Russia, through my lens!
- Kaisern Chen
- Sep 18, 2023
- 9 min read
Updated: Sep 22
This blog serves as a continuation of my original work Russia, uncovered! (2015 ~ 2022) celebrating my deep love for Russia and its people—the unforgettable memories that have enriched my journey.
In Russia, I felt a profound sense of humanity for the first time. Unlike the color prejudices I faced in Mississippi and Washington, I experienced acceptance and validation. It was a transformative moment that made me truly appreciate my own humanity.
— Paul Robeson, American bass-baritone
"The strongest of all warriors are these two—Time and Patience."
— Leo Tolstoy, War and Peace
"Russia, Through My Lens" will continue to explore and capture the authentic lives of ordinary Russians, and the journey goes on.
2025
Yury, a dear friend, an extraordinary human being, and incredibly talented photographer—my reason for being in Russia.
2023
Each year, from late summer to the first chill of fall in October, the rain intensifies, marking the season when people across Russia and many Slavic nations engage in mushroom picking, a beloved national pastime.
Mushrooms, a type of fungi, thrive in backyards, parks, and untouched forests throughout Russia from April to October. However, it is during the late summer to early fall that a notable surge in mushroom picking occurs, revealing the region’s rich bounty. I have no doubt that these mushrooms are among the finest in the world; their flavors, whether raw or cooked, have confirmed my belief.
In the picture, a farmer selling mushrooms at the roadside generously offered me a large specimen as a welcome gift, recognizing me as a curious tourist. It’s common for Russians, especially those in the villages we visited, to share their homegrown produce—tomatoes, cucumbers, potatoes—as well as tea or raw honey with strangers like us, all without expecting anything in return. Their kindness truly embodies the spirit of hospitality!
Liza Khomyakova, 17, a Russian actress who came to Rybinsk to film a series which she plays a role and, together with the filming crew and other actors and actresses, stay here - Na Vvedenskiy Hotel - a lovely hotel situated right on the bank of the Volga River, owned by my dearest friend, Yury Chernykh, who purchased the property, a former custom house building, and turned it into a lovely and homey hotel. Na Vvedenskiy has been like my home in Rybinsk for many years. I stumbled into Liza at the hotel and took a few quick snaps with her.
The first few snapshots of Liza exhibited very much her youth therefore I asked her out to shoot in the early morning the next day for some different pictures, and this is one of those.
War is often seen as a struggle for power—a battle between nations or factions fighting for dominance, resources, or ideology. Unfortunately, sometimes it becomes simply a scheme for money laundering, as greed overtakes morality. Like a giant game of chess, war represents a contest of strength where the stakes are the safety and future of nations, regional stability, and, for military alliances, global influence. Yet, beneath these political and military rivalries, there is a tragic commonality: soldiers and parents on both sides are, in large part, victims of the same brutal force.
On the battlefield, soldiers are caught in the machinery of power struggles over which they often have little control. They become pawns in a game dictated by leaders seeking to assert dominance, protect their interests, or serve war lobbies. Many of these individuals join out of duty or circumstance, only to face violence and loss regardless of which side they fight for. Their suffering is universal—marked by injury, trauma, and the heartbreak of losing loved ones.
Likewise, the parents of soldiers endure their own pain—uncertain if their children will return or mourning lives cut short. They suffer silently, regardless of the nationalist rhetoric that surrounds conflicts. Their grief and anguish cross borders, revealing that war’s toll extends beyond the front lines into every home and heart affected by violence.
Ultimately, the true tragedy of war is that it makes victims of both the powerful and the powerless. While leaders and nations seek to dominate, the real victims are ordinary people—soldiers risking their lives and parents endlessly hoping for their safety. Recognizing this shared suffering is vital, for it reminds us that beneath the veneer of rivalry lies a universal human truth: war devastates lives, no matter which side claims victory. In the end, war’s true cost is paid in lives and dreams crushed by a relentless power struggle that leaves no one truly untouched.
A charming, although somewhat small, where Father Alibij ministered in Uchma, Myshkin, Yaroslavl Oblast, is to go on an expansion which draws my curiousity to revisit in the future.
"в споре рождается истина"
Truth is born in dispute ~ Russian Proverb
Veronica Butalina, an independent musician based in Yaroslavl City, Yaroslavl Oblast, Russia, who composed her own scores, recording her own play of instruments and vocal.
Veronica became a friend of mine purely by accident as she was a member of a music band, before she turned independent, performing on a private Volga River Cruise where a good friend of mine threw a birthday party that included the live band and singing which Veronica was a part of. It was at beautiful sunset time that I was on the top deck of the cruise taking pictures and spotted a lovely young girl in light purple dress that matches the ambient color of the beautiful August sunset in northern Russia, I had to take some pictures of her! And so started the never ending photo sessions each time I visited this part of Russia.
Veronica came all the way from her city, Yaroslavl, about 80km away, to visit me in Rybinsk, to have some conversations, coffees and of course pictures! Again around the place I stay, right on the bank of the beautiful Volga River.
2022
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