Ohio University Student Wins National
Photojournalism Competition
Contact: Vincent Pugliese, 516-484-9514
News directors, editors: Two of Pugliese's award-winning photographs are available for download at:
www.ohiou.edu/news/pix/pugliese1.jpg and www.ohiou.edu/news/pix/pugliese2.jpg
ATHENS, Ohio (June 9, 2000) -- His ability to tell a story through a photograph has earned Ohio University student Vincent Pugliese a national photojournalism championship. Pugliese recently won the National Grand Champion in Photojournalism and Best Picture Story awards at the Hearst National Photojournalism Finals in San Francisco.
Pugliese, a senior from Roslyn Heights, N.Y., beat five other finalists in a two-day photo shootout. Ohio University's Rob Ostermaier, a senior, also was a finalist.
"The main thing was to tell a story," Pugliese explained. "It was more than just taking good photos. When I was finished, I knew I'd done a complete job, and I hoped that my work would stand out."
The contestants were challenged to convey, through photography, how San Francisco moves. For his photo story, Pugliese chose to ride a city bus for a day. He also walked with a team of participants in the "Bay-to-Breakers" race and spent a night in a hospital trauma unit.
Pugliese illustrated why people use the bus line. His selections included such shots as a patron paying for a ticket, a silhouette of the bus driver, a tourist reading a map and a view of a steep hill and the San Francisco Bay.
In the race story, Pugliese walked with a team that was selling and consuming drinks from a bar on wheels. "They lasted about six miles until one guy passed out at Golden Gate Park. That pretty much ended my story," Pugliese said.
Pugliese also captured a patient being treated in an emergency room after injuring his hand in a brawl.
According to Pugliese, the most difficult part was selecting the 11 best shots from nine rolls of film and writing photo captions in just 90 minutes.
"It was an incredible thrill to win, but the main benefit was the experience I gained, which was incredible. Now, I'm confident that I can succeed in a pressure situation," Pugliese said.
"The photos that Vinny takes tell a story very well because he does a good job of assessing a situation, weeding out what doesn't need to be in the photo and including important visual information," said Marcia Nighswander, associate professor in the Ohio University School of Visual Communication of Ohio University's College of Communication.
"Vinny has a good, strong work ethic and a very good eye. When he takes photos, he thinks very clearly and composes the photo to help the reader see the subject, and that's the job of a photojouralist," Nighswander said.
The awards include the Hearst medallion and $6,000 in prize money. "After hearing my name announced, I don't remember much of what happened after that," he said.
The recognition should be a boost to Pugliese's professional aspirations. He graduates from Ohio University Saturday and will pursue a career as a newspaper photojournalist.
The Hearst competition is open to undergraduates at all accredited journalism schools, and the awards honor philanthropist William Randolph Hearst's support of education, health, social services and culture by recognizing excellence in photography, writing, television and radio.
Pugliese was chosen as a national finalist after he submitted a portfolio of his work from his senior year at Ohio University and photos shot during a subway train photo project in New York City.
He is the son of Carleen and Vincent Pugliese of Roslyn Heights, N.Y.
Ohio University has a strong record in the Hearst photojournalism competition. Franka Bruns, also a senior, was the 1999 grand champion.
