I'd never taken photos with a specific output in mind, nor had I ever actually been bound to making something from the photos i'd taken beyond small arrangements for myself, or prints for friends. The upstream process of mapping out a rough idea for how I wanted the book to work took some thinking; I wanted the book to feel genuine, and intimate, capturing what that trip looked and felt like in its entirety.
The point and shoot worked as it was easy to carry, and subtle to shoot with, meaning people mostly went on doing what they were doing, and hence giving a truer representation of the trip. I tossed up whether to shoot film or not, but again, that lack of distraction in not being able to trawl through photos on the trip, and not being able to re-shoot moments, aligned well with the way I wanted to capture the experience.
The philosophy was - have the camera on me at all times, and shoot at will.
Before leaving i'd decided on shooting as I usually would, although paying attention to processes which I thought defined the sport and in particular, competing. Erg and roller sessions at the accomodation, $3000 skinsuits hanging out to dry on fences, signs, and bushes, preparing for and having ice baths, and the time spent in lieu were all the moments I wanted to gravitate towards. The ones no where near as glamorous as the ones we see on TV, but the ones that define the whole experience, and the ones I was far more equipped to capture.
While in Japan, I found myself settling pretty well into taking photos as the days went on, often taking them from the perspective on how well they would help paint a picture as a part of a wider project, as opposed to a stand alone image. Its no mistaking that film is far less economical a means of taking photos, particularly when compared to the likes of an iPhone or cheap mirrorless alternative, so shooting away at will felt a little at odds with the more frugal way i'd grown to learn to take photos.
The majority of the photos that I took, and the ones that made the book, weren't taken on the days I was competing. Each of those days there was so much nervous energy going through me, that even when I saw something i'd have taken a photo of any other day, on these days, it often failed to cross my mind. But still, the camera stayed in my pocket, or in my bag.