Stanley Leary

Storyteller. Brand Builder. Photojournalist.

For over 40 years, I’ve been telling stories with a camera — first as a photojournalist, now as a storyteller and brand builder helping clients connect with the people who matter most to them.

My approach comes down to one core belief: photography isn’t really about equipment or technique. It’s about relationships. I learned this early in my career from my mentor, Don Rutledge, who taught me that the strongest images come from revealing people through their environment and their connections to one another — not from isolating them in a posed, sterile frame. That philosophy has shaped every assignment I’ve taken on since, whether I’m covering a community event, photographing a family, or building a brand’s visual identity.

Today, I split my time between community journalism and client work. I cover North Atlanta — Alpharetta, Roswell, Milton, Johns Creek, Sandy Springs, Cumming, and the surrounding communities — for Appen Media, where I write and photograph the stories that make up daily life here: local events, personal profiles, civic milestones, and the people behind them. Alongside that, I run my own photography business, StanleyLeary.com, offering real estate and drone photography, along with the same relationship-first storytelling I bring to every project.

I also teach. As an instructor with YWAM (Youth With A Mission), I help the next generation of photographers learn not just how to use a camera, but how to see — how to approach a subject, build trust quickly, and find the story that’s actually there rather than the one they expected to find.

What Drives My Work

I believe every photograph is a chapter in a larger story — a person’s story, a community’s story, a brand’s story. My job is to find that story and tell it honestly, whether that means spending a Friday morning at OneLife Fitness photographing a Roswell resident who made baseball history, or helping a business align its visual identity with what it actually stands for.

I care about craft, but I care more about people. The best photographs come from genuine connection — from slowing down long enough to actually see someone, not just point a lens at them.

Digital History

Online since 2001, when I first shared my work through a personal page on CompuServe’s Our World platform — LearyPhoto. In February 2006, I began teaching photography to YWAM students, and wanting a way to share tips and lessons with them, I started blogging on March 21, 2006. What began as teaching notes grew into a long-running practice of writing about photography, storytelling, and the craft of connecting with people through a lens — a habit I’ve kept up for nearly two decades, later continuing at PictureStoryteller.com.

Let’s Work Together

If you’re looking for a photographer and storyteller who brings decades of experience, a journalist’s eye for the real story, and a genuine investment in getting your story right — I’d love to hear from you.

StanleyLeary.com | PictureStoryteller.com