There is nothing more worthy of investigating than the oceans. The oceans cover well over 70 percent of the earth’s surface, yet, remarkably, only a mere 5 percent of it has been discovered. When I stumbled upon this fact as a child, it seized my imagination and instilled in me a lifelong commitment to investigating unknowns. I use photography as a flashlight. This photo that I took at Newport Beach is a summary of my life endeavours. To recapture my fantasies as a child, I set up a long exposure and asked my friend to gaze deep into the horizon. But suddenly, a series of strong tides filled the scene, creating a photo I never even hoped to conceive. Indeed, the silkyness of the water reminded me why I fell in love with the oceans in the first place.

By shooting before the sunset, I eliminated distractions. I didn’t want the clouds to be the subject. I didn’t want the sun to be the subject. No, I wanted the grandeur of the ocean to speak for itself and inspire others to go out and investigate, just as it has done for me.