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Artist: Erick Cheng
Writer: Nathan Turnbeaugh
Editor: Michelle Lo

Erick Cheng, a sophomore at Carlmont High School, took this alluringly vibrant photo of the SkyStar Wheel in Fisherman’s Wharf, San Francisco. At the time, Cheng was only 8 months deep in his path to discovering his passion for photography. He didn’t even have access to his own camera, yet he still chased his goals, borrowing his sister’s camera to develop his skills. 

There was no plan or idea Cheng had in mind before taking this photo. It was simply a product of spontaneous inspiration as he attempted to replicate the properties of photos taken by film cameras like Leica, due to his love for their stunning visuals.
Though there isn’t any thematic message or feeling Cheng hoped to convey, he said, “Always be aware of your surroundings; if you take a second to actually look around and notice things, you’ll find that things can look pretty good no matter where you are.” The truth behind this statement is breathtakingly evident in his work Skystar.