Anyone who’s ever been to Tehachapi, California probably wouldn’t take it for the kind of place to be, how should I say ... diverse. The region’s geography is super interesting and very beautiful, as the mountains erupt from the terminus of the vast Central Valley and quickly meet the Mojave Desert. But a bit of time spent in town wouldn’t hint to a cultural treasure existing just east of town, a gorgeous Buddhist temple called the Mountain Spirit Center. It’s an active monastery, but one that’s also open to the public. You can go and visit the grounds and the intricately designed temples while taking in the scenic rocky hills and mountains that surround the site. It’s 2.5 miles up a sometimes pretty bumpy dirt road, high clearance not required but recommended.

         Once you’re there it’s just such a peaceful site located in a totally unexpected place. I’d been here once before I shot this image, and knew it was the kind of place that would fit right in with this project. Tehachapi is the biggest nearby town, and its population of just 14,000 means that the light pollution is low. There was a crescent moon when I shot this image, about 15 degrees from the horizon, which lent a soft blue glow to the starscape, a tone that I think really works well with and complements the beauty of the pagoda interior. The soft greens of the rocky hillside to the right is the natural tone of California Serpentine. At the bottom is a gong that reverberates for minutes after being rung, humming off into the starry night.