We were able to interview Vail Fucci today from Fucci’s Photos, located in Boston, MA. She specializes in shooting for all types of events, whether it be weddings, birthdays, reunions, you name it! With consistent five star reviews on sites such as Wedding Wire, The Knot, Yelp, and Google Places, Vail truly has made a name for herself.
Beginning with just a few nature shots at eight years old and then taking pictures for her high school yearbook and photo journals in college, Vail kept photography as her hobby and went on to receive her Ph.D in bioethics. Getting a job lobbying in Washington D.C., she kept photography on the side. Soon after getting married and attending many other weddings, Vail and her husband decided it was time to turn her hobby into her profession; and so began Fucci’s Photos!
With so many wedding photographers already in the Boston area, I had to ask Vail what made her stand out from the rest and she gave me two answers. First, she gets to know the couples early on. She is keen in learning their personality and is here to make their lives easier. On the day of the event she is there with her “Mary Poppins Bag” which consists of everything you’ll need for your day. She says that she is here to look out for you and make your life easier. She believes it truly is all about the experience, and on your wedding it should be a stress free day.
Second, she told me about her interactions with the bridal party. It isn’t the most comfortable at a wedding when you can see someone walking around with a camera snapping shots of you off guard, so what does Vail do? She acts like a member of the bridal party herself! Dancing on the dance floor and interacting with everyone, she helps make everyone comfortable in front of the camera, and most importantly, act like themselves.
When it comes to getting a picture taken, we all can agree we have our own little insecurities. I asked Vail what she does to make people who are camera shy or not photogenic come out of their shell in front of the camera? She told me there is no such thing as not being photogenic. You could take a homeless person off the street and find the beauty in them. It is learning to make sure the person in front of the camera is comfortable; this is when you get the true beauty of the shot. It is important for Vail to understand her client’s personalities and she digs deep in order to do so. She finds ways to allow them to be themselves and let their true happiness out, which is what makes a great picture.
In order to prepare for these photographs she likes to meet in advance, or at least speak on the phone. She has her own suggestions but mainly this meeting is to get an understanding of what the couple wants. Beginning with the ceremony, then working their way backwards through the wedding process, Vail wants to know the ins and outs of the wedding so she can prepare the perfect pictures. Special objects are a small recommendation that she suggests, such as highlighting your grandmother’s handkerchief or grandfather’s pocket watch, these can truly make the photo that much more personal.
With a dance background, one pose Vail emphasizes is the groom dipping the bride with her bouquet in her hand. She knows how to work the couple perfectly, making the bride look beautiful, as well as the groom. Her knowledge of dance helps her recreate the steps needed to pull this beautiful picture off.
I asked her what her favorite part of photographing a wedding is and she told me it was the fact that she was able to be there for the bride and groom; with her camera she is “catching memories and making art” through their day, the answer of a true photographer.
She does it all, from large weddings to a small wedding at City Hall. She is willing to do anything and I mean anything. Vail has her scuba diving license and is ready and waiting for an underwater wedding to come her way! It’s also possible for her to travel. She has done weddings in Connecticut and Florida, and engagements in New York, but is able to make it anywhere possible – we are talking to you Hawaii!
Vail makes it to every event she schedules. With second shooters available to assist her with events, she is there personally to take your pictures. One interesting fact is that she has all photographers travel in separate cars because if there is an issue with one, another will always make it. Also, because of the extra hands, she is able to focus on more than one person at a time, such as both the groom and the bride throughout the night.
Though Vail has a special love for weddings, she does have experience in all events. Whether it is planning grandma’s 80th birthday or getting up close and personal with bikers for the Lance Armstrong Foundation, she has quite the list of special events under her belt. Something great about Vail is that when she photographs charitable events, she makes it clear that all the money she makes will go to the charity itself, she does them completely pro bono, something that many would find quite appealing.
Vail’s love for photography is easily seen in her beautiful photos. She took a hobby she was skilled in and loved and made it her profession. Her great personality, love for the skill, and detail in the job is what makes her fantastic at what she does and a go-to girl when it comes to photography for your special event.
