My favorite type of seascape photography is a blend of ocean and land. For me, all the visual interest is where the surf meets the shore. Low tide offers unique opportunities for seascape hunters like me. The breadth of the beach changes. Subjects that are normally hidden are revealed. Sometimes, entire stretches of coastline become accessible.

I took advantage of a very low tide at Scripps Beach in San Diego to photograph a set of rocks that are usually underwater. The expanse of the beach was much more than usual. Rocks normally buried in sand and surf peppered the beach. Makeshift tidepools clung to the edges of the soon-to-be-buried-again formations.

Traveling further into this fleeting landscape, the tide was low just long enough for me to get into the water among a sweep of rocks at the water’s edge. About knee-deep in water, photographing back toward the land, the gentle surf wrapped around this temporary cove, creating a beautiful, peaceful scene.

Sunrise was a no-show, but I knew that going into the shoot. The morning fog was thick. Water droplets hung in the air, pushed about by the ocean breezes sweeping up the cliffs. The atmosphere clung to the cliffs, giving a somber mood. I positioned along another outcropping of rocks, also normally beneath the ocean’s surface to capture the curve of the bluffs of Torrey Pines.

One last reveal this low tide adventure had for me is the iconic “Mushroom House” of San Diego. This structure is a guest house, connected to one of the properties atop the cliffs by a mechanical elevator. I don’t know if the house is actively used or not. It certainly makes for an interesting photo subject.