Larry Shapiro has taught photography and film for 20 years at Venice. After all his years at Venice he is finally retiring. Twenty years of teaching may seem like a short time but when, the parents of some students, and for some students their grandparents, were Shapiro's students, those are sighns that perhaps it's time to call it quits.



Mr. Shapiro brings a strong desire to teach and self confidence to the classroom, he said he would have loved to do more for his students but lack of time and funding stopped him. Shapiro likes to educate his students but will put his high school teaching career to an end to become a full time photographer.

"I've learned a lot from Mr. Shapiro," said four year student Sara Mullen " I know look at photography from a whole new perspective."

Mr. Shapiro has decided to leave Venice, but will still teach photography during night school. Mr. Shapiro wants to pick up his career in photography and work on his own work. He has been successful so far, selling his prints for $750 in Venice. He is currently working on a photo documentary of Cuba.