FOLIO Hunt

Bill Diodato, Photographer, New York, NY

Bill Diodato is an American-based commercial and fine-art photographer whose work has received world-wide exposure in many different media platforms including magazines, books, and movies.

He has photographed for many magazines including Allure, Marie Claire, Glamour, New York Times Magazine, Travel & Leisure, Interview and Nylon. Amongst the many assignments Bill has collaborated with celebrities like Jane Seymour, Alicia Silverstone, James Spader, Andy Roddick, Marc Jacobs, Iman, Tyson Beckford and Zac Posen.  Bill was chosen for many advertising campaigns including Clinique, Clairol, John Frieda, Jergens, Biore, Victoria Secret, Cole Haan, Clark’s Shoes, Neiman Marcus, Saks Fifth Avenue, and Bloomingdales.

Bill’s production and retouching offices are based on Manhattan’s west side and he lists Sun West Studios as his preferred shooting space.  He is represented by Marge Casey and Associates.

These images are from “Care of Ward 81” by Bill Diodato — Golden Section Publishing, 2010. 64 pp., 46 color and black & white illustrations., 10×6½ (you can purchase and learn more here).

This is Bill’s first monograph.  Care of Ward 81 is the first of two books on the subject.  Located at the Oregon State Mental Hospital (the hospital where One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest was filmed in 1976), Ward 81 was set up as a psychiatric ward to help women in need by providing them with medical attention and isolation.

During 2005, the entire site was being redeveloped.  The Oregon State Legislature authorized Bill Diodato to photograph and thus document the cremated remains of some of 3,500 deceased patients of the “Asylum” which, in one final act of inhumanity, had been exhumed.  During this very moving project, Warden Marvin Fickle also granted Bill access to the infamous closed-off Ward 81.  Knowing that he would be the last person to document the ward, Bill felt a sense of responsibility to remember the women who inhabited this extraordinary place. The result is “c/o Ward 81”