Kiliii Yüyan

Zach & Courtney introduce you to the work of Kiliii Yüyan, National Geographic photographer. Kiliii’s work focuses on indigenous communities around the world with special attention to environmental issues.

This week we talk about Kiliii’s background and some of his best known work so you’ll be familiar with his photography and approach before our next episode, an in-depth interview with Yüyan.

In February 2026, Kiliii published a new book: Guardians of Life: Indigenous Knowledge, Indigenous Science, and Restoring the Planet. 

“Photography is nothing–it's life that interests me.” - Henri Cartier-Bresson 

Index

0:00 - Making the cover of National Geographic

0:48 - Meet Kiliii Yüyan

6:04 - The impartial observer is a myth

8:46 - Project: People of the Whale

30:05 - Project: We are Here

40:42 - Guardians of Life book

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