I live in Los Angeles, and yes, it is smoggy, crowded and noisy-but it's also not that far from the ocean. As often as I can, I drive to the beach.  Leaving the urban sprawl, I head over the Santa Monica Mountains. I round the curves on Malibu Creek Road, and finally the Pacific appears, sparkling in the distance. The air turns fresh and cool. My destination- the far northern stretches of Malibu, where there are cliffs to walk along, and tide pools and sea caves to explore. I head up the Pacific Coast Highway, driving along the coastline.

    I return often to the same beaches. From one day to the next, conditions can change drastically. The light, the wind, the tide, the season- all are variables. On certain days, you just know that you will see dolphins playing in the waves. Other days there will be pelicans, seals or even whales to watch... Full moon nights are penciled in for beach visits. It is spectacular to watch the moon rise over the ocean, and a good opportunity for time exposure photography. With all the millions of people in the L.A. area, it seems like a miracle to be able to watch a glorious sunset on a deserted beach, yet that's often the case.  So I go to the beach whenever I can. I  photograph, explore and contemplate, and return refreshed, to my home.

    The Holga camera, with it's quirky personality, plastic lens and body prone to light leaks, gives unexpectedly pleasing results. This toy camera has so much creative potential- multiple exposures, panoramas, and light flare effects are some of my favorites. It frees me up to experiment and gives me the creative means to make unique images, and to have fun with photography. I am able to make images that capture the feeling of the "Zen moments" that I experience in Nature; those moments of joy, exhilaration, and serenity...Hand painting the images enables me to express even more of my experience.

    From desolate, windswept, winter days to crowded summer afternoons- for me, every day is a good day at the beach.