Jimmy Chin

Biography

Jimmy lives a life of art and adventure, combining a career as a commercial photographer, documentary filmmaker and a 20 year veteran of The North Face Athlete Team. He is one of the most sought-after and recognized adventure sports photographers and filmmakers working today.

In the past decade, Jimmy has collaborated with, filmed and photographed some of the world’s most dynamic athletes and explorers while participating in break through expeditions around the planet. He has climbed notable first ascents in the Karakoram, traversed the Changthang Plateau in Tibet on foot and skied first descents in the Himalayas. He is one of the only people to ski Mount Everest from the summit and climbed the much coveted first ascent of the Shark’s Fin on Meru.

As a director and cinematographer, Jimmy has directed documentaries, TV and commercial projects for The North Face, National Geographic, Apple and Chase. Jimmy’s film Meru won the Audience Choice Award at the 2015 Sundance Film Festival and made the 2016 Oscar shortlist for Best Documentary. In 2019, he received the highest honor available to a documentary filmmaker, winning an Academy Award for Best Documentary for Free Solo, which documented Alex Honnold's stunning rope-less climb of El Capitan in Yosemite.

As a speaker, Jimmy has lent his story and experience to a variety of audiences, addressing global tech leaders, financial institutions, nonprofits and creative agencies. His talks take you on his own personal journey from a young kid in Minnesota who just wanted to climb Yosemite and capture images, to a world-class climber and filmmaker. He relays the many lessons he’s learned navigating the world's most challenging climbs, and sharing the stories of other accomplished adventurers.