This photo is from a well-worn lifeguard tower that once overlooked the classic surfing break, "Old Mans" of
San Onofre. Now it sits on a parking lot far above the beach it used to guard. Yellow tape drapes from its corners to caution us, I am sure, of this recently evicted tenant's displeasure. Much history has passed under its watchful eye, including my own. My first session was during the winter of 2005 when the water was a chilling 57 degrees and a constant pulse of waves hammered the very willpower of my desire. I confess I more or less crawled up the beach nearly drowned with exhaustion, but I wanted to go back. I needed to go back. Floating on the surface of the deep, faced with an immense, borderless horizon, hoping that a set will rise. It is striking, really. I am certain the tower remembers.
It was a great privilege to shoot these photos for Nicole and Scott Kruse. We only had a short window of time to capture a few, fun images but they jumped right in with some great energy. My wife, Kristen, and friend, Jon Troast, helped to make this possible by lending their new-found talent with reflectors.
