"A Camera, Two Kids and a Camel" Review

A Book by National Geographic Photographer Annie Griffiths Belt

Jun 29, 2008

Annie Griffiths Belt isn't just a great photographer, but also a good writer. Her 2008 book, both a collection of her work and an autobiography, is inspirational.

A Camera, Two Kids and a Camel is sure to make you want to ditch your day job and buy a plane ticket. Griffiths Belt doesn’t merely travel; she takes up residence, learns languages, and immerses herself in the culture that she photographs. Adventure is certainly involved. She will brave deathly storms, bend the rules, and even cross-dress to get the shot.

Wonder and respect for the earth’s many varieties of humanity is at the heart of this book. Even in the most dire circumstances, she seeks out the details that make life beautiful and make us all fundamentally the same. The stories she shares are moving and positive, and it is clear that she feels a connection to the people she met all around the world.

Early Life of Annie Griffiths Belt

Young Annie grew up in Midwestern “classic 1950’s America,” with three siblings, two Catholic parents, and a limited set of life choices laid out for her. Annie’s mother’s adventurous longings were put on hold to marry and raise a family, and she encouraged Annie to pursue a more exciting path. Annie studied photojournalism in college and worked for the university paper. After college, she learned the industry ropes at the Worthington Daily Globe for two years.

Everything changed when she received a call from Bob Gilka, National Geographic’s Director of Photography, asking for a picture of a recent hail storm in Annie’s town. Gilka slowly began giving her bigger and bigger assignments. Griffiths Belt’s work with National Geographic has since taken her all over the world, from North Dakota to Namibia, from Cambodia to Jordan, and has made her a respected photojournalist at the top of her field.

Family Life for a National Geographic Photographer

A decade into her work with National Geographic Annie fell in love with Don Belt, the writer on one of her assignments. They were married and had two children, Lily and Charlie. Don and Annie decided to remain a close-knit family while still traveling the world for the magazine. They adopted a semi-nomadic lifestyle in which they pushed for kid-friendly joint assignments.

Many modern women balance life and work, but this balance is rarely so difficult as for a National Geographic photographer. Given the high frequency of divorces and split families resulting from her line of work, it is remarkable that Annie Griffiths Belt has managed the balance. As her children got older, however, she had to hang up her traveling shoes. She now works a photo editor and occasionally travels to photograph for charities, such as Habitat for Humanity. (Women Photographers at National Geographic)

Belt, Annie Griffiths. A Camera, Two Kids and a Camel. Washington, DC: National Geographic Society, 2008. ISBN 987-1-4262-025-2.

Newman, Cathy. Women Photographers at National Geographic. Washington, DC: National Geographic Society, 2000. ISBN 0-7922-7689-2.

The copyright of the article "A Camera, Two Kids and a Camel" Review in Photography Books is owned by Elizabeth Nelson. Permission to republish "A Camera, Two Kids and a Camel" Review in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.