Giles Duley is a British documentary and photo journalist, who travels the world documenting the stories of the forgotten and marginalized people affected by war. He is best known for his photography of humanitarian crises and the consequences of conflict.
While on his travels in Afghanistan in 2011, Giles stepped on an IED (improvised explosive device) whilst on foot patrol, and as a result became a triple amputee. He was told he could never walk again but is quoted to have responded to the doctors, “Right hand? Eyes?”, “ I am still a photographer”. Following this he returned to Afghanistan less than 18 months later.
The UNHCR commissioned Giles in 2016 to document the refugee crisis across Europe and the Middle East, resulting in a series of photographs in his powerful book: I Can Only Tell You What My Eyes Can See.
Giles Duley
1. Do you think photographs help refugee's heal?
I think there is a lot of power in people thinking others are listening to their stories. When living as a refugee - you have lost everything - it's easy to think the world has forgotten you. If in some small way I can help facilitate refugees telling their story through my image, well maybe that helps them in a small way to at least know they are not forgotten
2. If you had to describe your journey and interactions in one sentence, what would it be?
I don't need a sentence, but can sum up my experience documenting the refugee crisis and the experiences with the people I met on that journey - humbling.
3. At your exhibition I heard you say "there is no truth in photography, it's whatever that lens captures as the story". Does photography cement this story as forever present and unforgotten in the minds of those that view it?
We see thousands of images every day - yet there are some that stay with you. Of the millions you have seen in your life, why remember just a few? I think it's because in that frozen fraction of a second you connect with the moment, an empathy with the story in the image. So thats my goal - not to create the most technically brilliant photograph, not the most shocking image - but the one that creates a connection and empathy. Thats how i hope to make these stories stick in peoples minds.
4. You have achieved so much, what do you see as next for you in terms of supporting the victims of war?
There is always more to be done and so I don't really see what I’ve done as achievements. Whilst there are people suffering from the impact of wars, I’ll keep working, sadly I’ll never see an end to my work. But you have to keep trying. I guess my greatest achievement is to still be doing this work despite what happened to me; my greatest achievement in the future would be to see one less person having to go through what I went through.
5. In hearing your personal story and learning about your work what would you like people to know most about your work?
I’ve always said that I hope one day I will be forgotten but my photographs remembered. I’m a story teller and my work is telling the stories of others, I’m just the messenger.
This interview was conducted by email