I recently read an article about Jordan Manley in American Photo Magazine.
This man is an adventurer who can be found roaming the trails of Southern British Columbia, Canada, with a camera securely strapped to his body…
Looking at his splendid photographs, you can tell the man is having fun, whether he is on his skis or his mountain bike! Like most people who have chosen to live by a mountain, the bike/ski combination gives you the opportunity to enjoy the wilderness year long, and the Whistler/Blackcomb resort does offer great access to their slopes during wintertime as well as summertime.
By the way, the Winter Olympics are coming to Vancouver in February 2010 (in case you’ve been living in a cave lately…) and we got record amounts of snow this past November!! A lot of potential visitors decided to shy away from Whistler/Blackcomb because of the Olympics, but I heard that there is some vacancy in the period leading to February!! So, if you love snow and don’t know British Columbia, check it out, and I promise you won’t regret it!!!
But I digress… Our man here is an interesting character, with a very personal style, showing a close relationship to his subjects. The kind of results he gets are only a result of him being part of the people he chooses to portray. Skiers and snowboarders (and probably mountain bikers too…) are like wild animals, who live in packs, and don’t let strangers approach too closely… So, if you want to capture them in their natural habitat, you need to spend time with them and hope to be accepted by them. There is no doubt Jordan is part of the clan!
Mountain bike and ski lovers have taken notice of his work, and so has the publishing and advertising industry. Jordan Manley was featured in ads for Helly Hansen, Gore-Tex, Oakley. His photographs appeared in many magazines including Powder, Ski, Bike, Snowboard Canada.
I will not paraphrase the excellent article published in American Photo here (Get your own copy, dammit!!), but there are some interesting tidbits of information for the aspiring snow and dirt photographers in it!
The funny fact about Jordan Manley is his educational background: Political Science! This is the proof that with talent, hard work and dedication, you can achieve your dreams!
Keep on clicking!
Ghyslain