Kiliii Yuyan

National Geographic Photographer Kiliii Yuyan illuminates stories of the Arctic and human communities connected to the land and sea. Informed by ancestry that is both Chinese and Nanai/Hèzhé (indigenous East Asian), he has traveled across the polar regions working with Indigenous cultures, wildlife and underwater environments. On assignment, he has survived a stalking polar bear, escaped pounding waves diving with sea otters, and found kinship at the edges of the world. Kiliii was a traditional dsai (kayak) builder until he became a photographer.

Kiliii has photographed the cover of National Geographic Magazine three times, producing 14 stories for National Geographic since 2015, from a cover story on Indigenous North America to migratory birds of the Arctic. His 2020 Explorer Grant resulted in five stories on Indigenous stewardship from Mongolia to Palau, comprising the July 2024 issue of the Geographic. He is on an international speaking tour with National Geographic Live in 2024-2025, called Life on Thin Ice. Kiliii was the 2023 recipient of the National Geographic Eliza Scidmore Award for Outstanding Storytelling, one of the Society's highest honors.