Autumn Nations Series | Autumn Nations Series – Through the Eyes of Fabio Mirulla

Fabio Mirulla Autumn Nations Series Supporters Club

by Alec McQuarrie

Italian wedding photographer Fabio Mirulla brought his own unique perspective to Italy’s 49-17 win over Samoa.

The 36-year-old from Tuscany started working in the field while at university studying Archaeology back in 2005.

Mirulla has found his niche in producing unique and stunning wedding photographs, primarily for the destination wedding market in the picturesque town of Montevarchi.

It was the first time Mirulla had attended a rugby game and while he was delighted with the opportunity and the resulting shots, he said he’ll have to up his fitness before agreeing to another sports shoot.

For the 2022 Autumn Nations Series, tournament organisers Six Nations Rugby, wanted to frame the series through the eyes of a new audience and bring to life the rugby action as we have not seen it before.

“It was the first time for me and totally different to what I’m used to, but it was a great experience because I love to experiment a lot in the field of photography,” said Mirulla.

“I tried to inform myself before the game but it was completely different when you are on the pitch and so close to the players.

“At the end of the match when I got to my car in Padua, I said oh my gosh, it’s really hard for sports photographers in terms of physical energy.

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“I ran a lot from place to place with all the equipment just to find the right angle.

“For me it was really important. I’m really happy to be part of this. It was a great pleasure and an incredible experience.”

In 2021, Mirulla was named the International Wedding Photographer of the Year for a portfolio that aimed to balance aesthetics with gesture to create visual fairytales.

The Italian was unsure how he was going to put his own stamp on a rugby match, but as it turned out, everything came naturally.

“I tried to use the same approach as my work as a wedding photographer,” explained Mirulla.

“I wanted to tell a story and when I saw the pictures afterwards I saw a lot of similarities. For example, I cut a photo of someone catching the ball from a line-out, the same as a bouquet toss.

“Even the changing rooms were like the bride and groom getting ready. When I saw them, I thought yes it’s different but the mindset and approach is similar because it’s my way of working.

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“I wanted to create something different, something unexpected.”

The visual artist is constantly looking for new ways to experiment and although he is still wedded to his current genre, covering rugby has opened his eyes to a world of possibilities.

Mirulla said: “I believe in my work because we can’t change the world with wedding photography but I can make a mark on the life of the single person portrayed in my pictures and in their family history.

“But when I have the chance to try a different field you have the possibility to challenge yourself. It’s a way to grow.

“If someone asked me to cover another Italy or another country’s match, I would say absolutely.”

To see more of Fabio’s work from the Italy v Samoa game, click here.