Paly junior Laura Easton’s steps echo in the musty Stanford corridor, the sound of her camera whirring and clicking as she captures the college’s architectural beauty.

Easton, an avid photographer and an Advanced Photography student at Paly, recently placed as a runner-up in the Legischool’s "Through My Eyes" photo contest. Easton was awarded $50 for her photo "Archways of Knowledge" taken at Stanford University. The theme for the contest was "what California means" to the photographer.

"I never thought that I would win anything," Easton said. "I just enjoyed taking the picture."

Photography teacher Margo Wixsom assigned students to take a photo for this contest and then to enter. Wixsom’s philosophy in regards to entering contests played greatly in her interest in this particular assignment.

"I am firm believer in contest entry for visual arts students – especially Advanced classes," Wixsom said. "All professional art careers have one thing in common – their purpose is for the photograph to have an impact on or engage with a viewing audience. Contests expose students to the concept of a photograph being a dialogue of their visual ideas that connects them with a specific audience."

In preparation for the contest, Wixsom emphasized the studying of aesthetics and what makes quality art. She also had students look at various examples of winning photographs on the Internet to help them better understand what types of photos appeal to the judges and the public.

In addition to a photo that represents California, the entrants were required to submit a 150 word essay. Wixsom prepared her students well. She worked with the class on writing formally to a specific audience, such as the legislature or conservative adults.

"Students needed to think carefully about what images they wanted to ‘sell’ to the judges to convince them that their idea of California was the best," Wixsom said. "In Laura’s case it was [the principle of] education."

"I chose Stanford because it feels like home and it has always been a part of my life, and I admire the old Spanish mission architecture," Easton said. "We are all lucky to have so many opportunities for higher education [in California]."

Easton confesses that she has not entered a photography contest before this, but she has had photos published last year in Paly’s photo magazine, Emulsion."

"I really got into photography last year when I took the beginning class," Easton said, "pictures both capture moments, and exist as an art form. [I just love the fact that] I took [the photo]; that I created it."

"Laura has always been an exceptional Photography student," Wixsom said. "She has an incredibly well-developed way of seeing the world–which is the key skill we teach in the Visual Arts. All of her work is an enthusiastic exploration of her ideas–she simply uses the class projects as the structure for expanding her skills as an artist."

Easton hopes that someday she will be able to explore glass blowing, drawing, and sculpture in addition to photography.