Soon after, he was commissioned to cover a variety of culturally newsworthy themes for many of the world leading publications ranging from the russian involvement in afghanistan and the ongoing strife between india and pakistan in kashmir to the beginning of the war in former yugoslavia.

In early 1994 he and his dutch wife ashkaine produced literary portraits of china, a 40 month project that took them to all the hidden corners of the newly opening people's republic. Upon its completion the images were exhibited in the people's palace on tiananmen square, beijing and then followd by a succesful worldwide tour.

From 1997 onwards, jimmy began to succesfully undertake commercial advertising assignments for many of the world's leading brands whilst creating a family based in amsterdam the netherlands. At the same time he started accumulating images of remote and unique cultures photographed with a traditional 50-year-old plate camera and awards followed.

Between 2010 & 2014 jimmy nelson travelled the world to document some of the most fantastic indigenous cultures left on the planet today. He had come to realize that from a life spent travelling that his camera was the perfect tool for making contact and building intimate and unique friendships. Relationships with hither to unknown and understood communities in some of the farther most reaches of the planet. He wanted to discover how the rest of the world is threatening to change their way of life forever. But most importantly, he wanted to create an ambitious aesthetic photographic document that would stand the test of time.

Jimmy's projects title "before they pass away" is intended to be a controversial catalyst for further discussion as to the authenticity of these fragile disappearing cultures. Jimmy Nelson is not a studied scientist but rather a self-trained ethnologist and visual anthropologist who through curiosity is trying to find answers. He wants to tell stories that leave room for the recipent's questions with the project Jimmy Nelson wanted to create an awareness for the fascinating variety of the culture and history charged symbols of the people, reflecting their rites, customs and traditions, that had hitherto has not existed.