(March 3, 2009) — For junior Hripsime Kaichian, photography is the ultimate form of expression. “Photography allows me to speak without using my voice,” she said. With the help of photography teacher Kelly Brinker, Kaichian has cultivated the seed of her artistic gift into a noteworthy talent. After winning the first round of the ROP contest and getting one step closer to the ROP award, she hopes to further develop her skill and share it with others. Kaichian started on her path to becoming a photographer in Brinker’s class, where she learned the art inside out. After exploring the many types of photography, Kaichian became drawn to urban and landscape photography. These styles consist of capturing images of buildings, nature and the city. She enjoys taking pictures of Downtown LA and of the view from her window. “I don’t focus more on people,” she said. “I focus more on objects.” According to Brinker, Kaichian excelled in these types of photography because she has “the eye for photography.” Brinker noticed her talent and nominated her for the ROP award. Kaichian was the only girl from Clark to win the first round and will be moving on to the next part of the competition, which will be taking place in Downey on March 20. The winners will then be awarded gold and silver medals for their work. In the future, Kaichian plans to become a professional commercial photographer. “People always tell me I’m not going to make good money. It’s not about the money for me,” she said. “I want to do it for me.” According to Kaichian, photography is something she would love to wake up and do every day. She also hopes to use her talent to help others. “I want to take children who are less privileged and share my abilities and talents and teach them,” Kaichian said. She hopes they will “learn, grow and better their lives.”