Biography
Eric Cheng is an award-winning photographer, creative technologist, producer, cellist, and author. He works at Meta Reality Labs as Director of Immersive Media. A hands-on executive producer, product advisor, and pioneer of cutting-edge production techniques, Eric has supported and produced numerous immersive media projects for VR, including 9 Emmy-nominated films and experiences.
Eric straddles his passions for storytelling, entrepreneurship, technology and communication. Before returning to tech, Eric was a widely-published professional photographer and CEO of Wetpixel, the leading underwater-photography community. Eric is featured in 2 episodes of the Netflix series, Tales by Light, (Season 2), which showcase his underwater work with big animals. He has led dozens of photography expeditions and workshops around the world, and has given seminars and lectures internationally at events including TEDx, EG, TTI/Vanguard, the Churchill Club, DEFCON, NASA UTM, Photoshelter Luminance, Photographers@Google, CES, NAB, SXSW, AsiaD, Creative Mornings, Tested.com's Live Show, Oculus Connect, ICCCP, DEMA, and others.
Previously, Eric was Director of Aerial Imaging at DJI and Director of Photography at Lytro. Eric also served on the Board of Advisers of Wirecutter, and is a Field Associate at the California Academy of Sciences in San Francisco, California.
Eric also has a passion for ocean conservation, and served on the Board of Directors of Shark Savers (now part of WildAid) and the Board of Advisors of Sea Shepherd Conservation Society. He was head photographer for Operation Musashi, Sea Shepherd's 2008-2009 anti-whaling campaign in Antarctica, which was featured in season 2 of the TV show, Whale Wars.
In October 2015, Peachpit published Eric's first book, Aerial Photography and Videography Using Drones.
Eric holds BS and MS degrees in computer science from Stanford University, where he also studied classical cello performance. He lives in the San Francisco Bay Area with his wife and two sons.
