Camera and Flask
The Photography of Steven Gray

About

Camera and Flask // Steven Gray: Photographer. Storyteller. Artistic journalism and storytelling around the globe. Based in Pensacola, Florida.

In Ireland.

I am a photographer and videographer with a sincere passion for the art and science of visual communication.

Since graduating from the University of West Florida in 2012, I have worked for and with top performers in both the real estate and hotel industries.

My experiences as a transaction coordinator, marketing manager and staff photographer for different companies taught me the value of client service, clear communication and only making promises I can keep.

My wife and I founded our company, Move Media, LLC, to provide commercial photography and video services for businesses, brands and individuals, and we pride ourselves on exercising high levels of detail and follow-up with our clients.

I am addicted to adding value, and I am always ready to serve.

 
Dr. Susan Griffee, captured for a Florida Medical Association article about her work at Clearway Pain Institute. Dr. Griffee was very pressed for time that day, but we moved quickly and managed to get some great shots of her for the article inside of 15 minutes. Sometimes you just have to ride the wave. #flowandcrash #editorialphotographer
Ice is a beautiful thing, as is the @garden_grain craft cocktail lab from @perfectplain. #craftbartending #clarifiedice #craftcocktails
To quote my favorite philosopher, @deezyxix: “So... here’s the thing…” As many of you know, myself, my wife, and our two partners have been working nearly non-stop since October to renovate a historic structure into a combination co-work space and production studio. It was a pipe dream we had to establish our own office space, as well as a place for other startup freelancers and working creatives to grow their businesses. The realization of that dream is @longhollowcreatives, and our open house is in one week! Now that we are operational, I have only one ask: that you take a second to follow @longhollowcreatives and support us with your attention. If you like what we’re doing, tell your friends. If you’re in town, RSVP to attend our open house and enjoy a local beer on us. This project had no investors, no patreons, no kickstarters, just money out of pocket, paid out in small chunks as our clients paid us at our existing businesses. We want to continue independently and let the business fund itself as it grows, so I will never ask for more than your digital attention as we build and grow. Whether you style yourself as a “working creative” or not, we have more big ideas, crazy pipe dreams and entrepreneurial projects that we would like to bring to Pensacola, and it would be a privilege to have you along for the ride. #upsideofflorida #longhollowcreatives #flowandcrash
Pool views for days. Beautiful design. @embassysuitessarasota is pretty dope. #architecturalphotographer #commercialphotographer #sarasota #suitesarasota
Distillery shenanigans with our favorite hobbit during my 48 whirlwind hours in Kentucky with @daniel__lawrence and @popeam0 (last seen on my shoulders at Thanksgiving). @willettdistillery is gorgeous and Andy’s new bar is amazing in every way. #bourbontrail #willettbourbon #bardstown
I’m ridiculously proud of my brother @popeam0 for landing a dream job as the beverage director for the new bar going in at @willettdistillery in Bardstown, Kentucky. I’m so proud and so excited for this new chapter, Andy.
The tripod reunites at @popeam0’s new home at @willettdistillery.
They say to never work with kids or animals... so far I have never had a bad experience taking pictures with dogs. #TBT to capturing images of some old friends and their elite Dobermans. • I spent today at @navyblvdanimalhospital working with them on some new marketing photos. Such a great crew working with their furry patients there, I can’t wait to share the images.
I love this place and the people who make it so special. #oldhickorywhiskeybar
@givesgoodface’s lovely face in our space before @longhollowcreatives was even our space... • I had forgotten about this session from 2014. Going through my cloud backups today, I saw this session and remembered that we shot it at 700 N. Guillemard back when @noel_nichols ran her studio out of the space. Good memories. I haven’t seen much new work from Kim in a while, but she ranks in my mind as one of the most talented people to rise up out of the Pensacola acting and modeling community and see success in other markets. #pensacola #modeling #editorialportrait
I finally watched the Fyre Festival documentary on @Netflix. A few takeaways came to mind… especially for content creators. As a photographer, I view the first 30 minutes of the Netflix documentary to be a cautionary tale for creative professionals. • I can’t relate personally to the scale of #FyreFestival, but photography put me at close quarters with small-scale Billy Macfarlands for the last decade, and, petty though it might be, seeing Macfarland and Ja Rule’s public humiliation gave me savage pleasure. • It takes certain levels of narcissism and objectivism to be a founder, which makes visionaries terrifying salespeople. Investors and vendors have to evaluate every word, every moment of eye contact and every facial tic to decide if the founder giving a pitch is capable of executing, or is inept beyond the task of selling the idea. • The dynamic between Macfarland and Ja Rule felt uncomfortably familiar to me as a photographer, because I have, a number of times, found my contracts “held hostage” by delusional founders or creative directors. Watching the BTS footage of the influencer video shoot, I understood the visible discomfort of the models and production team as Macfarland and Ja Rule swanned around the island, beers in hand, calling shots with no plan. • Looking back on projects I’ve worked on, I can pinpoint a number of times I’ve missed or disregarded similar signs. Hindsight will always be 20/20. But the odd charisma of founders creates a reality distortion field. In the case of Macfarland and Ja Rule, however, they didn’t just sell the dream, they made the fatal mistake of believing their own hype. Their flippant manner, the presence of alcohol in every meeting, their inability to give clear answers, are all warning signs of visionaries with no clue how to finish what they start. • This doc resonated with me on a personal level. Creatives: keep your bullshit meters fine-tuned. Low-level Billy Macfarlands are everywhere. They will have amazing pitches. They will ask for your help. They will withhold payment, complicate your life, then talk like they’re doing you a favor. It’s a form of abusive relationship, and it’s never, ever worth it.
TGIF and the cocktail experience is, first, visual… • From December’s work trip to @embassysuitessarasota and their amazing restaurant, Bridges. #craftcocktails #suitesarasota #smokeanythingonce
This year, this year, as all these flowers foretell, We shall escape the circle and undo the spell. • Reminiscence to last summer’s shoot with @atlasobscura as Florida’s bipolar winter has its time again. #gooutside #remain #explorepcola
Alexa, play ‘Catch Hell Blues’... ✨: @ajgalecki, training hard for @thekennedybar with a bottle of my favorite bourbon. 🥃 #thekennedybar #pensacola #wellerbourbon
They say print is dead, but people still need wall art, and I keep a few shots for sale online at @fineartamerica. Link is in my profile if you are so inclined...
That soft morning light. • I woke up this morning and realized I was caught up. Cue the anxiety of time on my hands. ✨: @a.gabrielle19 #model #upsideofflorida
Up and away. #italy #igitalia
The gang’s all here. Follow @thekennedybar to watch Pensacola’s cocktail scene level up in real time. #thekennedybar #craftcocktails #upsideofflorida #myloyatiesaretransparent
Like a honey bee, buzzing 'round a glass of sweet Chablis... #apalachicola #lostcoast
There was that one time... ✨: @allana_jadeee #tbt #upsideofflorida #model