When a photograph doesn’t connect, it is tempting to blame the equipment. Maybe a sharper lens would help. Maybe a newer camera would capture something the old one missed. Sometimes equipment really does limit what…
Tomorrow I leave for Churchill, Manitoba, to spend a week photographing polar bears. I am excited about the adventure, the photography, and seeing a place I have never experienced before. But one of the things…
Some of the best stories begin with a question I wouldn’t have known to ask until I listened to someone explain what they love. During my years as a staff photographer at Georgia Tech, I…
Stanley Leary teaches at YWAM's School of Photography in Kona, Hawaii. [photo by: Dennis Fahringer] When I teach studio lighting, I’ve seen students follow the instructions, take their first photograph, look at the back of…
Why professional photographers are paid for their judgment, preparation, and the problems they prevent Some of the most valuable work I do as a professional photographer never makes it into the photographs I deliver. The…
In a week, I leave for Churchill, Manitoba, to photograph polar bears. Preparing for this adventure has meant thinking about boots, a parka, batteries, and camera gear. Thanks to Nikon Ambassador Kristi Odom, I have…
Photographing “A Celebration of Jeff Justice” at The Punchline in Atlanta tonight reminded me how much comedians share with photographers, writers, teachers, and other communicators. We pay attention to everyday life. Something catches our interest,…
When a client hires another photographer, they can still get photographs. Another videographer can record the interview. Another writer can put the story into words. That is a humbling reality for those of us who…
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…
