Donato Di Camillo

Donato grew up in Brooklyn. He was first arrested when he was 11 for stealing a car stereo. From then on, he embarked on a life of crime, drinking, and drugs. In 2006, he was swept up with 10 others associated with the Colombo crime family and sentenced to 2.5 years at the Petersburg, Virginia, medium-security prison.

Donato had always been curious about human behavior and, while incarcerated, had time to contemplate and learn more about the world around him. He spread word among the inmates that he was bartering for magazines and became fascinated with the glossy pictures within them. After his release, he taught himself the ins and outs of photography while on house arrest and probation. At first, he photographed, bugs, plants or anything else within the 120ft of his home, which he was restricted to. When he was finally free to roam New York City in 2014, Di Camillo photographed individuals on the outskirts of society, those with whom the artist identifies. Donato is now a talented New York photographer who teaches photography workshops, and has been celebrated across the globe. Donato was featured in multiple publications and news broadcasts around the world, such as, BBC, Washington Post, CBC, Huffington Post, and was invited to speak at the prestigious HEARST magazines annual summit. He loves to connect with others through taking pictures and telling stories.