I made this photograph of the Santa Monica Pier in late February 2025. This is from the stretch of beach between the Pier and Will Rogers State Beach where just 6 weeks earlier, fires raged just a little further north, from the mountains straight to the ocean. In this moment, it felt important to understand and show that California is a resilient and determined culture full of a diverse people who will continue to thrive in their unique way. Resilient people will find or even create their own joy through the toughest of times. Whether it is the thrill of the roller coaster or iconic ferris wheel in the distance, or the comfort of holding a loved one's hand, simply walking a dog, fishing in the surf or even the peace of just taking a solitary walk along the shore with the comfort of the waves nearby. The peace and joy flow through this image as a key start to the rebuilding and recovery journey.