Jimmy Chin masterclass review Masterclass (2023)

Jimmy Chin’s class might be the right fit for you if you’re into adventure photography and want to learn new techniques, tips, and tricks for taking better photos.

Today, we’ll take a closer look at his Masterclass page, the pros and cons of taking it, and what other people have shared online regarding the course.

Ultimately, we’ll try to answer the burning question of is this class truly worth taking.

Let’s find out that is Jimmy Chin Masterclass review really still worth it in 2022 or not.

Who is Jimmy Chin

Before we talk about the course, let’s meet Jimmy Chin and explain why he is the perfect photographer to teach you adventure photography.

Jimmy Chin is a multi-faceted personality. He’s not only a photographer but also a filmmaker and an athlete who believes that photography is a way of living. With his skills, he earned himself two award-winning documentaries, Meru and Free Solo.

He has climbed the Himalayan Peak, which stands 20,000 feet above the ground. He also skied down Mount Everest from the summit. He was recognized for making the first ascent of the shark’s fin in Meru, India. A movie has been made dedicated to his honor. 

Jimmy is also a National Geographic photographer and joined the expedition in Chang Tang Plateau in Tibet in 2002. 

For the past 15 years, he’s been a renowned North Face Athlete Team member. He’s also an accomplished adventure athlete, contributing to his ability to capture aesthetic and beautiful shots. 

Overview of the Class

The course has been divided into six sections with 20 video lessons, each ranging from 5 minutes to 25 minutes. The overall run time is 4 hours and 10 minutes long. 

The lessons are arranged in chronological order, keeping in mind the notion of development in photography. These video lessons are:

1. On Location: Climbing Photoshoot
2. On Location: Portraits and Natural Light
3. Capturing Your Passions
4. Principles of Narrative: Concept, Research, and Pitch
5. Principles of Narrative: The Shoot and the Edit
6. Photo Studies: Shooting at the Top
7. Commercial Work: Pitching and Working With Clients
8. Commercial Case Study: Canon Shoot
9. High-Stakes Photography
10. Photo Studies: Creative Partnerships
11. Building and Leading a Team
12. Photo Studies: Mountain Architecture
13. Editing
14. Post-Processing: Conrad on the Wall
15. Post-Processing: Portrait
16. Gear: Cameras, Lenses, Power, and Storage
17. Settings: Modes, ISO, Focus, and Depth of Field
18. Career Advice: Building a Body of Work
19. Becoming a Photographer: Jimmy’s Story
20. Conclusion: Be Present on Your Journey

In these lessons, Jimmy Chin explains how to develop a voice as a creator and photographer. He also shares his experiences and unconventional techniques through entertaining and creative examples and case studies.

Lastly, he tells everyone how he turned his passion into reality with an insightful description of his work philosophy. 

Pros and cons

Pros

Here are the advantages of taking Jimmy Chin’s Masterclass.

• Listen and Learn From The Expert

As mentioned above, Jimmy Chin is an absolute legend in the field of adventure photography. He knows a thing or two about capturing the perfect shot and tells you all about it through examples, case studies, stories, and visual aids. 

• Full-fledged Course

One of the best things about this class is that it’s a full-fledged course with many aspects of architecture and design being covered. This will help you learn photography in a nutshell.

• On-Location Training

Jimmy Chin helps the students learn through actual videos and on-location sets. 

Cons

You might want to consider some downsides before taking up the Masterclass. Some include:

• Technical Terms Are Not Explained

Jimmy’s class is most suited to people with basic photography knowledge. This is a term-heavy course, which might confuse newbies. 

• Jimmy Do Not Engage With The Camera When Talking

Jimmy is not a teacher by profession, so he doesn’t usually engage with the camera when talking, as most professional teachers usually do. 

Who is This Class for

Anyone interested in adventure photography is welcome to take the class. However, keep in mind that basic knowledge is needed as Jimmy often uses photography terminology. 

If you have some experience in photography or you’re already a professional who wants to know more about wildlife or outdoor photography, Jimmy’s Masterclass is perfect for you.

We also want to mention that many of the things Jimmy Chin teaches apply to other photography fields. So, even if outdoor photography is not your thing, you can still learn a thing or two about taking good photos of pretty much everything. 

Lastly, people who love the beautiful white scenery or adventure sports will undoubtedly enjoy this course, as will anyone involved in high-octane sports like mountain climbing, snowboarding, skiing, mountain biking, and trail running.

How Much Does the Class Cost

MasterClass is an online platform where you can learn from pioneers and experts of various fields, teaching and guiding you about a specific niche or industry. 

So, how much does it cost?

Subscribing to MasterClass gives you an all-access pass to all the courses offered on the website. At the time of writing, there are over 150 courses across different subjects and fields of industry. Finishing Jimmy Chin’s class doesn’t mean the end but could be the start of learning many other things, such as cooking, acting, singing, and more (see also ‘13 Best Masterclass Singing Courses You Can Try Today‘) (see also ‘13 Best Masterclass Singing Courses You Can Try Today‘). 

On top of that, you can also join the community hub, which allows you to interact with your fellow learners—a place to share your thoughts, ask queries, and even share your own knowledge.

You can choose between the three MasterClass pricing options, which are:

1. The individual or solo plan for $15 per month when billed annually. This plan allows one device to access the website.
2. The duo plan costs $20 per month on an annual payment, which is ideal for sharing with a friend as it enables two devices to access the platform simultaneously.
3. The family plan, only $23 per month when billed annually, gives access to six devices simultaneously. 

All plans offer the same benefits, except that subscribing to the individual plan won’t allow you to download the video lessons for offline viewing. You can’t also access the PDF workbook, which is complementary but contains many valuable notes and additional information.

If you’re unsatisfied with the platform, you’re entitled to a 30-day refund.

Users’ Experience 

Some users have shared that they are not entirely satisfied with Jimmy Chin’s course because it’s too expensive for its price. Users online say that photography is best to learn with experiences, not just through an online course you can access only by paying an annual fee. 

However, the overall feedback is quite positive. People who have taken the course share that they’ve learned a lot and felt inspired and encouraged by Jimmy to become better photographers. Others state that this was the course that made them subscribe to MasterClass and praise the platform’s features and quality of videos. 

Conclusion

Ultimately, it all comes down to the individual, but we recommend taking a look at Jimmy Chin’s Masterclass. If you’re not a photographer, it might be challenging to follow his teachings.

However, the class is visually stunning and offers a closer look at one of National Geographic’s icons. Happy learning, and remember, photography is all about taking risks! Jimmy’s going to tell you all about it!