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Travel

A Travel Photographer Shares Lessons from Tribes Around the World

Jimmy Nelson talks three decades of humbling, embarrassing, and informing stories from traveling around the world.

How often do you learn a valuable lesson from pissing yourself drunk, besides, "never drink that much again?" While traveling with a Central Mongolian tribe, photographer Jimmy Nelson learned lessons both in reindeer psychology and humor after downing too much vodka and wetting his tent. As the story goes, he woke up to reindeer charging into his bed (apparently they love human urine). Nelson tells this and more stories, accompanied by his majestic portraits of the customs and trappings of indigenous peoples from accross the world, in a new video from the Cooperative of Photography. Like Aesop's fables, Nelson's anecdotes have lessons touching on knowledge, vulnerability, and pride. Young photographers can also learn a lot about how to interact with subjects respectfully and purposefully. Check out Nelson's photographs and guidance below.

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© Jimmy Nelson

© Jimmy Nelson

© Jimmy Nelson

© Jimmy Nelson

© Jimmy Nelson

Jimmy Nelson currently has a show at Gallery KNOKKE through September 18. See more of his work on his website. Visit the Cooperative of Photography for more tips, tricks, and interviews with photographers.

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