Lynn Valley’s iconic mountain bike trails have become the in-the-wild studio of North Shore photographer Lukáš Janko. The avid mountain biker has been working on a series of self-portraits.
Self control
Czech-born Janko was lured to the North Shore mountains by the promise of snowboarding. He soon incorporated another interest into his days on the slopes: photography. To amp up the challenge, he didn’t spend his time in the terrain park watching others; instead, he developed a technique for self-portraits.
“I started with snowboard tricks,” said Janko. “I would practice the trick, then set up the composition of the photo with a wireless remote in my hand. It’s tough to get a nice photo by freezing a fraction of a moment. Something small like the body or arm position might not be right. It can take a lot of tries to get satisfied to match the image I have in my head.”
Thinking back, Janko ties his interest in art to his father’s side of the family and his grandfather, who also did photography. The long-held interest helped him build a portfolio of both action and art photography. Continuing to push his skills and achieve his artistic vision he level-uped his skills after building an enduro biking changing how he explored and interacted with the trails.
“I actually had never experienced mountain biking when I moved here but there is only snow a few months of the year so I was looking for something else,” he said. “After the winter I borrowed a friend’s bike to fill the space between snowboarding season and for exploring.”
Like any true biker, Janko fell in love with his second-hand bikes. As he shares his story, he recalls the smallest details of those early rides and the all-too-common experience of how bike theft affected his early days, stalling his riding for several years.
Flash forward
Capturing the atmospheric trails of the North Shore in the context of self-portrait photography has led to an obsession. In just over three years, Janko rode 570 days – most with the goal of photography. It’s remarkable given that a crash last summer required surgery and cut his season short.
A single image can take hours.
“You can return to the same sport over and over – there is no limit because the weather conditions and light may never happen again,” he said. “Next time it will be a different creative opportunity – unlimited possibilities.”
The process is exact – syncing impressive athletic feats with artistic precision. Janko must set up his equipment, assess the ride for safety, hike the bike up, find a comfortable – and safe – position for his remote and then ride the line while clicking the remote at the perfect time. There are opportunities for failure in every step. The light might simply change.
“It makes me stop and look around at the trails – to slow down and see possibilities,” he said. “It’s important that I make a photo that matches my vision. I will come back again and again – hundreds of tries until I am satisfied. Then I think I have a good photo from the camera screen and I look on the big screen [his computer] and I am not satisfied. I will go back. I am willing to put in all day for a photo.”
Other times, he must move quickly knowing there is a moment or two of special light to capture sun stars through the trees. A true adoptee of his new home Janko, prefers to ride and photograph in grey skies and in the rain – enduring the risk of the remote on wet handlebars for the ability to freeze rain with a flash.
You may have encountered him at Mt. Fromme selling his work to fellow riders. The drive for perfection has led to an impressive catalogue of images that led him to publish his first calendar for 2025 which he sold at End of the Line and Lynn Valley Bikes and biker to biker to overcome the Canada Post strike. His work can be seen on a large scale in the windows of North Shore Bike Shop. Janko also offers a variety of photoshoot services including capturing local riders and visitors in their mountain bike photos. His work will be on display and for sale on his website soon.
“With video becoming increasingly popular, I still believe in the magic of photography to capture a single perfect moment.”
Looking for more?
There’s always something fun and exciting happening in Lynn Valley. Check out our Community Events Calendar or learn more about Local Activities, Mountain Biking or Hiking and Walking Trails.
