Chasing the Morning Light in Pacific Beach, San Diego
After weeks of waking up to nothing but a thick gray marine layer, coastal San Diego finally gave us a proper sunrise this morning. The second I saw clear skies (and finished my coffee), I grabbed my camera and rode my bike down to the beach.
Honestly, the light was beautiful, but the surf itself was pretty average. It was clean and glassy—maybe 2 to 3 feet—but the tide was way too low, so many of the waves closed out quickly. There was no turning, just closeout racing, but there were still plenty of surfers making the most of the conditions.
One thing I definitely noticed was how warm the water has become. It's nice not freezing your toes off at 6:00 a.m., but as a marine biologist, it's hard not to think about what that means for our local kelp forests. Extended periods of warm water can stress giant kelp—a reminder that even on the most beautiful mornings, the ocean is constantly changing.
Not every session produces portfolio images, but every sunrise on the San Diego coast is worth the effort. I still walked away with a few frames I'm really happy with—and another reminder of why I love living and photographing this stretch of coastline.
What I Offer
I provide surf and ocean photography throughout San Diego, including:
Marine wildlife photography
Commercial and editorial ocean imagery