If I have a camera in my hand, I am happy. I specialize in headshots and portrait photography. But you name it, I have probably shot it at one point or another.
My clients have nicknamed me the Headshot Doctor because I photograph my clients with the same level of care and precision an exceptional doctor would… and I actually have a Ph.D. It’s in bioethics, not photography in case you were wondering. I left the world of biotech in 2010 to pursue my passion for photography full time and I am so very glad I did.
I love my job with every fiber of my being. Getting people to be able to see themselves in the best light both, literally and figuratively, is incredibly rewarding. Check out this feature about my work from Channel 5’s Chronicle.
My love of photography started early. For my 8th birthday, my mother gave me her old SLR from the 1970s (check it out when you come to my studio). As I got older, this hobby turned into a passion. I was the photo editor of my high school’s yearbook 3 years in a row. The bulk of my job included photographing the athletic teams. There I learned the importance of capturing both the event and the story behind it. Amongst the school’s coaches, I developed the reputation of being the photographer who was willing to do just about anything to get the perfect shot, such as taking photos from atop the 3 meter diving board to get a shot of a perfect mid-air summersault dive. After high school, I attended the University of Pennsylvania where I met my husband Matt and got my degree in Bioengineering. While there, I took electives in photography and design, and nearly every free moment was spent taking photos or developing them in the dark room. I even lucked out and had the privilege of taking a course that really changed the way I shot things from Steven H. Begleiter, who began his career as first photo assistant for Annie Leibovitz.
Still thinking photography was just a hobby, I continued on with my other childhood dream (to get a doctorate) and got my Ph.D. in bioethics at Case Western in 2009. I went on to work in Washington, D.C. at PhRMA, the pharmaceutical lobbying giant and worked in their scientific and regulatory affairs department, mostly acting as a liaison between the FDA and our member companies. But over the years, my love of photography was becoming much stronger than my love for policy. After attending many a wedding and hearing from my friends and family that the shots I took were better than those of the hired pros, and at the supportive urging of my husband, I decided to take the plunge and started Fucci’s Photos (Now Vail Fucci Photography) so that my passion could become my profession. To gain experience in wedding photography, I was a second shooter and assistant for Daniel McGarrity in Washington, DC. Using the skills Daniel imparted to me, I have gone on to shoot weddings both large and small and win a variety of awards, including couples’ choice awards on wedding wire, best of the knot, and Top 5 wedding photographer in Boston by CBSBoston.
In 2012 I started to shoot fashion and beauty photography at New York City’s Mercedes-Benz Fashion week and became a member of the international press corps. In 2012 I also had the honor of speaking at Kevin Kubota’s Photographers Ignite event in New York City where I encouraged wedding photographers to strip away the negative stereotypes that have plagued our industry. To get a little bit more of a feel for my personality, check out my Photographers Ignite presentation.
In 2018 I started doing headshots. This schedule of work fit my new found family life much better than shooting weddings. So in February 2021 I got my studio space and have focused on headshots and portraiture ever since. December 10th, 2021 I earned the distinction of one of Peter Hurley’s headshot crew associate photographers.
I absolutely love my job and am so thankful that I get to do this for a living.