Jason Scott Photography's Blog

Longboat Key Family Beach Portraits - Tucker Family

2013-05-14T18:15:00.000-04:00

We met the Tucker Family at our favorite spot on Longboat Key the other night for a family beach portrait session. Their two kids were extremely happy and were smiling and laughing the entire time! We captured a lot of great smiles from the entire family.

Here are a few of our favorites:

Like what you see here? Contact us today to book your family's beach portrait session on Longboat Key or another beautiful area beach or park with Jason Scott Photography!

PS - Don't forget, you can also follow this blog on Facebook, Twitter, Google+, or through your favorite feed reader

Siesta Key Beach Portraits - Brugnoni Family

2013-05-12T11:37:00.000-04:00

We were back at the Sarasota Surf and Racquet Club on Siesta Key again last week with the Brugnoni Family. These three little girls were adorable and did a great job!

Here are a few of our favorites:

Like what you see here? Contact us today to book YOUR beach portrait session on Siesta Key, Longboat Key, Englewood Beach, Venice Beach, or Anna Maria Island today! Read more about our beach portrait collection here.

PS - Don't forget, you can also follow this blog on Facebook, Twitter, Google+, or through your favorite feed reader

Sarasota Engagement Photos at Selby Gardens - Linda and David

2013-05-09T16:41:00.000-04:00

We were excited when Linda and David requested that their engagement session to take place at Selby Gardens - it is one of our favorite places! (We were married there too!) It is a simply beautiful place for photos - so many gorgeous backdrops. We had a great time visiting the gardens and getting to know Linda and David better - we're looking forward to their wedding in August (also at Selby Gardens)!

Here are some of our favorite photos from their session:

View their full gallery here. Recently engaged? An engagement session at a local park or beach is a great way to get to know us. Then, check out our Sarasota Wedding Photography Collections and contact us today to check our availability for your big day!

PS - Don't forget, you can also follow this blog on Facebook, Twitter, Google+, or through your favorite feed reader

Siesta Key Beach Portraits - Michals Family

2013-04-28T10:42:00.001-04:00

We met the Michals Family at the Sarasota Surf and Racquet Club on Siesta Key on Friday night. Their two little girls were adorable! We had a great time capturing vacation memories for this beautiful family!

Here are a few of our favorites:

Planning a visit to the Sarasota area? Don't forget to contact us today to book YOUR family beach portrait session on Siesta Key, Longboat Key, Anna Maria Island, or Englewood Beach! Summer dates are starting to fill up now, so be sure to plan ahead!

PS - Don't forget, you can also follow this blog on Facebook, Twitter, Google+, or through your favorite feed reader

Frequently Asked Questions - What Happens AFTER Our Family Beach Portrait Session?

2013-04-23T20:10:00.002-04:00

At the end of every family beach portrait session, we are always asked, "What next?" or "How do we get our photos?" Jason tells me I need to make a brochure to hand to everyone at the end of the night, but until I get around to doing that, hopefully this blog post will help!

1. We process your photos.

We use Adobe Lightroom for our first run through your photos. We'll delete the "duds" - photos with eyes closed, funny faces, etc. We'll also adjust the lighting on everything as needed and crop and straighten everything. (Jason is notorious for crooked horizons!)

Usually we do all of this as soon as we get home on the evening of your session. This typically takes us about one hour.

2. We upload your photos to our host site, SmugMug.

This typically takes a couple of hours. I usually start the upload and go to bed! The photos are "magically" online by morning! Ta-da!

We guarantee your photos online within 48 hours of your session, but we usually get them to you within 24 hours.

IMPORTANT: While your photos are uploading (and for a day or two after we send you the link), they are in an "unlisted" gallery that cannot be found by you, Google, or anybody else for that matter (unless you give out the link).

A couple of days after they are uploaded, however, we make the gallery public unless you tell us not to. We store all of our customer galleries under the "Your Photos" menu on our website, so that potential customers (like you once were!) can see our work and not just a bunch of selected samples. But we do understand that some people want their privacy, so we're happy to keep your gallery unlisted if you ask us to, or add a password instead. Please let us know right away if you'd like us to do this... it is hard to put the cat back in the bag once we let it out!

3. We send you your photo links.

When they're ready, we'll send you TWO links. This is the spot in this process where people most often get confused. Some mail programs see two emails coming from the same person at the same time and dump them into your Junk/Spam folder. Some dump one of the two in the Junk folder. So, if you don't see TWO emails from us, please check your Junk folder!

One of the emails will have a subject line that says "For You..."

The other will say "Share with friends..."

4. You pick out your favorite photos.

Use the personalized link in the email intended for you to view your photos and tag your favorites.

Use the sharing email to forward on to friends and family, or feel free to copy/paste the link into Facebook or your favorite social networking site. Others will be able to register to get their own personal link so they can keep track of their favorite photos.

If you click on your sharing link or on someone else's personal link, you won't be able to see your favorites anymore. If someone else clicks on your personal link, they will be able to see, add to, and subtract from your favorites. So, we don't recommend sharing your personal link.

IMPORTANT: We also post our favorites on our blog and, sometimes, our facebook page or sample gallery. (Again, if you don't want us to do this, please let us know in advance!)

Details: We'll use your last name in the blog post but we can modify that to an initial or first names or whatever by request. We don't tell where you live, names of kids, or any other identifying information. Blog posts show up on our Facebook, Twitter, and Google+ pages and you are free to share them if you want your Facebook friends, etc to see the best of the best of your beach portraits!

Sample photos (our all time favorites that we want to share with the whole wide world in our sample gallery) will not contain ANY identifying information. They will post to our sample gallery, Facebook, Google+, and Pinterest. You can tag yourself if you follow us on Facebook or Google+ and your friends can see your beach portraits. Its like getting a free digital download of your best beach portraits! We retouch all photos that appear in blog posts and sample galleries, so they'll look perfect!

5. You place an order.

There is absolutely no rush to complete this step! Unlike many other photographers, we do not place an expiration date on your online gallery. It will remain online indefinitely. You can come back and order photos in a year or ten years! Or, you can order them right away!

Here are a couple of helpful links to help you through the ordering process:

Print Prices and Ordering

What Size Photos Should I Order?

Adding Mats and Frames to Photos

How do I Purchase Digital Downloads of my Photos?

How Can I Create Holiday Cards?

How Can I Create Cards Through TinyPrints?

All prints and digital downloads are purchased directly through our website. Just fill up your shopping cart, enter your credit card number and address, and you're done!

6. We process your order.

Once you place your order, we receive a "Proof Delay" email. This allows us several days to retouch your photos and make sure they look perfect before they ship!

More about Proof Delay and Retouching

7. Your order ships, you receive it, you hang it on your wall!

8. You give us some feedback! (Please!)

Places to leave us feedback:

On our website (scroll to the bottom)

On Facebook (use the "Recommendations" box)

Tweet about us (just click the link)

Problems with your order? Please send us an email instead, so we are sure to see it and address the problem right away! (allyson at jasonscottphoto dot com)

More questions? Let us know in the comments below!

PS - Don't forget, you can also follow this blog on Facebook, Twitter, Google+, or through your favorite feed reader

Siesta Key Beach Portraits - Rechtin Family

2013-04-20T15:10:00.000-04:00

We met the Rechtin Family on Siesta Key on Thursday night. We really lucked out this week with awesome kids at every session, and these two were no exception!

Here are a few of our favorites:

Planning a visit to Siesta Key, Longboat Key, Englewood Beach, Venice Beach, or Anna Maria Island? Don't forget to contact us today to book YOUR family beach portrait session! Summer dates are starting to fill up now, so be sure to plan ahead!

PS - Don't forget, you can also follow this blog on Facebook, Twitter, Google+, or through your favorite feed reader

Siesta Key Beach Portraits - Moore Family

2013-04-19T17:29:00.000-04:00

We met the Moore family on Siesta Key on Wednesday night. Their kids were awesome and we had a great time capturing their family portraits!

Here are a few of our favorites:

We'd love to capture your family portraits on your next visit to the Sarasota area - contact us today to book YOUR beach portrait session on Siesta Key, Longboat Key, Englewood Beach, Venice Beach, or Anna Maria Island!

PS - Don't forget, you can also follow this blog on Facebook, Twitter, Google+, or through your favorite feed reader

Siesta Key Beach Portraits - Malorny Family

2013-04-18T22:13:00.001-04:00

We got some nice shots of the Malorny Family at the Sarasota Surf and Racquet Club on Siesta Key on Sunday night. Their daughter was not a fan of the sand, but she sure was cute!

Here are a few of our favorites:

Like what you see here? Summer beach portrait dates are filling up quickly - contact us today to book YOUR beach portrait session on Siesta Key, Longboat Key, Englewood Beach, Venice Beach, or Anna Maria Island today!

PS - Don't forget, you can also follow this blog on Facebook, Twitter, Google+, or through your favorite feed reader

Siesta Key Beach Portraits - Handley Family

2013-04-11T18:11:00.000-04:00

The Handley Family was a lot of fun, but we have to comment on their exceptionally happy baby! She smiled and laughed throughout their entire beach portrait session! Wow! All of their kids were great and smiled beautifully. We were happy to capture some great memories and look forward to working with them again on a future visit!

Here are a few of our favorites:

View their entire gallery here, then contact us today to book YOUR beach portrait session on Siesta Key, Longboat Key, Englewood Beach, Venice Beach, or Anna Maria Island!

PS - Don't forget, you can also follow this blog on Facebook, Twitter, Google+, or through your favorite feed reader

Selby Gardens Family Portraits - Lunde Family

2013-04-10T16:19:00.000-04:00

We spent the morning on Easter Sunday with my brother and his family - including three of our beautiful nieces. We thought we would share a few photos from this lovely day with you!

Our youngest niece was born in mid-February, so she's still pretty new! She wasn't sure what to make of all this!

Our two year old niece was not very excited about sitting still for a photo! We love this picture anyway though!

Our oldest niece is 12 and took some of the photos you see of us below - maybe she'll come work for Jason Scott Photography one day!

Our two year old niece was very interested in lizards and also the butterfly garden. Spring is definitely in bloom at Selby Gardens!

Selby Gardens is just one of many beautiful park-like settings in the Sarasota area where we would love to photograph you and your family. Contact us today to set up a park portrait session at your favorite spot!

PS - Don't forget, you can also follow this blog on Facebook, Twitter, Google+, or through your favorite feed reader

Longboat Key Beach Portraits - Brewer Family

2013-04-10T06:04:00.000-04:00

After rescheduling due to rain on Thursday, we met the Brewer Family at The Resort at Longboat Key Club for a family beach portrait session. Their kids were great and their oldest daughter had an especially beautiful smile!

Here are a few of our favorites:

View their entire gallery here, then contact us today to book your family's beach portrait session with Jason Scott Photography!

PS - Don't forget, you can also follow this blog on Facebook, Twitter, Google+, or through your favorite feed reader

Longboat Key Beach Portraits - Quandt Family

2013-04-04T16:36:00.002-04:00

It looked like it might rain, but we lucked out. The grey sky on Wednesday night looked great with the outfits the Quandt Family chose for their family beach portrait session with us. We had a great time with this lovely family on Longboat Key. These kids were great sports and smiled beautifully in every photo.

Here are a few of our favorites:

Siesta Key Beach Portraits - Vieth Family

2013-04-01T21:28:00.001-04:00

We finished out our busiest week EVER with the Vieth Family on Siesta Key. We were THRILLED to see that the weather was back to being pleasant and warm! Without the cold and wind to bother us, we were able to capture some beautiful family portraits with these adorable kids.

Here are a few of our favorites:

View their entire gallery here, then contact us today to book YOUR beach portrait session!

PS - Don't forget, you can also follow this blog on Facebook, Twitter, Google+, or through your favorite feed reader

Siesta Key Beach Portraits on Turtle Beach - Kisseberth Family

2013-03-30T16:08:00.002-04:00

The Kisseberth Family's beach portrait session marked our 4th in a row with bad weather. The sun was shining, but the cold temperatures and high winds made things difficult for us again. With one son home from the Air Force only for two days, the Kisseberths were determined to get their family portraits done no matter what! We managed to stay on the beach for a decent amount of time, but like the previous night, we did not make it til sunset (too cold!). We snuck around behind Fisherman's Cove, where they were staying on Turtle Beach, and took some additional shots without the wind in everyone's faces and hair.

Here are a few of our favorites:

View their full gallery here. Family vacation coming up soon? When was your last family portrait? View our Siesta Key Beach Portrait Package and contact us today to book your session!

PS - Don't forget, you can also follow this blog on Facebook, Twitter, Google+, or through your favorite feed reader

Siesta Key Beach Portraits - Hawley Family

2013-03-30T14:42:00.000-04:00

The bad weather continued with the Hawley Family at the Palm Bay Club on Siesta Key last Wednesday night. The Hawleys tried to brave the wind and cold but with 7 kids ages 4 and under, it was just too chilly. We managed to get a few nice shots outside, and then we retreated inside to take some photos of Grandma and Grandpa with their 7 grandchildren and lots of other family photos.

Here are a few of our favorites:

View their full gallery here. Planning a family vacation nearby? View our Siesta Key Beach Portrait Package and contact us today to book your family beach portrait session!

PS - Don't forget, you can also follow this blog on Facebook, Twitter, Google+, or through your favorite feed reader

Anna Maria Island Beach Portraits - Brocke Family

2013-03-30T09:52:00.000-04:00

The weather on the night the Brockes were supposed to have their family beach portrait session on Anna Maria Island was HORRIBLE. It was an absolute downpour outside, with terrible wind as well. The whole family was only on vacation all together for this one day, so they asked us to take their family portraits indoors.

We were happy we were able to help them capture their family gathering!

View their full gallery here. View our Siesta Key Beach Portrait Package and contact us today to book your family beach portrait session!

PS - Don't forget, you can also follow this blog on Facebook, Twitter, Google+, or through your favorite feed reader

Siesta Key Beach Portraits - Vollbrecht Family

2013-03-28T16:13:00.001-04:00

The Vollbrechts braved the cold and wind on Monday night for a beach portrait session on Siesta Key. The weather has been so odd lately! We're happy our customers are still willing to come out for photos. This fun couple looked so natural and happy, you'd never know we were all freezing and windblown!

Here are a few of our favorite photos from their session:

View their full gallery here. Like what you see? Check out our Siesta Key Beach Portrait Package to find out how you can capture memories like these for your family! We're completely booked up this week, and our calendar is filling up quickly for April, so be sure to contact us today to book your family beach portrait session!

PS - Don't forget, you can also follow this blog on Facebook, Twitter, Google+, or through your favorite feed reader

Sarasota Wedding Photography - Bridal Show Tomorrow!

2013-03-23T08:48:00.000-04:00

We'll be at The Wedding Village Bridal Expo tomorrow from noon to 4pm. Stop by and see us there! We'll have lots of beautiful photos and sample albums on display and we'll be there to answer any questions you might have about our Sarasota wedding photography collections. We look forward to meeting you!

Planning to attend? Click here for a special invitation and FREE admission!

We have a busy week coming up after the show - four Family Beach Portrait sessions on Siesta Key! Stay tuned to our blog for highlights from our latest portrait sessions!

PS - Don't forget, you can also follow this blog on Facebook, Twitter, Google+, or through your favorite feed reader

Selby Gardens Family Portraits - Roper Family

2013-03-17T08:26:00.001-04:00

We met our friends the Ropers at Selby Gardens yesterday to take some family portraits. Although the weather has been chilly lately, yesterday was perfect and we had a great time exploring the gardens afterwards.

Here are a few of our favorites:

Selby Gardens is one of our favorite places to visit and to photograph weddings. We're on the preferred vendor list there and we've got some GIANT portraits hanging there. If you're a Selby Gardens bride, please let us know - we were married there ourselves and we would love to capture your big day!

PS - Don't forget, you can also follow this blog on Facebook, Twitter, Google+, or through your favorite feed reader

Siesta Key Beach Portraits - Bollinger Family

2013-03-01T16:59:00.000-05:00

We met the Bollinger Family at Island House on Siesta Key a week or so ago for some family portraits. With so many little ones ages 5 and under, we were ready for a challenge, but these kids were great! We had a lot of fun with the whole family! The oranges and blues this family selected looked great against the sunset!

Here are a few of our favorite photos from their session:

View their full gallery here. Planning a family gathering for spring break? Check out our Siesta Key Beach Portrait Package to find out how you can capture memories like these for your family! Our calendar is filling up quickly for March and April, so be sure to contact us today to book your family beach portrait session!

PS - Don't forget, you can also follow this blog on Facebook, Twitter, Google+, or through your favorite feed reader

Jason Talks Gear - Canon EF 85mm f/1.2L

2013-02-02T17:02:00.001-05:00

This is part of a series of blog entries written by Jason about the more technical side of Jason Scott Photography.

My favorite lens is the Canon EF 85mm f/1.2L II USM.

The 85mm has been my favorite for a while now, because it creates beautiful images. The resulting photos are always more appealing to see and share than photos taken with other lenses.

I think the 85mm f/1.2 photos have a very unique look and feel. Every time I use this lens, I'm mesmerized by the results.

Here is are some examples from my nephew’s 5th birthday party.

I love these photos. When I look at them, I can “feel” the emotion of the moment and be connected to the event. I can almost drift into the photos.

Creating an “emotionally connected” photograph can go a long way at any event, especially your wedding.

So, how does the 85mm f/1.2 lens do it? Here is the geeky stuff:

The glass on the front of this lens is big and lets in a lot of light. This “front element” is the lens' entrance pupil and collects the light needed to create a photo. This results in VERY low F-numbers.

The F-number is a ratio of the lens's focal length to the diameter of its entrance pupil. By using the F-number, we can see how different the 85mm f/1.2 is from other lenses.

For example, the cannon EF 70-200 f/2.8 L IS II USM Telephoto Zoom Lens is an expensive professional lens, and we can zoom it to exactly 85mm. However, the photos from the 70-200 seem less emotionally engaging – why? Because the 70-200 only has a maximum aperture of f/2.8. The 85mm f/1.2 lets in six times as much light.

Lenses with higher maximum apertures (wider openings/ lower F-numbers) create a much lower depth of field. This decreased depth of field creates the aesthetically pleasing background blur and isolates the subject. For me, this gives photographs a sense of feeling.

I love this lens, and I wish everyone used it!

To find out more about the professional gear we use when we photograph Sarasota Weddings and Siesta Key Beach Portraits, click here.

PS - Don't forget, you can also follow this blog on Facebook, Twitter, Google+, or through your favorite feed reader

Jason Talks Gear - Canon 5D Mark III

2013-01-21T15:06:00.001-05:00

This is part of a series of blog entries written by Jason about the more technical side of Jason Scott Photography.

Equipment update: We purchased a Canon 5D mark III camera body!

I used the original Canon 5D for several years. It was an outstanding camera and produced spectacular photos, but the 5D had been around a long time and was starting to show its age. So, at the end of 2012, I sent my last 5D to the farm and upgraded to the 5D mark III.

But let me back up... In early 2012, I sold one of my two 5D cameras and I purchased two 5D mark II cameras from B&H photo. I was excited about having more modern cameras. The 5D II has 21 megapixels compared to the 12.8 of the 5D. The 5D II also shoots video and has a vibrating filter that shakes dust off the CCD.

For the most part though, the 5D mark II has been a disappointment. All those extra megapixels haven’t necessarily translated into significantly better photos. At most print sizes, I can’t tell any difference. Only on huge prints (24x36’’ and larger) does the mark II stand out against the original. (The photos still look great, just not much different than what we were producing before with the 5D!)

Like the original 5D, the 5D mark II has a less than perfect auto focus system. The mark II does a poor job tracking moving subjects and has a slow frame rate. So, it works great for weddings and posed formals and family portraits, but is not a great choice for photos of moving kids or pets.

Since the 5D mark II was so disappointing, I was VERY skeptical when I heard about the Canon 5D mark III. On paper the mark III looks very similar to the mark II, but it costs over $1,000 more. With high apprehension, I ordered a mark III and put it up next to my mark II.

The 5D mark III vs 5D mark II

The 5D mark III is better – much much better. Here’s why:

The 5D mark III not only has a 61 point auto focus system compared the to 9 points on the mark II, but the auto focus is MUCH more accurate, especially when you are tracking moving subjects using the “predictive AI Servo” auto focus mode. This superior auto focus, combined with a higher frame rate (6fps), produces a much higher number of usable photographs.

The 5D mark III is able to capture great photos of running kids and dogs. Up until now, I have been using the 1D mark III (the 1D NOT the 5D) for any fast moving subjects, but the 1D mark III only has 10 megapixels and as more and more families lean towards ordering candid beach portraits vs posed in large sizes for their walls, it is tempting to offer the impressive 22.3 megapixels of the 5D mark III.

So far, all of my testing on the 5D mark III has gone very well. Here are some photos from our day trip to celebrate our niece's birthday at Lowry Park Zoo in Tampa. I shot everything on the 70-200 f/2.8 L IS. The camera had no problem tracking a running two year old through moving water fountains and did a great job with the animals as well. I’m fully confident that we can use it for action shots/candids during beach portrait sessions.

The 5D mark III also has better high ISO performance than the mark II. This upgrade will be very useful when working in dimly lit areas, like a church. This camera is going to take the place of the 1D as Allyson's primary camera at the end of the aisle during weddings. We'll also be using it for wide angle, fisheye, and macro shots.

Conclusion

Although I was skeptical at first, the 5D mark III has turned out to be a great purchase and I'm excited about adding it to our gear list. We have some beach portraits and weddings coming up where we'll be able to put it to work.

To find out more about the professional gear we use when we photograph Sarasota Weddings and Siesta Key Beach Portraits, click here.

PS - Don't forget, you can also follow this blog on Facebook, Twitter, Google+, or through your favorite feed reader

Frequently Asked Questions - How Can I Create Save the Dates, Invitations, or Thank You Cards from my Engagement Photos or Wedding Photos?

2013-01-04T08:46:00.000-05:00

The Holidays are over, but there are still lots of great ways to use cards in your day to day life, especially if you are planning a wedding! Save the Date cards created from your beach portraits or engagement photos, stylish invitations with your photos incorporated, and thank you cards featuring your wedding photos are all wonderful ways to share your photos with your friends and family.

We have three great ways you can create cards using your photos!

1. Create Save the Dates or Thank You cards directly through our website.

Here are some instructions. Please let us know if you need help!

2. Create Save the Dates, Invitations, or Thank You cards through our Wedding Paper Divas storefront.

Wedding Paper Divas prides itself on offering exclusive designs from the industry's top designers, better than boutique-style service and innovative online tools to make your wedding stationery shopping experience as easy as can be. We think you'll love their selection and quality!

Here are some instructions on how to use your photos from our site through Wedding Paper Divas. Please let us know if you have any questions!

3. Purchase a digital download of the photos you want to use on your cards

You can then upload your photos to any site or store of your choosing to create cards through other vendors such as Snapfish, Walgreens, etc.

Here's how to purchase a digital download. Let us know if you need help!

PS - Don't forget, you can also follow this blog on Facebook, Twitter, Google+, or through your favorite feed reader

Sarasota Engagement Photos - Kara and Chris

2013-01-02T20:17:00.000-05:00

We kicked of 2013 with an engagement session with Kara and Chris at Bay Front Park in downtown Sarasota. They had some really fun ideas for this session and we all had a great time!

Here are some of our favorite photos from their session:

PS - Don't forget, you can also follow this blog on Facebook, Twitter, Google+, or through your favorite feed reader

Siesta Key Beach Portraits - Ryan Family

2013-01-01T19:39:00.000-05:00

We watched the last sunset of 2012 with the Ryan Family. They (19 of them!) were gathered at Siesta Dunes for an 80th birthday celebration. They were all a lot of fun! It was a bright, clear night with a gorgeous sunset.

Here are some of our favorite photos from their session:

View their full gallery here. Do you have a large family get together planned in the Sarasota area? Check out our Siesta Key Beach Portrait Package to find out how you can capture memories like these for your family! Contact us today to book your family beach portrait session!

PS - Don't forget, you can also follow this blog on Facebook, Twitter, Google+, or through your favorite feed reader