Frequently Asked Questions - What Size Photos Should I Order? (Plus, 20% off orders over $100 for the month of August!)

Ready to order some prints from your recent wedding or beach portrait session? For many people, ordering an "enlargement" means ordering an 8x10 or possibly an 11x14. Over time, we've come to realize how easily an 8x10 can get "lost" on a large wall. When there are many people in the photo, it becomes especially difficult to "see" everyone and make out faces, etc. A 5x7 or 8x10  looks very nice in a frame, sitting on a desk or mantle. But when considering "wall art," our rule is: bigger is better!

We have 20x30 and 24x36 photos on OUR walls, and we think YOU should too! To encourage our customers to "GO BIG," we're offering 20% off any orders over $100 during the month of August! Just enter coupon code "gobig" during checkout! 

Our print prices are significantly lower than most other area photographers (especially at 20% off!), making it really affordable for you to order BIG prints for your living room wall! (And don't forget to mount and/or frame your big print!)

Check out the graphics below to aid you in your decision making process! (Cute beagle not included!)

Still not sure? Check out the difference between these two images! How will you show off your photos?

Photo display template courtesy of Tina Boyd

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Longboat Key Family Beach Portraits - Johnson Family

We met the Johnson Family on Longboat Key last night for a beach portrait session. They were vacationing on Anna Maria Island this week and decided they wanted some family portraits. We suggested our favorite spot on Longboat Key. The weather was great and the sunset was beautiful!

We love the color scheme this family picked out - any pastels work well on the beach!

Here are some of our favorite photos from their session:

  

View their full gallery here. Planning a family vacation on Longboat Key or Anna Maria Island? Check out our Longboat 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

Jason Talks Gear - Medium Format Black and White Film Photography

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

I have recently been shooting and developing black and white film. It has been an interesting side project and I have had lots of fun with it. I should probably tell you, this is not my first endeavor with black and white film processing.  I had a dark room and film processing equipment when I was a kid, but I never had much luck. My most recent attempts from 2012 have gone extremely well.

Medium Format Cameras and Film

I found a Yashica Mat 124 G on Craiglist for next to nothing and took it, on family vacation, to Myrtle Beach, SC in June. While in Myrtle Beach, I used the Yashica Mat 124G and shot a few rolls of Kodak T-MAX 120 film in ISO 100.

As it turned out, the quality of the optics in my 1970s Russian communist made / cheap Craigslist camera were extremely disappointing.   Even though I shot everything on a tripod and at a comfortable f/5.6, all my photos were below average or just adequate.  I was surprised by the lack of detail and clarity, but the photos were still usable.

Here are some examples:

My second attempt at film came in late June.  This time I used my Mamiya RZ67 medium format camera with Kodak T-MAX 120 in ISO 400.

This camera is HEAVY.  Lugging the camera, 120 back, prism viewfinder, 180mm lens, and tripod is a chore.  However, the photos were exceptional.  I found all the photos to be exceptionally sharp with outstanding contrast.   The RZ67 with 180mm produced  better background blur at f/16 than my wide open 85mm f/1.2 L (a 35mm format lens) – this was a clear result of being the same distance from my subject with a longer focal length.  The RZ67 also produced sharper photos than the 5d Mark II.

Here are some photos I took of Allyson and Badger at Brohard Beach in Venice:

Finally, I broke down and purchased a Mamiya 7 with a 43mm f4.5 lens.  In my opinion, the Mamiya 7 is the best medium format camera in the world.  However, It does have some major disadvantages.

Mamiya 7 pros and cons:

Pros:

1. Outrageously awesome image quality
2. Lightweight – no tripod is necessary

Cons:

1. Loading film is slow and you can't preload extra backs
2. Rangefinder camera body: I shot 50% of my photos with the lens cap on
3. Wide angle lenses require a separate viewfinder attached to your flash shoe
4. Only 10 shots to a roll of film
5. Film is expensive
6. Light meter in the camera is spot only
7. Flash use is difficult / no E-TTL or I-TTL equivalent.
8. No auto-focus

The Mamiya 7 may be the best camera in the world, but I could never use it for my wedding business because it takes far too long to load film and to meter shots. It also lacks an adequate flash system and auto-focus.

The Mamiya 7 is a rangefinder camera and has far better optical quality than my SLR camera.  As with all rangefinders cameras,  photos are composed through a viewfinder window. Coming from a SLR background, this difference has caused me some problems.  I KEEP LEAVING THE LENS CAP ON!!! During my first attempt, 50% of my photos were shot with the lens cap on!  For now, I have stopped using a lens cap altogether.

If all you care about is image quality, the Mamiya 7 is your camera.  In terms of practical application, Canon's digital EOS camera system destroys the Mamiya 7 and all other film cameras.  The digital cameras we use now have outrageous auto-focus, outstanding light meters, and unbelievable flash systems.  That, combined with exceptional quality and the ability to take thousands of photos, relegates film to fine art and hobby applications.

Here are some Mamiya 7 photos, taken at Deer Prairie Creek in North Port, Lemon Bay Park in Englewood, and Shamrock Park in Venice:

Developing Film

I ordered everything needed to develop film off the Internet for about $100.  This included Kodak chemicals, a Patterson tank, Patterson spool, and a changing bag.

At first, I had a very hard time loading the 120 film onto the Patterson spool.  This step needs to be completed in total darkness, and I underestimated how difficult it would be. It took several rolls of test film before I was confident enough to spool up film with actual photos.

It takes me about a half hour to develop a roll of ten photos.  It then takes about an hour to dry the negatives and another half hour to scan them in to the computer. It would take me about 160 hours to process film photos from a wedding.  Again, digital is a handy time saver.

So what is the end result of my film endeavors? … I have some very very nice photos but it took a VERY long time to produce them. We won't be shooting any weddings or beach portraits like this any time soon!

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

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Southwest Florida Nature Photography - Summer 2012

When we aren't busy with beach portraits and weddings, we enjoy photographing wildlife. With the long lasting daylight of summer, we've been having a great time visiting local parks in the evenings and capturing images of deer, hogs, turkeys, scrub jays, and even a bobcat!

Here are a few of our recent favorites:

You can view more nature photography on our website - we add new photos often!

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Frequently Asked Questions - What is the timeline for a Siesta Key beach portrait session?

Interested in booking a family beach portrait session on Siesta Key, Longboat Key, Englewood Beach, or Venice Beach but not sure what it entails? The purpose of this blog post is to help demystify the process of booking, participating in, and viewing your beach portraits. 

Before your session:

You've viewed our sample gallery, read our blog, and read up on our Siesta Key beach portrait package. Ready to book? Have your date ready and contact us. We'll help you iron out all the details - date, sunset time, location... 

Once your date is locked in, get your family organized and figure out what you plan to wear for your beach portraits. Read our Beach Portrait FAQ to make sure you know all the important details about your session. 

Then, wait for the big day!

During the session:

Because most people want their Siesta Key beach portraits taken at sunset (And why not? It's beautiful!), we have limited time and rapidly changing light to work with.

Here's how we make it work:

We start our beach portrait sessions about 45 minutes before sunset. Since the sun is still a bit too high and bright for formal portraits at that time, we take families down to the beach for a "stroll." Although it probably feels pretty cheesy at the time, these photos look great and feel like "candids" even though they are set up more like posed photos. We think they make great casual family portraits. If you have kids, we guarantee you'll LOVE these running photos of your kids together! (We certainly do!)

As the sun dips slightly lower in the sky, we turn to the dune grass. Usually these photos do not have the sun in the background because it's still not low enough. We take a variety of posed family portraits sitting and/or standing in front of the sea oats. Sea oats make a great backdrop and look great with the outfits we typically recommend for beach portraits.

As the sun approaches the horizon, we bring the family back to the shoreline to take a few shots with the setting sun in the background. 

Overall, we get a great variety of photos during a beach portrait session. You'll have several poses to choose from with different backdrops. If you have a big, extended family group together, you'll have dozens of groupings, poses, backdrops, etc when all is said and done. 

After the session:

We work quickly - usually your photos will be online by the following day (we guarantee them online within a week). The proofs you will see that day will have been edited for color and lighting only. In order to get your album out to you quickly, we don't photoshop every photo, only the ones you select for printing. 

Once you place an order there is a "proof delay" during which time we edit the photos more specifically and replace the ones you see online with the edited versions so that your print order looks just right. We will remove people walking around in the background and any beach debris, clean up stray hairs, and remove excessive redness/shine from faces and skin. If there is anything else specific you want done, you can just let us know when you place your order. 

More information about print pricing and ordering.

We hope this helps clarify the timeline of events for a typical beach portrait session. If you have other questions about Siesta Key Beach Portraits, please read our Beach Portrait FAQ or contact us with your specific questions!

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

Frequently Asked Questions - How do I Purchase Digital Downloads of my Photos?

(Updated 12/10/16)

Just about everybody's on Facebook now, and we know many people would rather have digital files to share online than prints of their family portraits or wedding photos. Good news - you can purchase digital downloads from your photo shoot right through our shopping cart!

Click here to learn more about digital download sizes...

How to Purchase Digital Downloads:

First, decide if you want to purchase individual photo downloads or the entire gallery. Make your selection in the "Buy" menu.

For individual images, select "Buy > This Photo." Then, you'll need to click on the "Downloads" tab in the shopping cart:

Then, select the license you want to purchase for that individual photo and add it to your cart.

For a gallery download, select "Buy Gallery Download" from the "Buy" menu:

The gallery download is our most popular purchase! Almost everyone buys it!

After making your desired purchases and checking out, you'll receive an email with a link to your downloads. You can then upload your photos to any site or store of your choosing, or to Facebook, etc. We recommend Shutterfly:

Shutterfly Special Offers. Save up to 50% on selected items such as photo books, calendars, wall art, photo gifts, and more. Offers change frequently.

Important Note: There is no proof delay on digital downloads, so if you want retouching, you'll need to order prints directly through our site!

Costs for Digital Downloads:

For Weddings:

Individual Images - $8.50

Full Gallery - $850

For Beach Portraits:

Individual Images - $8.50

Full Gallery - $185

The Fine Print:

Here's the license you agree to when you buy a digital download from our site:

Jason Scott Photography grants buyer a non-exclusive perpetual personal-use license to download and copy the accompanying image(s) or video(s) (collectively, "Media,") subject to the following restrictions:

• This license is for personal use only. Personal use means non-commercial use of the Media for display on personal websites and computers, or making image prints or video copies for personal use. The Media may not be used in any way whatsoever in which you charge money, collect fees, or receive any form of remuneration. The Media may not be used in advertising. The Media may not be resold, relicensed, or sub-licensed.
• Title and ownership, and all rights now and in the future, of and for the Media remain exclusively with Jason Scott Photography.
• There are no warranties, express or implied. The Media are provided 'as is.'
• Neither Jason Scott Photography nor SmugMug will be liable for any third party claims or incidental, consequential or other damages arising out of this license or buyer's use of the Media.

If you have further questions about purchasing digital downloads of your photos, please let us know!

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Siesta Key Family Portraits - Brungardt Family

We met the Brungardt Family at Sandbox on the Beach last night for a beach portrait session. It was a gorgeous sunset and this was a great area of the beach for photos. Their boys were very handsome and had great smiles!

Here are a few of our favorites:

View their full gallery here. Planning a family vacation on Siesta Key? 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, or through your favorite feed reader

Siesta Key Family Portraits - Dr. Schaub - Center for Sight

We met Dr. Schaub and his family at Siesta Key the other night to take some beach portraits. Center for Sight uses family portraits of their doctors with their families in the lobby of each of their buildings for marketing purposes.

When we got to our favorite spot at Beach Access 7, we discovered that all of the sea oats had washed away during Tropical Storm Debby! Yikes! We made the best of it and got some great shots of this beautiful family on the beach.

A big THANK YOU to Retouchup.com for fixing the beach on some of these photos for us - it was a MESS from the storm!

Here are a few of our favorites:

Siesta Key is a great setting for Family Photos. Check out our beach portrait package and our beach portrait FAQ to find out more!

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

Siesta Key Family Portraits - Purvis Family

We met the Purvis Family at the Calini Beach Club on Siesta Key the other night for a beach portrait session.   Cute, smiling kids and a beautiful sky made this a fantastic night for photos!

Here are some of our favorite photos from their session:

This little guy had a broken leg - poor thing!

View their full gallery here. Planning a family reunion/vacation on Siesta Key? 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, or through your favorite feed reader