Surfers around the world practice a ritual, known as a memorial paddle out, to honor the life of a fallen surfer. Last Wednesday was the one year anniversary of my good friend Gustav Schindler’s transition back to non-physical. Many of us who knew him well gathered at the ocean’s edge to honor his memory. Red roses were handed out to everyone, and several people braved the chilly water to paddle out and spread the brilliant colored petals beyond the surf line. This image is of my cohort whose name is Kailash, after he emerged from the experience. He had left home in a hurry and forgotten his wet suit. Undaunted, he dove in and swam beside the paddlers on their boards. I wanted to convey not only the effect of the water temperature on his face and hands, but also to emphasize the unique details of his features, hair and beard. I was not shy with sharpening and pushing the pixels around. Not a bit. I like this image a lot, and not just because of the ‘look’, but because it symbolizes the commitment of one companion to another, even after the shared existence on this physical plane has ended. As we all began to leave, I turned around and saw that the incoming tide had begun to scatter the rose petals all over the wet sand, as the white water ebbed and flowed with each wave. Gustav was smiling. That I know for sure.