Smile, you may be on camera at these live-streamed St. Augustine hotspots

On one early morning moment, a camera's bird's-eye view shows couples, families and a lone walker ambling down historic St. George Street in downtown St. Augustine.

Later the camera shows a delivery man taking a cart full of packages through an entrance.

And at another real-time moment, a woman carrying a large Trump Now flag comes into view.

Such live scenes are now available for viewing 24 hours a day on the newly launched St. Augustine Live.

The webcam service has seven cameras in six public, high-profile places that live stream via stauglive.com or youtube.com/@staugustinelive.

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"The original idea was to put a camera showing if the Bridge of Lions is up or down. … a helpful tool for locals," founder Brady Skye said. "But this idea has expanded from there, now showing if the traffic is backed up and exploring the stunning beauty St. Augustine has to offer. I believe in it and I know it will succeed because people are already loving it and using it every day."

What can you see on St. Augustine Live?

The seven cameras show St. George Street, the Castillo de San Marcos National Monument, the Vilano Pier, Vilano Boat Ramp, the Bridge of Lions and Florida A1A, where two cameras monitor east- and west-bound traffic.

Cameras are set up at businesses partnering with St. Augustine Live: the Colonial Quarter, St. Augustine Pirate & Treasure Museum, Beaches at Vilano, The Pub on Anastasia and Meerkat Media Group.

The cameras allow viewers to, among other things, check vehicular traffic on Florida A1A and the Bridge of Lions and boat traffic on waterways. They also can watch the sunset over the Vilano Pier and see the volume of tourists on St. George.

Or they can people watch.

Does stauglive.com plan to expand?

Additional cameras are to be set up at the St. Augustine Lighthouse and the St. Augustine Alligator Farm, among other places, Skye said. The goal is to have as many as 50 cameras live streaming local locations, as well as capturing wildlife at state parks and beaches.

"We are thrilled about our partnership with St. Augustine Live and their plans for the future," said Cindy Stavely, executive director of the Colonial Quarter and St. Augustine Pirate & Treasure Museum. "For the first time ever, people can access the beauty of St. Augustine from anywhere, at any time."

Skye said he plans to eventually expand to other cities.

Is stauglive.com free? How is it funded?

It's all free, for viewers and camera hosts.

"No fees to anyone at this time. We will generate our income through advertising on our website, YouTube channel and other opportunities," Skye said. "We have a lot of room for advertising and ideas for the future."

Advertising, he said, is currently exclusive.

"If, for example, a dentist advertises with us, we will not allow any other dentists," he said. "So we are offering sponsor exclusivity right now and promising them we won't allow any of their direct competitors to advertise with us."

St. Augustine Live's YouTube channel is receiving about 120,000 views a month and its website about 1,500 views a month.

Skye made the concept reality with the help of business partner Ben Nguyen and wife Kristin Chambers, who owns Meerkat Media Group, where her husband is creative director.

"I have been fortunate enough to fund all of this so far," Skye said. "Although it is a tough investment to swallow … It has already proven to be a demand in other cities around the world."

What other cities use public live streaming like stauglive.com?

Cities that have public live streaming include New York City, Houston, Venice, Italy and even Jackson Hole, Wyo.

"This was the next step in connecting St. Augustine with today’s online world," Chambers, also a Flagler College graduate, said. "Communities are already doing this throughout the country — it was time for us to join in and make our lovely city available to enjoy online through live streaming."

Is public live streaming legal?

The use of the cameras is legal because they are in public areas, Skye said.

"We also do not record sound of anyone's voices. That is getting into a more gray area," he said.

Florida law prohibits intercepting or recording a private conversation without the consent of all parties.

Courtney Barclay is Jacksonville University College of Law associate dean for academic and faculty affairs and professor of communication and law. An expert in First Amendment law, she said the cameras' placement is key.

In public settings, she said, people have "no expectation of privacy." The cameras are just the same as a passerby taking a cell phone photo of them, she said.

What about police use of St. Augustine Live?

Law enforcement is as welcome to use the live stream as anyone else. Skye noted that one of its benefits is allowing first responders to monitor and respond to live-streamed areas in St. Augustine "when necessary."

So who is Brady Skye?

Skye was born Brady Bigalke but adopted Skye as his professional last name. He is a St. Augustine-based filmmaker and photographer with over a decade of full-time experience in documentary and commercial filmmaking, product and food photography and YouTube video.

He grew up in Orlando but came to Flagler College in 2006 and has remained in St. Augustine ever since. He graduated with a bachelor's degree in cinematography and film/video production in 2010.

Skye has created about 1,000 videos, including national TV commercials and short documentaries that showcase particular brands, according to his website. His work has been featured at film festivals worldwide and his personal YouTube channel has about 45,000 subscribers.

Currently he is working on his first feature-length documentary, "Beyond the Ruins," which is about two indigenous Maya families in Mexico's Yucatan Peninsula who are maintaining their cultural heritage into the 21st century. The film "explores what other cultures could learn from them to improve their own quality of life," according to his website.

The documentary, now in the final editing stages, is being funded by Skye and another producer, Lance Hastings of Gainesville. They plan to show it at film festivals and pitch it as a TV show.

How do I watch St. Augustine Live?

To access the live stream, go to stauglive.com or youtube.com/@staugustinelive. For more information, go to the website or email info@stauglive.com.

To view the "Beyond the Ruins" trailer, go to youtube.com/watch?v=X1e-gg5YoIo. For more information about the documentary, go to bradyskye.com/documentary.

bcravey@jacksonville.com, (904) 359-4109

This article originally appeared on Florida Times-Union: St. Augustine Live launches webcams at historic hotspots and A1A