Through the lens of his camera, the ordinary transforms into the extraordinary. For Freddy Zamora (‘25), each photo captures an action, a memorable moment, and a story.
Zamora has been taking photos ever since he joined the photography class at Amador Valley High School, blossoming it into a lifelong pursuit.
“What helped me develop my skills over time was probably the photography class I took sophomore year. That really helped me build the foundation to do more research, watch YouTube videos on basic stuff,” said Zamora.
Shooting Sports Through A Lens
The ability to take photos at sporting events is challenging from getting the right angle to making sure the action shot looks smooth. Zamora has taken photos for multiple sports such as basketball and most notably, football.
“Those action shots are mainly what sports are about. I also make sure to get some players celebrating. I know winning’s a really big part of sports,” said Zamora.
For capturing a single person, framing the subject is key. In addition to that, the background plays a massive role in the overall aesthetic of the photo.
“I was able to capture a shot of Tristan Tia holding up a W while everyone rushed the field [at the Amador vs. Foothill game]. It was probably one of the best photos I’ve ever taken,” said Zamora.
City Life
“I started just walking around the setting of different places, like cities and stuff. I always liked just looking at it and being able to take pictures of it. It makes it even better because it’s like memories,” said Zamora.
Each photographer has their own story of how they began photography. Zamora, along with many other photographers, simply began by strolling through the city, capturing memories along the way.
“It’s a lot of fun to be able to shoot all these. You know just shooting buildings, nature, people, that’s the advice I’d give,” said Zamora.
Future
Looking into the future, Zamora is excited to keep developing his skills, making his way up the ladder of recognition. For now, however, he’s just focused on producing his best work yet.
“[Photography’s] been a really big thing in my life ever since I got that first camera. It helped me build that reputation where people say ‘oh, you’re that person that takes photos, can you take a picture of me.’ So, yeah, I do think I’d be pursuing photography in the future,” said Zamora.
