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.

Here’s what Hong had to say about how he captured this extraordinary photo:

I had been following news reports for several days about powerful waves hitting beachfront homes in Long Beach, California, and the damage seemed to be getting worse. Monday was expected 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.

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.

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

At the same time, 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 shows 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 helped to convey the height of the waves and just how vulnerable the buildings had become.

See more extraordinary AP photography .