"FLAGS UP" - Newport Beach, CA

Shot on a heavy surf day in Newport Beach, this frame says a lot without showing the waves themselves. The lifeguard tower stands like a lone outpost, flags whipping in the wind, the line between calm and chaos drawn just offshore. You can feel the tension—weather rolling in, ocean alive, and everyone on edge waiting for the next set. Sometimes the best way to capture the swell is to show the people watching it. Braced, ready, and part of the rhythm.