Jen Amato Photography Blog »

Hi, my name is Jen and I am a Natural Light Photographer based out of New Orleans! Welcome! I specialize in Engagement, Maternity, Family, Children, and Birth Photography. As a wife and mom of 5, I understand how important capturing those fleeting moments are. Making my clients feel comfortable in front of the lens, photographing priceless memories and building relationships with people in the process are my main goals. There's always lots of fun couples, sweet families and precious babies gracing the presence of my site! Be sure to check back, I'm always posting new sessions! Click the "Information" tab above to email me if you're interested in scheduling a shoot :) I can't wait to hear from you!

Jonathan & Becky :: Engagements

Thursday, March 24, 2011 Posted in Engagements

It’s always fun when you get to photograph Engagement sessions of friends. I’ve known Becky since we were in High School and she hasn’t changed a bit. So sweet! We took these last week at City Park at around 5 in the evening. I loved the lighting and I wish I had the time to photograph every single session I do later in the day. You get this golden yummy light.

I’m headed to Baton Rouge today to photograph a newborn baby girl and an engagement session, so I better get on the road!

Here are some of my favs:

There’s a peek of our light!So cute, love these next 2 shots!Warm delicious light!So pretty!One of my favs of the day!

Posted in Engagements

Random Thoughts!

Wednesday, March 23, 2011 Posted in Personal

1. The next few months will be the busiest yet, I am looking forward to diving in head first! I love what I do so much, but I can tell you I’ve been giving a lot of thought to taking off for a few weeks this summer to get refocused and refreshed!! Ever since Randy and I went on our honeymoon roadtrip last year, I’ve been itching to do something like that again. It was so creatively inspiring and just good for the soul.

2. Bootcamp has been kicking my butt, it’s always this time of year when I get hard on myself. It’s time to put the winter fat jeans away and get ready for summer. I decided this year for lent I was really going to make an effort to get healthy. It’s so easy to cheat and give up but I figured if I offered it up I wouldn’t back down. I jokingly have been calling it the “L40x” diet. “Lent 40 days xtreme!” No sweets, no white carbs, no beer! It’s Abita Strawberry time- so that’s kinda difficult. I’ve been to 3 crawfish boils where I’ve had to turn it down! It’s okay though, hopefully I’ll shed some pounds.

3. Weeknight dinners at home with friends and lazy Sundays have been my favorite lately. I’m not sure how to explain it- I just get this sense of relaxation and comfort.

4. We have a really big family and I wish we made more time to see each other. Some of my cousins now have little ones and it’s so easy to let life and the everyday routine get the best of you. We decided the last Wednesday of every month we’d get together and have a pot luck themed dinner, all 20+ of us! Next week it’s Mexican themed, I can’t wait to see everyone and truly hope this is something we stick to!

5. I’ve been having my eye on this camera since we went to WPPI! Fujifilm FinePix X100. It hasn’t hit stores yet though! I am so used to taking photos a certain way while shooting my sessions with my professional camera that I HATE using that little mini flash camera in my purse, the quality just isn’t the same. I am hoping this little beauty will give me the effect I’m looking for! Old school look with new school functions! :) I CAN NOT wait to buy it!

6. Looking forward to planting some new flowers in my Garden this Sunday. I love this time of year when you see everything blooming and colorful. I’ve been waiting to have the warm sunny weather for a long time! This is a photographers favorite time of year with lighting too, I’ve been getting some beautiful evening light lately!

7. If all goes well with weather and what not, I’ll be photographing my brother and his fiance Jen’s Engagement photos next Friday! I am so excited, I have lots of ideas brewing! Sometimes I wish I had more time to organize a team who wouldn’t mind styling a shoot. Hair, Makeup, Wardrobe, Props, Location, etc… I wish!

8. Besides my random tidbits here on the blog, I’ve started a personal journal to document thoughts that I just need to get down and out of my head. Ideas for the future, struggles, what I’m currently excited about, life events I can’t wait for, etc.Â I think it’s important to get certain things out and stay focused! If I kept everything inside all the time I’d be really miserable! I have to have an outlet!

9. You read my blog, ever wonder who’s blogs I read? Here are some of my favorites:

Promise Tangeman Blog

What draws me to these blogs? They all post several times a week, the consistency in their work, they blog about photography as well as their lives, they are open and honest, each is inspirational in their own way.

Are there any blogs that you also follow that you think I’ll like? If so, SHARE! :)

10. Ummm, it’s 11:30 and I am sitting on the couch while Randy watches something random on TV. I think it’s time for BED!

Posted in Personal

Faith :: 1 Year

Tuesday, March 22, 2011 Posted in Children, Grow With Me

It’s hard to believe that my first “Grow With Me” Package is complete. Faith was one of the first to jump on board over a year ago! I wrapped up the session and told Holly that I would miss taking Faith’s photos every 3 months! I watched her grow up before my very eyes, I can remember each session like it was yesterday.

After I got home from Faith’s session, I received an email from Holly….

Hey Jen,
Thank you so much for taking Faith’s pictures throughout this year. I got home today and went into her room and looked at all her past pictures hanging up on her bulletin board.Â I was so happy to have such wonderful pictures of her, but I also had a sad feeling because I can’t believe her first year is over. I was admiring all her pictures and I am so grateful to you for taking such great pictures of her. I just wanted to say thank you and let you know that you are great at what you do. I am so fortunate to have so many beautiful pictures along with all the memories of her first year. We will always cherish the pictures that you have taken.
Thank You, Holly

Take a look at our journey up until this point:

Guerre & Holly Maternity

Faith – 1 YEAR!!!!

So beautiful!Love that little smile…Faithy now has itty bitty teeth! ;)Trying to be just like Daddy – lifting weights already!!

Posted in Children, Grow With Me

Riley :: 6 Months

Monday, March 21, 2011 Posted in Children

Do you guys remember Miss Riley from when she was just a newborn? Well, I had the pleasure of photographing her 6 month session just last week- what a DOLL! Her Mom always has the cutest outfits and ideas! It’s always nice to walk into a parents home and see photos all around the house from the previous session that I photographed. There were framed 8×10’s on the bookcase and gallery wrapped canvas prints on the wall. Seeing that makes me smile because so often I don’t get to see my work in a physical print. One day I hope to have a big ole’ room in my future home just for prints to hang, editing desks and maybe even a small studio setup. I hope to see these things come to life in the next couple of years ;)

So here is Riley, she is so beautiful – loved her big smiles!

Pink. Tutu. Pearls. Zebra Print = cuteness!

Love!Such a happy baby!Gotta love the little baby rolls ;)Since her Dad is a Cardinals fan, this one only seemed appropriate. Not without the big pink flower though!Precious!

Posted in Children

Matt & Frances :: Engagement

Friday, March 18, 2011 Posted in Engagements

I knew Frances’ name sounded familiar the moment I received her phone call. Since everyone in River Ridge seems to know each other, her last name rang a bell! It’s always so nice when you get to work with friends of friends. It was funny because we comfortably booked everything via phone and email even though we hadn’t met yet. Randomly, I was at Bootcamp one night and I kept hearing “Frances” while we were working out… so after a few times – I was like WAIT I think that’s the Frances that booked me! (Because she is also friends with Guerre who runs Bootcamp for us) So anyway, shortly after- I said.. hey I’m Jen Amato- you’re Wedding Photographer! HAHA, what a way to meet huh? So then we chatted about their upcoming Engagement Session and continued working out! She was so sweet, I couldn’t wait to do their shoot!

So here they are! I loved how she had a vision and wanted to go with it. Loved the idea of hopping on the Streetcar and finding interesting spots on Oak Street. They love the restaurant Jacques-Imo’s, so it was fun incorporating that into their shoot. Came across that old Lime green VW Bus again on Oak and couldn’t pass it up- love that thing! I had a great time photographing such a cute couple, enjoyed chatting with them and riding the street car along St. Charles Ave. Can’t wait to photograph their Wedding this upcoming June!

Here are some on the streetcar!

Frances’ green dress was so bright- loved it! The wind was blowing through the windows of the streetcar. It was a gorgeous day!Headed to Audubon Park for a fewLove the old truck outside of Jacques-Imo’s!So pretty!Love shots like this one! They make me smile.Another one of my favs!And just for fun….. too cute!