Giles Duley

Photo by Harry Mitchell

Please do watch this Ted Talk either before or after listening to today’s podcast

This is an episode I’ve been looking forward to sharing with you for quite some time now and it still shatters my mind that it’s happened. Giles Duley is a photographer, writer, CEO, presenter, and cook; who for over a decade has traveled the world photographing people within conflict zones. They’re a variety of elements that set his work apart from his peers, chief among them being his emphasis on photographing people who live with physical disabilities as a result of the realities of war. In 2011, he suffered a grave injury by an IED, causing Giles to lose both of his legs and left arm.

Where such an experience would understandably be a bookend for some, it was the exact opposite for Giles. It reignited his passion for photography not as a career but as a function of storytelling. But this episode is about the long road it took for Giles to arrive at this point of being a well-respected and award-winning photographer (awards such as the May Chidiac Award for Bravery in Journalism, the AIB Founders Award for Outstanding Achievement, AND the prestigious Amnesty Media Award for Photojournalism).

This is an episode that means a lot to me for a multitude of reasons. Together we delve into the journey Giles went on from being an entertainment photographer to a photographer in conflict zones across Iraq, Afghanistan, South Sudan, DR Congo, and Ukraine. Along with the need to re-contextualize purpose, community, career, success, and truly…the importance of recontextualizing life in general. If this is your first time listening to the podcast, then I truly appreciate you taking the time; this episode is a prime example of what this series is all about.

After today’s episode, be sure to check out more of Giles photography over at his website. Also remember to watch the Ted Talk we discussed (which you can find above), along with Giles’ cooking show, One Armed Chef (created by Vice). Please also check out the GQ Hype article we discussed, where Giles photographed the NHS workers during the early days of the pandemic, and read more about the non-profit that Giles founded, the Legacy of War Foundation (I highly recommend signing up for their newsletter).