Using a drone, AP’s Jae C. Hong frames Long Beach’s waves crashing into oceanfront homes

LONG BEACH, California (AP) – Jae C. Hong is a staff photojournalist based in Los Angeles and has worked for The Associated Press since 2007.

Key points

• Here's what Hong had to say regarding how he captured this extraordinary photo.
• The waves had been pounding these homes for days, washing away sand and threatening their foundations.
• I had to keep a safe distance from the crashing waves and ocean spray to avoid losing the drone to the sea.
• I applied a drone as it was the only way to obtain the perspective I wanted.
• I think this photo demonstrates the power of nature and what happens when waves keep pounding the same place over time.

Here's what Hong had to say regarding how he captured this extraordinary photo. Why I shot this photo.

I had been after news reports for a number of days regarding powerful waves hitting beachfront homes in Long Beach, California, and the damage seemed to be getting worse. Monday was projected to be one of the last days of the strongest waves generated by the remnants of Tropical Storm Rachel, so I decided to go see this for myself.

For context, the waves had been pounding these homes for days, washing away sand and threatening their foundations. I was struck by how little protection seemed to remain between the homes and the ocean. How I created this photo.

I applied a drone as it was the only way to obtain the perspective I wanted. Rather than just shooting from high above and looking down at the ocean, I wanted to obtain as close to ground level as feasible to show the height of the waves as they smashed into the homes.

Meanwhile, I had to keep a safe distance from the crashing waves and ocean spray to avoid losing the drone to the sea.

I think this photo demonstrates the power of nature and what happens when waves keep pounding the same place over time. These weren't necessarily the biggest waves, but the damage they caused after days of relentless pounding was striking. Shooting from roughly the same level as the homes supported to convey the height of the waves and just how vulnerable the buildings had become. See more extraordinary AP photography.

Taken together, the developments around using a drone, APs Jae C. Hong frames Long Beachs waves crashing point to a situation that is still moving, and the coming days should bring more clarity.