Photographers

Angela Cappetta is an American photographer known for intimate, immersive documentary projects rooted in community, relationships, and long-term engagement. Born and raised in a multigenerational Italian-American family in New Haven, she moved to New York City in the early 1990s, settling in the pre-gentrified Lower East Side. There she began developing the diaristic, empathetic visual style that continues to define her work. Cappetta often works with analog cameras—especially a 6×9 format—and is known for using flash, natural light, and sensitive proximity to create images that feel both raw and deeply affectionate.

Her most celebrated project, “Glendalis,” follows a Puerto Rican girl and her extended family in Manhattan over the course of a decade, capturing milestones, daily rituals, and the evolving dynamics of home, childhood, and community. The resulting monograph, published by L’Artiere, was shortlisted for the Arles Prix du Livre and has been collected by major institutions. Beyond “Glendalis,” Cappetta’s practice includes personal projects, editorial assignments, and commercial shoots, all united by her interest in the human condition and her ability to gain long-term trust from her subjects. Her photographs blend candor, humor, tenderness, and an unfiltered respect for the lives she records.

Cappetta is a fellow of the American Academy in Rome, a three-time MacDowell Fellow, and a NYFA Fellow. Her work has appeared in publications including The New Yorker, W Magazine, Dazed, Harper’s Bazaar, The New York Times Magazine, and Wired. She has photographed for major brands and her images are held in the permanent collections of the Victoria and Albert Museum, the Corcoran (now part of the Smithsonian), the New York Public Library, the Center for Photography at Woodstock, and other institutions. Alongside her independent practice, she remains committed to storytelling, analog craft, and community-centered documentary work.