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Author: Stanley Leary

Most companies know the value of a good story, but do not know how to tell their own story. Leary has a process to find and tell stories that communicate how they change lives, so that their companies grow again. Some of his clients include Chick-fil-A, Newell-Rubbermaid, Coke, Georgia Tech, and The Carter Center. Leary’s work has taken him across the United States and beyond — to Chile, Peru, Burkina Faso, Canada, France, Ghana, Guatemala, Haiti, Honduras, Mexico, Nicaragua, Portugal and Romania. The experiences of this award-winning communications allow him to engage audiences with storytelling that builds organization’s brand. His U.S. clients find that ability translates into making their messages cross-culturally relevant with diverse American audiences and within the mainstream media. Prior to forming his own company, Leary worked on staff for The Hickory (N.C.) Daily Record and theCOMMISSION magazine in Richmond, VA. For nine years he was on staff with PR team at Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, Ga. Leary is also a teacher. He enjoys sharing his expertise with others. He has taught storytelling and brand building at Grady College of Journalism and Mass Communication, University of Georgia, Athens, Ga.; The University of the Nations, Kona, Hawaii; Reinhardt College, Waleska, Ga.; Berry College, Rome, Ga.; Portfolio Center, Atlanta, Ga.; and Dallas (Texas) Baptist University. He also has been a guest lecturer at World Journalism Institute, Washington, D.C.; Southwestern Photojournalist Conference, Fort Worth, Texas; Art Institute of Atlanta, Ga.; American Society of Media Photographers. Atlanta (Ga.) Chapter; and the Southeastern Photographic Society, Atlanta Ga. Clients often contract him to teach their staffs to become more visually effective in building their brand. Leary lives in Roswell, Ga., holds degrees in social work and communications, and is married to Dorie Griggs. They have three children.
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Why Band Camp Matters in One of Georgia’s Most Educated Communities

Why Band Camp Matters in One of Georgia’s Most Educated Communities

by Stanley LearyJuly 20, 2026July 27, 2026

Roswell, Georgia, is one of the most highly educated cities in the state. Census data shows roughly 65% of adults here hold a bachelor's degree or higher — nearly double the statewide rate of about…

Hardship Doesn’t Make You Creative. Neither Does Comfort.

Hardship Doesn’t Make You Creative. Neither Does Comfort.

by Stanley LearyJuly 12, 2026July 12, 2026

I've spent a career pointing a lens at people — in boardrooms, on porches, at parades, in the quiet moment before someone realizes they're being photographed. Somewhere along the way, I learned that the real…

Beyond the Elevator Pitch: Why Your Business Story Needs a Visual Voice

Beyond the Elevator Pitch: Why Your Business Story Needs a Visual Voice

by Stanley LearyJuly 7, 2026July 7, 2026

Do you have an elevator pitch? If you're a business owner, chances are the answer is yes. You've trimmed it down over months or years — cut the fat, sharpened the hook, practiced it until…

Two Decades Online: A Look Back at My Digital Trail

Two Decades Online: A Look Back at My Digital Trail

by Stanley LearyJuly 1, 2026August 8, 2026

I recently went digging through the internet's memory to piece together my own digital history — everywhere I've shared my work online since I first got a photo on the web. What I found surprised…

The Hall of Famer in the Next Locker

The Hall of Famer in the Next Locker

by Stanley LearyJune 29, 2026June 30, 2026

For two years, I had a locker next to Ron Blomberg at a gym in Alpharetta. I knew he was friendly. I knew everyone liked him. I knew he never walked through a room without…

Community Is My Beat

Community Is My Beat

by Stanley LearyJune 27, 2026June 27, 2026

I am not covering events. I am covering the people who show up — and what their presence says about who we are to each other. When my editor sends me out on an assignment,…

Why Your Sharpest-Looking Settings Might Be Ruining Your Images

Why Your Sharpest-Looking Settings Might Be Ruining Your Images

by Stanley LearyJune 25, 2026June 25, 2026

Most photographers learn early that aperture controls depth of field. What takes longer to learn — sometimes the hard way — is that the two extremes of the aperture range each produce soft images, but…

Why Computer Maintenance Matters More Than Most People Realize

Why Computer Maintenance Matters More Than Most People Realize

by Stanley LearyJune 24, 2026June 24, 2026

Yesterday I helped a client move files from a seven-year-old Windows laptop to a new Windows 11 computer. I expected the process to be simple. The old laptop only needed three folders transferred: Documents Music…

Please, Not the Stranger

Please, Not the Stranger

by Stanley LearyJune 20, 2026June 20, 2026

The fear is real. So is the reward of crossing the line anyway. Almost everyone who has ever had to approach a stranger — to interview them, sell to them, photograph them, or simply love…

Talking to Strangers Is the Most Important Lens You’ll Ever Own

Talking to Strangers Is the Most Important Lens You’ll Ever Own

by Stanley LearyJune 19, 2026June 19, 2026

After 40+ years of teaching photography, I can tell you the hardest assignment isn't lighting, composition, or gear. It's getting a student to walk up to someone they've never met and start a conversation. This…

How Should I Be Responding to a Critique?

How Should I Be Responding to a Critique?

by Stanley LearyJune 18, 2026June 18, 2026

Photographer and instructor Brien Aho works with students during a hands-on critique session, offering targeted feedback on composition, light, and storytelling. A critique is information about your photograph — not a verdict about you as…

You Don’t Need a Team to Be a Leader — You Just Need a Mirror

You Don’t Need a Team to Be a Leader — You Just Need a Mirror

by Stanley LearyJune 18, 2026June 18, 2026

How the Ideas of Brené Brown, Adam Grant, and Simon Sinek Are Actually More Powerful When You Work Alone There's a moment every freelancer knows. You're sitting at your desk — no team, no manager,…

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