National Geographic Photography Expert icon National Geographic Photography Expert

Ken Garrett

In a career spanning over 40 years, Ken Garrett has photographed more than 60 feature stories for National Geographic and National Geographic Traveler magazines, and has been involved with multiple National Geographic books and museum exhibits. Ken grew up in a world of photographers and spent his childhood traveling in Canada, Mexico, and around Alaska and the continental United States. He knew from an early age that he wanted to be a photographer, and he was offered his first National Geographic assignment in 1976 for the American Bicentennial. Ken sailed as a training cadet on the Polish tall ship, Dar Pomorza, to capture the story of the voyage from Poland to New York City to cap off with celebrations of the American Bicentennial.

Building a career in magazine journalism, Ken worked for a variety of publications, including TimeFortuneForbesSmithsonianAudubonNatural HistoryScience 80German GEOAir and Space, as well as clients such as Marriott, IBM, Starbucks, UNC Aviation, and The Aluminum Association. With an academic background in anthropology and investigative inquiry, Ken’s work gradually focused on his passion for the Origin of Civilization. He has documented ancient cultures, archaeological sites, and dramatic landscapes worldwide. The subject of his work has ranged from Meso American civilizations and Egyptian history to human evolution stories and more. Ken has photographed on all seven continents, and he looks forward to sharing his photographic and storytelling insights with travelers.

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