Since his first internationally acclaimed exploration through Tibet almost 30 years ago, Jimmy Nelson (born in Kent, England, 1967) has travelled to the world’s most hidden corners to photograph indigenous peoples. In 2013 he published his first book Before They Pass Away, with which his lifelong dream, to create awareness about the world’s unimaginable diversity, became reality. The name chosen for this project had roused attention as it may give the impression that he pessimistically saw the sealed fate of those peoples he had come to meet.

And maybe this is how he initially felt. But since he published his first book, his sustained and amazing interaction with the most diverse range of peoples have made him backtrack on this view. Where there are challenges, there are solutions. He has come to appreciate the pride, strength, vigour, honour and resilience of the people he asked to pose for his lens.

This provides him with an unending inspiration to continue his work and set up the Jimmy Nelson Foundation.