Well, this is cool—I just found out my Bull Rampage Photo photo of freeride legend Adolph Silva sending it made the finalist list in the Cycling Category of the 2025 World Sports Photography Awards, sponsored by MPB.
Not Bad
The World Sports Photography Awards is the only global contest dedicated to sports photography, and this year was the toughest yet. Over 2,200 photographers from 96 countries threw their best shots into the ring, and my photo of Adolph ended up in the top 35 for the cycling category out of over 7,000 entries.
maybe I should enter more photo contests
Turns out, his is only the third photo contest I’ve ever entered, and all three times, I’ve had a shot make it to the finals. Back in 2023, I had two of the 10 finalist photos in the Cycling Category at the World Sports Photography Awards. Oh, and that same year, my work made it to the semifinals in the Masterpiece category at the Red Bull Illume contest.
I guess the lesson here is if you’re going to do something, swing for the fences—or in this case, the cliffs.
The Story Behind the Shot
So here’s the deal—this shot of Adolph Silva came together at the Red Bull Rampage, which, if you don’t know, is basically the Super Bowl of freeride mountain biking. It’s where riders huck themselves off cliffs and down insane terrain in Utah’s desert.
Getting this photo wasn’t just about pressing the shutter at the right time. It took hours of scouting, waiting, and also knowing the light would hit just right. The morning of Rampage finals, I was atop the venue scouting this drop hours before the sun had even come up. I eyed this drop knowing the sun would eventually be rising above and to the left. Although I couldn’t see him approaching on his run, I prefocused on where I thought he might take off, and also practiced my camera movement dozens of times. Having shot the Red Bull Rampage since the contest began over 20 years ago, I know I can typically hear when a rider drops by eavesdropping on the course marshall’s radios. Once I heard he was dropping, I had about 10 seconds until he was flying directly above my head. My Canon R5 II got the shot.
When Adolph took off and went full send, I had one chance to get it—and, thankfully, the camera gods were smiling that day. There wasn’t another photographer within a hundred yards of me, so I know no one else has a photo like this.
Celebrate the Finalists
The World Sports Photography Awards is rolling out the finalist images across their social channels and website over the next month. Check out my photo and the rest of the jaw-dropping shots at WorldSportsPhotographyAwards.com.
Final Thoughts
It’s always cool to have one’s work recognized—and once again in one of the biggest contests in the world, no less. It’s proof that effort, planning, a bit of luck, and hanging out with elite athletes like Adolph Silva can pay off.
About Ryan Cleek Productions
I’ve been chasing light, riders, and epic moments for over 20 years now. At Ryan Cleek Productions, I focus on action-packed mountain bike photography, action sports photography, and outdoor industry filmmaking—whether it’s mountain biking, adventure sports, or anything that involves dirt, sweat, and style. My goal is always to tell a story and make people stop scrolling.
If you want to see more of my work, head over to RyanCleekProductions.com.