A well-known photojournalist came to Shippensburg University and held multiple sessions for students to give them first-hand tips and experiences about his career.

Stan Honda, a New York-based photojournalist was invited to SU after a chance meeting with Kim Garris, chair of the communication/journalism department.

Honda spent three days at SU last week, sharing his portfolio, experiences and advice with SU students. Sessions included “Photojournalism: Storytelling with Images” and “Night Sky Landscapes.”

“We as [photojournalists] communicate with images. That’s how we get our stories out,” Honda said.

Honda, a photojournalist of 34 years, began his interest in photography when he was in high school. He then worked at the University of California in San Diego’s college newspaper and later was employed at the Los Angeles Times until he moved to New York in 1989. His most recent work, up until last year, was with the Agence France-Presse (AFP), a French news agency.

“When I went to college, I worked with the newspaper and had hands-on learning,” Honda said. “At school we got to shoot a lot of different things and at that point I decided I wanted to continue with that.”

In the session, “Photojournalism: Storytelling with Images,” Honda presented examples of his work with the AFP to students. Honda covered events from news, politics, human interest, sports and economics.

“It was really cool listening to him talk about his life and all the amazing experiences he’s had with photography,” said communication/journalism student Rebekka Cuadro, “I really enjoyed his presentation.”

Some of his most famous photographs include the U.S. Open tennis match of Serena versus Venus Williams, but the most famous are those of the Sept. 11 attack. Two of the most prominent photographs are the dust-covered woman and the man covered in dust with a briefcase.

“It almost looked like a black and white photo when I walked out of the building,” said Honda.

In his spare time, Honda likes to work on personal projects, which he also shared with SU students. Honda described how his parents were sent to an internment camp after the attack on Pearl Harbor and he has always been interested in what his family had to overcome.

“I’m interested in what my family went through. My family, our faces looked like the enemy,” Honda said.

Because of his interest, Honda spent time visiting the camps and photographing the areas. He ended up collaborating on a book, “Preserving the Barracks of America’s Concentration Camps” by Sharon Yamato, where he took pictures at camps such at Heart Mountain in Wyoming. The book will be a continued project for Honda as the National Park Service presented Yamato with a grant to expand the book.

However, Honda’s favorite work was when he photographed the space shuttle program for five years. Ever since he was a child, he has had an interest in astronomy, Honda said. His interest in astronomy continues into his freelance work.

Honda also spent one of his three days at SU presenting a session called “Night Sky Landscapes.” Honda presented various photographs that he took in different locations, such as Norway, the Grand Canyon and New York. Honda has focused on his independent work for the last year.

During the Oct. 28 evening session, Honda gave advice, techniques and instructions on how to photograph night sky landscapes. Students and faculty gathered in Rowland Hall to learn directly from the photojournalist.

“I thought the night was amazing. It was so cool how it was an intimate setting and we could personally work with him and have him look at our cameras,” said communication/journalism student Laura Kreiser.

“I’ve been traveling around and [I] got involved with four different national parks,” Honda said. “It was a great opportunity because I was able to take the time to experiment and do things I wouldn’t normally do.”

On his last day at SU, Honda gave some last words of advice. Honda joined the communication/journalism department’s basic digital photography students for a trip outside to show them how to take pictures of people and architecture.

“I was surprised that such a renowned photographer was so humble and down-to-earth with us undergrads,” said communication/journalism student Ben Anwyll, “When he took us outside on the campus field trip, he taught us how to get proper light exposure on a cloudy day. I’ve been struggling with getting the light balance, so the advice was really helpful.”

Honda also spent his time visiting The Slate’s office for portfolio reviews so students could utilize his expertise.

To see his work, visit stanhonda.com.

Share