He holds a BA in comparative literature from Columbia College, and for over 30 years he was a social service worker in various neighborhoods of New York City. His photos have appeared in a variety of publications, including The New York Times, Popular Photography, The Sun, The Village Voice, City Talk (a book of poems by children), and in small press literary magazines that offered him the opportunity to develop his interest in visual writing—combining word and image and working in the space between them. His work has been exhibited in galleries in the U.S. and Europe, including the Whitney Museum and the Bibliotheque Nationale in Paris. The photo/card continues to be Roy’s preferred format for expression and communication. He is married, has one son, and lives in New York.