Donatella Nicolini

The maternity portrait photographer tells Niall Hampton what it takes to be one of the global leaders in her field

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With a distinctive style that makes her subjects appear as though they belong on the pages of high-end fashion magazines, Donatella Nicolini’s portraiture puts women front and centre.

Opting to work exclusively in a studio, where she can control every variable of lighting and exposure with precision, Donatella has enjoyed a stellar rise since turning professional in 2018. And although she has won a hatful of awards from within the photography industry, the Italian edition of Forbes magazine included her in its 100 Successful Women of 2023 list – an impressive achievement that saw her line up alongside academics, businesswomen, politicians and tech entrepreneurs.

It's all a long way from her teenage years, exploring what she could do with her father’s Canon AE-1 film camera, then going on to become the unofficial photographer for a troupe of performers while working at a wild west theme park in Sweden. The experience of doing this and seeing the joy she got from photographing people set Donatella on the path of what she does today.

How did you get started in photography?

Since I was a child, I've always had a strong passion for creating images. I started with drawing and painting. I was fascinated by beauty, harmony and everything aesthetic in both art and life. Photography came later, as a natural extension of painting: a way to bring the images I saw in my mind into reality. At the beginning, I experimented with various genres (weddings, still life, events) to understand what truly resonated with me. Eventually, I chose to specialise in portraiture, where I could combine visual artistry with emotional depth and human connection.

Were you inspired by the work of any major photographers?