About

Ryan Michalesko is an award winning visual journalist currently based out of Southern Illinois. This Carbondale native derives his passion for visual storytelling from a young age and decided to further his education by attending Southern Illinois University in his hometown. Despite his education being so close to home, Michalesko is an avid traveler with a passion for hiking and camping. Whether it's exploring big cities or the rural landscapes, he always has a camera in hand to make his next storytelling frame.

Michalesko, who recently interned with the Peoria Star Journal in the spring of 2017, learned what it was like to work as a newsroom photojournalist with their staff and gained experience from the daily assignments, meeting deadlines, and pursuing long form story work. While there, he worked on a story about the Community of Saint John, a Roman Catholic monastery housing a handful of brothers. Michalesko’s use of trust and dedication helped him create an intimate and rare insight into the life of piety (view the story here). Michalesko then followed his passion for the craft to the great state of Texas as a summer intern for the well-known and circulated Dallas Morning News where he continued to hone his skills and better himself within a larger newsroom.

Michalesko was a grateful attendee of the Eddie Adams Workshop in Jeffersonville, New York as part of the class of XXX, where he worked under the guidance of the industry's best.

His work has been been well received by the NPPA monthly clip contests as well being published in local and national publications. With his passion for storytelling and chasing the breaking news scene, a rarity these days, he would much rather be busy than bored.

He is always open for freelance work and willing to travel for the assignment. The best way to contact him is by phone at 618-534-3450 or by email at ryan@photosbylesko.com.