About Stacy Pearsall
Stacy Pearsall comes from a long line of military men and women. Her great grandfather was a Marine in WWI, her grandfather served in WWII, and her father soldiered as a Vietnam-era Navyman. So it wasn’t a complete surprise when Pearsall enlisted in the U.S. Air Force at age 17; before she signed on the dotted line, however, she made the Air Force guarantee her a photography gig on the front lines.
She spent the first four years of her enlistment as a U-2 spy plane intelligence film processor at the US Strategic Command and then the European Command. In those years, the only time she picked up a camera was during her personal time. And she had to share a military-issue kit with five other people.
She entered Combat Camera Squadron in January of 2002. “I didn’t have much experience behind the camera. Everything I learned was really self-taught. My first six months were spent training, training, eating, training, sleeping, training…..crying….and training. I was determined not to let the guys get the best of me. My desk was wedged between two of the most arrogant and talented photographers.” They pushed her hard to improve, and she did.
Four tours later her outstanding portfolio of combat images earned her top billing from the National Press Photographers Association —i.e. Photographer of the Year in 2003 and 2007 (one of only two women to win it since 1967).
Her work has been published in a variety of media including: Time Magazine, Newsweek, New York Times, CNN, BBC, LA Times, USA Today, Soldier of Fortune, Oscar nominated PBS: “Operation Home Coming,” The Portrait and GQ Magazine’s “This is Our War.” Her photo project titled “Birth Control Glasses” was featured at LOOK3 Festival of the Photograph in 2007, and her portrayal of combat experiences in Iraq titled “Inside An Ambush” was highlighted in NPPA Magazine that same year. She is an Atlanta Photojournalism Contest winner and two-time NPPA Women in Photojournalism Contest award winner.
A collection of her combat photographs went on a nationwide tour in the spring of 2009 and the money raised from that exhibition was donated to the nationally acclaimed non-profit organization, Wounded Warrior Project.
She made a guest appearance on the Oprah Winfrey Show, during which Oprah inquired about Stacy’s photographic history and the future of photojournalism. She was also featured on NBC Nightly News, Making a Difference, with Brian Williams. During her feature, she talked about being wounded in combat and her long recovery.
She has graced the covers of PINK Magazine and Harvard Business Review, not to mention Digital Photo Pro and numerous other reputable publications. PBS and The Air Force Band honored Pearsall as the Air Force Veteran of The Year; the same year, her hometown of Charleston, S.C., presented her with the American Hero Award.
After being wounded in action in 2003 and 2007 in Iraq, she was medically retired from service. She began advocacy work through programs such as the Wounded Warrior Program, Real Warriors, Bob Woodruff Foundation and the Wounded Warrior Games. In her efforts to raise awareness about veterans’ rights in South Carolina, she began a year-long portrait project featuring veterans of foreign wars that resided in South Carolina. The project culminated in an exhibition, which has drawn national attention and will be continued in other U.S. states and abroad.
In high demand, Pearsall continues to give lectures across the U.S. She has addressed key military leaders, celebrities, former presidents and Fortune 500 companies. Her story is one of perseverance, heroism and survival.
She is now the Owner/Director of the Charleston Center for Photography (www.CCforP.org). Her 5,600 sq foot facility offers photography classes and workshops (locally and around the country), youth art programs, photo galleries, photography services and more. She is also a founding member of legionphoto.com, a group of combat-photographer veterans. She continues to travel the world on assignment.