As a landscape/travel photographer, I travel all over the place. But I spend way more time here in the South Bay than everywhere else. And my favorite spots to photograph are the tidal pools of the Palos Verdes Peninsula.

The thing that excites me most about my job is the challenge -- photographing someplace I’ve never been, figuring out how to shoot a familiar spot in a fresh way. That’s not always easy in the South Bay; we’re all pretty familiar with the scenic locations. But while our tidal pools are familiar, they’re never predictable.

A tidal pool changes from moment to moment: the water level, wave action, lighting, mood. And when you’re out there, you realize one can’t walk into the same tidal pool twice (to misquote Heraclitus).

Aphrodite’s Bath, Golden Cove

Even folks who were raised here may not recognize this circular pool down in PV’s Golden Cove. I first noticed its perfect shape from the cliffs above but didn’t photograph it for a long while. There’s no shot here unless the water level is just right. But at one point, I wandered by and noticed how the waves were breaching the tidal platform. So I clambered down from above carefully, camera in hand.

Tidal pools are inherently dangerous, especially if you aren’t attentive to the incoming waves. So I kept some distance as I set up the tripod. I experimented with different shutter speeds, looking how each choice changed the look of the waves and smoothed the flowing water.

Out of 50 or so shots, only one caught my eye. At a 3.5 sec. shutter speed, the pool was supersmooth. And beyond the pool, the water gave way in places to show the rocks below. I had caught the water level at the moment a wave receded to a lower level. Cool – and unrepeatable.

Twilight, Royal Palms

The White Point/Royal Palms area is full of tidal pools. Low tide lets you study all kinds of creatures and rock formations; high tide and wind can bring impressive waves. So one evening at low tide, I waded into the eastern end of White Point to explore.

I chose a 4 second shutter speed. As the waves receded, the water cascaded slowly down. The slow shutter made the underlying rocks crystal clear. The sunset lighting did the rest. This image is one of five that’s currently featured at a show at bG Gallery in Santa Monica.

Waves at Royal Palms

The rocks further up Royal Palms are larger, like a wall that stands guard against the incoming waves. It can be invigorating to photograph here when the waves are high. … And I’ve gotten drenched often.

Photographing here, as the tide comes in, highlights the forces at work – one wave blasting against the reef, the previous wave receding into a swirling sea. A ¼ sec. shutter accentuates the speed of things and can almost make you dizzy. But the camera’s only highlighting the underlying power of nature.

Royal Palms, Stop Action

Same exact tidal pool, different day – this time the image was taken with a 1/200th sec. exposure turning the water into a free-form sculpture.

Point Fermin Tidal Pool, Long Exposure

The cove just northwest of Point Fermin isn’t as visited as Royal Palms. But the rocks there line up like stepping stones when water levels are just right. And in winter, they point directly towards the setting sun. It’s a nice effect. So I slipped on some waders and went out from one stepping stone to the next.

At a 6 second exposure, the waves action disappears entirely. At that point, the tidal flow rises and falls in a dreamy rhythm. Tidal pools … endlessly repetitive yet each moment totally unique.

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Tim Truby Bio

Tim came to the Beach Cities in ’99. He’s written two photography books, Photographing Zion and Bryce Canyon National Parks and Photographing Arches, Canyonlands and Capitol Reef National Parks. He’s also been a First Place Winner at the OC Fair Photography Contest and has shown his images at Crafted and in numerous gallery shows around the South Bay. Contact him at 310-480-7237 or visit https://www.tim-truby-photography.com.

Five of Tim's art photographs are currently being shown at bG Gallery at Bergamot Station (until July 5). For additional information please visit LAArtParty.com.