Page 30 - San Diego Woman Magazine Digital Version

Women of Distinction

awn Nicoli is a wom- and white. And then I came for the station’s feature sto-
an with a multitude back to Massachusetts and ries in TV guide. I would
Dof talents. Dawn is a developed it in the school find the models and loca-
world class photographer, darkroom, excited to show tions to depict the theme
an exceptional writer, and my friends a scene they of the story.”
an incredible human be- could never have imagined. Dawn freelanced for
ing. She has spent most of At that moment I knew about 10 years just doing all
her life creating aesthetic how powerful photogra- sorts of different jobs while
beauty and has an innate phy could be. It became a she waitressed to help pay
beauty that radiates from means of communication, the bills. “I wondered what
within. Photos courtesy of Dawn Nicoli a means of showing some- the heck was ever going to
Dawn was raised in a body something that they happen to me. Warnings
wonderful caring family couldn't fathom and a way my parents gave me about
in Westfield, Massachu- of expressing myself.” my career choice kept
setts where she attended Dawn was hooked and haunting me, but when
school and remained until knew she had chosen the you love something so
the photography bug took right profession. During her much in the back of your
Institute of Fort Lauder- Dawn Nicoli College she was enrolled work out. I was working
hold and she pursued her
studies at San Diego City mind, you just know it will
passion attending pho-
in a Photography Business for the Sheraton hotel as a
tography school at The Art
the class, somebody came waitress. Because I loved
dale. To finish her training, class and one day during concierge and a banquet
she chose San Diego City By Judith A. Habert in and put a note in front photography so much, I
College and ended up not of the teacher's eyes and would wander down to
wanting to leave our beau- that, but sadly found out She couldn’t go but he read it at the end of the the hotel’s basement as
tiful town. that it wasn’t quite that passed the trip on to me class. It was this note that they started transforming
There was one secret easy. “One of the saddest and my best friend. This would start her on her pho- it into an exhibit hall. They
that was revealed to her days was when I found out was a pretty big trip for a tojournalism career. The would roll out this carpet
when she was just six years that it was a sealed adop- 16-year-old to take, from note informed the class and create exhibit booths
old, and that was that tion meaning that the in- Massachusetts to Acapulco. that channel eight, KFMB, for annual corporate con-
Dawn was adopted. “I can formation was locked and My girlfriend and I went, was looking to hire free- ventions. I‘d venture down
remember my mom sitting sealed away.” Dawn is not and we hired a taxi to take lance photographers and there on my breaks and I
me down and telling me in a woman who easily takes us up into the hills to pho- to call Bob Kari, the art di- just started photograph-
the most beautiful way. She no for an answer. She con- tograph the Mexican peo- rector, at the number pro- ing the set ups. One day a
told me that she and my tinued searching every way ple. We spotted this family vided. Dawn jotted down woman came up to me and
dad couldn't have a baby, possible to find out the of pigs walking across the the number, thinking that asked if I was a professional
but there was a woman, my coveted information. street and as we followed everyone in the class would photographer? Of course,
mother, who had a baby In the meantime, Dawn them with our cameras, be flooding the director the answer is always YES.
and couldn't take care of had pursued her photogra- they lead us to this little with calls. “I ended up get- She handed me a card
her. She said that God put us phy career. “I knew when I hacienda. A Mexican father ting selected for it, along that said Greyhound Ex-
together, and we magically was 16 years old that pho- was standing over a hearth with another guy from my hibit Services. The woman
became a perfect family.” class, and come to find out explained to me that they
Dawn understood and we were the only ones that set up these big shows all
was blessed with an in- applied. This was what I over the country. Well, one
credible childhood, but she guess you would call one of thing led to another and
always wondered who her those life lessons. I realized before I knew it, I was trav-
birth mother was, because that if you don't reach out eling all around the Unit-
she would gaze around at and try to make something ed States, photographing
all her friends, and they all happen, nothing ever will.” these exhibits for different
looked like little clones of Dawn loved her time associations. Each associ-
their mothers. She always there. “I worked for three ation would put my forms
wondered if she looked like years creating photographs in their packets so that ev-
her mom as well.
Dawn had shared this
with her babysitter who
told her that when she got
older, she could go to the tography was what I want- with a large machete. He
big Catholic Monastery ed to do. I took an elective was cutting vegetables for
from where she was adopt- course in dark room pho- the family meal with all his
ed, and they would have to tography and learned how little children in the back-
tell her who her real mom to process film. That same ground, looking at dad
was. When Dawn turned year, my mother won a trip preparing the meal. I took
18, she set out to do just to Acapulco. that photograph in black
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