Bella Rosa Photography

“It’s as if she captures a little piece of heaven.” Lofty praise for any photographer, but not unusual if you talk to colleagues and clients who have worked with Jennifer Carillo, the talented professional behind the shutter for Bella Rosa Photography.

Something magical happens when Jennifer has a camera in her hands. She’s been snapping pictures of life and loved ones since childhood. Her mother and father gave her a Kodak camera when she was nine years old, and she kept it in the glove compartment of the family car so she wouldn’t “miss” anything. Later, it was only natural that she would find her bliss behind the lens of a camera. A career in advertising and television strengthened her already well-developed talents, but it wasn’t until she was asked to photograph a wedding she was in that she discovered her true focus. “I was thrilled when the photos came back,” she remembers. So were the wedding celebrants. A flurry of referrals followed. “Jennifer is a brilliant star in a competitive industry,” raves one of the happy brides who have had the pleasure of working with her. “She captured the dynamic quality of the building, the romantic quality of the day, our happiness, our love and the excitement of the whirlwind experience. Even my nervousness was beautifully rendered.” “I work in the fashion industry,” says another. “In that environment, photography is very important. Everyone I show our photos to is blown away by Jennifer’s work.”

Jennifer’s peers are equally complimentary. “She offers superior service, gorgeous imagery and outstanding creativity. I honestly don’t know how she juggles everything so well,” says a fellow photographer. A marketing consultant who uses Bella Rosa for brochures, advertising, invitations and more, adds, “I have worked with the best of the best photographers nationally. Jennifer steps outside of the standard. Her work is extraordinary.” Tony and Marc Danza certainly felt that way when they chose her to photograph their memoir/cookbook Don’t Fill Up on the Antipasto.

Flowers, food, an invitation, a ring, a kiss, a tear, a smile—Jennifer claims she finds beauty everywhere, and she gets excited about every detail. She’s also known for her ability to dispel clients’ self-consciousness, for her way of putting people at ease. Perhaps that’s because this topnotch professional is confident, relaxed and totally clear in her purpose. “It’s about much more than photography,” she asserts. “It’s about finding the true spirit of a person or an event.” She sees her images as doors that open into what is most exciting in individuals, in relationships, in families. From engagement sessions to weddings to first-year baby packages (newborn to 12 months), baptisms, christenings, bar and bat mitzvahs—she delights in continuing to document meaningful moments for her clients, who generally come back to her again and again and again.

“Jennifer is that rare blend of someone who not only enjoys what she does and exudes positive energy, but who is also gifted,” observes an admiring associate and friend. “It shows in her final product. I wish I had known her when I was married, as I would have loved to use her as my own wedding photographer!”

“I love life,” explains Jennifer, “and it passes so quickly. Each time I hit ‘click,’ that’s a moment I’ve stopped—one that can go on forever.”