NAME: DONJAI GILMORE
FROM: HARLEM, NYC
FAVORITE CAMERA: SONY AR7V | R LEICA
What is “Behind The Lens”
As a college student, It was my life’s mission to figure out my passion. I wanted to do so many things. From public relations to management. I didn’t have a clear answer to the classic “what do you want to be?” question. My go-to response became, “The Hip Hop Olivia Pope.” At the time, I was young, curious, and wide open to possibilities.
Then came an opportunity, a unique one.
A mentor of mine reached out with a suggestion: a local photographer was looking for an intern. Photography had never crossed my mind as a career or even an interest, but my mentor urged me to take the meeting, so I did. That’s when I met Ismail, better known as “Caligrafist.”
Ismail needed someone to assist him at events, handle emails, and manage day-to-day tasks. In exchange, I would get the chance to attend industry events. It sounded exciting to a young girl trying to get a foot in the door—a golden ticket to network and explore. However, I didn’t have the foresight to notice how deeply I’d fall in love with the culture of photographers in the NYC entertainment scene.
What struck me most was their ability to tell stories. Six different photographers could capture the same event, yet each one’s work would reveal a completely unique perspective. Their grit, determination, and creativity called out to me in a profound way.
This column is dedicated to those storytellers—the artists Behind The Lens—who document history through their craft. It’s about how they discovered photography, their creative processes, and what continues to inspire them.
Donjai Gilmore – The Harlem Prodigy
For my first interview, I had the privilege of sitting down with Harlem’s very own Donjai Gilmore. As we kicked off the conversation, I led with an icebreaker: “Give me one fun fact about yourself.” He grinned and said, “I always had a crush on the lady from LambChop. There was just something about her… she’s beautiful.”
Donjai—a photographer who has etched his place as a prominent figure in NYC’s photography scene, has a storied body of work. His portfolio reads like a who’s who of pop culture icons: fromcapturing rappers like Ice Spice, Eve, and Future, to photographing football legend David Beckham. Donjai has proven himself to be far more than just another kid from the Big Apple.
How It All Began for Donjai
His journey into photography started early, inspired by his love of Peter Parker—better known as Spider-Man. At just nine years old, Donjai was already honing his craft, taking courses at the International Center of Photography at The Point CDC in Hunts Point. He mentioned that the program is still available to this day and is “free 99.” They offer a wide range of gear andknowledge, such as cameras, film, and teach the old school art of dark room development. That early spark of creativity laid the foundation for a career that now stands as a testament to his vision and raw talent. “I was the youngest person in the program and messed up about 2 rolls of film and on the third roll they told me if I messed up this roll they were going to kick me out.”
Throughout his time in this program, Donjai was able to better his skills and ultimately became known as a child prodigy amongst staples within the photography community and even went on to be featured in segments on channel 13.
After staying in the program up until high school, Reflecting on his younger years, Donjai stated, “I lost my mom when I was 12, and the year after, I was starting high school. I had a good thing going, but didn’t realize it. I didn’t take full advantage of the opportunity. So I had to step back, figure out what was happening, and then put myself back in the game.” Despite the challenges, Donjai managed to build a strong sense of community that keeps growing and has opened up incredible opportunities for him.
Most Meaningful Shoot?
With 30 years of experience, I couldn’t resist asking him about his most meaningful shoot. He told me about his first friend from Brooklyn, Angie. She trusted him to do a maternity shoot, featuring her and her 2-year-old son, underwater. “I had never done a maternity shoot underwater before, so when she asked me, I was like, ‘Hell yeah!’”
When I asked why that shoot was so special, Donjai got real. “I think anything that documents life is meaningful. Black women are the backbone of society. That’s kind of like what this image depicts to me.” He went on to describe how beautiful it was to watch her teach her child to hold his breath underwater, all while showing him, in her own way, that his mother would always have his back.So, “who are some of your favorite shooters?,” I asked.
Donjai’s Big 3!
Donjai chuckled, “Ahhh, dammit, I don’t want to get beat up!” But after a little coaxing, he gave me his top three:
- Jamel Shabazz: From Red Hook, Brooklyn
- Jamel Shabazz tops Donjai’s list for his ability to capture the essence of an entire era. “He documented the whole era of New York—Black, flyness—just by being present and always having his camera on him.”
- Johnny Nunez: From Brooklyn, NY
- Donjai loves Johnny’s hustle. “He took advantage of every opportunity and really pioneered what all the up-and-coming photographers on Instagram are trying to become today.”
- Denise Stephani: From Brooklyn, NY
- A former student of Donjai – “She took photography seriously beyond the program and put in the work to get her weight up.”
And an honorable mention goes to Flow, another one of his students who’s been making waves in the photography world.
What’s Next ?
As our conversation wrapped up, I asked Donjai what we could expect from him in 2025. He excitedly mentioned “you can look forward to seeing me teach in a full capacity again.” Donjai previously taught at Red Hook Labs during Hurricane Sandy. The program unfortunately ended due to the pandemic in 2020. He is excited to rekindle his love for teaching which he deems, “the gift that keeps on giving.”
Beyond teaching, Donjai revealed that we’ll also be seeing his work featured in more art galleries and exhibitions. It’s clear that his passion for the craft—and for giving back—continues to drive him forward.
We can’t wait! You can find Donjai in Harlem or on IG, TIKTOK, AND X @Donjaididit
