Nocturnal Glow

In early December 2024, I took myself on a little trip to Southern California. I enjoyed shooting sunsets at the beach but it was after dark when the ocean really came alive for me as I was fortunate to experience a series of nights with bioluminescent waves! My first night out was a bit of a write-off, photographically, but it was an incredible experience just to be able to witness these waves and it helped me figure out how to capture them better. Watching the waves over and over showed me that the bio waves were strongest on the set waves from deeper in the ocean so when I went out the second night, I found a better foreground position and learned to anticipate the set waves. This was my favourite shot from both nights: a two shot blend to capture the waves crashing against the rocks, followed up immediately by the glowing bio waves. I know that this wasn’t a particularly strong example of bioluminescence but I still feel grateful to have been able to experience another example of Mother Nature’s magic.