Sharing with Travellive, Mr. Do Van Hai said: “Most of the photos I took were of places I randomly visited, the rest were from places I accidentally saw on social networking sites or friends told me about. Although they are not famous places, for me, each place I passed through has its own beauty that makes me stop to take those photos.”
Emotional coincidence
Without putting much emphasis on planning or preparation when taking photos, every moment is captured naturally. Hai shared: “Everything, every moment is captured very randomly, emotionally and simply. Sometimes I think it is as simple as taking selfies.”
Every moment was captured naturally by him.
From the first day he arrived in Japan, everything was new and fascinating to him. He shared that he liked to wander alone to learn more about life and people here. It was these walks that made photography gradually become an indispensable part of his life. “Everything here is so beautiful and different to me, so taking photos has become a pleasure in my life in Japan.”
Mr. Hai compares taking photos to writing a diary, but instead of using words, he uses images to record memories. He confided: “Some people like to write diaries, using words to record memorable things in life. For me, taking photos is the same. It is a way for me to record memories of my days living in Japan.”
Although life is sometimes busy and stressful, for him, photography is a way to balance life. It adds new colors to his life abroad, helping Hai find peace after stressful working hours. At the same time, this also gives him the opportunity to experience and learn many things from Japanese culture.
Memorable memories: Lost in Nara
One of Hai’s most memorable memories was when he visited a mountain temple in Nara city. That day, he was so engrossed in taking photos that he accidentally missed the last bus. He recalled: “It was a late autumn and early winter day and it got dark very quickly. There were almost no taxis here and I was very confused and didn’t know what to do. Groups of tourists got on the bus one by one and left, and the number of people gradually decreased.”
While confused, he was lucky to meet an elderly Japanese couple. They asked him about his health and gave him a ride to the train station. Mr. Hai emotionally shared about that moment: “All along the way, the two of them always talked warmly and asked a lot about me as well as about Vietnam. There was one sentence that really touched me that they said to me: 'Life is hard and difficult everywhere. But your job is to overcome it and live well. Live beautifully like the scenery of red and yellow leaves in autumn, so that you won't have any regrets later'”.
This memory is not only a chance encounter, but also a valuable lesson about humanity. “That day was very cold but I felt happy and warm. Before getting off at the station to say goodbye, the two elders also gave me a package of fried momiji (a fried red leaf dish that is only available in autumn in Japan). That was also the first time I saw and tried it” - Mr. Hai said.
“It was not just a chance encounter, but also lessons, things that no book can give us"
For him, it is not only a memorable memory of wandering around taking photos but also a testament to the warmth and sharing between strangers. He expressed: “It is not simply a chance encounter, but it also contains lessons, things that no book can give us. Because it is the warmth of human love, the care and sharing of people who seem to be too strange between two countries”.
For Mr. Hai, photography is not a job, but a joy and a way for him to connect with the world around him. Each photo is a story, a memory associated with his journey in the land of cherry blossoms. Through each frame, he hopes to capture not only the beauty of nature but also the simple things in daily life.
Mr. Hai's journey to capture the simple beauty will continue, because for him, every place he passes through has its own story, and every photo he takes is a memorable moment in life.
Mr. Hai's journey to capture the simple beauty will continue, because for him, every place he passes through has its own story, and every photo he takes is a memorable moment in life.
