There was no itinerary beyond a worn Lonely Planet guide and a rough sense of movement. This was before social media flattened the world into recommendations and mapped itineraries. We stepped onto trains with only a loose idea of where we might get off.

Capsule hotels. Hostels. One night on the street. Long rides between cities. Watching the landscape shift from dense urban neighborhoods to quiet coastal towns and rural stations that felt untouched by time. The train windows became both transportation and vantage point.

The project was shot entirely on film, medium format and 35mm, across a mix of stocks. The slower pace of analog photography matched the rhythm of travel by rail. Each frame required attention. Each roll had weight. With no preview screen and limited exposures, the act of photographing felt deliberate and immersive.

Rail Pass was not conceived as a formal project. It was motion driven by instinct and momentum. A month shaped by rail lines, open schedules, and the willingness to keep moving.

Looking back, it marked a shift. Photography was no longer something I did between other responsibilities. It became the track I chose to follow.