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Picture This: Student Spotlight on Brett Pezza

Brett Pezza is a junior studying graphic design at Monmouth University. His passion for photography started with a special gift from someone special in his life.

Pezza said, “I first became interested in photography when I borrowed my grandfather’s Canon camera when I was a freshman in high school.”

He has gotten better in this field by trial and error, allowing him to learn continuously. “In high school, I started learning by taking my camera everywhere and learning through my mistakes,” he said. “Also, I learned a lot from watching many YouTube videos of many famous photographers which helped me acquire good knowledge about camera gear and photography as an art form.”

Monmouth University has allowed him to continue to improve his skills thanks to the beautiful locations on campus and the nearby beaches.

Pezza reflected on the positives and negatives of his passion. “The thing I love most about photography is capturing moments and freezing time. I personally love documenting moments from my own life as well as my friends,” he said.

On the other hand, “The most difficult part of photography is learning how to adapt to different situations. Often, I find myself having a few seconds to get the settings on my camera right to capture a shot and knowing how to operate a camera well is very important,” he continued.

Some may ask how photographers get inspiration, and if there is any message being conveyed through photography. For Pezza, it is simple.

“I find inspiration when taking a picture by being present and taking in the location and its surroundings. Often people can easily overlook the small details,” Pezza said. “I never thought about portraying a message through my photos, but I always try and capture moments that highlight my travels and to show how amazing the world is!”

With having taken so many pictures, choosing a favorite image was harder than it looks. “If I had to choose one it would be the pink sunset rays over Utah. I took that photo when I was on tour with the band Found Vegas. I was on our tour bus when the sky parted, and these incredible pink rays came over the mountains.”

Pezza continued, “I quickly took out my camera and opened the window and shot it while the bus was moving which was difficult, but I ended up getting the photo. The sunset only lasted for about two minutes so I was lucky I was able to get that photo.”

Not only is Pezza interested in photography, but enjoys music as well. “Music has always been a part of my life. My main instrument is the guitar, but I also play piano, bass, and occasionally sing,” he said. “I was a part of many bands and I gotta have some amazing experiences playing shows and meeting some great people. I continue to play with other musicians and music will always be a part of my life.”

Music and photography seem to be a great fit, and if he is offered the opportunity to become a photographer shooting bands, he would love to take it. In fact, Pezza is already thinking about the future and hopes to combine his passion into a career.

“My career goals are to have a good knowledge of photography, video production, and design. In today’s world, everything is digital and having a wide knowledge of these skills will help me in my career. After graduating, I would like to focus on packaging design or UI/UX design,” he said.

Pezza runs a photography Instagram page, @brettpezza, as well as a personal account @bretttylerpezza.

 

PHOTO COURTESY of Brett Pezza