Click… whirr… snap! The sound of the camera lens captures a moment in a time. Gino Donato has been working professionally as a photographer for over 28 years. He began taking pictures as a teenager, before the digital age, and learned how to develop and print film using his father’s darkroom. It was at home then and he “just kind of stuck with it, photographing concerts and sporting events in high school.”

Donato has gone from processing in a dark room to transferring photos from his camera, to phone and then sharing online. While the ISO (the camera’s sensitivity to light) and quality of the image in the digital age is impression, the look of film grain just “can’t be beat” according to him.

“I miss spending time in the darkroom,” he says. “I have a full complement darkroom of equipment at home still.”

During the span of his career, he always found that covering “breaking news” was the most fun because it was unpredictable and one always “had to be on your toes.” Sports is another area he truly enjoys as the moment of “peak action” cannot be beat.

His astounding photography has garnered him a few awards over the years. In 2016 he won in the Ontario Newspaper Awards; and in 2012 a silver award from Sunmedia for Sports Photography. The ONA awarded him runner up in 2010, 2012, 2014, 2015 and 2017 while the Canadian Press gave him an honourable mention in their sports section of Picture of the Month.

In 2018 Donato became the owner of XCaliber Trophies, stepping away from newspaper life. Now, without the need to develop five or so photos a day he can focus on his company and the photography of his choice, working freelance.

“I was just ready for a change,” he says, noting it was a perfect fit due to his connections made while at the newspaper. “I photograph teams and many of them shop for items at XCaliber.”

It had been a steep learning curve as he shifted primary careers. Though, the previous owners remained with him for a few months to train him, and most of the software was similar to what he was already familiar using.

His freedom in freelance work also allows him to be creative. While XCaliber Trophies is his main career at this stage of the game, Donato is still freelancing his photography skills to The Canadian Press, The Globe and Mail and Canada Newswire. He also takes on other work shooting at hockey games and weddings though almost anything is on the table when it comes to photography.