Merry (kinda) Xmas 2020

In December 2020, as California entered its second shutdown to curb the spread of COVID-19, most public spaces closed … restaurants, stores, hair salons. But the beaches remained open—one of the few places where people could safely find solace in the open air. It was a difficult time, made heavier by the holiday season and the weight of uncertainty of when it would end.

Cardiff State Beach, a narrow stretch of sand along the North San Diego County coast, is my local beach, became a refuge for my community. With easy access from the highway and parking just steps from the shore, it offered me and my neighbors a cherished escape. These photographs, taken during that month, document the way we sought relief—through the simple act of being outside, together yet apart.