FreshLens 2025 Summer Showcase
Featuring the latest graduates of the program
Opening Reception During Ravenswood Artwalk
Saturday, September 13
12pm to 2:30pm
Chicago Photography Classes
4001 N Ravenswood Ave ste 105
Chicago, IL 60613
FreshLens is partnering with The Night Ministry, Digs With Dignity, and Over the Rainbow, to provide prints and framed artwork created by our students. These pieces will help decorate the homes of individuals receiving housing support.
You may purchase a print for yourself, but if you wish to donate a print, you will be able to select which organization you want your print purchase to go towards from the shipping options during checkout. Thank you for your support!
A heartfelt thank you to Kambua Chema for the stunning portraits of our students!
Amaré-David Agboyi
Amaré-David is an African-American student with a Togoolese father and Black mother. He was born and raised in Grand Rapids, MI, and moved to Chicago in 2018. Now a rising junior at ChiArts High School, he has a deep love for the arts, including dance, music, drawing, and especially photography. His work is profoundly influenced by the loss of his childhood friend, Danny.
Danny’s dream was to become a photographer. To honor that dream, Amaré-David picked up a camera and, in the process, discovered his own passion for photography. Through his lens, he dives into the dreams and gifts God has given him, capturing and preserving moments so they are never lost again.
Dahlia Damacela-Friend
Dahlia Damacela is a rising junior at Amundsen High School. Her artwork is inspired by the Romanticism era, as well as the dark themes found in the writings of Joe Hill and Edgar Allan Poe.
Through her work, Dahlia aims to connect with others who may share similar experiences and struggles, offering them a sense of understanding and reminding them they’re not alone. In her free time, she enjoys creative writing and drawing.
Dillon Dochenetz
Dillon Dochenetz is currently a junior at the Chicago High School for the Arts (ChiArts). He enjoys volleyball, hapkido, and creating art, a passion he has had since childhood. To further develop his artistic skills, he is majoring in AP Photography. When creating art, Dillon likes to incorporate feelings of reassurance, relaxation, and humor, aiming to bring joy to those who experience his work.
Photography for Dillon is a way to connect deeply with what he loves. It allows him to capture and celebrate the world as he sees it through his eyes.
Naveera Fnu
Naveera Fnu is a sophomore at Nicholas Senn High School and was born and raised in Chicago. Passionate about the arts, especially painting, she also has a strong love for photography. Naveera enjoys photographing the sky, nature, and water in a variety of colors, often using her phone to capture spontaneous moments.
Photography allows her to preserve memories, appreciate the present moment, and express her admiration for the beauty of the natural world.
Jonathan Garcia
Jonathan Garcia is a senior as Lincoln Park High School. He uses photography as a way to tell stories through man-made structures, objects, buildings, and roads. With dreams of becoming an engineer and potentially turning photography into a side hustle, he is always looking for opportunities to improve his skills, expand his knowledge, and gain new experiences.
Through the lens, he wishes to portray his perspective from the eyes of a 17-year-old high school student, framing the world one image at a time.
Alexander Hunter
Alexander Hunter is a sophomore at the University of Chicago Laboratory School, born and raised in Chicago. He enjoys playing video games and has a strong passion for track and field. He is a 6-time Junior Olympic athlete in shot put, discus, and javelin. Alex is especially drawn to sports photography and portraiture, and he loves capturing moments that tell compelling stories.
His interest in photography began after taking a class, which quickly turned into a deep passion for the craft. For Alex, photography is not only a creative outlet for storytelling and persevering meaningful moments, but also a way to serve others by helping them capture memories that matter.
Perla Jamaica
Perla Jamaica is a rising junior at Lincoln Park High School, born and raised in Chicago. She has a wide range of interests including art, sports and music. She particularly enjoys drawing and painting, playing volleyball and basketball, and learning guitar and piano. Perla is drawn to photographing lights, colors, movement, and emotion. Through her photography, she aims to present the world in a dreamy, beautiful and slightly surreal way. She especially enjoys highlighting the hidden beauty of overlooked places.
Her interest in photography began during a moment when it was raining under a clear sky. The sunlight made the falling raindrops sparkle like crystals. She wished she could freeze that moment in time and share it with others. Photography has become her personal time capsule as she is able to preserve the visions she never wants to forget.
Cameron Odulio-Papa
Cameron Odulio-Papa was born and raised in Chicago and is currently a junior at William Howard Taft High School. She enjoys practicing karate and spending quality time with her family. Cameron has a strong interest in photographing architecture and light.
Photography has always been a passion for her. She often captures images of the city and landscape using her phone. Through her art, Cameron shares her unique perspective on life with others.
Meer Patel
Meer Patel is a junior at Northside College Prep High School. Originally from Lebanon, PA, he now lives in Chicago. Meer’s favorite activities includes photography, robotics, and volleyball. While he often photographs people and street scenes, his true passion is astrophotography.
From a young age, Meer has been fascinated by the night sky and the desire to capture its every moment on camera. Inspired by Trevor Jones, a film composer, he aims to preserve these scenes forever as they remain unchanging, just as they should be.
Donovan Perez
Donovan Perez, a junior at Amundsen High School, grew up in Chicago. He is passionate about playing guitar and occasionally composes instrumentals for his concept band, Theirs. His photography primarily focuses on nature and architecture he encounters in his daily life. Through FreshLens Chicago, Donovan was given the opportunity to explore photography as a way to express his unique perspective of the world.
Photography has always been a source of joy for Donovan, fueling his desire to capture fleeting moments and highlight details that often go unnoticed.
Brian Small
Brian Small, a junior at the Chicago High School for the Arts (ChiArts), was born and raised in Chicago. He has a passion for flipping, enjoying the feeling of freedom and weightlessness it brings. In his photography, Brian is drawn to capturing nature and street scenes, appreciating the unpredictability of the world around him. At times, he feels like a delicate flower, and at others, like the energy of a bustling street.
Brian first saw photography as just a cool hobby, but after meeting his photography teacher, Mr. Lentz, his perspective changed. Now, he views photography as a way to inspire others, to see the world through a more creative lens, and as a reminder to live in the present and cherish fleeting moments. To him, the ability to freeze good memories is everything.
