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!