Donald Miralle
Encinitas, CA USA
"I try to be true to the way I see things through my lens...That’s the hardest part, to not be influenced by the way other people see it or the way you think it should be seen."
Career Roadmap
Donald's work combines: Art, Entrepreneurship, and Being Creative
See more careers and stories that connect to your interests.
Take Roadmap Quiz
Day In The Life
Skills &
Education
Advice for getting started
Master the craft. Nowadays with the technology we have available, people have started calling themselves photographers even though they don't know how to manually expose or focus a camera. Learn the basic skills and understand the intricacies of a camera. Don't hesitate to reach out to people that you admire in your field of interest to get their advice and mentorship.
Here's the path I took:
High School
Bachelor's Degree
Fine/Studio Arts, General
University of California-Los Angeles
Life & Career Milestones
My path in life took a while to figure out
1.
Born and raised in Southern California.
2.
Attended UCLA, where he started as a biology major with the intention of one day becoming a doctor in order to satisfy his parents’ wishes.
3.
During his sophomore year, he realized that he didn’t really like biology and that his true passion was in art—ended up graduating with his degree in fine arts.
4.
After graduating, he began working with different portrait photographers in Los Angeles, but this work wasn’t fully satisfying him.
5.
He decided to answer a vague Los Angeles Times classified ad looking for photographers for a sports photography agency, and ended up getting a job as an photo editor instead.
6.
Working for that company gave him the time and access to eventually start practicing his photography at sporting events.
7.
He is now an award-winning photographer best known for photographing some of the world’s greatest athletes, biggest events, and most remote locations.
8.
He is also the founder of Leucadia Photoworks, a full-service studio and photographer collective in North County San Diego, California.
Defining Moments
How I responded to discouragement
THE NOISE
Messages from Parents:
You have to be a doctor or a lawyer.
How I responded:
My mother immigrated to the U.S. from the Philippines and had set ideas about what I should be when I was older. I was encouraged to pursue being a doctor because if I make a lot of money then I'll be happy. My mom died when I was 16 and so the pressure to become a doctor lessened. It was still challenging to make the transition to art, but I knew it was what I wanted.
Experiences and challenges that shaped me
In college, I started as a biology major, but eventually discovered my passion was in art. When I switched my major, I lost a lot of credits (and money) and had to pretty much start all over again.
Photo equipment is expensive and when I was first starting out, it took time and a lot of money to get the materials I needed. I worked restaurant jobs to make money to pay off student loans, etc.
I get to go to exciting locations, but when I am working it is hard to fully enjoy it because you are usually uncomfortable and viewing everything through a hole. You have to be in the moment; if you aren't, then you won't get hired again.
My mom died when I was 16. I took a lot of things for granted before she died. After she passed away, as a form of therapy, I focused in on my schooling, etc. I took the grief and put it towards something positive. I got into UCLA because of this.
My mom was an immigrant from the Philippines and so there was some pressure on me to do certain things and succeed in life.
There are some shoots that are extremely hot or cold, you have to carry tons of gear, and at the end of the day, you are physically exhausted. When you get the right shot, it's all worth it.