Lets start with the basics, where are you from, where do you live, how old are you, and how long have you been making it?
I call Vancouver home, but when the snow falls I head to Whistler for the winter. I turned 24 today, I hate getting older. However, its been a great year. I've been doing this thing professional for 3 or so years now and this year has been the best.
What type of gear do you typically take out with you on a shoot?
Typically I try not to load my pack up too much. I like to be able to ski and hike without having to compromise speed and fun. I shoot with a smaller body (D200 and more recently a D700) plus a fisheye, 80-200, 50, 28, and a tilt shift. I bring lights when I know I'll use them for sure, but thats not day to day.
If you weren't out shooting all the time what do you think you'd be doing with your time?
Hard to say. I would like to say I would be skiing and riding my bike, but its shooting that affords me the ability to be able to make a life in the mountains. I've been hacking away at a Political Science degree the last few years; I do that in the fall when its down season on the slopes.
You do a lot of self portraits, and have even had a cover, what's your thought process behidn that? Is it that you have nothing to shoot that day, you're out shooting and decide to do one, or is it planned out?
The self portrait thing emerged from having no one to shoot sometimes. I thought, "why don't I try that on my own, that might just work." I took some pictures I was happy with and that inspired me to keep the project alive. I've come to really enjoy the process of building a photograph alone, even though sometimes its a strange thing to be in the forest at night by yourself, not to mention difficult and tedious. Most of the self portraits I do are planned, but some aren't.
So when you go out you said you like to keep it light, how do you normally get out into the back country?
Most of my backcountry experiences come in the form of lift-accessed hiking off the back of Whistler-Blackcomb. I spend a few days in a heli each year, but mostly I hike and tour. I'm not a sled guy, despite the constant pressure to do so.
Does that mean for the most part you shoot your photos around the whistler/blackcomb area? Or do you travel quite a bit as well?
The majority of my photos are from WB, I love it there, but I have been able to travel as well. This year I was fortunate enough to have spent some time in the Kootenays, France, and this summer I had an amazing trip to Chile and Argentina.
You've entered and won some contests this year as well, what was that experience like? Who were you headed up against?
Yeah, I was in WB's Deep Winter contest, and Portillo/Skiing magazines South American Photo Challenge. Deep Winter was pretty tough. Long days in heavy snow the whole time; wet gloves, empty stomachs. I was with some great photogos, Ian Coble, Dano Pendygrasse, Phil Tifo, Brian Ralph, and a long time inspiration to me, Paul Morrison. Portillo was a little more relaxed; we had a grand old time in the old hotel there, again, amongst great talent: Adam Clark, Gene Dwarkin, Grant Gunderson, and Steve Lloyd. I think they were both huge learning experiences, and being able to come out on top for both of them was a boost to my confidence as a photographer.
Speaking of learning experiences, in the past 3 years, what do you think has changed the most about your approach to the whole photography business?
Last year I set some goals, I wanted to get some cover images, nationally, and internationally. I was able to meet those goals, and I've built on those successes this year, which I'm really happy about. I don't think I'm in any rush to make a whole pile of money, I would like to continue to shoot with my friends and make new ones, see new places, and continue to ski as much as I can. I meet 40yr old stock brokers on the chairlift all the time that tell me they wish they could ski as much as I do...whats money for if you can't experience the things you love to do?
I think everyone wishes they could do what you do, going back to one of your previous answers, who did you look up to while you were growing up, did you always think you'd be shooting photos? or was it skiing first, photos second? You mentionned you got to hang out with Paul Morisson
Yeah, Paul is the king of mountain light, his work has always caught my eye and inspired mine. I began shooting biking and skiing just as a way of documenting my friends and our love of being outside playing on bikes and skis. Sterling Lorence has always been my greatest inspiration. His images have defined the realm of North Shore mountain biking, and his work remains the best in the world. A non sports photographer who has inspired my work is Freeman Patterson, his compositions are truly meaningful. I've had my own successes, but these guys are constant inspirations.
So what can people expect out of you this year, are you going to be pushing your photography to a different level or experimenting some more?
I hope to travel and document some exotic places, hopefully improving my journalistic style, at the same time pushing what I'm capable of physically in the mountains. I have some ideas that I want to achieve in the POV realm, so we'll see how those go.
Look forward to seeing it.. I think that should do, any last words? Website where people can check out your work?
http://www.jordanmanley.com I cant think of any last words right now hah
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