Gulf Coast Photography and Video Production - a.k.a. Beautiful Pensacola, a.k.a. Panhandlin' Images, a.k.a. Furious Fireflies Maybe you’re one of them.
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The hub for all things Brian L Butler Creative. Over the years, I’ve tinkered with images and words in a variety of formats and places. From tourism, concert, architectural, and portrait photography…
…to video production including commercial television, documentary film, motion graphics, podcasts, voice overs, and educational classes for business and higher education…
…to decades of dabbling pr
ofessionally and unprofessionally with the written word, including script writing, blogging, humorous musings and that unfinished novel that’s begging to be completed. (You’re NOT going to get to see that here:)
So the point of all of this is while I may have the occasional good idea that causes me to pursue a personal project, that’s not how I spend most of my time. There are a LOT of other folks out there with good ideas. I’ve made my living using my particular set of skills to help other people bring their ideas to life, whether it’s selling, promoting, educating, entertaining or likely some combination. So if you have something in your head that you need to get out and would like to create something together, send me a message and let's see what we can do.
It’s that week. This photo from the 2014 beach air show is one of my most popular Blue Angels photos of all time and it doesn’t even have a Blue Angel in it. 😄
I post this not to dissuade you from braving the beach this weekend. I’m gonna probably be out there myself. I’m just sayin’ know what you’re in for and prepare accordingly. Pack some extra patience in that cooler with your beverages of choice. 🙂 (or in my case, camera bag with my lenses of choice)
Barrancas National Cemetery on NAS Pensacola
A photo I took on a Memorial Day weekend long ago.
A Hangout Fest tradition continues. A couple of photos with my new friends at the Dom Dolla and Chappell Rowan sets last weekend.
If you’re here looking for photos I took of you, I was photographing the fest for WEAR-TV and I’ve sent them a bunch. As soon as they post a gallery, I’ll pop this up into a story with the link. Or feel free to dm me. After that I’ll be sharing more here and on my music insta .music
EDIT: The Link https://weartv.com/news/local/photo-gallery-hangout-fest-2024-in-gulf-shores
(Important side note: This post is not an endorsement of taking selfies in the photo pit. Tis’ frowned upon by old school concert photographers and may get you an eye roll or two. Of course lots of things cause old school concert photographers to roll their eyes but this one plays into one of my favorite personal photographic rules. Ask forgiveness not permission. And I mean come on, how could you not forgive these results 😄😄)
Love this fest and love y’all!
Seashell by the Seashore, Pensacola Beach
I photographed the UWF Theatre department’s production of The Drowsy Chaperone last week and I can’t get over just how fantastic this show is!
I raved about the acting, set design, costumes and everything about their production of Macbeth a couple of months ago and all of those things are just as strong here. Only instead of a dark, experimental tragedy, we’ve got singing, dancing, and an over the top musical comedy this time and it’s just incredible. (Just look at the sets and costumes in these photos:) And I was laughing behind the lens as I photographed the show. Just brilliant!
I’m going back next weekend with Julie to watch as a fan. Seriously, see it if you can
Next month on the beautiful beaches of Gulf Shores I’ll be photographing my 10th Hangout Fest. (Started 12 years ago but we had that little viral pause for a couple of years:) Every year I go to the beach, see people I love, take tons of photos, and discover new music. You really need to experience the experience of experiencing it 🙂
Somebody been up to some shenanigans on I-65
But it's true. Just ask Mr. James Spann
As promised, more pretty pictures, less yapping. A little while back at the Pensacola Museum of History in downtown Pensacola
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Shameless self promotion: I have a couple of wall size prints hanging inside. One of the Pensacola Lighthouse and one of Fort Pickens. To the right after you walk in 🙂 My friend Daniel has a huge mural print wrapping around the downstairs room. Lovely. And my favorite room is probably the Trader John exhibit. I wish I’d been around to visit Traders back in the day.
(p.s. there’s more yapping to come:)
Lovely photo inside Dalrymple Sallis if I do say so myself 🙂
🏡 Anyone can have a break room. But careful thoughts alongside an architect can make a corporate space help build a team. 🌿
One of my favorite things I’ve seen and photographed in a long time. The UWF theatre department’s production of Macbeth: Sands of Fate is stunning! The set, the costumes, the lighting, the acting, and the, let’s call it, post-apocalyptic adaptation by Ashley McGlothren make for an incredible experience.
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My love of Shakespeare goes back to a semester of studying the Bard in college. I still have my giant Pelican Shakespeare book on the shelf. The class was English lit, not theater, so it was more about the words than the production but those words were meant for the stage so there’s nothing like seeing a live production.
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Just realized that class was over 25 years ago. Before most if not all of the students in this production were born. So there’s that reminder of how long I’ve been strutting and fretting on this stage 🙂
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If you get a chance, go see it. Last night sold out but I’m not sure how many tickets are available for the rest of the run
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Some UWF Women’s and Men’s hoops from Monday night
Winter Sunset, tonight on Bayou Texar
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I used to stop by the bayou pretty often after work to catch sunset. May be something I need to start doing again, if for no other reason than my mental health 🙂 Y’all stay warm
There are concert photographers out there who post photos of artists they’ve photographed on the artist’s birthday just as excuse to show off their work. So needy. So annoying…
Anyway, Happy Birthday to the rock god himself, Dave Grohl! 🙂
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Downtown Pensacola, shimmering on a cold December night. Pro tip: Photographing during or after it rains can be magical
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Full disclosure, these are from a cold December night in 2021. I’ve been waiting for a chance to get down when the conditions are right this year but hasn’t worked out yet. Good photography, like good comedy, is all about timing 🙂
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Happy Holidays y’all
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Photographed UWF vs UAH in the conference championship this afternoon. Argos win in three to become GSC champions
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I mentioned in my last basketball post about how much of my youth I spent in basketball gyms. Well a good portion of my adulthood was spent in gyms watching both of my daughters play city league, club, and High School volleyball. I loved that time with them so a volleyball gym holds a special place in my heart
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Argos comin’ in hot! First home game of the season for UWF Men’s Basketball last night vs PCC. Argos win 91-49
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Anybody that knows me, especially if you knew the younger me, knows I believe that on the 8th day, god created basketball 🏀🙂 I’m a little rusty but I plan on spending a great deal of time in this gym getting un-rusty. (With the camera not the ball. These guys couldn’t handle my game:)
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StarWound at the REX Theatre in downtown Pensacola last night. Music and poetry in a beautiful venue. Part of the Experience UWF Downtown lecture series
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Black Dress on the Shore
Another concert photography rambling. Many more you know where :-)
Random moments from an excellent day photographing the UWF Homecoming game this past Saturday. Fun day of shooting and running into lots of familiar faces.
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I spent three years of my life making Sandy Sansing commercials so it was great to catch up with the legend and his family as he was getting honored during the game. Did you know he was a UWF grad? Well now you do 🙂
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My photos and story about Jimmy Buffett are now live in this month's Alabama the Beautiful Magazine. Plus tons of other beautiful photography and stories as always.
Alabama The Beautiful Magazine
https://alabamathebeautifulmagazine.com/october2023/
New Orleans keeps popping up in conversations over the last few days. About time for another quick trip down I-10
(This photo is from a weekend in the Summer 2021. You remember. The one when Julie actually got up at sunrise to go with me 🙂)
Lingering Rush
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Long exposure play under a full moon sky on Pensacola Beach
And speaking of UWF, a memory popped up today of my photos of the inaugural season of West Florida Football and the home opener on this day in 2016. This town was hyped up. Go Argos!
I have a photo story in the new Alabama The Beautiful Magazine featuring some photos on the Alabama Gulf Coast. Check the rest of the images and a ton of other great Alabama photography here:
https://alabamathebeautifulmagazine.com/september2023/
(The cover photo below is not mine. Just showing what the cover looks like because it's cool:)
10 years ago, Mr. Jimmy Buffett closed his Pensacola show singing in front of a 20 foot tall photo I took of the Pensacola Beach skyline. Hard to put into words how special that was to me
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Cheeseburgers and Fins are fine but if you go deep, the man was a master poet. I own more Buffett albums than any other musician and I’ll be playing them today… tomorrow… and forever
Rest In Peace Jimmy
18 years ago today on Pensacola Beach as Hurricane Kartina barreled toward Mississippi/Louisiana. Pat Walters and Max Greenlee were putting on a show surfing the biggest waves I’ve ever seen on the Gulf Coast while me and a few other people watched from the pier. 🏄 🌊
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I post this on the anniversary almost every year but this year there’s another storm in the Gulf that will be kicking up waves to the Southeast of us. Stay safe y’all
Bayou Texar. This is the very first photo I ever posted on the interwebs in 2005 when I kicked off my photoblog “Panhandlin’”
Those were the good old days 🙂
Seville Quarter in Downtown Pensacola. Ain't nothin' like it nowhere.
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Now, I love our newly revived downtown as much as the next guy. So much cool stuff happening and the ability to sip local artisanal craft vegan micro-brews alfresco while complaining about parking and the heat before heading to a show is truly wonderful. But sometimes you need to remember your roots.
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Seville has been doing the Seville thing since it was unsafe to get too far away from Seville after dark. So many warm and fuzzy memories, some more fuzzy than others. So many future ex's meeting behind those walls. So much good music. So much bad music. So many, at the time, seemingly deep conversations. So many creative dance moves. So many REALLY good friends holding someones hair. :-)
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So here’s to old friends and old bars
Hope y’all have a nice weekend
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Another concert photography rambling. Many more you know where :-)
31 Seconds of March. Busy, fun month for sure. #onesecondeveryday
I spent January 1st with my toes in the Gulf and today I spent January 31st same way. And just like the 1st, the fog was pretty intense at times today. But between the fog, there was this. ☀️💚💙 #pensacola #pensacolabeach #florida #beach #travel
Yesterday was the Alabama vs Ole Miss game and every year it brings up the question, “Did I ever tell you guys about the time…?” “Yes Brian. Yes you’ve told us.” 😄 • I have a little souvenir of my very first day working in television when I was a student over three decades ago. University of Alabama vs Ole Miss homecoming game in 1988. • #tvproduction #alabamafootball #videoproduction #football #storytime #brianlbutler #rolltide #olemiss
Video production and event photography wardrobe can be a little bit one dimensional. Today i lightened things up a bit 🙂
How I spend most Friday nights in the Fall 🏈 🎥
Video Reel 2022 - Occasionally a potential client doesn't know my work so I still keep a little reel ready to send. This is the latest 90 second summary.
I occasionally make wedding films. (Is it pretentious to call them wedding films?) :-) These are a few clips.
It used to be my life but it's been a minute since I've made a legit television promo. We shot and edited this quick 30 for Splash City (formerly Sam's Fun City. New owners and management) Grand opening is this weekend so as with all television production it was a need-it-yesterday situation :-)
Spent some time in the Gulf this afternoon. 75 and sunny on the coast. Water was still pretty chilly but I'm willing to make sacrifices for you people. I care that much :-)
A little video about the Brian L Butler Creative life during this past year. And a big Thank You!
A little something with the fine folks at The Pensacola Fish House
A new series of prints just went up on the website. A little NOLA love https://www.panhandlin.com/Photography/New-Orleans-Collection/
Loved making a wedding film of my niece's beautiful ceremony and reception last month at Mountain View Gardens. Wonderful people in a dreamy location.
Wrapped up a cool project last night at the Fellowship of Christian Athlete’s induction ceremony for Tate grad Jay Bell. An 18 year Major League career distilled into a 6 minute long tribute video. 🙂
One minute of marine ecosystem zen on the National Seashore today 🦀 🐟 🐦 🌊 Such a glorious day. (Unless you’re a crab and some goober is sticking a camera in your face) . . . . . . . #pensacola #pensacolabeach #gulfcoast #brianlbutler #beautifulpensacola #florida
Portofino Sunset Today, was one of those days
Pensacola Beach, Under the Sea • “Ariel, listen to me The human world, it’s a mess Life under the sea Is better than anything they got up there” . . . . . #pensacola #pensacolabeach #gulfcoast #brianlbutler #beautifulpensacola #florida
Educational Boating on Pensacola Bay. A few random shots from a couple of beautiful days on the water a while back making videos about water quality studies and shipwreck dives. • My “real” job is video production so ignore the rambling below if you’re not interested. 🙂 • Pre-plague I was shooting a lot of 360 video and now I’m exploring new 360 cameras. I have mixed feelings about the format but what I do like is shooting with a 360 camera and then editing in a standard flat video timeline. Controlling the angle and framing in post has its advantages, especially when you combine it with gopros’ durability and being waterproof. The level of distortion is a matter of taste from none all the way to tiny world • A couple of clips show me with the magical disappearing tripod in my hand along with the Sony FS5 and Canon Mark IV I had with me. The 360 is a piece of cake to use so I could focus on the others. If you look close you can also see the motion sickness patch behind my year 🤢😄 . . . . . . #pensacola #pensacolabeach #gulfcoast #brianlbutler #beautifulpensacola #florida #videoproduction #360camera
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