Today we’d like to introduce you to Spencer Peck
Hi Spencer, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
I wouldn’t call my story special, but it’s shaped who I am. I grew up in O’Fallon, IL, a military town near Scott Air Force Base, where most of my friends were military brats. That meant I got used to people coming and going—except for Roman, my best friend who stuck around and showed up at just the right time.
Roman went from a buzzcut military kid to a long-haired heavy metal dork, and I followed him into my edgy middle-school phase—skinny jeans, hours in Hot Topic, and a playlist full of Ozzy Osbourne and Black Veil Brides. When we weren’t listening to music, we were making cringy stop-motion LEGO videos on his parents’ handycam. Eventually, we moved on to live-action skits and started YouTube channels that I pray have been wiped from existence.
In high school, I thought I’d join the Air Force, but music distracted me. I picked up a guitar, joined a band with my friends Alex and Tom (and Roman of course), and started playing dive bars and even recorded an album in Alex’s living room. I wasn’t great at music, but I loved creating the image of it—designing posters, planning music videos, and eventually stealing my sister’s camera to photograph other bands. Some even paid me, which felt like a revelation.
After college, where I flunked out of nursing school and got a PR degree instead, I landed a job at a social media company. I may have lied about my ability to shoot commercials, but I figured it out and got to work with an incredible team (Including Doug Wicker, who I believe has been interviewed as well!). I also kept shooting music videos and partnering with some of the most talented creatives in St. Louis including JT Ibanez, Splycehouse, Townsend Hurst, as well as many wicked talented individuals and production companies that I cherish.
Now, I’m freelancing full-time, focusing on photography and directing, primarily in the music and entertainment space. It’s been a long, winding road with a few a lot of awkward phases (…a lot), but I finally feel like I’ve hit some sort of a stride. I may not be the coolest or most creative guy, but I love what I do—and I think that comes through in my work.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
Not even close. My mind likes to wander—I can’t sit still, and I struggle to follow through because I’m already brainstorming the next wild idea. I’ve got a big heart for creativity, but maybe not the biggest brain for staying focused.
I’m guilty of spending 12 hours researching how to light a scene or achieve a specific editing effect instead of just diving in and figuring it out as I go. I play it too safe sometimes.
Thankfully, this year has been a game-changer. I’ve started leaning on my amazing community of creative friends and collaborators. They’ve taught me that I don’t have to carry everything on my own. It’s that “rising tides raise all ships” idea, and I’ve learned that when we share the load, we all get better. That makes me super excited to see what’s in store for me this year.
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
I’d say I’m decently well-known in St. Louis for being a solid concert photographer and creative director for a few small bands (and by well-known, I mean like… five people).
Lately, though, I’ve been carving out a niche as a photographer on set. I shot unit stills for a few feature films last year and often document behind-the-scenes moments for commercials, music videos, and more.
I’ve been lucky to work with brands like Live Nation, Chipotle, and PBR, and while I still love behind-the-scenes work, I’m starting to spend more time directing music videos and working on spotlighting brands directly.
In 2025, I’m shifting my focus to directing and commercial photography. It feels like the right next step, and I’m excited to see where it takes me.
Who else deserves credit in your story?
So many people have helped me along the way. My friends Roman, Alex, and Tom deserve a big shoutout for getting me started on this creative path, whether they realize it or not. They were the first ones to show me how much fun creating could be.
I owe a lot to my parents, too, for not having a full-blown stroke when I left nursing school and told them I was going to take pictures for a living. Their support meant more than they know.
Juan Ibanez has also been a huge influence. He let me be part of some incredible productions with insanely talented bands and showed me that it’s not only possible to make a living as a creative but to do it on your own terms.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.peckafilm.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/peckafilm
