Biwa Lake, Japan

It is an ancient belief that torii represent a gate between the mundane and the sacred. They remind me to focus on things of greater importance and value. Almost like a bell struck out of silence - torii ring out a tone of peace, love, and presence.

In Japanese tradition, a person walks through a torii to get closer to the sacred. Sometimes there are several torii in a row, each marking a new level of hallowed space. I love this concept and the physical practice of an internal journey.

But I also love how the symbol of a torii can outreach its material structure.

I believe that the sacred world exists within. We can escape to an inner stillness in even the most chaotic moments. When I see a torii, I don’t have to walk through it to achieve its power. Even from a distance, I am reminded to access an inner tranquility.

The gift of photography is that sometimes an image can present a deeper truth than the reality of a subject.

The torii gate beckons us to enter but does not present a physical path because water surrounds its complete form. We must transport our attention through the gate instead. We must make the journey within.

This same internal action is necessary when we examine any photograph. A picture can show us places we can’t necessarily travel to and, at the same time, lead us on a journey to new emotions, thoughts, and ideas.

I also see meaning in how this torii’s powerful structure sits in a soft, seemingly endless expanse. Were you to pass through it, you would be in essentially the same place you had come from.

So often, we think of wholeness and peace as rewards at the end of a journey - that serenity must be achieved only after intense practice and dedication to personal growth.

Those things can help make the sacred more easily recognized, but serenity is always there, simply waiting for us to align with it.

As you look at this image, you can imagine journeying through this gate or just traveling from the other side. You will find the sacred either way.

This photograph is a very important one to me. It represents all of what I want to achieve with an image. It has peace, beauty, depth, and mood. It’s clean and simple and tidy. Its spaciousness gives the viewer room to breathe while remaining dynamic and powerful.

It is always my goal to give something deeper with my art. With this image, I hope people will find their inner stillness.