I am seven years old and stand on the shores of Lake Siljan in Dalarna, Sweden, with my first camera strapped around my neck. It is my first holiday abroad and I immediately feel at home among the trees, mountains and fresh water lakes. My camera has two settings, ‘sunny’ and ‘cloudy’. Although there are a lot of clouds in the sky, I decide on ‘sunny’ and take the picture you see above on the right.
When I look at these images today I realise that no matter how cloudy the world and skies around me become, I always focus on the light. That first experience of spending time in nature made a lasting impression. Forty seven years later I am living in a place with fresh water lakes, mountains and forests where I capture the beauty around me with a camera strapped around my neck.
summer by the lake
leaves footprints that never fade
in the mist of time
© Xenia Tran
Photographs by Xenia Tran, edited in lr.
Camera (Lake Siljan image): Kodak Instamatic 133, setting: Sunny
Camera (Eivor and Pearl at Loch Laggan): Panasonic Lumix FZ38, setting: iA.
Photograph of me as a seven year old girl taken by M Koning.
In response to dVerse Haibun Monday #28: Childhood Experiences
Discover Challenge: Transcript
Cee’s Fun Foto Challenge: Old and New
Lovely post! Great photo of you as a little girl too :)xxx
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Thank you Samantha 💖 xxx
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Awesomeness
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Thank you Yasmin🙋💖 xxx
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You are welcome Xenia. 😌❤️️
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You’ve remained true to your heart.
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Thank you Brian 💖
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Neat pictures and memories. Photography has been your passion your entire life, I see. No wonder you are so talented! Lovely Haiku too.
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Thank you so much for your kind words ☺ I have always enjoyed sharing photographs with friends and family and it is lovely to now do this through our blog. Thank you for stopping by and much love to you and Tippy 💖 xxx
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Thank you for sharing your beautiful journey, words, poems, and photos! ❤
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Thank you Amy, it is a pleasure to share 💖 xxx
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xxx
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You found one of your passions at a young age. And you have a great memory! Can we see a photo of you with a camera around your neck now, Xenia? 🙂
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Thank you Liesbet! I did not know that picture of me was being taken while I was rolling the film forward and already then was I one of those photographers who is far more comfortable behind the camera than in front of it :o)
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You’re obviously a natural 🙂 Wonderful misty light on the water and a lovely story and haiku ❤ I remember having a Kodak Instamatic too! How far we’ve come. Much love to you all xxx
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Thank you Cathy and how wonderful you had an Instamatic too! Things have moved on so much and now we both have a Panasonic Lumix to play with! I hope you enjoyed your lesson with your new camera and much love to you and Finn xxx
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Yes, thanks the lesson was good and I learned a couple of things. The people at the shop are putting together some courses too, which sound good 🙂 xxx
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Wonderful! xxx
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Oops sorry….. Haibun
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I knew what you meant :o) xxx
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😉 xxx
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Life makes a circle….we live our bliss, hopefully. Again, less is more here. 😉
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Thank you for your kind words Kathy and yes, hopefully, we live our bliss :o)
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Great post. My first two cameras as a young child had sunny and cloudy settings also. I’d forgotten all about that until you mentioned it.
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Thank you so much for your kind words and how wonderful you had those settings on your cameras too! :o)
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Wonderful photos for this week. Thanks. 😀
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Thank you Cee :o) xxx
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‘Focus on the light’ is a great philosophy to live by. I have to remind myself to do it, but it’s easier when walking in Nature with beautiful dogs!
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Thank you Annabelle, it sure helps when you have dogs by your side in nature. You can always remember to return your focus to the light, even when the clouds roll in :o) Much love to you, Millie and Pearl xxx
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Sweet…
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Thank you kindly R.K. :o)
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I do know the area so well… a few years ago we kayaked there, and probably pulled our kayaks up on the same shore… how lovely when you can focus on the light… (I tend to look into the shadows)
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Thank you Björn, you probably did pull your kayaks up on the same shore :o) It looks like a beautiful place for kayaking and I hope the water is still as clear today as it was back then. We can always choose where we want to focus on and I have learned that even in the deepest shadows there is always light.
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Such deep life lessons here in ‘I decide on sunny’ and ‘always focus on the light’—I love how you’ve mined them out of impactful childhood memories.
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Thank you so much for your kind words C.C. I have such a vivid memory of that moment and that decision and I can still feel its power in my actions today.
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I think the fact that YOU can still feel the power of that childhood moment is why the haibun holds so much power for the reader 🙂
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Thank you :o) xxx
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I remember having an old Kodak camera, but I don’t know what kind it was. Now it is just my Samsung phone.
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Thank you Frank, it may have been a similar camera to mine. Who would have thought then that we would be able to carry cordless, pocket-sized phones around that can take photographs? :o)
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‘Always look on the bright side of life.’ That is the best attitude–and you knew that at 7 years old! Your writings and your photos show that every day. Thank you for your positive-ity, Xenia.
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Thank you dear Lois and it is always a pleasure! Much love to you, Teemu and Parker xxx
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I love this–the photos, the story, the lesson within. Wonderful.
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Thank you so much for your kind words Victoria xxx
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I love your photo and reflect on how lucky you are to be given that gift at a young age and make that distinction right away ~ Good for you to carry that sunny perspective ~ And your haiku is gorgeous as well ~
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Thank you so much for your kind words Grace xxx
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You started early Xenia and certainly make an impression with the camera now. And complemented of course with amazing poetry.
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Thank you so much for your kind words Denis :o)
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It seems as though the photo you took as that young girl made the pattern for where you would end up living in the future. I love the synchronicity of that and that you are living your bliss. I also feel joy in the photos of your two dogs frolicking and grinning as they run freely. It’s good for the soul to see their happiness.
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Thank you so much for your kind words Gayle. It is lovely to see how the dogs enjoy the natural environment in the same way that we do. I am very grateful the call of the wild remained that strong throughout my life and brought us all the way up here :o)
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You’re very welcome, Xenia. Yes people and dogs alike love nature. It seemed like serendipity that brought it all together for you. 🙂
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Thank you Gayle, it sure feels that way :o) xxx
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Cameras and your talent have sure come a long way! I’m so glad I get to see the world through your eyes and the eyes of your beautiful family. You are one of my favorite models for “choosing your perspective”!
Kathie
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Thank you so much Kathie, it is so lovely to share these images with you :o) xxx
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How lovely, Xenia! The light and positive feelings this haibun bring are deeply welcome this morning…a gray morning indeed. I think you were impacted, dear heart, from this early age with the light…and it shines through you even now. just delightful . Hugs!
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Thank you for your kind words Jane and sending you a big hug across the miles xxx
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Wonderful link to childhood through caring and light filled eyes of today. Set to Sunny and keep on keepin on.
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Thank you for your kind words Paul ☺
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Lovely choice – to see life with the sunny filter on!
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Thank you Marina :o)
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Love the glimpse into your childhood – thank you for sharing!
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Thank you for your kind words Ju-Lyn and it is a pleasure to share :o)
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Last year I had to agonize over purchasing a camera.
In the process, I realized that I truly and fully love photography, and like you, I’ve been pointing and shooting since my first camera in grammar school (a 127 format with a top viewfinder!).
After decades of shooting 35mm with a Nikon F, I broke down for a DSLR.
Somewhere, I have black and white images of Keith Antis on the playground, and a camel at the zoo, around 1968.
Thanks for reminding me of this.
Seek peace,
Paz
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Thank you Paz, so glad it brought back happy memories! I still have some of my black and white photographs from the late sixties too :o) Blessings and peace xxx
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