Old Hickory Whiskey Bar - Pensacola Photographer
Old Hickory Whiskey Bar, photographed by Steven Gray
Where to begin?
Old Hickory first earned my affection on the strength of the name. I grew up with my grandmother telling me that her side of the family was descended from President Andrew "Old Hickory" Jackson, the historical bad@$$ who invaded Spanish Florida twice and generally Honey Badgered his way through into historical record.
Long story short, Pensacola, for its own quirky reasons, reveres Andrew Jackson. There are several sites around town dedicated to his memory and my ears perk up when I hear about a new one.
Two years ago, Old Hickory opened its doors and I was absolutely floored by the atmosphere of the bar, the number of whiskeys in stock and the incredible friendliness of the owners and staff. It's a place that keeps the music low and the cocktails perfect. It invites slow drinks and long conversations with both friends and strangers. And, like any good craft cocktail bar, the signature drinks often involve bursts of flame.
Old Hickory Whiskey Bar
123 S. Palafox St., Pensacola, FL 32501
https://www.facebook.com/OldHickoryWhiskeyBar
Owner: Katie Garrett
Bar Manager: Jeff Knott
Under the Tree: Baby Piper - Pensacola Photographer
Newborn shoot by Pensacola photographer, Steven Gray. It's the most wonderful time of the year!
And, for Brittney and Brandon, whom you might remember from their wedding last October, it's even more wonderful as they celebrate the birth of their new baby, Piper Olivia.
This shoot was actually a first for me. In eight years of slinging a camera, I've never shot newborns. Plenty of families with small children, but never a newborn. For a first try, I'm pleased with how they came out.
Congrats, Brittney, Brandon and big sister Kendall. It is always a joy to photograph your family.
Real Estate Photography
I've received a lot of questions on what I do to make listings look good. The real estate sales process almost always begins with buyers browsing online, so good photographs are essential to making a good first impression on potential buyers. If you are a real estate professional or a freelance photographer looking to photograph real estate, I hope you will find this article helpful.
Oltrarno Thoughts
This image is of the Oltrarno ("Beyond the Arno") district in Florence, Italy. This district, the original seat of the Medici, glows like a dream every day at sunset. I took this image on my first trip overseas, when it was just me and my camera in Italy for three weeks. Everything was different then. I was trying to figure out what I wanted my life to be and to represent. I've grown attached to this image and use it on my business card because of what it means to me. To me, it sums up ideals of culture, beauty and discovery--things that excite me a great deal and that I want to promote in my work.
Now, years later, I'm facing a new crossroads in my life and looking at new decisions that I need to make in my career as an image maker and storyteller.
People have said to me recently "I wasn't sure if you were still taking photos."
Oh yes, I most certainly am.
And as this year draws to a close, I am looking ahead to the next one with plans to shoot more, see more and share more amazing stories and images than ever.
I invite you to join me for the ride, because 2015 is going to be glorious.
All the best,
Steven
Ben's Epic Drum Shoot - Pensacola Senior Photographer
Not too long ago, Ben was seven years old. I remember it. Now, he's a graduate, he's taller than me, and he looks better in a suit than I ever have. He also plays drums like a rockstar, and we shot him as such for his graduation portraits. We took his drum set out to Fort Pickens on Pensacola Beach and captured some killer images.
