Luis Ortega is a San Diego based photographer and film photographer. Follow Luis on Instagram for more beautiful images of Southern California life.
Six-tenths of a mile. The vast majority of what I shoot happens in this small yet magical stretch of Pacific coastline. There are other beaches. There are other surf breaks. But this particular one is home. I went to middle school not too far away, I swam competitively down the street (something I hated in the moment but can now appreciate), and I can’t stop coming back.
Summer might offer up the rare south swell, a surfer's delight, but I mainly go during this time of year to people watch, for a handful of reasons.
For one, the combination of open sand and miniature cliffs leads people to set up differently every time. Some groups may choose to tuck in between rock formations, others prefer to soak up the sun on top. It lets the same spots present themselves in fresh ways every day.