American Fashion Photographer
Capturing Moments: Lens on Life
In this inspiring episode we talked with Daniel D’Ottavio, a Brooklyn-based fashion and commercial photographer who’s also dabbled in modeling. Shooting from New York, Daniel shares his journey from Northern California’s Gold Rush foothills to the global fashion scene, all while emphasizing positivity—a core theme of our show.
Daniel’s path wasn’t linear. Growing up in the Sierra Nevada, he pursued theater in San Francisco, attending the American Conservatory Theater. At 28, he picked up his grandfather’s 35mm camera, photographing classmates in black-and-white during lunch breaks. The result? A swift ascent: six months in Milan to build his portfolio, then New York, where he hustled retail and restaurant jobs before breaking in at Ford Models—not as a model initially, but as a photographer soon after.
His stories are captivating. From capturing timeless rugby matches in Queens on medium-format film (later turned into a monograph sold at Ralph Lauren) to portraits of icons like Willem Dafoe, Jeff Daniels, Michael Shannon, and Bella Thorne. Daniel highlights the art of empathy: “It’s about making people feel safe.”
Daniel’s positivity shines: “If you love what you do, it won’t feel like work.” A gem of an episode—watch for insights on creativity and resilience!
The Interview
IN-DEPTH INTERVIEW
Name: Daniel D’Ottavio – Occupation: Photographer / Model
Location: New York City, NY, USA
https://www.danieldottavio.com/
SNCTM (NYC) The world’s most exclusive club
Recent ventures include co-producing Off-Broadway dinner theater and exclusive masquerade parties with his wife, a world-champion burlesque performer. These black-tie, consent-focused events attract celebrities and CEOs, blending erotic art.
WAX TEMPERATURE PLAY: DDNI Photography (Art)
Photographer Daniel describes his performance art series involving temperature play with candle wax, where a model pours hot wax on her own body, including her face. The process evolved collaboratively: It began with the model’s idea to use wax, enhanced by Daniel’s suggestion for juxtaposition—placing delicate flowers in her mouth before covering them in wax.
Portrait Photography with Daniel D’Ottavio
Daniel explains his approach: Avoid overshooting to prevent appearing unprofessional; know when you’ve captured the shot, especially with time constraints and celebrity fatigue (e.g., a quick Sunday morning shoot with tired Jeff Daniels, where he worried about under-shooting but it turned out fine). Planning; Scout locations for important subjects to optimize flow, as actual shooting is quick—most time is in preparation like understanding light and space to tell a story. He allows flexibility to change plans, encouraging authenticity by chatting or giving scenarios.
On lenses: It depends on the shoot—longer zoom lenses for fast, versatile work (e.g., social media where detail is less critical), but primes like an 85mm f/1.2 for portraits. (purchased specifically for Michael Shannon’s gig).
Regarding clothing: earth tones to complement eye colors; avoid light tones like white shirts that distract from eyes. Darker earth tones draw attention to the subject’s eyes. For commercial shoots (e.g., selling shirts), balance so the subject doesn’t overpower the product, ensuring realism. He discusses tonality as an art: Learned through experience, it guides viewer focus (e.g., dark tones emphasize eyes). For brands, create “hero images” with negative space for website copy, appreciated by graphic designers.
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