Description

Blue Heart

La Jolla California is known for its picturesque shoreline, sandy beaches, reef break surfing spots, and abundant marine wildlife. Spanish for “The Jewel,” it’s coastline is full of uniquely shaped sandstone formations which feature a complex variety of shapes and sizes, dotted throughout the area. Beginning at the end of March 2020, the waters off the coast of Southern California and parts of northern Baja started to change color. Reddish-brown water resulting from a marine algae bloom known as a "Red Tide," started to appear along beaches throughout the region containing phytoplankton called dinoflagellates. The particular dinoflagellate in the water was Lingulodinium polyedra, one of only a few that produces bioluminescence. Undetectable in the daylight, the glowing phenomenon only becomes visible once the sun falls below the horizon and darkness sets in, revealing an unforgettable light show for anyone lucky enough to see it at its peak.

As the ocean began to glow in La Jolla and in areas surrounding San Diego, I set out to capture it -- spending seven nights in total over the course of two weeks shooting various photos and timelapse videos. This particular photo, named “Blue Heart,” is one of my favorites. On this night, under a bright quarter moon and the scattered clouds of the early morning, I found this rock outcropping near a place called Hospitals Reef. As the water rushed in and out between the rock formations, it made a glowing blue heart shape as if the oceans heart itself was beating with joy over the natural event taking place before me.