Behind the Shot
Every year, Manhattan Beach welcomes over 3.5 million visitors. The city is a popular destination for all types of beachgoers. Swimmers, surfers, and bodyboarders enjoy the generally warm weather and consistent conditions. Cyclists, runners and rollerbladers enjoy the local segment of the 22-mile bicycle path that connects Will Rogers State Beach in the north with Torrance State Beach in the south.
Richard, who lives a few blocks from where this photo was captured, recalls, “This shot was taken at high noon during the Labor Day weekend when the beaches were really busy. The sand and shore make for a really colorful canvas, with the blue water, the colors of the tents and towels. It’s pure summer. You have to get these types of shots on the busiest beach days of the year. The tide has a lot to do with the look of the water. The tide is high and most of the water is over very shallow sand. Shallow water gives nice blue water. Not only is this one of my favorite shots, this is one of my most popular aerial shots.”
