David Labelle

David LaBelle began his photojournalism career at the Ventura County (California) Star-Free Press as a weekend sports shooter and lab technician while still in high school. During his 40 year-career, he has worked for 20 newspapers and magazines in nine states.  Leaving the Sacramento Bee in 1986 to join the faculty in Western Kentucky University’s journalism department, LaBelle spent a decade teaching and helping to build one of the most prestigious photojournalism programs in the country. To date, seven of his former students have won Pulitzer Prizes.