Experience "Amato," A Bold New Vision in Male Nude Photography
We are proud to welcome you to the world of "Amato," a new magazine by the creative mind and visionary of Ron Amato.
Photographer Ron Amato has spent decades capturing the male form for bespoke series that he has personally published on his website, social media, and various exhibitions. Now, as a full-time professor, he embarks on his latest creative endeavor with the launch of Amato — a self-titled magazine that showcases his signature take on male nude portraiture.
More than just a collection of images, Amato is a deeply personal project. It gives Ron full creative control, free from the constraints of social media censorship and editorial oversight.
In this exclusive feature, Ron shares his artistic journey, the challenges of launching a magazine, and the inspiration behind his first issue, Provincetown 24.
A Life Beyond the Lens
Ron Amato's love for photography started young, in the 1970s, in Brooklyn, NY. Raised by second-generation Italian immigrant parents, he reflects on how the cultural expectations of his neighborhood shaped his artistic voice. "The environment was quite oppressive, though I didn't fully realize it at the time," he shares. "I think the inability to express desire or love openly plays a significant role in the work I create today."
Despite the restrictions of his conservative upbringing, Ron found an outlet for his creativity early on. At 10 years old, his parents gifted him a photography kit, complete with a small Instamatic camera, an enlarger, and a developing tank. From that moment, the wonder of watching an image emerge beneath the magic of a chemical bath would forever inspire him.
His transition into professional photography was marked by an unexpected moment of encouragement while enrolled in a college photography class. Initially dismissed by his professor for lack of engagement, it would actually be Ron's sister-in-law who nudged the young creator to commit to his calling. In an instant, he did just that.
Now, all these years and images later, his fascination with photography has never faded. He still experiences the same thrill when teaching darkroom photography each spring at FIT, the Fashion Institute of Technology in NYC.
The Birth of Amato
With years of experience in commercial photography, teaching, and publishing monographs, Ron decided it was time to create a platform entirely his own.
The idea for Amato came after completing his nine-year-long "Artists of Provincetown" project, culminating in a 2024 exhibition at the Provincetown Art Association & Museum.
That summer, freed from the structure and restrictions of a long-term project, he spent time shooting purely for the joy. By the end of the season, he had amassed an extensive collection of new images.
As someone who has always loved long-form storytelling, Ron felt naturally inclined to compile these images into a printed format without the constraints of traditional publishing — a personalized magazine became the perfect solution. "I am also frustrated with social media censorship and editors watering down my vision," he explains. "Amato is his answer to these frustrations, a curated, unfiltered space where he has complete control over his artistic expression."
Ron is an inspiring representation of where life can take you when you live courageously. After years of creating through filtered opinions, insights, or specifications of others, Ron is creating for himself for the first time.
