Finding the Feeling
By Jacob Nunez
In the middle of a training exercise halfway across the world, I remember adjusting my camera while everything around me moved fast.
Soldiers communicating. Helicopters overhead. Instructions flying in every direction. My job was to stay steady in the middle of it and capture what it felt like to be there. That’s what the Army taught me early on, because anyone can document what’s happening.
Whether I was in the Philippines, Japan, Malaysia, or home in the States, I carried that responsibility with me. I was taking photos for record-keeping, but I was also telling stories for people who would never step into those environments themselves.
Over time, I started to understand how much intention that required and the impact it could have.
That mindset still drives me. No matter where I am or what I’m shooting, I’m always trying to get to something deeper than the surface.
Where It Started
My interest in storytelling began in high school, when a teacher introduced a digital video production class. I signed up without overthinking it, and over the next few years, I got comfortable behind the camera. I joined the broadcasting club, worked on live streams for sports, and started to understand how visuals could shape a story.
At that stage, it was all instinct. I enjoyed the process, but I wasn’t thinking long-term about where it could lead.
After graduation, I wasn’t set on college, so I started looking for a different path. My mom suggested the Army and mentioned there were photography roles. That was enough for me to take the leap. I enlisted and became a Combat Documentation/Production Specialist.
Even then, I didn’t fully grasp what storytelling could become for me. I knew I liked doing it, but I hadn’t yet seen the full scope of its impact. That perspective only came once I was fully immersed in it every day.
Learning What Matters
One of the most important stretches of my time in the Army came during a six-month rotation through the Indo-Pacific. I moved between multiple countries, documenting joint training exercises and working alongside both U.S. forces and international counterparts.
Those experiences changed how I saw the world and my role in it. I was witnessing different cultures, different systems, and different ways people lived, all while trying to represent those moments accurately through my work.
Around that same time, I also stepped into a different kind of storytelling. While stationed in Korea, I worked with the American Forces Network and hosted my own radio show. Every day, I was on air sharing news, interviewing guests, and connecting with people across the base. It pushed me to think about storytelling beyond visuals and helped me understand how voice and presence could create connection in a different way.
There was one moment that brought everything together for me. I was documenting protests in Washington, D.C., and captured an image of a crowd facing the White House, with a sign calling for justice. That photo was picked up and published internationally.
Seeing that reach made something click. I realized this work could travel, influence, and connect people far beyond where it was created.
From that point on, I approached every assignment with a deeper sense of purpose.
Starting Over at DePaul
Leaving the Army meant stepping away from everything that had defined my day-to-day life. From the structure, to the people, and the sense of clarity in my role, all of it changed at once.
I was coming back from Korea, starting over in a new environment, and trying to figure out how to carry my experiences into something new. That transition wasn’t easy. For a while, I wasn’t sure where I fit.
Choosing DePaul helped with that. I wanted to be somewhere that had a strong veteran community, because I knew how important that support would be. Having people around me who understood that transition made a difference right away.
I still remember my first day working with DePaul Athletics. I walked into a women’s basketball practice, and Coach Doug Bruno stopped everything to talk to me and learn my story. That moment helped settle a lot of the uncertainty I was carrying.
From there, I got involved quickly. Within a short time, I was shooting games, building relationships, and finding a new rhythm. Being around sports gave me that same sense of urgency and awareness I had developed in the military.
I still remember my first day working with DePaul Athletics. I walked into a women's basketball practice, and Coach Doug Bruno stopped everything to talk to me and learn my story. That moment helped settle a lot of the uncertainty I was carrying.
Why I Keep Going
Shooting sports gives me that same sense of urgency I felt in the military. The pace is fast, the moments are unpredictable, and once something happens, it’s gone. That pressure keeps me focused and connected to what I’m doing.
I approach every assignment the same way. I’m looking for emotion, whether it’s in a big celebration, a tense moment, or a pause before something begins.
I don’t limit myself to one role or one team. I want to be someone who can step in anywhere and help tell the story in the best way possible. That mindset keeps me open and constantly learning.
The support around me is a big part of why I’m able to keep moving forward. My husband, Marley, has been there through long stretches of distance and the uncertainty that came with transition. Having that kind of stability helps more than people realize.
When I think about advice for anyone trying to pursue something in the arts, I keep it simple. Take the chance. Try it, even if you’re not sure how it’s going to turn out. The worst outcome is that you gain experience and learn something about yourself. That’s how I’ve approached every step so far.
And that mindset is what keeps everything moving. I’m still chasing moments, still learning, and still trying to create work that makes people feel something real.
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