Returning to the Roots
Final reflections from our trip through Sweden
The purpose of our trip to Sweden was different than a typical vacation. This one was all about family. Jill and I went to support her mother, Sharon, and her husband, Mark, on a dream journey to Norway and Sweden—visiting the places where Sharon’s great-grandparents and grandparents were born and raised.
Sharon, Mark, and Jill’s sisters spent the first half of the trip exploring Norway. Jill and I met up with them in Stockholm for the second leg of our journey through Sweden. From there, we took a fantastic train ride north to picturesque Leksand for one night before being picked up by Helena—Sharon’s is Helenas mother’s second cousin, who she’d never met before.
Helena turned out to be an incredible guide—warm, generous, and deeply knowledgeable about the family’s genealogy. She welcomed us like old friends and drove us in and around Mora, where she hosted us for several days. Her insight and connection to the family history brought deeper meaning to that part of the trip.
Sharon and I have a special connection that goes beyond family. We worked closely together for four years on her first book, Lasting Impressions. She’s a gifted artist—truly a master of felting, botanical dyeing, and garment making—and I had the honor of photographing and designing the layout for all of her life’s work in this book.
That shared creative history made this trip feel even more special. In a way, it felt like closing a circle—seeing her walk through the places that shaped the generations before her while I quietly documented it all. You can see the profound influence of her heritage on her art throughout. I became the unofficial photographer for the journey, capturing portraits, group shots, and those in-between moments that help tell the story of what this trip meant to everyone.
Watching Sharon stand in the homeland of her ancestors—meeting family for the first time, reconnecting through shared stories—was incredibly moving. It reminded me that photography, at its best, is about more than making beautiful images. It’s about bearing witness to moments that matter.
This will be my final entry from the Sweden series, and I hope it reflects not just where we went, but why we went. To reconnect, to support, and to remember where we come from.
I have really enjoyed all your images of your trip! What a memorable time. Thanks for sharing!
Looks like a lovely trip, Benjamin. The portraits of Sharon are wonderful.
This reminds me of a similar experience I had 20 years ago when our small family took my grandmother to see the historical places our family originated from in Scotland and France. The trip was so meaningful to her and to us.