A few weeks before his wedding, Dana McArthur called and asked me to photograph it. I was honored. Dana and I have worked together as contractors on many Chick-fil-A meetings. Those assignments gave us opportunities…
A great blue heron glides silently over the shallows. The health of these local wetlands dictates the survival of these majestic apex predators, keeping our aquatic ecosystems balanced and thriving. I want to become a…
James Dockery and Stanley Leary on the subway in Lisbon, Portugal, while leading a workshop on Missions Storytelling. When I look back over my photography career, I can remember assignments, places, and photographs that have…
Ferdinand Mels’s YouTube discussion about the seven deadly sins of photography got me thinking about the habits we bring to our work. He talked about pride, equipment obsession, envy, and frustration with clients. Those are…
Sometimes we stand in front of something that moves us, take a photograph, and feel disappointed when we look at it later. We remember the experience. The photograph shows the subject. Somewhere between being there…
Stanley photographing professor Jon Stone's seminary class in Lima, Peru. Photo by Jeff Raymond What Arthur Brooks helped me understand about career changes, unexpected detours, and following a calling. Looking back on my career, I…
I recently watched a YouTube video about wildlife photography that challenged photographers to reconsider how they present their work. The photographer described what he called the "yearbook style" of bird photography. You know the photographs.…
An observation from a photographer’s husband stayed with me. In an interview with her mentor, Tin Man, wildlife photographer Janet described how ongoing instruction helped her move toward the photographs she wanted to make. Her…
Why photographers need more than a packing list—and what I learned from a recent assignment. I recently arrived at a photography assignment and discovered I had left my on-camera flashes at home. They were packed…
Stanley Leary demonstrates how to balance studio strobes with sunset light while photographing six keiki (children) in traditional hula attire along the beach at Old Kona Airport Park in Kailua-Kona, Hawaiʻi. Photo by Dorie Griggs.…
Caption: Stanley is photographing Julie Gavillet while teaching clamshell lighting in the School of Photography with YWAM Kona, [photo by Dennis Fahringer] Acknowledging photographers strengthens relationships and shows appreciation for their creative contributions. Photography plays…
On a Sunday afternoon in Ballground, Roswell’s first responders did something they rarely get to do: they stayed put, kicked back, and let someone else take care of them. The Roswell Rotary Club hosted its…
