See and Hear a Photographer's Super Bowl Story

January 16, 2009

As football fans nationwide gear up for Super Bowl XLIII in Tampa on Feb. 1, the Saint Leo University community will be treated to a video memoir by football photographer Wayne Paulo.

Paulo’s presentation, “An Englishman’s Road to the Super Bowl,' tracks his career, including his work on six Super Bowl games. He will speak at 7 p.m., Wednesday, Jan. 21, in the Student Community Center on the university’s main campus at 33701 State Road 52, four miles east of Interstate 75 (Exit 285).

The talk is free, and open to the public, sponsored by the Saint Leo University’s Distinguished Speakers Series. 
Paulo generously made time for an interview in advance of his Saint Leo visit.

Question: How did you first become interested in photographing American football?
Answer: In 1984, I went to a local domestic game in England, about five miles from my house. The Northampton Stormbringers were playing the Fylde Falcons, and there were a few ringers from the U.S. military playing for the Northampton team. I turned up at the gate and stepped onto the sideline as a press photographer, and I left three hours later determined to be an American football sports photographer and a fan for life!

Question: What has been your most memorable Super Bowl experience thus far?
Answer:   Good or bad, I ask? In Miami, where the Colts beat the Bears, that had to be one of the worst. It poured rain all the way through the game. The best one was my first in New Orleans. The Rams lost to the Patriots, a shame, but what an experience! What a sound! I was so close to the sideline it was like being in the game myself. It took my breath away. The nicest press conference was in Houston with the singer Beyonce—discovering what a lovely lady she is in person.

Question: How do audiences overseas react to this American sports event?
Answer:  There is a small fanatical base of die-hard fans throughout Europe, but the general public just can’t figure out the sport.

Question: How have advances in photography or videography improved the spectacle of the game for fans?
Answer:  High-definition quality, instant reviews, and many different angles show the fans an almost lifelike experience. For me personally, the advent of digital photography expanded my career.

Question: What do you anticipate will be most exciting about Super Bowl XLIII in Tampa?
Answer: At the moment, tracking which teams are going to get there and seeing the half-time show with “The Boss' Bruce Springsteen!