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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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A New Year’s Resolution for Photographers:

A New Year’s Resolution for Photographers:

by Stanley LearyJanuary 7, 2026January 20, 2026

Stop Trying to Get Better Photos and Start Communicating Better Stories The beginning of a new year is when photographers tend to do two things: We look at our work from last year with a…

What Music Taught Me—and What Many Photographers Are Missing

What Music Taught Me—and What Many Photographers Are Missing

by Stanley LearyDecember 31, 2025January 20, 2026

When I was playing trumpet in school, there was no confusion about where I stood. We challenged for chairs. First chair, second chair, third chair. Everyone knew their place because we had to prove it.…

When Technical Mastery Is No Longer the Differentiator

When Technical Mastery Is No Longer the Differentiator

by Stanley LearyDecember 30, 2025January 20, 2026

When Technical Mastery Is No Longer the Differentiator There was a time when a photographer’s reputation rose or fell on technical proficiency. If you could consistently nail focus, exposure, timing, and composition—especially under challenging conditions—you…

God With Us, Seen From the Aisles and the Balcony

God With Us, Seen From the Aisles and the Balcony

by Stanley LearyDecember 25, 2025January 20, 2026

Last night I had the privilege of covering two very different Christmas Eve services at Dunwoody United Methodist Church—and together they told one complete story. The evening began with the Family Service, filled with children’s…

A Photographer’s Best Friend for Large Group Photos: The Ladder

A Photographer’s Best Friend for Large Group Photos: The Ladder

by Stanley LearyDecember 20, 2025January 20, 2026

If you’ve ever been responsible for photographing a large group, you already know the pressure. One blink, one blocked face, one row slightly out of focus—and suddenly you’re wishing you had a do-over. One of…

Test Your Gear Before the Job: A Lesson I Keep Re-Learning

Test Your Gear Before the Job: A Lesson I Keep Re-Learning

by Stanley LearyDecember 10, 2025December 11, 2025

Anytime I buy new camera gear—or even pull something off the shelf that I haven’t used in a while—I remind myself of one simple truth: never take it to a client job until you’ve tested…

Bracketing and HDR: How I Capture and Process Stunning Drone and Commercial Real Estate Images

Bracketing and HDR: How I Capture and Process Stunning Drone and Commercial Real Estate Images

by Stanley LearyDecember 4, 2025December 4, 2025

Shot with a 70mm lens on the drone to compress the distance from the property to I-75—a key selling point for logistics and distribution companies. When I’m out shooting with my drone—or capturing commercial real…

Why Do Filmmakers Always Wet the Asphalt?

Why Do Filmmakers Always Wet the Asphalt?

by Stanley LearyDecember 2, 2025December 2, 2025

Fun fact from my own street: Paul Rudd and Selena Gomez filmed The Fundamentals of Caring here back in 2016. They starred alongside Craig Roberts, who played a teen with muscular dystrophy that Rudd’s character…

How My Upbringing, Autism, and Photojournalism Shaped How I Connect with People

How My Upbringing, Autism, and Photojournalism Shaped How I Connect with People

by Stanley LearyDecember 1, 2025December 2, 2025

Andy McCree Hern took my mother's Benfield Family photo around 1980. Growing up as the son of a pastor and a mother who supported his work, I was surrounded by people who genuinely cared about…

Why Family Photos Matter More Than We Realize

Why Family Photos Matter More Than We Realize

by Stanley LearyNovember 30, 2025November 30, 2025

Our family photo from Easter 1999 at my parents' home in Kinston, North Carolina. Many of us who love photography have a favorite niche that sparks our creativity. Some chase sunsets and misty mornings. Others…

When the Work Feels Fruitless: A Freelancer’s Act of Worship

When the Work Feels Fruitless: A Freelancer’s Act of Worship

by Stanley LearyNovember 29, 2025November 30, 2025

If you’re a freelancer right now, you already know the landscape has shifted. Companies are pulling back, budgets are tightening, and many of us are staring at calendars that look far emptier than we’re used…

Finding Light in a Season of Change

Finding Light in a Season of Change

by Stanley LearyNovember 27, 2025January 3, 2026

As we gather for Thanksgiving this year, my family and I are carrying both gratitude and grief. On Monday, we held a celebration service for my mother, who went home to be with the Lord…

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