I began photographing Lake Merritt during my daily walks around the 3.5-mile perimeter of the lake at the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic in early 2020.

I put together the images in this project to document parts of Lake Merritt that are not always obvious to the casual viewer. Despite news reports of rising crime, homelessness, and pollution, Lake Merritt is an urban oasis where impromptu drum circles radiate ecstatic energy and Fellini-like characters saunter aimlessly.