Think about something you've always wanted to try and decide to commit to pursuing it without knowing what the outcome will be.

Career

Commit to something and figure it out.

Photographer Jimmy Chin is best known for taking extraordinary imagery while climbing and skiing in extremely high-risk environments. Check out his recent work and find out what he is doing next!

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Are you more comfortable in hiking boots or scuba gear than a suit? The outdoor industry has a variety of career opportunities. Explore your options based on your interests! 

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Get a glimpse into what goes into one of photographer Jimmy Chin's ski mountaineering projects. Is this something you dream of doing one day? 

Find out what it's like to be an adventure photographer! 

Photographers

Photograph people, landscapes, merchandise, or other subjects, using digital or film cameras and equipment. May develop negatives or use computer software to produce finished images and prints. Includes scientific photographers, aerial photographers, and photojournalists.

Artistic occupations frequently involve working with forms, designs and patterns. They often require self-expression and the work can be done without following a clear set of rules.

Artistic

Realistic occupations frequently involve work activities that include practical, hands-on problems and solutions. They often deal with plants, animals, and real-world materials like wood, tools, and machinery. Many of the occupations require working outside, and do not involve a lot of paperwork or working closely with others.

Realistic

Enterprising occupations frequently involve starting up and carrying out projects. These occupations can involve leading people and making many decisions. Sometimes they require risk taking and often deal with business.

Enterprising

First Interest High-Point

Social occupations frequently involve working with, communicating with, and teaching people. These occupations often involve helping or providing service to others.

Social

Investigative occupations frequently involve working with ideas, and require an extensive amount of thinking. These occupations can involve searching for facts and figuring out problems mentally.

Investigative

Conventional occupations frequently involve following set procedures and routines. These occupations can include working with data and details more than with ideas. Usually there is a clear line of authority to follow.

Conventional

Second Interest High-Point

Third Interest High-Point

Job Zone Three: Medium Preparation Needed

Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports, and Media Occupations

Media and Communication Equipment Workers

Take pictures of individuals, families, and small groups, either in studio or on location.

Adjust apertures, shutter speeds, and camera focus according to a combination of factors, such as lighting, field depth, subject motion, film type, and film speed.

Use traditional or digital cameras, along with a variety of equipment, such as tripods, filters, and flash attachments.

Create artificial light, using flashes and reflectors.

Determine desired images and picture composition, selecting and adjusting subjects, equipment, and lighting to achieve desired effects.

Test equipment prior to use to ensure that it is in good working order.

Review sets of photographs to select the best work.

Estimate or measure light levels, distances, and numbers of exposures needed, using measuring devices and formulas.

Manipulate and enhance scanned or digital images to create desired effects, using computers and specialized software.

Perform maintenance tasks necessary to keep equipment working properly.

Perform general office duties, such as scheduling appointments, keeping books, and ordering supplies.

Determine project goals, locations, and equipment needs by studying assignments and consulting with clients or advertising staff.

Select and assemble equipment and required background properties, according to subjects, materials, and conditions.

Enhance, retouch, and resize photographs and negatives, using airbrushing and other techniques.

Set up, mount, or install photographic equipment and cameras.

Produce computer-readable, digital images from film, using flatbed scanners and photofinishing laboratories.

Direct activities of workers setting up photographic equipment.

Employ a variety of specialized photographic materials and techniques, including infrared and ultraviolet films, macro photography, photogrammetry and sensitometry.

Engage in research to develop new photographic procedures and materials.

Set up photographic exhibitions for the purpose of displaying and selling work.

Develop visual aids and charts for use in lectures or to present evidence in court.

License the use of photographs through stock photo agencies.

Mount, frame, laminate, or lacquer finished photographs.

Photograph legal evidence at crime scenes, in hospitals, or in forensic laboratories.

Transfer photographs to computers for editing, archiving, and electronic transmission.

Develop and print exposed film, using chemicals, touch-up tools, and developing and printing equipment.

Send film to photofinishing laboratories for processing.

Board reflectors

Bubble machines

Camera cleaning brushes

Camera flash attachments

Camera positioning tripods

Computer inkjet printers

Computer laser printers

Contact print frames

Darkroom thermometers

Darkroom timers

Digital pens

Digital photo printers

Digital still cameras

Dimmers

Dye sublimation printers

Electric print dryers

Film cameras

Film drying cabinets

Film scanners

Flash memory data storage devices

Flatbed scanners

Focus assists

Fog machines

Force film washers

Global positioning system GPS devices

Graduated neutral density GND filters

Graphics tablets

Haze filters

Image enlargers

Incident light meters

Label printers

Lamp reflectors

Laptop computers

Large format printers

Macro lenses

Magnifier loupes

Mobile adapters

Negative proofers

Neutral density ND filters

Optical media printers

Optical viewfinders

Personal computers

Polarizing lens filters

Rapid photo print washers

Reflected light meters

Ring flashes

Snoots

Softboxes

Sound blimps

Special effects projectors

Studio strobe flashes

Tablet computers

Telephoto lenses

White balancing lens filters

Wide angle lenses

Wireless flash triggers

Zoom lenses

Adobe Systems Adobe Acrobat

Adobe Systems Adobe After Effects

Adobe Systems Adobe AfterEffects

Adobe Systems Adobe Creative Suite

Adobe Systems Adobe InDesign

Adobe Systems Adobe Photoshop

Adobe Systems Adobe Photoshop Lightroom

Apple Final Cut Pro

Blinkbid

Cradoc fotoBiz

Email software

Facebook

Genbook

HindSight InView

Intuit QuickBooks

Light Blue Software Light Blue

Microsoft Access

Microsoft Excel

Microsoft Word

ShootQ

ShootZilla

Simplifi pixifi

Simply Studio System

StudioCloud

StudioPlus Spectra

SuccessWare

Tave Studio Manager

Twitter

Web browser software

WordPress

Photographer

[Jimmy] How's it going? Nice to meet you. nice to meet you, too. in a family that put a lot and career and, you know, I thought I had three options. lawyer, businessman. was only three options, And I did a lot I swam competitively for a long time in like these things that I did that wanted me to do. for myself was skiing. climbing, uh, in college. really moved me. a choice; I had to do it. was, you know, I was like, I'm gonna take a year off you know, just throw myself I feel like I have to do that And I ended up living blue Subaru for seven years and skiing and doing odd jobs, and like, you know. in some way sounds like idyllic, of challenges. something like that, of everything that you've It was challenging for me It wasn't like ev-, you know, this is such the right decision, You know, it was like, god, am I totally botching this? of the back of a car, I'm never gonna use." totally natural, you know? yeah, it's mind-boggling, I like the idea of going just following the doors [Jimmy] Yeah. Like, my friend was trying and he showed me how to use climbing, and I took this And then he tried to sell company bought one photo, I took with his camera. I could, whatever, I lived And they paid $500 "I could live on $500 a month the back of my car!" to take 12 photos a year! on the road forever!" years when you were living see yourself here? or were you kind of like, in case this doesn't work"? I was going. [Roadtripper #1] And were you out in ten years, I'm out"? [Jimmy] Nope. skiing and I'm happy"? And I'm gonna see where it goes. I mean, it's a simple idea. and then figure it out. anywhere unless you commit And never think that you decision, 'cause you will. It's like, "What am I doing?" It's like, I'm filming up face in the Himalayas, hunkered down. to be waiting tables right now." Or anything, really. questions. like when you made that to like... [Jimmy] Uh-huh. your parents want you to be [Jimmy] Oh yeah. [Jimmy] They were freaking out. for parents to like, you know, children, so when your child gonna move into the back full-time," they're like, [Roadtripper #2] At this stage parents stoked? I mean, my mother passed away you know, by that time, You know, I think once they saw that I had some momentum, about it. you know, I first published catalog on the coffee table. in the business and, you go "Mom, really? Come on." of magazines like this big, published or every picture interview was like bookmarked and like, you know? [Roadtripper #3] 'Cause kinda like the golden boy [Jimmy] Right, right. really well-- [Roadtripper #3] Yeah, They have this ex-expectation [Jimmy] Yeah. like, I'm just sittin' there I wanna do something But, like, what I wanna ask you [Jimmy] Justify it? kinda like just like, you know, and this is what I wanna do"? You just did it perfectly. This is what I wanna do. You're gonna have to let me [laughing] but then it's just like, like, "You're still on the road. [Jimmy laughing] But you are I mean, every day, you're moving forward. stepping stones kind of just... these different places. I ever had control of my life, myself at climbing, photography. I put together really really remote places. that without my education. skills you don't even know all of a sudden, you just start that you've picked up. kind of climbing career. talk about making a trip happen, go out there, do it, a different story. anything that scares you? [Roadtripper #1] Like what? [laughs] I can't imagine being so high [Jimmy] I'm human. I'm scared, whether it's like photo, or whether...I mean. [Jimmy] Yeah, but...I think level, a level of like doing of their comfort level, so. 

Choices

Doubt

Family

Fear

Pressure

Struggle

Interview

Everywhere you turn people try to tell you who to be and what to do. empowers people to define their trippers crossed the country of interesting people to learn you can't tell me nothin, about somethin with Bob Cassilly. make you talk to us. your plans, now give me your hand. about two weeks left. in it's really gone like it's like it's really taking off. to talk to people that have made it work, fun paying bills part. something that works for don't know anyone like that. talk to Bob Cassilly. Fontbonne University here in St. Louis. he is the architect of the City Museum. public spaces in the world. can we sit on the floor or what? sculpture at Colombia. really strange space where you love it, money doing it necessarily. >> Yeah, that's my dilemma. just to get some perspective, what they love, I guess. until I started building it. found me this local sculptor, and always woodcarving and things like that. so I went to college so I built up this insanity case too where I I stood up so I figured if they, just collapse in the middle of the thing. the whole time so- >> That's how I learned to become >> Is getting around the rules. See people they do stuff like that. done that throughout your life? I guess, the boxes. When I was in school what I decided was I could do what I wanted. city neighborhood, bought a house for to somebody from out of town for up until I got this building. 750,000 square feet of space for what I was going to do with it but I've always wanted to go to fantasy world. the foresight to see past the rules, saying you're gonna get in trouble, not a psychopath like me. that when I was younger. place was to fight depression. this unless there's some huge void. well, what have I got to lose. >> I'm gonna go forward and do what I wanna do. I've made them productive. people in our generation? that on anybody [LAUGH]. much, this was amazing. Well I'm going out next, run around there if you want. Cement Land right? >> That's gonna be here in St. >> It was the world's largest cement plant today before you drug me over here. crumbled place. knew what everything was gonna be. come down here, rush around here and the silos all together. working on it, it's just whatever accessible for the imagination. to be the ramps that go up. that day was amazing, the best day of my life. >> Figured out early on I needed to want live where nobody else wanted to live. mile journey to the west. what's wrong with you? before I drive here. is in the same country. I should have my own cooking show. you can do this at home. has led us to come together. has been like a nice bonding. rattlesnakes down there? over or something, like cardboard. >> Udaho-Idaho. we'll see a barn. there's a hell of a dogleg. a photographer, a skier. Everest summit attempt in four years. after expedition photographers. in the world according to the- bachelors in the world. put a lot of emphasis on education and growing I thought I had three options. was only three options. violin for a long time in a symphony, and my family and my parents wanted me to do. myself was skiing, and that really moved me and I had to do it. take a year off and climb, and ski, feel like I have to do that for myself. the back of a little blue Subaru for skiing. like you know, some way sounds like idyllic. when you do something like that, it goes you've been brought up to think and do. such the right decision I'm so psyched. God am I totally botching this? that I'm never gonna use. you know. cool to see that like, I like the idea of following the doors that open after that. >> You know what I mean. a photographer, and he showed me how to and I took this one shot with it. and this one company bought one photo, and took with his camera. I lived off of nothing, you know? and that was like, you know, living out of the back of my car. 12 photos a year, and I can live, in your car could you see yourself here? plan just in case this doesn't work. work out in 10 years I'm out? >> Nope. >> And I'm going to see where it goes. I mean it's a simple idea, and then figure it out. unless you commit to something. be questioning your decision of some gnarly face in the Himalayas. waiting tables right now. >> You know, or anything really. to ultimately go out and want you to be a lawyer, doctor? parents to like, their children, so to move into the back of my car and are your parents stoked? away four years ago, but when she, she was very, very excited. that I was making a living and really excited about it, and, of course, I first published a photo and on the coffee table. being in the business and, be like like mom, really come on. of magazines like this big. >> And every photo I had published or this sticky thing and like you know. >> [LAUGH] Cuz I'm like, the golden boy for my parents. >> Like I did really well. I'm just sitting there like oh my God, totally different but >> Justify it? this is where I need to be and this is what I want to do. me run with it for awhile. >> It's just like, I want to call him and you're moving forward. stepping stones kind of just I ever had control of my life. and then climbing produced photography. to like really remote places. that without my education. >> You have in college and then all of a sudden things that you've picked up. my kind of climbing career. a trip happen but actually to make it come back, that's a different story. [LAUGH] I'm scared whether it's my ego or fall or whether, I mean. I think everybody has a discomfort level. outside of their comfort level. and it was commit and figure it out. kind of being like, [SOUND], commit, it's a good quote. have said choose something and you've decided to see it through. what was gonna happen. climbing, snowboarding, living. just cuz he followed his dreams. >> I'm in love with a man it's like a really long dream. are time traveling like you've entered connected to the environment around you. If you look at a city there's that pop out of this green pill. is kind of cool like you're going on about pulling the person into our bubble. you can note when you say getting lost. that means that we are helpless and very little good can come of it. lost in a positive way, exploring and you wouldn't have otherwise considered. you're not much of the explorer. this perfect, uptight experience. you can make a lot of mistakes, and I lived, I really lived. that's a crazy feeling you know. be the same person cuz I'm not anymore. I feel good about it. getting content with being okay not is to recognize that everybody that feels like they don't get it. a warm peace with all the rest of your take courage and comfort in that. which you relate to it. in the presence of scary stuff. on the road five weeks. this is going a little too quick. is we have a finite period of time and to do everything can't. what's going to happen. the program you just watched. to define their own roads and life. the Road Trip Nation experience in Idaho. around alcoholism and around meth. both of them were high school dropouts. and I was always put down a lot. pushing me. be able to offer kids within the state of inspiration to Idaho and Idaho students. didn't go to college, what about you? the inspiration and the drive and is really delivering to the kids. I really need to think about this. could do whatever you want, our major focus and and I can have more than one passion. gonna fail, when someone steps up and because you can pull out of this. interviews from the road and driving visit roadtripnation.com. about the movement and into your classroom. 

While in St. Louis, the team lets their imaginations run free at the City Museum, an architectural marvel and playground made out of found objects from the city. Afterward, they sit down with founder and creator Bob Cassilly to learn what inspired him. In Idaho, they speak with sought-after expedition photographer Jimmy Chin, who opens up about his fears on failing and the dangers of extreme missions. "Fear is healthy," he reminds the Roadtrippers.

Feel the Fear and Do it Anyway

My friend was trying to be a photographer and he showed me And we were climbing with it, and then he tried one company bought one photo, I took with his camera. could, I lived off of nothing, $500 for the photo. on $500 a month easy living I only have to take 12 photos And I could live, like, like, One of my mentors, I love it, he's just like, "Commit, Because you can't get anywhere to something. be questioning your decision 'cause you will. 

Chance

Jimmy Chin Highlight

How is it going? of emphasis on education and career. I thought I had three options. there's only three options. violin for a long time and like a symphony my family, my parents wanted me to do. myself was skiing. and and it wasn't like I even had a choice. I was like, all right, mom, dad, climb and ski. I have to do that for myself. the back of a little blue Subaru for >> Just climbing, like waiting tables. some way that sounds idealic, when you do something like that, it goes you've been brought up to think and do. this is such the right decision. am I totally botching this? have a degree that i'm never gonna use. 

Education

I Had To Do It

I feel like I'm kind of the golden boy for my parents. I'm just sitting here like, oh my god. totally different. you was like how do you. need to be and this is what I wanna do. >> You just did it perfectly. me run with it for awhile. >> Yeah, but it was just like, the road, you haven't gone anywhere. get you're moving forward you know. 

How Do You Justify It?

Like when you made that decision ultimately to go out and just explore, you to be like Gloria Doctor? >> Oh yeah, they were freaking out. >> I think it's natural for their children, so I'm gonna move in the back of my car and they're like like silence, you know? are your parents stoked? my mother passed away four years ago. she was very, very excited, and I was making a living, and they were really excited about it. published a photo and she had the little eight years of being in the business. I'd be like Mom, really, come on. magazines like this big and every picture that was taken of me or with a sticky thing and [LAUGHS] 

They Saw I Was Making A Living

During those years when you were living in your car, could you see yourself here? plan just in case this doesn't work? work out in ten years, I'm out? >> No. it's a simple idea. then figure it out. unless you commit to something. questioning your decision cuz you will. of some gnarly face in the Himalayas and just like hunkered down. tables right now, you know. >> Or anything, really. 

I Was Running Blind

It's kind of interesting. and he showed me how to use his camera and I took this one shot with it. and this one company bought one photo, and took with his camera. easy living out of the back of my car. photos a year [LAUGH] and I could live, 

He Showed Me How To Use His Camera

All these little stepping stones kind of just led me to all these different places. ever had control of my life but then climbing produced photography. expeditions to really remote places. that without my education. you have in college, and then all different things that you've picked up. my kind of climbing career. about making a trip happen, that's a different story. >> I can't imagine being so fall or has a discomfort level. of their comfort level so fear is healthy. 

Fear Is Healthy

I think what we're talking about here is doing things that are outside of your do what feels safe. I still face a lot of the same kind of and that you're talking about right now. in my career where I'm at right now, what's something new? landing clients in this zone. that kind of feeling. 

Courage

Courage & Comfort Zones

It's gonna be pretty awesome just going around the world for. though, sound really glamorous and but it is like any job. I feel like it's important to really passionate about what's in your heart. the realization, cuz sometimes you think be all great and fun all the time but to make something work and you want to be takes a lot of time and hard work. 

Hard Work

Passion

Passion Takes Work

Three of my heroes called me to ask me to join them for an expedition. kinda special skill set and you to film the trip. we need you to film it. I would love to do it, but they like handed me a camera. manual on the airplane. thing put a tow into that. and one of them had been commit and figure it out. filming and I've filmed the one over the course of two months. 

Opportunity

Have To Commit

I think I spent a lot of time in my childhood trying to make my myself and contribution to the world if I was doing that meant something to me, you know? wallow through the rest of my life, wanted a lot of intense life experience. that sentiment, it's, I always felt like what my heart is telling me to do. 

Individualism

Personal Passion

When you start to get caught up and like, well I'm already 22, or and, am I where I'm supposed to be? to put on to yourself, don't hit their stride until their 50s. to wander forever. they want when they're three. yourself up against a lot of other people. to have role models for sure. other people all of the time. at least being aware of that. 

Jimmy Chin

Photographer

Videos

Jimmy Chin

Milestones

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Career Roadmap

My work combines:

My work combines:

Action Sports

Art

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Do It Anyway