Karl Hugh has been a fixture of the Utah Shakespeare Festival for more than 25 years, providing photography that appears in nearly every production credit. A native of Cedar City, Hugh's work plays a significant role in sharing the power of theatre with festival patrons.
After attending Brigham Young University to earn a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Photography, Hugh returned to Cedar City in 1993 and opened Studio West. His history with the festival began as a neighbor to late founder Fred C. Adams.
Hugh began taking smaller photography jobs at the festival in 1994, including photographing statues and capturing rehearsal candids on black and white film. Following encouragement from former Festival Technical Director Gary “Mac” MacIntyre to learn stage photography, Hugh spent several years perfecting the technical aspects of the craft. He eventually began photographing productions for the Southern Utah University theatre program before moving to full production shots for the festival in 1997.
The technology used by Hugh has changed significantly throughout his tenure, including the transition from slide film to digital in 2002. In the earlier years, film had to be flown to Salt Lake City for development, creating a stressful process where results were not known until the following day.
Today, Hugh utilizes digital cameras that allow for near-instantaneous availability of images. His photographs are now used extensively across social media, the festival website, and in annual souvenir programs and playbills.
While Hugh's current photography work focuses largely on real estate and aerial photography, he continues to return to the Utah Shakespeare Festival each year for production shots. He noted that his time with the festival has led him to deeply appreciate the artistry of theatre and has allowed him to form lasting friendships with performers and staff.
