Golden Alignment — Scripps Pier

Johann has photographed Scripps Pier many times, but this frame was a rare one. He described it as a unique moment because he got to watch the sun line up with the pier. To turn that fleeting alignment into something calmer than the real beach scene, he leaned into a fine-art approach: soften the ocean, simplify the frame, and let light and structure do the talking.

I want to just have you have the experience of just standing there… the feeling of no one else is there but you, and you get to have that moment to yourself just by looking at it.

— Johann David

Behind the Shot

This image is built on balancing time and light. Johann shot it at around a 25-second exposure, long enough for the ocean to turn soft and misty because it’s recording movement instead of freezing it.

To make a long exposure possible while shooting toward the sun, he used a very dark filter (an ND filter) to cut the light down. He emphasized that there isn’t one perfect preset here, you have to experiment to find the right balance: too much filtering and the scene goes dull and dark; too little and highlights blow out.

The look is intentional. He didn’t want crisp, dramatic wave detail. He wanted the water to feel smooth and quiet, more like fine art than a standard sunset photo. And while people were nearby, the long exposure made them fade into motion blur; he only needed minimal cleanup to keep the frame clean.

Field Notes

An ND filter is like sunglasses for your lens. It reduces light so you can use slower shutter speeds without overexposing.

What to Notice

If you look for just three things, look for these:

1. The corridor. The pillars create a tunnel that naturally pulls your eye toward the center.
2. The softened ocean. That misty texture is time at work, it’s what makes the whole scene feel hushed.
3. The simplicity. There’s very little competing for attention, so the alignment becomes the main event.

Try It on Your Phone

You won’t replicate a 25-second filtered long exposure perfectly on a phone pointed at the sun, but you can absolutely capture the feeling: alignment plus calm.

Start with the composition. Stand so the pillars create a clean tunnel, then keep your horizon level. After that, pick one of these easy “softening” approaches:

• If you have a long-exposure effect: use it (iPhone Live Photo → Long Exposure, or Android motion/long exposure modes). It works best when it’s a bit darker, closer to dusk.
• If you don’t: use Night mode and brace your phone against something stable (a railing or bag works).
• If neither works well: take a quick burst and choose the frame where the water looks simplest and the corridor feels most centered.

To finish, do one quick edit: lower highlights a little (so the glow doesn’t blow out), lift shadows slightly (so pillars stay readable). Stop there, this photo works because it’s restrained.

If You Visit

This is a popular area around sunset, so don’t aim for “empty.” Aim for a moment that feels like yours.

Arrive a little earlier than you think you need, walk slowly, and treat it like a small ritual: find your tunnel, take your one photo, then put the phone away. If you’re with kids, make it a game, ask them to find the spot where the pillars line up best.

One practical note: this pier is part of the UCSD/Scripps area, and the far end isn’t open to the public (research facility). Enjoy it from accessible viewpoints, and be mindful of waves if you’re near wet sand.

Postcard Prompt

This is a quick “time capsule” for the back of this postcard.

Prompt: Where did we find a pocket of quiet today, even if the place was busy?

Starter: “It was busy, but it felt like ours when…”

Optional tiny add-on: Date • Who I was with • One thing I don’t want to forget