Before They Pass Away

by Jimmy Nelson (Photographer)

This historic volume showcases tribal cultures around the world. With globalization, these societies are to be prized for their distinctive lifestyles, art and traditions. They live in close harmony with nature, now a rarity in our modern era. Jimmy Nelson not only presents us with stunning images of customs and artifacts, but also offers insightful portraits of people who are the guardians of a culture that they--and we--hope will be passed on to future generations in all its glory. Nelson's large-plate field camera captures every intricate detail and fine nuance for posterity. What's more, this splendid pageantry is set against a vivid backdrop of some of the world's most pristine landscapes. English/German/French edition.

Genres: Photography, Nonfiction, Art, History, Travel, Anthropology, Coffee Table Books

423 pages, Hardcover

First published September 15, 2013

Reviews

[Dmitry Berkut · Rating 5 out of 5]

Before They Pass Away is a captivating yet, in some ways, unsettling journey into the world of disappearing cultures. I bought this album when I saw that Nelson was working on the theme of the Mongolian Berkutchi, Eagle Hunters, a topic I had also explored. Without false modesty, I would say that my work seems more interesting to me, but only because I had complete immersion in the environment and didn't stage anything—just raw reportage. Nelson, on the other hand, prefers to arrive, dress up his subjects, take the photos, and leave. But that’s not the point here. I am in no way devaluing his work. Nelson is a master of staged photography. It’s his style. The book is produced to a high standard and can serve not only as a collector's item for photography enthusiasts but also as an important reminder of the fragility of human cultures. Not everyone may agree with Nelson’s approach, but his work undoubtedly prompts reflection on the value of every unique society and how crucial it is to preserve the diversity of the world.

[Chantal · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow, what a lovely book and fabulous pictures of tribal people. This is really a work of art. I loved also the page before each tribal with some info about beliefs/daily life and what they eat. I hope to read many more books of Jimmy Nelson. He really is good at his job.

[Chrisl · Rating 5 out of 5]

Awesome photos ... minimal text
Kazakhs - page 9-33 (My favorite pictures - hunting with golden eagles, riding ponies, in incredible landscape.)
Himba - page 35-49
Huli, Asaro & Kalam - page 50-74
Chukchi - page 75-97 (Another section to re-view before returning book to library.)
Maori - page 99-111
Mustang - page 113-131 (Re-see these, too)
Gauchos - page 133-153 (Like Maori chapter, a weak section)
Tsaatan - page 155-169
Mursi - page 171-187 (Traditional ceremonial dress and paint, along with modern weapons.)
Rabari - page 189-203
Samburu - page 205-219
Ladakhi - page 221-239
Vanuata - page 241-273 (During my four days in the country, in 1969 while it was still called the New Hebrides, while the ship was loaded with copra, I wandered. It felt threatening, somehow, a colony ready to rebel.)
Tibetans - page 275-289
Huaorani - page 291-303
Drokpa - page 305-315
Dassanech, Banna, Karo & Hamar - page 317-342
Dani, Yali & Korowai - page 345-369
Nenets - page 371-385
Maasai - page 387-399

[Richard Newton · Rating 4 out of 5]

A huge coffee table style book - beautifully presented and full of fantastic photographs of tribal and ethnic groups and individuals in their traditional costumes, captured before "they pass away" under the pressures of global homogenisation. This is a vast heavy book, probably the largest book we own. It is almost solely images, with very limited text only explaining who each photograph is of.

My only caveat is that the photographs are rather staged. They are beautiful and evocative, but the book has a slight feel of a Victorian explorer's staged pictures of the world rather than realistic portrayals. Nevertheless a rather wonderful book, and if you want to get an impression of the once vast cultural diversity in the world it is worth getting hold of a copy.

[nettebuecherkiste · Rating 5 out of 5]

Jimmy Nelsons prachtvollen Bildband habe ich nach seinen Erscheinen auf der Frankfurter Buchmesse durchgeblättert – und ich war begeistert. Leider war das Buch damals aber zu kostspielig für mich. Nun gibt es jedoch eine sogenannte „kleine Ausgabe“ (die weder klein noch leicht ist ;-)) für deutlich weniger Geld, da habe ich natürlich zugeschlagen.

Jimmy Nelson ist durch die ganze Welt gereist, um Aufnahmen der letzten Stammeskulturen zu machen, bevor diese unwiederbringlich durch den Einzug der Modernität erlöschen. Die Begleittexte sind zweisprachig – englisch und deutsch – und geben einen kurzen Überblick über Ursprünge, Brauchtum, Glaube, Lebensweise und Ernährung der jeweiligen Kultur.

Natürlich sind die gezeigten Kulturen teilweise auch schon westlich beeinflusst, was Jimmy Nelson auch gar nicht zu verstecken versucht. So lugt unter manchem Gewand der ein oder andere Turnschuh hervor, ein bisschen verstörend ist, dass einige Männer verschiedener Kulturen sich mit Maschinengewehren zeigen. Jimmy Nelsons Anliegen ist: „… Bilder erschaffen, die uns und die nachfolgenden Generationen an die Schönheit des unverfälschten und authentischen Lebens erinnern, an das Wesentliche, das uns dieses Leben lehrt und das uns in der sogenannten zivilisierten Welt offenbar abhanden gekommen ist.“ (Seite 290)

Und weiter kann ich nicht mehr viel zu dem Buch sagen, außer: „Es ist großartig“. Die Fotos sind ausnahmslos von allerhöchster Qualität und wunderschön. Ein außerordentlicher Schatz und ein wichtiges Dokument der Menschheit.

[Carolyn Walsh · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the most stunningly gorgeous book of photographs of tribal people I have ever seen. The tribal people are beautifully staged in their native dress and the photos are unsurpassed. This will be a testament for future generations of how many of these people are living and dressing today before they are assimilated into the modern society and dressing in Western clothing, after giving up their traditional way of life and nomadic existence. The book is expensive, but such lavish photos on high quality heavy paper with backdrops of pristine landscape and with summaries in three languages of their origins, lifestyle, religions and diets. Having visited many of the tribes my only regret was that he had no photos of the Asmat tribe in West Papua which are seldom visited, isolated from the travel circuit and very interesting, and only one photo of the Korowai people. Lots of wonderful photos of the Dani people which are probably the most photographed in that country.Very highly recommended for anyone interested in anthropology, tribal people and their traditions and amazing human photography. Very large book weighing 12 pounds with photos of 20 remote tribes.

[Jim · Rating 1 out of 5]

White Neo-colonial a-hole. His orientalist views ooze from the images, staging the tribes into their 'natural' environment, which basically only shows his Western White perspective on it. The title alone already shows a form of entitlement... Before 'THEY' Pass Away...

[Erik B.K.K. · Rating 1 out of 5]

Either a sore Nelson fan or Chinese user reported my review. Congratulations, you've accomplished nothing.


On its own, if one has no comparison material or if this is one of the first ethno-photography books one has read, it looks alright. Compared to Hamid Sardar or Steve McCurry (although the latter sometimes suffers from the same flaws) and the works of other photographers, it's plain bad.

I really dislike Nelson's work. Almost every picture is staged, inauthentic, heavily, heavily edited, unengaging and dull. The people are dressed up, in mishmash outfits, like circus people (https://www.survivalinternational.org...). They are told to look sternly, their faces washed out because Nelson heavily de-saturates/filters his pictures. Photographs almost never depict daily life or realistic scenes. It's Disneyfication and honestly it's offensive. The Nepali tribe is the sole and refreshing exception in this book.

The added information on the photographed tribes is even more brief than their respective Wikipedia articles. Nelson sells fairy tale versions of happy tribes as if they're all paradisaical, better versions of modern society. The untainted Adam and Eve blabla. "Before they pass away", like the last, pitiful individuals of extinct animals living in zoos. No word on Maasai female circumcision in the paragraph on body modification. No word on China's violent occupation and theft of Tibet. No: "Tibet is under the sovereignty of China, which is viewed as illegal occupation by the Tibetan government in exile". I guess Nelson had to [redacted] to be allowed to photograph the Tibetans...

[Cathy · Rating 5 out of 5]

The most amazing photographs --- a modern day Edward Curtis, preserving images of vanishing peoples.

[JaumeMuntane · Rating 4 out of 5]

4,5/5

Fascinante recorrido, esencialmente fotográfico, por varias e interesantísimas culturas índigenas alrededor del mundo. Inspirándose, como él mismo reconoce, en el trabajo de Edward S. Curtis, el autor realiza un fenomenal trabajo fotográfico plasmando de forma espectacular a culturas apasionantes como los kazakhs (mongolia), himba (namibia), huli, asaro y kalam (Papua Nueva Guinea), chukchi (rusia), mustang (nepal), tsaatan (mongolia), mursi, dassanech, banna, karo o hamar (etiopia), rabari (india), samburu (kenya), huaorani (ecuador), dani, yali o korawai (indonesia), etc. Junto a las fotografías, un pequeño texto sobre origen, estilo de vida, creencia, alimentación... (texto algo básico, pero que sirve para situar cada cultura e invitar a descubrir más de cada una de ellas).

Podéis entrar en su web www.jimmynelson.com y disfrutar con varias de sus excelentes fotografías.

[Akke · Rating 4 out of 5]

incredible photos and stories

[Rose · Rating 5 out of 5]

Words can't capture the humanity of this book! LOVE!

[Vincent Boon · Rating 5 out of 5]

BEAUTIFUL PHOTOGRAPHY

[Brandie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Beautiful book. I wish there were captions about each image though.

[Thoaium · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beeindruckend. Dieses Wort beschreibt meiner Ansicht nach das Buch perfekt. Dies liegt zum einem an der Größe, zum anderen an den grandiosen Bildern. Das Buch ist wirklich riesig und sehr schwer. Ich hätte mir wahrscheinlich das Buch in der Bibliothek ansehen sollen und es nicht mit nach Hause nehmen sollen. Wäre meinem Rucksack besser bekommen. Durch dieses Format kommen die Bilder aber sehr gut zur Geltung. Jimmy Nelson hat für diesen Bildband die Lebensweise verschiedener Stammeskulturen aus aller Welt dokumentiert. Man sieht nicht nur die Lebensweise und die traditionelle Kleidung, sondern auch neben Porträts auch die Landschaft, in denen die Gemeinschaften leben. Allein bei dem Anblick der Landschaften fühlte ich eine Ehrfurcht vor der Natur. Bei dem Anblick der Menschen spürt man den Stolz und die Würde. Wie oft sieht man bei Dokumentationen, dass die Kinder in abgerissenen T-Shirts durch das Dorf mit den scharrenden Hühnern laufen und das stinkende Abwasser mit viel Müll einfach in einer Rinne die Straße entlang läuft? Wer denkt da nicht, dass die Zivilisation noch nicht da ist. Unter Umständen mit Mitleid für die Einwohner, die ohne Strom und Sanitäranlagen etc. leben müssen. Solche Bilder gibt es in diesem Buch nicht. Das Buch vermittelt wirklich die Kultur und den Stolz der Personen und es gab so einige die auf mich einfach nur weise wirkten. Zu den einzelnen Völkern/Stämmen gibt es Texte in Deutsch, Englisch und Französisch, diese habe ich ehrlich gesagt nicht vollständig gelesen, lieber habe ich mir die Fotographien angesehen. Die Texte beschreiben die Ursprünge, den Brauchtum, den Glaube, die Lebensweise und die Ernährung. In den Texten steht dann auch beispielsweise, dass der Stamm auch Kannibalismus ‚betreibt‘. Auf einigen Fotos lassen sich die Personen auch mit Waffen ablichten. Die Kulturen werden also auch nicht mit einer rosa Brille gezeigt.
Das Buch ist mit 128 € ziemlich teuer. Der Preis ist bei dem ganzen Aufwand sicherlich gerechtfertigt, aber es ist und bleibt eine stolze Summe (stolz wie die Personen auf den Portraits). Ehrlich gesagt kauf ich mir das Buch vermutlich mal irgendwann, wenn ich mal so viel Geld übrig habe.

[Marcus · Rating 3 out of 5]

What I did like:

- Pictures are beaultiful. Really impressive.
- I like that the book has the text written in English, French and German.

What I dind't like very much:

- The book is a bit too big. Maybe 5cm smaller in height would have been fine, still big enough and it would fit in the bookshelf with other "big books".
- It could have more information about the cultures/tribes. He could even add more text about his journey to get there, interviews or dialogs with some of the people, put a name to them, etc..
- The index is located in the end of the book.

[Lily · Rating 5 out of 5]

A photo essay of indigenous and traditional people from around the world, often living in remote environments preserving ways of living that are thousands of years old. The photos are striking and portray both a pride, stoicism, and lots of joy, play, and daily life. The photographer talks about how much trust went into creating this collection, including an amusing story about drinking in Siberia and how reindeers love human urine, resulting in a tent collapse in the middle of the night in subzero temperatures....

[Nic Dumesnil · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the book that made this photographer famous, and with good reason. In this great book of difficult to compare quality, he explores some of the most isolated tribes on the planet. He takes pictures of people like portraits of big stars (which they are). It also teaches us about their realities and their customs. A 'must have' for any lover of the peoples of the world.

Key takeaways:
People from tribes and small groups can be easily marginalized and forgotten. It is our collective duty to give them the place they should have and to recognize the heritage they carry.

[Bas Cordewener · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wonderful pictures of people and cultures that may soon be gone. Incredible beauty from locations that for a long time could hide from or remain imune to modernity. The very nicely arranged photos, pieces of art, depicting the people in their most impressive clothes, also brings awareness that you can never really understand who they are, what they feel.

[Dirk · Rating 5 out of 5]

Just stunning. Wouldn’t have bought it myself due to the price, but was offered as a Christmas gift from my employer. Lovely stuff. I will definitely re-read/watch it for inspiration. Perfect addition to my bookshelves.

[j. j. · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of the most beautiful books I have ever had the pleasure of owning. The app integration makes the pictures come alive. It had long been on my wishlist and was definitely worth the wait (and money).

[Robbie Whelan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Beautiful photos, erg descriptions of tribes I'd never heard of before. Recommended if you find it in an AirBnB on a lake in Mexico and you get sort of bored.

[Wendy]

So beautiful!!

[Nico · Rating 5 out of 5]

A truly remarkable coffee table book (and a good birthday present for a loved one who is interested in photography, travelling or anthropology)

[Jack Robinson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Each picture is better than a thousand words

[Fredodm · Rating 5 out of 5]

Exceptional Photobook on indigenous peoples of the world

[Maas · Rating 5 out of 5]

Prachtig.

[Joeri Dassen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Schitterende fotografie.

[Kris Luyten · Rating 5 out of 5]

beautiful pictures & some background

[Wink · Rating 5 out of 5]

STUNNING PHOTOGRAPHS OF THE WORLD’S DISAPPEARING TRIBAL CULTURES

This is a massive book. Oversized pages printed on very heavy stock. It’s one of those proverbial coffee table books that are almost a table themselves. But inside is a remarkable journey. Collected into this single volume are high-fashion portraits of tribal people in their most distinguished, authentic costumes. With great care and respect, photographer Jimmy Nelson captures these proud subjects at their best, for all time. For many ethnic groups, their culture is disappearing. In several decades, their traditions will be gone, and even their native dress will have to be faked for tourists. With missionary zeal to capture what he could “before they pass away,” Nelson traveled deep off the road to arrive at these remnant societies. He worked with the indigenous people to present themselves to the world with dignity and joy. What you get is a last testament of tribal life. You can lose yourself for hours – or weeks, or years! – studying the deep details in each image. The extremely large format takes you further into their lives than a National Geographic image does. You can bathe in their diversity, and soak up the differences, and soothe in their commonality. No one who has journeyed into this book has returned unchanged. – Kevin Kelly

Before They Pass Away
by Jimmy Nelson
teNeues
2013, 408 pages, 11.9 x 14.8 x 2.1
$102 Buy a copy on Amazon