Jordan Manley Photography » Mountain Bike Photography

Recent covers – and a blast from the past

Jordan Manley — Wed, 13 Jul 2011 20:01:02 +0000

I’m stoked to see that one of my images from last summer’s Deep Summer photo competition was selected for Bike’s Photo Annual issue. Bringing the image to life is the revered freerider, Thomas Vanderham. And it gets me thinking of the past.

Above, one of my early mountain bike (film) images. Thomas Vanderham, circa 1999/2000. Mount Seymour, BC.

During high school Thomas and I rode bikes together with my twin brother and a group of other friends at school. The freeride scene was really just developing, and we felt like we were a part of it on the North Shore. I got my start making photographs and little movies of our group of friends riding the North Shore mountains, simultaneously trying to emulate the cutting edge bike movies of the day, and the athletes that were pushing the limits of what mountain biking could be. Though, it wasn’t long before Thomas was making his own ascendency into the star light of the mountain bike world – his masterful and unparalleled stylistic command of a mountain bike caught the attention of the industry’s best – freeride legend Wade Simmons, photographer Sterling Lorence, and film maker Bjorn Enga, to name a few. By the end of highschool, Thomas had a secured firm place amongst the freeride greats.

Following different paths, it would be a long time until Thomas and I would shoot together again. Last year, we reunited for the Deep Summer photo comp along with Darcy Turenne and Mike Hopkins. We were fortunate with great weather (the rainy and foggy kind) and we captured some keepers, evidenced by the forthcoming Bike magazine cover.

Below are a few other covers – with my great friend Andre Charland bringing those to life!

On Assignment -BC Bike Race

Jordan Manley — Wed, 13 Jul 2011 19:00:17 +0000

I haven’t shot a sports event for quite a few years now, and generally don’t consider it within my bracket of comfortability. However, 2 days prior to the BC Bike Race start I received a call from David Reddick, the long time photo editor of Bike (and Powder) magazine, to shoot the event for a Bike mag feature. I packed my bags and joined the travelling city that is the BC Bike Race.

The event is a 7 day stage race with 450 people that gives singletrack trail precedence over fire road – a true mountain biker’s race. Beginning on Vancouver Island in Cumberland, it ascends northward to Campbell River, then hopping back to the mainland at Powell River, down to Sechelt, then Roberts Creek/Gibsons, over to Squamish, and finishes in Whistler. It relies heavily on the BC ferry system for 4 different routes – indeed the great part of the race is that you can go swimming in the ocean (or a lake) at almost all of the finish areas (and I did).

I had a great time with the other photographers, racers, and the event’s staff. And fortunately to gather images for the story I had to enjoy 7 days of riding a healthy amount of amazing singletrack in places that I had not yet explored – shucks. Keep an eye out for the Bike mag feature in the months to come.

Santa Cruz Bicycles, website

Jordan Manley — Tue, 14 Dec 2010 05:18:22 +0000

In June I did a week long shoot for Santa Cruz Bicycles in Whistler during their launch of their flagship Carbon V10 bike. Their website features some of the images that I gathered with Seb Kemp and Craig Wilson – check some more out here.

MBUK, Chilcotin feature article

Jordan Manley — Tue, 14 Dec 2010 05:00:42 +0000

Here is a feature from the UK magazine MBUK, from a shoot/ride from this past summer.

Bike magazine feature article

Jordan Manley — Mon, 29 Nov 2010 00:49:38 +0000

Here is the opening spread from a feature article assignment that I shot for Bike magazine in Michigan this past summer. The feature was about a bike parts manufacturer Nuke Proof that died in the late 90s after a good run with success. I spent some time photographing in and around the decaying buildings of Grand Rapids furniture manufacturing sector that were once at the heart of the US rust-belt economy – trying to set a tone for the story by juxtaposing the decaying buildings next to the story line of Nuke Proof.

The Adventure Journal – Print Store

Jordan Manley — Sat, 23 Oct 2010 02:58:36 +0000

I’m very excited to be involved with the brand new Adventure Journal Print Store. Steve Casimiro, the site’s creator, worked as the Editor at Powder magazine for 11 years, launched Bike magazine as the founding editor, and worked for National Geographic Adventure for another decade after that. His idea for the print store was to bring together the work of a select group of adventure photographers in the form of an online print store. I’m very humbled and honoured to be part of what amounts to an hell-uv-a roster, including renowned photographers like Jimmy Chin, Scott Markewitz, pioneer ski photographer Ace Kvale and NG photographer Ami Vitale, among others.

Check the print store out here.

To the end of the earth, my love: Newfoundland

Jordan Manley — Fri, 03 Sep 2010 00:57:55 +0000

I am really fortunate to have just returned from an amazing trip to Newfoundland, invited by Mike Jones and Andreas Hestler for some riding and photography (which we’ll be turning into a few different articles). Although the riding wasn’t as developed as we’d hoped on the west coast, it has incredible potential. I’ve been fortunate enough to travel to many beautiful parts of the world, including Antarctica, and I can say that Newfoundland has one of the most beautiful coast lines I’ve ever seen. Mind blowing really. From the epic scenery, to the gracious and warm people, to the historic sites where vikings first “discovered” North America, it was a trip to remember and dwell on for quite some time. I can’t wait to return.

Deep Summer Photo Challenge

Jordan Manley — Fri, 03 Sep 2010 00:49:06 +0000

This blog is way late, but better late than never I suppose. In August I was invited to participate in the Saint Deep Summer Photo Challenge hosted by Whistler Blackcomb. It is basically the same format as the Deep Winter contest that I have been a part of the last 3 years, except in the Summer, mostly in the Whistler Bike Park. I joined Mike Hopkins, Darcy Turenne, and Thomas Vanderham, all really talented athletes. Thomas and I grew up riding together in highschool on the shore and haven’t really taken any photos since his ascendency to super-stardom in the mtb world, but finally we got a chance and we got some great images. I decided that I wanted to theme our 5 min show around the Whistler Bike Park trail crew, invading their world in order to show people what goes on behind the scenes in the most popular mountain bike playground on the planet. It paid off and the judges awarded us 1st place, which we were all really happy about. Special thanks to the trail crew for making it all happen!

LtoR: Paul Morrison, Nicolas Teichrob, moi avec moustache.

Grand Rapids, Michigan

Jordan Manley — Sat, 31 Jul 2010 23:57:19 +0000

An unlikely place for a mountain bike story, I found myself in Grand Rapids, Michigan this week on assignment for Bike magazine profiling members of the extinct mountain bike company Nuke Proof (circa 1990s). One of the most interesting parts of the trip was wandering around the old train yards and steel transferring buildings that facilitated manufacturing in Grand Rapids. Nowadays, the manufacturing economy is all but dried up and one lonely employee we met wondered “why I still have a job after 25yrs”. Though, he’s probably fortunate to have one at all.

Chilcotin ride, MBUK magazine shoot

Jordan Manley — Thu, 22 Jul 2010 18:54:20 +0000

I’ve just finished up a 3 day shoot with Mountain Biking UK magazine, covering Squamish, Whistler, and the Chilcotins. The last day we drove to Tyax Lodge on Tyaughton Lake where Dale Douglas gave us a lift (in his Dehavilland Beaver float plane) into Warner lake and rode back the 40-50km on amazing single track. We were lucky enough to see a big healthy mother Grizzly with 4 cubs(!!) along the way. I love being up there it is ridiculously amazing.