Philip Jones Griffiths

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Philip Jones Griffiths in Bali in autumn 2000

Philip Jones Griffiths (born February 18, 1936 in Rhuddlan , † March 18, 2008 in London ) was a British photojournalist who was best known for his coverage of the Vietnam War .

life and work

He first studied pharmacy and worked part-time for the Guardian . In 1961 he started working as a freelance photographer for the Observer , reporting from Algeria , Central Africa and Asia. From 1966 to 1971 he was in Vietnam. Unlike most photojournalists who only went to Vietnam on short assignments, Griffiths stayed there all the time. After a few years he was so penniless that he had to consider whether to buy some film or something to eat. During this time, his work took him deeply. The photos were practically not for sale; they were too horrific for the picture editors.

In 1966 he became an associate member of the photography agency Magnum Photos and in 1971 a full member.

Griffiths traveled to more than 120 countries for his photo reports and covered topics as diverse as Buddhism in Cambodia, poverty in Texas and the effects of the Gulf War in Kuwait.

"Since Goya no one has portrayed war like Philip Jones Griffiths."

- Henri Cartier Bresson

"I'm telling you there are some people I no longer want in my country and Mr. Griffiths' name is at the top of this list."

- Nguyễn Văn Thiệu

"I wanted to expose the truth of the war."

- Philip Jones Griffiths

Publications (selection)

Photo of a woman known as a Vietnamese civilian (VNC), circa 1967
  • Vietnam Inc., 1971
  • Great Journeys, 1992
  • Dark Odyssey, 1996
  • Agent Orange: Colleteral Damage in Vietnam, 2003
  • Vietnam at Peace, 2005
  • Recollections: Philip Jones Griffiths, 2008

Web links

Commons : Philip Jones Griffiths  - Collection of Images, Videos and Audio Files

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ a b Brigitte Lardinois (Ed.): Magnum Magnum , ISBN 978-3-8296-0390-4 , p. 223
  2. ↑ Brigitte Lardinois (Ed.): Magnum Magnum , ISBN 978-3-8296-0390-4 , article by Ian Berry , p. 224
  3. ↑ a b Geo July 2007, ISSN no .: 0342-8311, Jürgen Schaefer, p. 140.
  4. ^ Graham Harrison: Philip Jones Griffiths. In: Photo Histories. 2007, accessed April 8, 2015 .
personal data
SURNAME Griffiths, Philip Jones
BRIEF DESCRIPTION British photojournalist
DATE OF BIRTH February 18, 1936
PLACE OF BIRTH Rhuddlan , Wales , United Kingdom
DATE OF DEATH March 18, 2008
Place of death London , UK