introduction

For the people who missed out on this project let's give em a small introduction Before they pass away is a project by (ex-)commercial photographer Jimmy Nelson. When the big budget jobs got smaller and smaller, he got the idea for this personal project. He went to all corners off the globe shooting portraits of some of the last real old tribes which still live like they do for centuries. 

Last week I finally got my own copy of the book. It toke me a while before deciding if I would buy it or not. Because it is a little bit expensive at a price of €128,-.  

The Book

The book is a really nice thick book. The print quality is beautiful. Every chapter starts with a introduction to the tribe, where they live and what makes them special. After that there is a series off really stunning portraits.

Take also in mind the most of the pictures are taken with an old 8x10 camera. Which has the biggest advantage that it always works also without any power. All tough also keep in mind he also used a Nikon D3. 

Behind the scenes

Here are a shot documentary about the shoot with one of the tribes

And here is a nice video of Jimmy talking about the project:

The verdict

Before they pass away is a must have for every photographer and house hold. Yes, it is a bit expensive. But it is one of the most beautiful photobooks I have on my shelf. You can read about all the tribes or just enjoy the photographs. 

I have also been to the exhibition in the Leidse Museum voor Volkenkunde, and I can also recommend to visit the exhibition if it is in a town near you!