Fayth was born in Los Angeles, but her early childhood took place in Chicago before her family returned to Los Angeles when she was school-aged. As the only child in both her immediate and extended family, she was taken on countless adventures around Chicago by her relatives, sparking an early curiosity about people, art, and the sights and sounds of a big city. Though she enjoyed growing up in warm and sunny Southern California, she always hoped to return to Chicago.
With photography enthusiasts in her family, she took her first photos at the age of 6. By the time she was 12, she had learned to use a “real” camera after her grandfather gifted her an SLR. From that point forward, she began taking photos wherever she went and of whatever caught her eye, using a variety of cameras ranging from a Kodak “Brownie” to a Polaroid instant camera and everything in between. Along the way, her interests expanded to include journalism. However, her writing and photography didn’t typically overlap since film took longer to process than words on a page.
As an adult with a consulting career in technology, she finally returned to Chicago. By sheer coincidence and luck, she became friends with a number of professional photographers, photojournalists, and writers who provided encouragement, learning experiences, guidance, and inspiration. As a result, she moonlighted at NBC Online and Tribune Media, where she primarily wrote about the other things she loves - music and art. Unfortunately, through her public writing, she wascyber-stalked by a fan, an experience that signaled it was time to take a break from journalism. Fortunately, around the same time, Instagram was launched, providing her with a platform to put forth photos rather than words. A short while later, she founded the first Instagram community in Chicago. Over time, inspired by her interest in architectural and urban history, she began incorporating more writing with her photography. At times writing about the history of subjects in the photos, she also incorporates stories of people she encounters, random thoughts, or memories evoked by the images. She’s most happy taking photos spontaneously, typically while walking from place to place alone and listening to music through headphones.
Fayth considers herself a cynical optimist. She talks a lot and laughs often when she isn’t snapping photos, tapping on a keyboard, or lost in a sea of music. She is known to frequently say, “Wherever you are, there’s a photo to be taken.”
Instagram: @relaxocat
