“Little Russia, Brighton Beach, Brooklyn”

“Creating a narrative based on one photograph can be challenging. In this case, my imagination placed me in the heart of the main subject dreaming of his old country, Mother Russia. Or perhaps he imagines talking to his dearly departed mamma, saying, ’Mama, I love You.’” (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