Ryan M
NPPA
Carbondale, IL
Ryan Michalesko is a 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.
Michalesko recently interned with the Peoria Star Journal in the spring of 2017, and 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 budgeted for and planned a trip to Puerto Rico on grant from the Pulitzer Center on Crisis Reporting, where he documented the ongoing recovery efforts from Hurricanes Maria and Irma.
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.
He was most recently named the College Sports Photographer of the Year in the 72nd CPOY competition. He also recieved two Awards of Excellence in the competition – one for a Sports Feature Photo and one for his Domestic Picture Story documenting the lives of a central Illinois monastery (view the story here). 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. Michalesko also holds a current FAA Part 107 Commercial Drone Operator license.
The best way to contact him is by phone at +1.618.534.3450 or by email at ryan@photosbylesko.com.
2017 - 72nd College Sports Photographer of the Year
- Breaking news
- Corporate
- Crisis
- Editorial
- Entertainment
- Events
- Portrait
- Sports