We Asked. . . Stacy Pearsall
Q: You spoke about your experience in the military and your photography on "The Oprah Winfrey Show" in February. Did anything change for you after the show aired?
A: After the "Oprah" show, not much changed in my life. I suppose it's because so many extraordinary events have taken place over the past several years, that this was just another one of those.
Q: What was your reaction when you learned you were named Military Photographer of the Year in 2003?
A: I was utterly shocked, to be honest. I was a very junior photographer and had no expectations of winning that year. So I felt humbled and proud to have accomplished so much, so early.
Q: How about the second time you won the award, in 2007?
A: I went into that competition knowing that it was mine. Deep down inside, I believed in the work I submitted and knew the efforts I put behind the pictures. So I was pretty sure that the judges would feel that when they saw them. However subjective art may be, there is no substitute for passion, and my portfolio trulyconveyed that. That award meant so much to me. I was the first woman to accomplish winning two of the awards. Plus, I was getting medically retired for wounds I sustained in combat, so my military career was finished. I felt it was the best exit I could have possibly imagined.
Q: What would you say to other women considering joining the military?
A: The military is not for everyone. You must a have a thick skin and know when to stand your ground. However, I found it to be very fulfilling. I had so many wonderful experiences and memories, which I wouldn't have gotten if I didn't go down that path.
Q: Your husband, Andy Dunaway, is also a photographer. Who is more likely to whip out a camera for fun, and how many photos would you two take on, say, a weeklong vacation?
A: Oh, my goodness, we are obsessed. It's a blessing and curse to share the photography bug. We just don't know when to stop shooting. We could easily snap through 1,000 pictures on any given vacation.
My husband is very talented and rarely puts the camera down. I'd say he may even shoot enough for the both of us!
Q: Is a picture worth a thousand words?
A: No ... a million
Q: What or who is the most difficult subject you've photographed?
A: The most difficult shoot I ever did was during combat. A friend of mine was just shot and wounded severely. After I did all I could to help the situation, I had to document the scene. There are no words for the pain I felt and still feel. Those pictures are burned into my mind and probably will be for life. My friend died only a short while after that.
Q: You are now taking commercial photographs for companies around the world. What do you like and dislike most about commercial photography?
A: There is a significant difference between photojournalism and commercial photography. I am formally trained as a photojournalist, so doing commercial photography goes against everything I was ever taught as a journalist. But I try to use the journalism tools in my commercial work, and I find it gives me a very unique style and a look. It is that advertorial look which has put me in such high demand with my clients.
Commercial photography allows me to be creative and change things in a scene to be exactly where I want them. This is a big no-no in photojournalism.
Q: You've been director of the Charleston Center for Photography for one year and owner since April. What is your No. 1 goal for the center?
A: I want to give away my knowledge as freely as it was given to me. I feel that the center is the best conduit for that. My No. 1 goal is to offer affordable photography instruction to anyone who wants to learn.
Q: Describe your favorite photograph.
A: My favorite photograph? Wow, that's a tough one. There are so many photographers that I admire who make some very memorable and wonderful photographs, such as Nick Ut, Eddie Adams, Mary Calvert, James Nachtwey, Chris Morris. I could keep going. But when it comes down to it, I have to say that I appreciate my husband's work the most. He recently took the picture of Air Force One over New York, and it's a wonderful photograph. I'm his biggest fan and probably will be for life.
