I lived in San Francisco for a little over six years. It was something of a Bucket List item for me: I visited with my mom on our way to Disneyland, and the moment I got out of the car, I knew I’d live there one day. Although it made up only 1/4 of my 24 years in the Bay Area, living there was a dream made true.
The Japanese Tea Garden in Golden Gate Park was my sanctuary from the noise of everyday life (especially living in the Mission District—24/7 car alarms, sirens, and people of various levels of intoxication screaming). Yet somehow, even when the tea garden is crowded with visitors, the area around the Buddha sculpture remains peaceful. The park’s location, just blocks from the Pacific Ocean, means the air is almost always cool and has a briny quality that is somewhat intoxicating. Combined with the gentle beauty of the natural surroundings, the Buddha sculpture invites you tenderly into the present moment, where the only thing you must do is simply breathe.
Needless to say, this is one of the first places I’ll go the next time I’m in the Bay Area for a visit.
I remember making this photo with the vision of a black and white finished image, so I would have the settings in the camera as close to correct as possible. (It’s the Old School Film Photographer in me: film is precious, so get it right in the camera first!) And yes, having Buddha sit slightly off-center was a conscious choice for this format. I wanted to have some of the circle and the background greenery in the image as well. The slight bokeh quality of the tree branches lends a dreaminess to the image that I’m especially drawn to.
If I look through my negatives and slide archives, as well as my hard drives, I’ll probably find hundreds of photos I’ve taken here. I always took care to grab my shot when there was no one at the sculpture, so I wouldn’t disturb any visitor’s quiet contemplation.
I have a variety of images that I’ve made of the sculpture hanging in my bedroom and in my “Zen Zone,” where I spend time daily in my meditation and yoga practice. I had a test print made of this photo and had planned to gift it. But, even though I’ve decided not to offer it for sale on the paper I had it printed on, it’s grown on me, and I’m struggling to let go of it. 😳
I will be offering this in acrylic and fine art prints in sizes ranging from 12″ x 12″ to 20″ x 20″. My images are professionally printed at White House Custom Colour to ensure the best print quality. It’s the perfect piece of wall art for any space where you want to add a bit of tranquility.
And don’t be too surprised if/when you see a color version offered in different formats.
