A family of three standing together on a white sand beach with the Gulf behind them.

Sarasota, Florida

Sarasota Family & Wedding Photographer

Fourteen years, three hundred weddings, and a high tolerance for Gulf Coast rain. I photograph the moments you planned and the ones you didn't.

Michael Orzell in business attire with a camera hanging from his neck, arms crossed.

Hello

Family and wedding photographer in Sarasota

I’m Michael, a Sarasota photographer for families, weddings and engagements. Family sessions happen at Siesta Key, South Lido and Phillippi Estate Park, and I keep them relaxed. We usually start with a walk, so everyone loosens up before I ask for anything. Some of my favorite frames are the ones where the kids are just having fun and ignoring me.

Not sure where to go? My guide to family photo locations in Sarasota covers each spot. Read more on my Sarasota family photography page or see family session pricing. Weddings and engagements are still a full part of what I do, and they get the same easy approach.

My approach blends modern imagery with timeless storytelling all with a touch of humor. I focus on capturing the big moments, and the ones you didn’t even realize were happening.

From quiet anticipation before the ceremony to the celebration that follows, I document genuine emotion, natural connection, and the details that make your day uniquely yours. I work with couples who value candid moments and timeless photos that will still feel beautiful 30 years from now.

The Knot Best of Weddings Hall of Fame Fearless Photographers WeddingWire Couples’ Choice 2023

Where to start

If you're planning, start here.

Sarasota family photographer. A family of four standing in a garden.

Families

The beaches and parks worth booking

The family session page covers Siesta Key, South Lido and Phillippi Estate Park, and what an hour with small children actually looks like.

Family sessions
A bride and groom walking hand in hand on the beach.

Weddings

Coverage, pricing, and an honest note

If you're planning a wedding here, the Sarasota wedding page has coverage, pricing, and an honest note on what I'm not the right fit for.

Wedding photography

Follow along

Families, weddings, engagements and events

Most of the wedding photographs are from the Northeast, because that's where most of those 300 weddings happened. The family sessions are on the Gulf.

Swipe the photographs

Family walking on Siesta Key beach in Sarasota, holding hands with a child between them.
Siesta Key
Family of three smiling on Siesta Key beach in Sarasota with the Gulf behind them.
Siesta Key
Child kissing a mother's cheek at Phillippi Park in Sarasota.
Phillippi Park
Two men in wedding tuxedos embracing and kissing in a park.
Wedding
A newlywed couple embracing on a wooden dock at sunset.
On the dock
A bride and groom dancing together on a dance floor at a wedding reception.
Reception
A bride and groom sitting close together on a beige sofa, smiling.
A quiet minute
Engagement photograph.
Engagement
Wedding photograph.
Wedding
A bride in a white lace wedding dress and veil stands by a window, holding the curtains open.

Sarasota

Let’s find a date

Weekday evenings are the easiest family sessions to get. For a wedding, ten to eighteen months out is the sweet spot. I answer within 24 hours.

This demo opens your email app and sends nothing on its own. Or call 941-529-1819.