Jimmy Nelson – Before They Pass Away
Dirk Terpstra: You have visited and photographed the last 31 cultures of the world. But what I find so fascinating is that apart from these incredible special experiences, you learned some valuable lessons that go beyond photography. What were those lessons?
Jimmy Nelson: They are not the definitive last cultures, but they are my choice today and there are another 35 to be discovered. It is a very subjective choice based on their isolation, the geography and the way they look. The next 35 I will photograph in the near future for part two of the project but they are in locations and places which are difficult to access because of political and geographical reasons and I will need help with that. The first part of the project was done with no help, but for the second part I need the involvement of local authorities and governments.
There are indeed three profound lessons that I learned during this journey that go beyond my photography:
1. Look a bit closer and don’t judge others, you never know what’s behind the corner
2. Dare to feel who you truly are. Many people deliberately choose a certain way of living and they are very happy with their choice
3. By being vulnerable and by letting go you can virtually connect with anyone
These lessons have consolidated what I have always felt, otherwise I wouldn’t even have seen this. Not a lot of people dare to be vulnerable but I didn’t have a choice and to me, at this point in my life, I also don’t really care to be vulnerable with others. I was out there on the TED podium and I loved sharing these lessons and the audience loved it too. I wasn’t selling anything, I was just talking about my experiences and how they made me feel.
