Donato DiCamillo

Donato DiCamillo was born the lone son of three siblings from Italian immigrant parents in Brooklyn, New York. He suffered behavioral problems as a child, moving in and out of behavioral institutions and jails after being expelled from school at age 16. He taught himself photography after serving a federal prison sentence in Virginia. He first photographed bugs, plants, and anything else within 120 feet of his domicile, as restricted under an order of home confinement. His work currently focuses on people and has since been featured in multiple publications and news sources around the world, including BBC, The Washington Post, CBC, and Huffington Post. His first collection slated for publication in late 2018. He currently resides in Staten Island. DiCamillo’s work may be found on Instagram, and at his website-in-progress at donatodicamillo.com

Posts by Donato DiCamillo

Hair & Now

Four portraits of modern tresses, and one toupee.

“Chrissy, Manhattan, New York”

I had the strange but wonderful pleasure of meeting Chrissy while taking a stroll on Manhattan’s Lower West Side. At the time of our first encounter, I was creating photographs of city landscapes. Chrissy greeted me in a snarling, defensive manner, with a crude “Hello.” In the weeks to follow, I made repeated attempts to […]

“Michelle, New Jersey”

“I knew I was a girl from the age of 5 or 6. There was no denying it. When the boys were out playing sports I was home trying my mom’s dresses and high-heel shoes. Now I celebrate who I am with entertainment. I’m a drag queen.” (Photo by Donato DiCamillo)

“Mr. Stubbs, Scottsdale, Arizona”

Meet Mr. Stubbs. He was injured while being trafficked by illegal animal smugglers. He was found in a vehicle with roughly 20 other alligators. It would be safe to say Mr. Stubbs was hurt while being held by traffickers says Alex, his handler at the Phoenix Herpetological Society. As a result, unfortunately, he lost his […]