Donald Miralle

2023 Honoree / Achievement in Sports

Donald Miralle has received over 50 international awards for his work including 6 World Press Photo Awards and has been named the Sports Photojournalist of the Year by both the National Press Photographers Association and Pictures of the Year International multiple times. After receiving his BA in Fine Arts from UCLA while competing on the Men’s Division 1 Swim Team under the legendary Olympic Coach Ron Ballatore, Donald joined his love for sports and art into a photography career. Known for his unique approach to sports, adventure and portraiture, his work has been sought after by both commercial and editorial clients like Sports Illustrated, National Geographic, Discovery Channel, Outside, New York Times, Nike, Ironman, Getty Images, and NFL Players Association. He has covered every major sporting event and iconic athlete in the last 30 years including 10 Olympic Games, 15 Super Bowls, 20+ Golf Majors; as well trekked across the Himalayas, dove in the cenotes in the Yucatan, and chased massive waves in the South Pacific.

Donald contributed to the industry by serving on the contest juries for the Best of Photojournalism, Swedish Pictures of the Year, and the Wisconsin and Utah Press Photographers Associations Contests. He has served as a keynote speaker at the PDN PhotoPlus Expo, Great White North Workshop, and is active with the education of photojournalism at Brooks Institute, Art Center College of Design, and Pacific Ridge School. In 2013, Italian Publisher Dueotto, Nikon Italy, and La Stampa Newspaper sponsored the Donald Miralle 2.8 Workshop, the first hands-on sports & underwater photography workshop of it’s kind in the country.

Miralle loves to surf and paddleboard in his spare time, competing in The Molokai 2 Oahu Paddleboard World Championships (2nd Place 3 times), the 32-Mile Catalina Classic Paddleboard Race (3rd Place Overall two times), and still holds the course record holder for the Waterman Challenge now in it’s 30th year. He also serves as Head Swimming Coach for La Costa Canyon High School, giving back to the sport he loves and helping student athletes accomplish their goals in and out of the pool. He lives in the San Diego beach community of Leucadia with his wife Lauren, their sons Luke and Micah, dogs Kaya and Chucky, and their overweight cat Rigby.

Website: donaldmiralle.com

Photo by Chris Thomas