Panther Beach & Davenport Bluffs

This photo was taken on a cliffside overlooking Panther Beach and the vast Davenport Bluffs along the Pacific Ocean. To get to this perspective, it's about a 10-15 minute drive north of Santa Cruz. Park your car on the dirt street, just off to the left on Highway 1. After parking, head north toward the train tracks until you see an intersection of two off-beaten trails. Take the trail on the left (the one on the right takes you down to the beach). Follow the path down until you reach the end of the cliff that overlooks the beach.

April through June, the sun's position will directly align with the Davenport Bluffs, creating the perfect lighting scenario. Aside from the mesmerizing lighting conditions, watch for the coastal flowers blooming around this time, too.

The sun's rays will light up the bluffs at sunset, which will soften the jagged cliffside rocks.

Be sure to watch your step and balance on the cliffs.

Don't limit yourself to just using a wide-angle lens. Experiment with the varying focal lengths and see what other compositions you can create.

Keep your eyes peeled for a perfect wave reeling in toward the beach. In my opinion, it adds a nice sense of texture in your shot.

Try to snap a picture of someone on the shore for a sense of scale.

Two of my favorite locations in the area are Shark Fin Cove and Davenport Pier—make sure to check out both of them!