I grew up watching the Rose Bowl,” Pugliese notes. “I’ve done
most of the other stuff I wanted to do.”
NFL films even inspire his wedding photography. “I always
loved the cinematography of the NFL,” he explains. “The way
they used light, angles and storytelling was inspiring to me.
You want to tell a story and keep the reader on an emotional
rollercoaster. People look at our wedding photos and feel like
they know the couple without ever meeting them.”
Pugliese uses Nikon equipment but is more interested in
storytelling rather than the technical aspects of photography. “I’m
not a ‘gear head,’” he says. “It’s just a tool. For me, it’s much more
about the moment.”
He and his wife rely entirely on their freelance careers to
support their family. It allows them to spend more time with
their children and travel. Pugliese has also branched out into
other endeavors, including teaching and writing a book.
In January, his book, “Freelance to
Freedom,” will be available on Amazon
and in local bookstores, including Barnes
& Noble. It describes how he built his
career as a photographer. He recounts
how he struggled at first because he took
unpaid photography internships and
worked other jobs to pay the bills.
“I lived on very little but I kept
pushing, working hard and making
connections,” Pugliese recalls. “There
was never a point where I wanted to give
up because I didn’t have that option. My
family said I couldn’t do it, but I used that
as fuel to make it happen. Despite the
mistakes I’ve made, I’ve got drive.”
Pugliese is not sure he would
recommend this career to his children
because it’s difficult to achieve success.
“But if you want something bad enough
you can do it,” he says.
His book also explains the
importance of understanding
the business aspect of
freelancing. “I know tons of
photographers who are more
talented than me, but they
make hardly any money,”
Pugliese notes. “They don’t
see the business side of
things.”
It took about seven
months to write the book
and it taught him a lot about
the writing method. Writing
was the first thing he did
almost every day. “I had very
little writer’s block because
I had this consistent habit,”
Pugliese explains.
In addition, twice a year,
Pugliese offers an online
course that helps parents take better photographs of their
children playing sports. He uses his 20 years of experience to
help parents master lighting, composition and storytelling. “A lot
of parents have really nice cameras but don’t know how to use
them,” he notes. “The course has been a huge success.”
Creating the course has even helped Pugliese refresh some
of the basic skills he learned early in his career. “I feel like a kid
again,” he says. “I never want to be stagnant.”
Pugliese has three young sons who also play sports. However,
he only shoots a few games every year. “I don’t go crazy,” he says.
“I really want to enjoy seeing them play.”
To see Pugliese’s professional portfolio, visit
elizabethvincentphotography.com. To enroll in his sports
photography course, go to shultzphotoschool.com/sports. ■
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