Sometimes it takes one creative mind to inspire another. Ling of Taipei, Taiwan, was on her way to the Musée Picasso in Paris when she noticed a Picasso-themed mosaic on the wall of a building. She felt "a sparkle" of recognition, and the randomness of encountering such a memorable work in such an inconspicuous place inspired in her a passion for street art. She has gone on to take thousands of pictures of street art from all over the world, and has written several articles on her discoveries for Local Guides Connect.

Ling's interest in photography grew out of her use of social media. She enjoyed interacting with others, but found that writing social media posts was very time consuming. "Photography was a more simple way for me to express my feelings and also to share the experience," she said.

Over the past few years, Ling has had the opportunity to travel to many cities-Chicago, San Francisco, and Philadelphia among them-and document her findings. She plans to resume traveling once pandemic restrictions are lifted. Though she looks forward to sharing her photography, her creative practice remains a personal one: "By looking at [a] photo, it brings me back the moment I was there, and all the emotions, all the feelings."

Want to learn more about this incredible Local Guide? Check out her contributions on Google Maps and follow her profile on Connect.