Long-exposure night photo of Santa Monica Pier's lit Ferris wheel and roller coaster reflected on the wet beach.

Pacific Park After Dark

Santa Monica Pier, Santa Monica, California

I walked down onto the sand well after sunset, when the Pacific Wheel and the little roller coaster were the brightest things for miles. The idea was to let the tide do the work: a four-second exposure smeared the incoming surf into a soft sheen and stretched every pink and purple light into long ribbons across the wet beach. At f/8 the pier stayed crisp while the water turned to glass.

Nikon Z 7_2 · NIKKOR Z 24-120mm f/4 S · 26mm · f/8 · 4.0s · ISO 200

June 14, 2026

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