Photojournalism Essay By Juliet Zimmerman

 

A group of koi fish lazily swim through the crystal-clear waters of the koi pond at the Portland Japanese Gardens. In a time where almost everything is uncertain, something that we can consistently count on is the beauty that is all around us. Even in an urban setting such as Portland, we have been surrounded by clear skies, beautiful forests, and amazing parks. As long as people wear a mask and socially distance, there has been a place for them out in that beauty.

The sun starts to set over a group of massive evergreen trees in Washington Park in late October. It is amazing that such massive amounts of natural beauty are built into the city. In most urban settings, it is all buildings and concrete, but Portland's unique layout lets nature thrive anywhere and everywhere.

A display of the perfectly pruned trees and properly raked stones sit in perfect order at the Portland Japanese Gardens this past month. The garden has been an incredible attraction for both tourists and locals for over 50 years, and is still open during the pandemic as long as visitors follow their carefully outlined covid rules.