National Geographic photographer Annie Griffiths on life behind the camera

Minnesota native Annie Griffiths, one of the most celebrated photographer at National Geographic, began working professionally in 1978. Over the decades, she's traveled the world — but she credits her mother with setting her in motion.

"I grew up in Minnesota, and I learned my ethics from my parents," Griffiths told MPR News host Kerri Miller. "My mother had this boundless curiosity and was just a great role model for me growing up, because she was from a different generation and had fewer choices. But she really said to all four of us kids: 'Get out and see the world. If anyone of you gets married too early, I'll shave your heads. Get out and see the world and experience some things.'"

Griffiths followed her mother's advice, flying to far-flung places where she didn't speak the language.

"I think as soon as you get out of your comfort zone and you travel to a place that isn't an awful lot like where you live, you start learning and you get a perspective that makes you hungry for more. It makes you recalibrate how you view the world and your place in it," she said.

Her advice to fellow travelers? "The first thing you need to pack is your sincerity. When you go into another culture, the smile is your first passport. Even if you don't know the language, you can communicate if you want to, if you invest yourself in the situation."

Griffiths is in Minnesota for a National Geographic Live event at the Fitzgerald Theater on Thursday, Sept. 8. A selection of her photography is below.

For the full interview with Annie Griffiths, use the audio player above.

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