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What was on your wishlist for your most recent birthday celebration?  For mine, nothing crazy ~ I really just wanted to spend the day capturing images along the California coastline...the initial objective being piers and wildlife.   Of course, I also wanted to spend some time at Disneyland.  Yup - part of my heart still belongs to the Mouse.

Initially, I thought about planting in Santa Monica for one night ~ just a short drive to our already reserved destination in Anaheim ~ with the hope that I might perhaps be lucky enough to snag an iconic sunset shot of the Santa Monica Pier.  That expanded to grabbing photos of Muscle Beach, the Venice Beach Pier, etc.  Then my crazy mind shifted and I started thinking about how cool it would have been to wake up on my 53rd birthday in Beverly Hills.  Hmmm ~ that started to sound intriguing.  Could I make it ALL work?   THAT was my goal.  So - the plan was penciled in as spending the night near Santa Monica and drive through Beverly Hills the next morning ~ all before reaching Disneyland.  Sounds good, right?  

Well ~ I'm the wife of a retired Army officer (and very patient man).  I am wholeheartedly aware of the reality that no plan survives implementation.  

We did spend the night about a half hour to 45 minutes away from Santa Monica, but my desire to shoot the pier started to wax and wane ~ not even sure why, to be honest.  We arrived in the Marina del Rey area early on our travel day, decided to take the lengthy walk over to Venice Beach from our hotel and spent some time photographing the pier (interestingly enough, I was at the Venice Beach Pier in Florida just one week prior!  Very different experience!!).  I didn't even feel the pull to wander over to Muscle Beach.  It just wasn't vibing for me that day....and I wanted it to vibe since it was part of my birthday celebration.  

While walking, I decided to just look up where the closest lighthouse was in proximity to where we were staying ~ and then I did a distance check on how long it would take to get to our ultimate destination for the trip.   My research intrigued me as there were at least three lighthouses within a decent range of where we were staying and where we were going.  If we got up early, we could fit everything in and still make our dinner reservations at Napa Rose (wink, wink).  

So - the new plan was put into motion.  

We rose VERY early the next day (my birthday proper) in order to try and capture sunrise at the very first lighthouse ~ Point Vicente in Rancho Palos Verdes.  Now - sunrise on the west coast....not the same as it would be on the east.  The west coast is known much more for its sunsets, obviously.  Nonetheless, we arrived early enough to capture the sun's glow as it began to illuminate the lighthouse and the channel it overlooked.  

It was quiet - it was chilly - it was perfect.  

Sadly, the lighthouse itself was closed off to the public (though there is a tower and museum nearby that have some limited hours of operation).  So,  I was taking photos from a reasonable distance away, but the location and surrounding environment provided for a tremendous landscape view.  We could even see Santa Catalina Island directly across the channel.

Point Vicente Lighthouse, Rancho Palos Verdes, CA

We spent about thirty or so minutes in that location and then moved over to the next destination - Point Fermin Lighthouse, just southeast of where we started our day.  This lighthouse was different in that it was a "house" with a beacon on top.  Since it sat in a 37-acre park with walking trails, activity among the locals was already starting to ramp up by the time we arrived. 

While Point Vicente was the type of lighthouse I wanted to capture that day, our time at Point Fermin was the experience I wanted to have.  Not too long after our arrival,  after shooting some standard images of the lighthouse and watching more squirrels than I could count run around, a few more photographers came out of the woodwork.  No doubt they were wildlife photographers, as they clung more to the various pavilions that lined the perimeter of the bluffs.  One of these photographers, we will call him the man in the yellow jacket, was quite friendly and generous in sharing some of his wisdom.  He spoke at length about two peregrine falcons and two red-tailed hawks that frequented the area, the typical subject of his endeavors in that location.  He took the time to point out one of the giant nests to us and then walked us to another location where the peregrine falcons preferred to perch.  

Then the magic happened.....

After taking dozens of photographs of the handful of pelicans that were flying within the vicinity, as well as trying desperately to focus in on a few dolphins that were playing in the water, there she was.  A spectacular-looking peregrine falcon flew past us, over us, back and forth, up and down, near and far ~ she was giving us a beautiful demonstration of her skills!  While I felt very insignificant using a very old 75-300mm on my Canon 90D next to my fellow photographer's mirrorless Nikon sporting a lens reaching at least 400mm, I kept my eye on the ball ~ desperately trying to capture that ONE shot that would bring me just a little bit of pride.  

And, while small...I got it.  I actually captured an image of a falcon in flight over the dark blue waters of the west coast. 

Making Eye Contact ~ photo by Tina Stevens-Brown

And look at how he's eyeing me!!!  

I would have never captured that image had my new friend in the yellow jacket not shared his wisdom or been so willing and patient to point out what he knew I wouldn't want to miss.

To be honest, it was quite refreshing.  

What do I mean by that?

Well, let's just say that too often in life I've come across people who only provide to get something in return.  Of late, however, I've encountered  an increasing number of individuals in this field and this chapter of life that are more interested in seeing and assisting others grow, allowing their love for something to become a pleasant contagion in an effort to keep the passion for such an art alive.  That is how I want to be...so I'm grateful to see it being modeled by others.  

Now, before heading to one last lighthouse, we did actually get to witness the red-tailed hawk in action for a bit, but my images of her were not as dazzling as the one I snapped of the falcon.  I'm okay with that.  Sometimes it takes just one great photo to make the whole trip worth it.  

The Final Stop...Before The Final Stop

Our final lighthouse was the one that can be seen from the Cabrillo Beach Pier, just a short distance southeast of Point Fermin.  This is aptly named the Los Angeles Harbor Light as it sits in the Los Angeles Harbor very close to a US naval base.  The structure was further out from sight and smaller in stature, ultimately requiring a longer lens I didn't have to capture something worthwhile...but I still took the time to take in the area, listen to the water crashing against the rocky coastline,  and practice capturing more birds in flight ~ even if they were seagulls.  

So ~ as a new year for myself commenced, I took time to contemplate what I wanted my next year to look like.  My experience that day ~ though seemingly inconsequential to most ~ had a tremendous impact on me.   I truly appreciated the fact that someone who didn't know me was willing to share wisdom without fear of losing something himself in the process.  I get it ~ I'm competitive at heart and we all want to see our own dreams succeed.   We also all need to have an income stream and I am for seeing my photography business thrive with the best of them.   However, I hate how that competitive spirit makes me feel personally and I've seen it ruin relationships for others ~  that's why I do what I can to steer clear and focus on my improvement, my own success and offering to support others in the small ways that I can.

I consider myself blessed to have had the pleasure of meeting mentors and peer photographers of late with a greater respect and understanding for each other ~ that our perspectives, styles, skills, and interests are individual, unique, and worthy of passing on to and celebrating in each other.  Sharing shutter speeds and apertures or the location of a falcon's nest doesn't result in a loss of soul ~ it instead enhances and spreads the joy ~ and I appreciate that.  Why?  Because you never know the influence you might have on someone whose spark or passion is just starting to ignite and that tiny little moment of education, support, encouragement, or wisdom may be the moment they remember later in life when they see their own dreams come true.  To be honest, it's why I chose my own current mentor...because she demonstrated that willingness to share long before I came under her tutelege.  

Okay - the Final Destination Reached

We ultimately made it to Anaheim with enough time to pop into Magic Kingdom before heading to a luxurious dinner at the newly opened Napa Rose Restaurant nestled within Disney's Grand Californian  Resort.  All in all, my birthday was perfect ~ I did what I love, had the most amazing assistant and partner by my side, and closed out the day with a little bit of magic.  

What's on your birthday wish list this year?  If you're a photographer, what's a bucket list destination for you?

TIP: There is a Los Angeles Lighthouse Challenge where a participant can collect stamps.  It includes the three lighthouses I mentioned above and Angels Gate Fresnel Lens, which I will have to add to my bucket list list for a future trip.  

Images available for print:

• Point Vicente Lighthouse  
  • can be printed up to 72x48 canvas, acryllic; 60x40 metal, 48x32 matted/framed
• Making Eye Contact
  • can be printed up to 24x16 - all available substrates
• See more in my Wildlife Collection and my California Collection

Like how it looks framed?   

PS - I'd love to see you following along on Instagram and Facebook, as well.  

© 2026 Tina Stevens-Brown All rights reserved.  Use of images is not permitted without written consent of the owner.