THE ACCIDENTAL CAREER OF JIMMY CHIN
In August 2003, Jimmy Chin was photographing a team of professional climbers on Mount Everest when a wall of ice came down and nearly killed them all. While the ice carried him some 40 meters down the mountain, he managed to capture the drama with his camera, bringing back some amazing photos. They were so good, in fact, that he was quickly hired to film background scenes for a major documentary about the mountain. Not bad for someone who only five years earlier hadn’t even owned a camera.(lines 1–6)
Although Chin discovered the sport of mountain climbing in his teens, he became interested in photography much later. "Back in 1999, I was training for an expedition with a friend who's a professional photographer," he recalls. "Early one morning, I happened to pick up his camera and take a photo of him in his sleeping bag with our equipment scattered all around." To everyone's surprise, out of all the photographs, Chin's picture was the only one that was sold. He used the money to buy a camera of his own. Acquiring the technical skills came easily to him, and soon his photographs began appearing in exhibitions and prestigious magazines. "Chin has a rare talent for placing the person in the context of the landscape and making them both come alive," explains Matt Stanley, former editor of Climbing magazine.(lines 7–15)
It's Chin's stories in picture and film of people and their brave struggles to climb higher and conquer more dangerous landscapes that have made him so famous. His ability to capture the moments that show courage and adventure became the foundation of his award-winning career. But Chin doesn't just take photographs; he is a professional climber and skier as well. How did Chin get interested in these activities? He explains that a book about adventure that he read as a child had a huge influence on him. "I loved the idea of being brave," he says. "These wild adventures inspired me to do daring things that most people cannot even imagine doing."(lines 16–22)
Chin, who has skied and climbed his way around the world, believes that a lot of meaningful stories come out of expeditions because they represent the positive sides of humanity: determination, overcoming challenges, teamwork and trust. Recently, he has developed a sense of mission as well. "I'd like my work to be inspiring," he says. "Not everyone can climb Mount Everest but I think that images of people doing amazing things may help others realize that they too are capable of doing the extraordinary."(lines 23–28)