Alpha Female Creator-In-Residence Danielle Da Silva is the founder of Photographers Without Borders (PWB), a global nonprofit organization committed to telling stories that make change. As a part of PWB, she’s making a series of short films that explore sustainability and conservation issues around the world. In the series, Da Silva goes beyond the surface to find root causes where meaningful, long-term solutions can be put in place. Working with mentor Cristina Mittermeier, Da Silva is making the most of her opportunities from the Alpha Female program to amplify more voices, reach more viewers and make more of an impact with emotional calls to action.
Da Silva goes beyond the surface to find root causes where meaningful, long-term solutions can be put in place. Working with mentor Cristina Mittermeier, Da Silva is making the most of the Alpha Female program to amplify more voices.
In the latest PWB short film, co-directed by and featuring Da Silva, she explores a small community in Mozambique and how they are creating a positive upward spiral to protect endangered marine life through education and sustainable ecotourism efforts. The project highlights another nonprofit, Love The Oceans, whose ultimate goal is to have the area they are operating in Mozambique declared a marine-protected area.
The stories she tells, who she chooses to feature, how she and her team shoot and how they tell the stories are central in the work that Da Silva does. It’s a responsibility she takes seriously and one that motivates her. Da Silva’s mentor in the Alpha Female program, Sony Artisan of Imagery and conservation photographer Cristina Mittermeier, shares the same motivation. She's working with Da Silva to open doors and advance her career, as well as further develop and grow Photographers Without Borders.
“In general, whenever I’m doing storytelling I think it’s really important to know that you’re not giving anyone a voice – you’re amplifying voices,” says Da Silva. “For me that’s always been an integral part of why I do what I do. It’s not about me as a photographer, it’s about the people that I’m working with. About the organizations that I’m uplifting.”
Learn more at photographerswithoutborders.org and subscribe to the PWB YouTube channel to keep up with Da Silva’s latest stories.
