“Hugh, Cape May, New Jersey”

“When I was 25, I walked in on my grandma’s killer. She was already dead. Her breasts were cut off. He was still on top of her, raping her, when he heard me come in that night. He tried to get away, but I wrestled him to the ground. I put my hands around his throat and strangled him to death. I looked into his eyes as he struggled. Then his body just stopped wiggling around. The state of New Jersey wound up giving me 35 years. C’mon, man, It wasn’t my fault. What would you do if someone was raping your grandma?” (photo by Donato DiCamillo)

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