Some live in the moment and others live to capture the moment. For Moorpark student, Miles Shapiro, documenting the college football team on and off the field became one of the biggest transitions to becoming better photographer.

A student in advance photography, Shapiro has been lucky enough to get the opportunity to document the football team for a semester long project. Just having started photography a couple years ago, he’s grown in skill and keeps looking for opportunities to improve.

“I wanted to do a documentary style project, but what was fun about it was while doing my project I was also doing all the sideline photography,” said Shapiro. “I was shooting the game while also trying to take photos that I thought would work for telling a story.”

Like most things in life, they come from small beginnings. Shapiro started from the bottom by taking beginning photography class with full-time photography Professor Steve Callis 3-years-ago. Since then, Callis has been able to see how much Shapiro has changed when it comes approaching the projects that are assigned.

“His work with the football team has been a major step for him as a photographer,” said Callis. “He’s made a major leap forward I think in his picture making ability and his ability to convey emotion and impact with his images.”

The strongest skill that Shapiro has demonstrated this semester is capitalizing on access when it comes to projects. He recognized that documenting the team was a unique opportunity and he took the chance.

Shapiro’s love of photography started when he received his first 35mm film camera. With the encouragement of friends and family he began to immerse himself in the subject and working on technical skills during his free time.

“My favorite thing about photography is that it could be anything,” said Shapiro. “Any moment could be a photograph as long as you look at it the right way so it’s like an ever going puzzle, almost like playing ‘I spy’ but forever.”

Taking advanced photography at Moorpark has put his skills to the test in a different way since Shapiro had never done any sort of documentary project or sports photography, but to viewers he seems to keep producing work effortlessly.

“I love his documentary style,” said Katlynne De Guzman, 20-year-old photography major. “The chemistry he’s built off by getting close to the team has really opened him up to his full potential. I feel like he’s heading in a good direction when it comes to finding his style.”

As Shapiro continues to expand his skills with photography, he hopes to get a sports photography internship with a big league team. Although he doesn’t have a favorite thing to shoot he’s open to any opportunity to learn.

His final advice for aspiring photographers is to carry a camera and look at a variety of artist’s work because it’ll inspire people to try something new and it will become a source of inspiration.

To view Shapiro’s work this semester visit: www.flickr.com/moorparkfootball