Meet Dakotah Puccio | Film Photographer & Creative

We had the good fortune of connecting with Dakotah Puccio and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Dakotah, what do you want your legacy to be?
I want to be remembered for how my art was able to bring people closer to themselves and those around them. For me, the process of creating and collaborating with others is more than just about the output along with whatever is perceived as ”success” in the end. The more I create and explore different parts of my creativity, along with giving a space for others to explore there’s, I realize how creation fulfills an innate need I believe we all have inside of ourselves. I strive to create an environment where people can have an outlet to reach different depths of their creativity, even if they didn’t think it was there to begin with. While the end product is important for me the journey of how we got there from start to finish is what I want to stand out to people and remember. If someone was to see my art 20-50 years after I am gone the legacy I want to leave is one of community that continues to bring people together to explore their creativity. For them to be moved enough to spark an interest in learning about the inspirations, process, and stories of all that was involved ultimately driving them to bring others together to create.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
The majority of my portfolio is focused on my work as a film photographer, something I picked up during the pandemic and over time has allowed me to explore different aspects of my creativity. What started out as casual street photography and photos while attending music events has evolved into my love of portraiture, creative direction, and any mix of the two. Film is such a beautiful medium that has continued to push me to be innovative along with being intentional in what I am creating. What I feel that really sets me apart from others is how I couple that with my creative storytelling to bring something thoughtful and unique to life. I attribute a lot of my creativity to my love of science fiction and fantasy, with a particular fondness for animation. Some of my earliest memories are of things such as Yu-Gi-Oh and Star Wars with my fascination of their vastly different realities. This nurtured my creative thinking as my mind would run wild with different versions having me involved in them. As I’ve continued to grow as an artist I have found myself most excited to expand the boundaries of my storytelling bringing more conceptual elements into my shoots and projects.

I’ve gotten to where I am today professionally through a continued fascination with my own creativity and the creativity of others around me. My drive to explore and be inspired by others has always led me from one opportunity to the next. In exploring my creativity I dream up projects and then work backward to make them become reality. Through this, I have already done things such as creating conceptualized shoots, hosting a headshot day, and even designing necklaces. While I wouldn’t say any of that has been easy, I have always used my persistence to see a project through from start to finish as the main factor to how I’m able to overcome any challenges. Along the way I’ve learned to trust the vision I have in my head but it’s okay to also adjust where needed and make things simpler as that can also make a profoundly positive impact on a project’s outcome. I want people to know that this is just the beginning of my story as an artist and creative. While my work has focused mostly on film photography I am fascinated by many other things such as upcycled clothing creation, sculpture, and set design. If someone likes my work and is inspired by it now they should expect me to continue to push myself in what I create, hopefully motivating them in the process to go out and create in their own unique way as well.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
San Digo is full of amazing places but I would have to say some of the best places to be is of course the beaches. Throughout the week I would take them to as many beaches as we could possibly fit, but starting on the first day with Blacks Beach to begin strong. Notably, I would also make sure to stop at the Mushroom House as the architecture is so fascinating to me, along with the iconic sad clown graffiti that makes the whole hike down worth it. Ocean beach would be another hot destination to visit due to the vibrant community that lives there. I especially like the peer, but would tour around the neighborhood pointing out all the “dingbat” style apartments with the California-esk names.

San Diego additionally has great Museums and parks that I would include in this trip, with Balboa Park being an important stop. One of the landmarks of San Diego for a reason and very much an important part of what I would want to show. What stands out the most to me in the area and a must see is the Timken Museum of Art. I enjoy how big the museum actually is and how much you get to see with the added bonus that it is free. Balboa park has this unique mix of residents and visitors from all walks of life that results in it being full of energy. Depending on the day I particularly love seeing all the various performers and singers pouring their hearts out into the performance. In La Jolla, the Museum of Contemporary Art is an important stop as you get to see a pretty different showing than the one at Timken with the contemporary focus. At that museum I enjoy the more sculptural pieces that are placed throughout, it also has one of the best views out on the balcony overlooking the ocean.

For food, there are so many amazing spots to check out as I’ve personally worked in the industry at one point and generally seen it continue to elevate itself being a bright spot for the city. Starting with brunch, Madison on park stands out not only for the blue exterior but also for its unique mix of Mediterranean inspired menu and cocktails I know are some of the best. Lunch wouldn’t be complete without trying the different Taco shops. Colimas is a must with their wide selection of burritos and the California being a classic. The Taco Stand is another spot we would go to as they have a selection of more traditional tacos with the Carne Asada & Al Pastor being my top picks. San Diego has some of the best Ramen as well with Menya Ultra being among the top spots and being Michelin guide recognized. The best part of their Tonkotsu style ramen is obviously the broth, but also how you can add additional toppings to your bowl to make it customized to your tastes. Dinner is where things get the most interesting for me as the amount of creative chef driven restaurants continues to grow and push themselves. Top places include Kettner Exchange and Azuki Sushi for higher end dining. Kettner Exchange was where I worked during college when I got to learn the most about Chef Brian Redzikowski working with him and the team closely as front of house. The menu is comprised mostly of American Progressive small plates that draw from different flavors and seasonal ingredients that can sometimes make it change daily. There is a core set of items that anchor the menu such as the duck meatball, spicy shrimp, and boa buns that pair perfectly with the seasonal cocktail menu as well. Azuki Sushi is a stand out because it’s been a staple of the community as an authentic Japanese eatery for many years. That menu also focuses on seasonal ingredients being headed up by Executive Chef/Owner Chef Nao Ichimura and his extensive Sushi knowledge coming from Japan, paired with Chef De Cusine Kevin Alvarado focusing on the kitchen side of the restaurant. With the recent renovations, they have added a full service bar and cocktail program that complements anything you could order because of how it draws from Japanese flavors.

Finally, the nightlife is a thriving part of the city with Hillcrest being an important adventure during this trip with classic LGBTQ+ destinations like Rich’s & Flicks. San Diego’s Music scene is another area that continues to evolve and benefits from the outdoor lifestyle here and a must if able to experience while here. Petco Park’s Gallagher Square hosts some great outdoor events bringing in major house artists that have been my favorites like Fisher, AC Slater, Tchami, and more. Additionally to that, the underground scene is continuing to evolve at venues such as Connect North Park where you can meet local creative minds pushing boundaries across all spectrums of talents.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
I would have to say I want to dedicate my shoutout to the collective I’m a part of Sisiety (@sis.iety) that I discovered while on my film journey last March. Sisiety’s mission to embrace creativity while empowering community, particularly for underrepresented artists has really resonated with me especially being a gay creative myself and apart of the LGBQ+ community. I met founder/visionary DJ Jovella (@jovella.the.creative) while I was invited to cover some of Umbrella Weekend on film. At the time I was focused more on capturing the raw and candid moments with my pentax point-and-shoot. So while still a very new organization, I was fascinated by Jovella’s story along with their vision for Sisiety and the impact on our local community. Since I moved out here for college in 2015 I’ve seen San Diego grow immensely as a city, and continue to see it growing with the creative community being one of the most exciting in my opinion. As San Diego continues to grow there is a need to build community between those individuals who aren’t represented by the mainstream so that they are supported in their exploration and discovery of themselves free of judgment. Sisiety works to be one of those places and organizations that has impacted and supported my growth as both a film photographer and overall creative. From organizing photoshoots shoots in the desert, attending creative workshops, putting on my first headshot day, exploring jewelry design and whatever the future has in store; I’ve been lucky to have found a community of people who support all forms of creativity and celebrate each other for our differences.

Website: https://dakotahpuccio.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cody___p/

Image Credits
Aldo Cervantes Stephen Coakley Jovi Cala Vella Yaz Reve Jesus Alarcon Claritza Castro Carianne Older Paulina Older