Derek Zhao's iPhone Photo Captures Salesforce Tower Emerging from San Francisco Fog

Derek Zhao, a machine-learning engineer at Disney California, captured a photograph titled Arrival using an iPhone 16 Pro Max while jogging on Treasure Island, an eight-minute ferry ride from San Francisco. The image shows the top of San Francisco's Salesforce Tower piercing through a marine layer that concealed the rest of the skyline, making the structure appear as a monolith. Zhao, who moved from Texas last year to work at Disney California, lives on the 400-acre human-made island, which he chose for its proximity to his office and the city's cultural offerings. He noted that fog, which obscures, can paradoxically make a scene clearer. Zhao, who usually carries professional cameras, has realized his favorite photographs often arise from unexpected scenes near his home rather than from travels. He described feeling peace despite living close to tech, AI, urban density, and hustle culture, because the universe still provides awe-inspiring quiet moments. The photograph is dated 2026 and was featured as his best phone picture.