Since first cancer, then COVID, kept me confined to my house for the better part of two years, I was determined to visit my home state as often as possible in 2021. On my third trip out there, in June, right before capturing the Milky Way for the first time, I decided I had to photograph this particular Beach Tower. Interesting fact: my Aunt Julie owns the copyright to these distinct towers that dot the Los Angeles Coast and has a clothing line featuring them.

My friends decided that the Santa Monica ferris wheel was worth capturing at sunset, so I hung back and watched the transition of colors from this point of view by myself. As I stood there, I watched people hang out in groups, meditate, and simply be in front of the waves. I wondered how they handled the past year of the pandemic. Overall, I could feel a sense of relief in the air. Life was starting to return to normal as most people felt comfortable venturing outside the confines of their homes again.

A woman later approached me as I was flying a drone in the area (you can get LAANC authorization up to 50 feet in this location) and asked me about my work. It turns out she was a director. We talked for over an hour and the next thing I knew, the beach police were watching us from their scooters 50 feet away. I calmly did a hand catch of my drone and they simply drove away, out of sight. Before I knew it, I found myself alone on the sand with several text messages from my friends telling me where to meet for dinner.

Venice Beach isn't known for being the safest place, especially at night. Even flanked with roughly $9,000 in drone and camera gear, I felt confident walking a half-mile back to my rental car. If you truly believe you are protected in this world, you will emit that energy and be safe.