In order to better capture the essence of his subject matter, he often physically manipulates his camera when taking the shot. His camera is a vehicle to capture his in-the-moment personal and spiritual experiences. Nordell received a BA from Stanford University in 1983 in International Relations. He then began covering stories ranging from political and social change in South Korea to the underground arts scene in the Soviet Union. His photojournalistic images have been published in magazines such as Time, Newsweek and The New York Times Magazine, as well as in publications around the world. After surviving cancer in 2003, he subsequently reevaluated his career goals and took a faculty position at the Hallmark Institute of Photography.