Speed meets grain.
That phrase often comes to mind when I look at this particular shot. I was in Japan, shooting for BillaPark, the annual snow event by Billabong Japan. The energy was high, especially during the “free expression session” where riders were really sending it. Digital camera in hand, I was in full work mode – firing off countless frames, capturing every trick, every angle, all focused on building the comprehensive event recap and media assets that were needed.
Amidst that flurry of digital capture, a different thought surfaced. I remembered the old Olympus Trip 35, a simple film camera, tucked away in my bag. It was a sudden impulse, a desire to capture something in a more singular, deliberate way. I quickly made my way to grab it, then positioned myself right at the edge of the bowl, ready to shoot.
And just in time, Yoh Tanaka, a pro snowboarder with incredible style, threw down this hand plant. One click of the Olympus shutter. That was it. No burst mode, no instant review. Just the hope that the timing, the focus, and the light had all aligned.
There’s a different kind of intensity to shooting action with a camera like the Trip 35, especially when your primary role is to get comprehensive digital coverage. Each film frame feels more significant, more of a commitment. It forces a different kind of observation, a deeper anticipation of the peak moment.
This image of Yoh embodies that for me. The raw energy of his hand plant, the texture of the snow, the slight grittiness of the Kodak Tri-X 400 film – it all comes together in a way that feels distinct from the thousands of digital frames captured that day. It’s a quiet reminder of how a single, well-timed analogue shot can hold so much character.
Camera: Olympus Trip 35 x Kodak Tri Max 400
Location: Gunma, Japan
When: April 2014
