Jim Jayson

Jim Jayson is a naturalist, wildlife photographer, and filmmaker who has dived with hammerhead sharks and humpback whales, walked in the footsteps of wolverines and polar bears, camped among grizzlies, and tromped through steamy Costa Rican rainforests.

 

For more than a decade, Jim has sought out and documented some of the planet’s most elusive and endangered species - including black-footed ferrets, sea otters, Canada lynx, and jaguars - using a blend of traditional bushcraft skills and modern technology. His photographs have been published in numerous books and magazines, and his conservation films have been featured at prestigious film festivals and garnered more than half a million views online.

 

Before becoming a wildlife photographer, Jim was a rodeo competitor, rock climbing guide, mountain rescue team member, and cartographer. He has climbed extensively across North America, including in the North Cascades, the Tetons, Yosemite Valley, and Colorado’s Rocky Mountains.

Jim holds a bachelor’s degree in Earth Science from Western Michigan University and a master’s degree in biology from Miami University.

When not in the field, Jim enjoys exploring new places and trying new meals with his wife and fellow filmmaker, JinYoung Jayson, as well as freediving and trail running. A lifelong blues fan, he occasionally plays the harmonica.