Steven Gray 1/3/13 Steven Gray 1/3/13

Pensacola Graduation Photography - Raegan

Pensacola Graduation Photography

It's that time of the year again. Commencement gowns rustled, mortarboards went airborne and job markets at home and abroad flooded with fresh applicants as the latest crop of graduates strode proudly out of their university corridors. I took that walk myself not too long ago, and I still remember that incredible feeling of relief that comes with the end of your final school term.

On December 15th, the University of West Florida held their winter commencement, and less than an hour later I met up with Raegan and her parents and friends to take some photos in Seville Park to commemorate the day.

As a photographer, I'm very pleased with the way that Pensacola has revamped its downtown scene over the past few years. What was once a park, a church and a few bars has been revived with restored homes, public buildings and photo-friendly business, like the Pensacola Bay Brewery where we swung in for some photos and a pint at the end of our session.

Congratulations, Raegan, and the rest of UWF's graduating class of 2012.

Steven Gray 5/25/12 Steven Gray 5/25/12

Annie is a graduate! - Pensacola Graduation Photography

Graduation photography is a blast, but college itself is an interesting thing. More than just an avenue for making new friends, but it also has a way of bringing old acquaintances back together. I knew Annie years ago. We went to church together, but we never talked much. Then I arrived at the University of West Florida found out that our majors were in the same department. We had quite a few classes together and became friends in the process.

We both graduated as undergrads few weeks ago, and Annie wanted to commemorate the event with some photos in her cap and gown. As the designated friend with a camera, I made sure she had some good ones. We shot photos from Pensacola Beach to UWF, covering everything from the scenic beaches to the stage where Annie performed and etched in University theatre productions.

Congrats, Annie!

Steven Gray 4/30/12 Steven Gray 4/30/12

Daniel - headshots for a Pensacola actor.

Shot some headshots and portfolio stuff for a buddy of mine at UWF the other day. Daniel is a theatre student at UWF, an happens to be a world-class gamer who elevates Team Fortress 2 to a level resembling art. He also happens to be an exceptionally nice guy. I wanted to make sure that he had a nice range of shots which reflected his quirky personality as well as his emotional range as an actor. I think we succeeded.

Steven Gray 4/19/12 Steven Gray 4/19/12

Diffused Light

My teammates and I shot our final project for our film practicum yesterday. We shot it on my 5D MkII and had a great time.

The picture quality out of my Canon 5D MkII never ceases to astound me. Despite its recently being eclipsed by the 5D and the new line of 1Ds, but it still stands as a revolutionary tool in the world of independent filmmaking. The stills below are taken from the footage as it came out of the camera.

We shot late in the afternoon, and between the low angle of the sun and the concurrent diffusion from the tree canopy at the late hour, the lighting we had to work with was absolutely gorgeous. We used no light modification whatsoever, and I love the way it looks.

Whenever I get tired or burned out in image-making, days like yesterday revive my creative spirit and make me very excited to have such a wonderful environment in which to work. It just makes me sad that the projector in our classroom will degrade the footage as much as it always does.