Howdy. I’m Jen, a native Texan from Houston, but I’ve called Austin home since 1999. I studied photojournalism at the University of Texas (Hook ‘em!), and I found a calling in portraiture that led me into 4 years of shooting model portfolios and actors’ head shots. Simply put, I love documenting lives and showcasing personalities, whether that's through portraiture or shooting weddings.
I became enchanted by this city’s vibe and music scene, so I convinced the love of my life, Austin, to move here…and then he convinced me that I couldn’t live without him and that I should marry him. And he was right. So I did. And, it’s awesome.
I own 1,500 LPs ranging from ABBA to ZZ Top (thanks to my disc jockey parents). I harbor an endless love for sci-fi/fantasy books and movies, live music, sushi, yoga, the perfect pair of jeans, coffee, and pairing a sublime glass of wine or beer with the perfect meal.
Music is my main source of inspiration, and I feel privileged to live in a city that thrives on music as much as I do. My favorite band? Foo Fighters by far. (Dave, you let me know if you need a back up drummer, ‘kay? Wink, wink.)
Wanna know more? Feel free to drop me a line by 101,109,97,105,108liame or shuffle on over to the contact page and let's get to talkin'.
Love my portraiture, but interested in having me document your your big day? I'm happy to announce that I'm also a lead photographer for Studio563, recipient of The Knot's Best of Weddings for 2010 and 2011. Head over to to my wedding blog for more information.
Proud member of
Hello & Welcome
Hi! Thanks for stopping by my site. I'm a portrait photographer from Texas with an insatiable thirst for all kinds of music. Let me know if I can help you with your photography needs or even if I can just recommend a good album.
I met Molly about seven years ago when I started working with her mother, Angela McComb (she’s Ang, for short). Since that time, the McComb family has become a second family to me. They are some of my biggest supporters, continuously encouraging me to pursue photography and follow my dreams. I’ve photographed the family on numerous occasions, including her sister ‘s senior portraits, but I was overjoyed and honored when Ang asked me to photograph Molly for something really big and really special.
About 2 years ago, Ang told me she had to take Molly to the ophthalmologist to treat symptoms that appeared to be pointing to a pesky case of pink eye. But, when the doctor looked closely, she noticed that more was going on that what anyone had originally suspected. Molly’s initial diagnosis was scleritis, an inflammation of the white part of the eye, which left untreated can cause full or partial blindness. Scleritis also is a symptom of rheumatoid arthritis, and since Molly showed other symptoms, the ophthalmologist recommended she see a rheumatologist. It was then, at only 10 years of age, Molly was diagnosed with Polyarticular JRA (Juvenile Rheumatoid Arthritis), a difficult diagnosis for a child whose passion is dancing. In their education of the disease, the McComb family learned that JRA is genetic, and not long after, Molly’s sister and fellow dancer, AnneMarie, was also diagnosed.
Since her diagnosis, Molly has had to wear braces on both of her hands and wrists for months, go through three outpatient surgical procedures, and endure multiple shots on a weekly basis. Despite all of this, Molly has maintained a positive outlook, faced JRA head on, and continued to dance her heart out. Her doctors seemed to notice, too, so they nominated her to be the Arthritis Foundation’s 2012 Walk Hero. If you’ve ever met Molly, you’d know that it’s no surprise that she was chosen by the foundation to fulfill this role.
The Arthritis Foundation’s 2012 Walk is this Saturday, May 5th, at Concordia University. Austin and I will be there in full support of Molly, AnneMarie, and others who are affected by Arthritis. We have formed our own walk team to raise awareness and money to help out with such a wonderful cause. As of the posting of this blog, Team McComb alone has raised a staggering $17,507.25! (Way to make the rest of us look like slackers!!!) Nevertheless, more is always needed to fund research to find a cure. Therefore, I encourage you to head over to the Arthritis Walk’s website to read more about Molly and AnneMarie’s stories. And, if you are so inclined, please head to my team’s page to sign up to join us on Saturday morning or to make a donation.
Below is the official poster for the walk this year featuring Molly’s mug, as well as some outtakes from the shoot. Hope to see you Saturday!
After a week’s worth of anticipation and sneak peeks, here is the full release of images of the boudoir & fashion shoot of Carissa, Assistant Producer of KLBJ-FM’s The Dudley and Bob Morning Show. Thanks to Dale’s wife, Amanda for setting the shoot up at Star Hill Ranch, as well as booking the stylist, hair and makeup artists.
Fellow photog and friend, Lisa Hause, and I agreed to collaborate on the shoot, bringing the best of our talents to the table to really give Carissa an amazing experience in front of the camera. Lisa and I shoot weddings for Studio563 together, so we both walked into the shoot with our creativity flowing. Lisa concentrated on the boudoir portion of the shoot, and I took a different path in an effort to bring an editorial feel to the session. We both had a blast working with Carissa, as well as the rest of the talent, and the day proceeded with plenty of laughs. Below is what ensued.
A little sexy Texan to start:
And then the shoot took a turn. I really wanted to get some great portraits of Carissa on a grey backdrop to bring out her natural beauty. And besides, I simply HAD to try out my new homemade canvas back drop. (A little indulgent, sure…but, I painted it myself!)
And then her personality REALLY came out, and the room was nothing but laughter! I kept thinking of Tina Fey’s Vanity Fair shoot with Annie Leibovitz – a beautiful, funny woman having fun in front of a classic backdrop setting. Awesome.
And then there were the headshots….I HAD to make sure she had a headshot!
Click play below for a full slideshow of images:
Thank you, again, to everyone involved in the shoot. Carissa, thank you for being game for whatever Lisa and I had in store for you. You were such a good sport! Dale, Bob, and Matt, thanks for plugging the shoot and Jen Bertrand Photographie all week long, as well as letting us prove you wrong. Amanda, thanks for setting this all up and securing such an awesome location for us to shoot at. Ashley, Gertie, and Lauren, thanks for bringing your talents and helping pamper Carissa. And Brooke, thanks for giving Carissa a killer cut and color!
Check out all the vendors and be sure to leave your thoughts and comment below! You can also follow Jen Bertrand Photographie on Facebook for updates on future shoots!
I had such a blast photographing AnneMarie again. She and Caitlin are best friends (and Cavalettes together at Lake Travis HS), so it made the day even more fun to have both girls on the same shoot. Since I’ve photographed AnneMarie before, she and I have built up a wonderful rapport and working style. She’s a natural in front of the camera, but our continued work together has yielded better and better results each time. We went for a more fashion focused shoot this time around, and I absolutely LOVE the killer images we created together! You’ve done it again, AnneMarie!
In an effort to stay on top of my photography “game,” I saw it fitting to participate in a workshop for senior portrait photographers last month. I couldn’t be MORE thrilled with the results thanks to Caitlin. We had a blast talking about clothes and our favorite bands (Fun. and The Format were definitely hot topics for the day) while she sat in the chair getting her hair and makeup done. As soon as we hit it off talking about music, I KNEW we’d have a great working chemistry that would leave us with some KILLER images. And she proved me right! A self proclaimed “fashionista,” Caitlin was a natural in front of the camera who epitomized style and beauty. And the accessories! Oh, the accessories!
Caitlin, thank you so much for being such an amazing senior model! You ROCKED the shoot and were such a pleasure to work with. I wish you all the best as your senior year winds down to a close and you bid your high school years adieu. I know that life will be all that you ask of it and will most certainly be set to one of the best soundtracks out there.
Ladies and gentlemen, may I introduce you to AnneMarie? (Yes, yes I may.) This is AnneMarie – 2012 Lake Travis High School senior, Cavelette Head Social Officer, and National Merit Scholar. Yup, brains AND beauty. This young woman has it ALL – brains, beauty, talent, and an incredible personality to round it all out. I’ve had the pleasure of watching AnneMarie grow and mature over the last 6 years, and I feel a sense of pride as I watch her stand on the precipice of her future.
AnneMarie has decided to attend college as a pre-med undergraduate with goals of continuing her education through medical school to become a radiologist. And without divulging TOO much, I can say that she is well on her way with acceptance letters from some of Texas’ top universities. She is also in the interview process with an ivy league school or two. (What did I tell you? She’s a smart one!) Needless to say, I’m living vicariously every time I get an update on her academic progress. AnneMarie’s bound for some pretty amazing things, and I can’t wait to see what she makes of all that she has worked so hard for in her life.
AnneMarie, I wish you all the best in life, and I have every confidence that you will grab life by the horns and live it on your own terms. Continue to work hard, but don’t forget to stop and take it all in every once in a while. The next few months (and years) will fly by, so enjoy the rest of your senior year and remind yourself that you’re exactly where you should be. Congrats, AnneMarie!
Haven’t seen enough? (Of course you haven’t!!!) Check out the slideshow of AnneMarie’s shoot below to catch more images from this killer shoot.
And while you’re at it, take a moment to leave a comment (or even some well wishes for AnneMarie!) below.
) Nevertheless, more is always needed to fund research to find a cure. Therefore, I encourage you to head over to the Arthritis Walk’s website to read more about Molly and AnneMarie’s stories. And, if you are so inclined, please head to my team’s page to sign up to join us on Saturday morning or to make a donation.
Hope to see you Saturday!
.jpg)
.jpg)
show hide 2 comments
Angela McComb - I love and am so proud of my girls. I am so proud of you too Jen and we love you with your heart. Thank you for the beautiful photos!
Jen Bertrand - Check out the new post on the Jen Bertrand Photographie blog and find out what you can do to make a difference!