Learning: Water Gardens, Picture Perfect

Visiting the Fort Worth Water Gardens was a refreshing break from the classroom, giving us the opportunity appreciate a different function and use of water. The Water Gardens were erected in 1974 and are placed in the south end of Downtown Fort Worth, offering a cool oasis and escape from the bustling city life. The gardens offer three main pools; the meditation pool, the aerating pool, and the active pool, and each water feature offers an environment true to its name.

The meditation pool is a large, rectangular pool surrounded by towering walls and trees, providing a quiet and serene atmosphere. Water cascades down the surrounding walls, giving the ambiance of a light rain fall and adding to the serenity of the pool. 

The aerated pool features dozens of illuminated spray fountains that make the pool look like a huge fizzing and bubbling pool. From every angle, the reflection of the sun creates rainbows in the flying water droplets, adding a magical feeling to the setting. 

The main attraction of the Water Gardens is the active pool, the largest pool of the three and set deep in the group with steps leading down to the base. The steps allow access to the bottom of the pool and many people take advantage of this interactive aspect of the pool.

Our trip had little structure with regards to the learning experience and this gave us the freedom to explore the gardens and learn on our own. I took advantage of this liberty and learned through my camera lens.

Photography is my passion and I am always looking for opportunities to improve my skills. I knew that the Water Gardens would be a great environment to capture on camera so I explored the grounds with my Canon hanging from my neck. At each pool, I gave myself a couple minutes to observe its beauty and reflect on how the environment made me feel. I would then capture the scenery through different angles and different settings on my camera, Through this reflection, I found that my favorite pool was the aerated pool. The spraying fountains kept the area around the pool cool and, if you were close enough, it provided a light, refreshing mist. The sound of the water droplets hitting the pool was reminiscent of a rainy day and very relaxing. I could see myself retreating to this place to escape the stress of school and to simply enjoy its simple beauty.

Not only was the aerated pool my favorite pool to experience but it was also my favorite to photograph. I was able to capture water droplets suspended in the air before they fell into the pool. It gave me a beautiful new perspective on and appreciation for water. Even though the Water Gardens are manmade and not a natural part of nature, they offered an insight to the visual attraction functionality of water.