Fun & Famous

FOUR QUESTIONS FOR TOP PHOTOGRAPHER JIMMY NELSON

British wanderlust Jimmy Nelson has the coolest job ever: he traveled the world for two and a half years, visited the most remote places, and portrayed dozens of tribes. He created bestselling books, spoke at TEDxAmsterdam, and lo and behold: today he is in our country for his first solo exhibition.

During the new expo, titled ‘Jimmy's VIP’, snapshots of the ‘Very Important People’ for Jimmy Nelson himself will be presented this time. It's high time to get to know him better.

You want to capture what is about to disappear, what is the reason behind this?

‘I don't necessarily want to show things that are disappearing, I want to show the things that I find very beautiful. Unfortunately, those are also things that are at risk of disappearing due to globalization. With my photos, I hope to create a reference work to show future generations what is inevitably going to disappear. It's not that I'm desperately trying to prevent change, because the only certainty we have is that everything changes.’

What do you hope to convey with your photography?

‘I want to make people feel and see how beautiful the world really is. Right now, there is a lot of attention on negative things and little understanding of how others live. Understanding each other is the gateway to love, truly.’

It is of course incredibly difficult to choose between your children, but which photo series are you the proudest of?

‘That is indeed a difficult question, because often the effort I had to put in to take a photo is etched in my memory and this image therefore influences my feelings about a photo. But, if I really have to answer, it is the series I made in Chukotka, the northernmost area of the world, for which I had to drive for 50 days in a closed tanker over snowfields to reach the area. It was -40 degrees, my equipment barely functioned, but the photos turned out amazing; I am very proud of them.’

What are your best tips for taking photos that stick in your mind?

‘The one and only tip is making a connection; take your time and try to focus on one or two really beautiful photos rather than a series of quick snapshots. Furthermore, it is very important to use the right light: early in the morning or at sunset.’

Want to admire the expo itself? You can do so until June 19 at the Rademakers Gallery in Amsterdam. Go see it, people, go see it.