Spotlight on Lisa Amato

Lisa Amato is a self-taught photographer who shares her view of the world through her images. Living in the Bay Area has presented limitless opportunities for her to capture the beauty of nature, architecture and the world around her.

Lisa's body of work includes abstract and architectural shots, vast landscapes, intricate close-ups and everything in between.

In addition to selling prints of her photographs, Lisa also creates beautiful glass pendants from her images - tiny works of wearable art!

What inspires you?

Any architectural structure. A building, a bridge, windows, door knobs, any place that has lines and angles. I really enjoy taking a day and wandering around a city shooting pictures of everything and anything that catches my eye. Especially if interesting shadows or reflections come into play.

How would you describe your perspective (your "eye" for an image)?

I like to think that my 'eye' is flexible. So, depending on where I am at that given time, the focus of my 'eye' will be different. If I'm at the coast, I may look for textures in the sand. If I'm in the forest, I may seek out the spiral of an unopened fern frond. If I'm in the city, I'll look for angles and shadows. I search for scenes that tell a story. A story that will be different for each viewer.

What's the first camera you ever shot?

My parents bought me a Kodak 110 camera when I was about 8 years old. I had already been exposed to photography by that age. My father was a real estate agent and had this huge Polaroid camera with a giant flash bulb on it. He would use it to take photos of the houses he was selling. Whenever he would use it to take family photos, he would let me pull out the smelly square of plastic film that the camera spit out. He told me that if I shook the film, the photo would develop faster. I loved watching this black square turn into a color photo right in front of me. So, when I was given my first camera, I couldn't help but go a little crazy with it. I took pictures of everything. My parents had to finally limit the amount of film I could get as I was burning through so much of it working to hone my skill.

Where is your favorite spot to take photos?

Manhattan, NY and San Francisco, CA are the two places I travel to mainly for the purpose of photography. Both offer such rich and interesting opportunities. I feel like I'm walking around in a state of awe. It's like having an ocular orgasm.

Who is your favorite photographer of all time and why?

Ansel Adams for several reasons. He's local to my area (San Francisco Bay area) and grew up with an appreciation of what a wonderful area it is. He was also an environmentalist and cared very much for our natural spaces. Lastly, he popularized 'pure' or 'straight photography.' That is, photography that attempts to depict a scene as realistically and objectively as permitted by the medium, renouncing the use of manipulation.

What's your ideal/dream camera setup?

I like to travel light since most of the time I'm shooting while on the go. I keep a light weight camera and lens with me while out shooting for leisure. My current 'go-to' camera set up is my Olympus E520 with a 12-60mm f2.8 lens. I keep it ready to grab for when I'm headed out the door to go hunting.

What single photograph has had the biggest impact on you as an individual and on your career?

Spotlight on Lisa Amato I have a photo of Point Bonita Lighthouse in the Marin Headlands that was the catalyst to starting my business. I had given a pack of my photo cards to a friend as a gift. She sent the one with the lighthouse to a friend who then wanted an enlargement for his office. That's when I decided it was time to get serious about photography. It's still one of my favorite photos.