Chris Facey

May 27

Army veteran and a photojournalist, Chris Facey, moved from New York to Raleigh. His personable, full-of-movement photography stole our hearts. We asked him:

What's on your mind now?

My upcoming exhibition, Watch Them Jump! It's my 1st solo exhibition so I'm both excited and anxious.

You swapped a side-arm for a photo camera, what changed and what remained the same?

I haven't exactly swapped per se. Living here in North Carolina, I am a licensed gun owner, but the lessons and skills I acquired in the military are seen in my work. Things like paying attention to detail and adapting to situations on the fly. I also employ a high level of discipline that drives me to create consistent work.

Whose portrait would you love to take?

I would love to make a portrait of Jay-Z but even more importantly, I would love to make solid portraits of all my loved ones.

What's your recent favorite photo and why?

Why? Look at how beautiful those little Black girls are! This photo is the result of me being able to see the level of talent, athleticism and intelligence of the students at The Sallie B. Howard school in Wilson, NC. Seeing firsthand how hard they've worked motivated me to make sure I captured them at their best.