its roots may not be able to absorb that which a sprinkler or drip system supplies. Depending on how good of a root system it has in the pot, it may do well in Spring and less so as summer begins.

I also noticed no or little mulch, specially on the right side of the 2nd picture. The top of the soil looks dry. Mulch helps keep the soil moist longer so try adding some (say, 3-4") to help prevent one side of the plant's roots from being dry. If you insert a finger into the soil to a depth of 4" and it feels dry or almost dry then give it 1 gallon of water. Or use one of those soil moisture meters.

Plants can take from 1 (best) to 3 (worst) years to become established. It is ok to move it once (or even more times) until you get it to its final locations. Just try to not disturb the roots much, especially the tiny, shallow ones near the top.

like I said, it's planted in the east side of my house and gets sun until about noon when the house blocks the sun for the rest of the day.
could this be something else? or are camellias really that sensitive to sunlight?

There's mulch around the base of the plant but I didn't mulch further out because I planted some seeds on that bare spot...

I'll try giving it more water and I'll pull some more mulch over..

East exposure (morning sun) is really rough on camellias, especially during cold winters. East in summer seems to be fine. It needs more winter shade, especially in the mornings. Western exposure is better, Northern is even better.

My best guess (and I can't really see the damage in the photos, so it is a guess) is that the plant got jolted or bent somehow during one of its recent moves. It should recover with time.

You have leaf buds and that's great- if you haven't already, I would trim the parts that are clearly dead wood, and wait to see what the new leaves look like.

Sunburn seems unlikely from morning sun, unless there's some sort of intensifying factor going on such as something nearby (metal?) reflecting sun onto the plant.

Also, if you are in red clay country, I hope that you have good drainage for the camellia. Camellias have a fairly shallow root system, and need some oxygen for those roots; clay should help retain moisture, and that's good up to a point. If it's wet clay, though, that can suffocate the plant. My guess is that you've probably amended the soil, though, if it needed it.

Good luck,

Virginia