Born in Rhuddlan, Wales, Philip Jones Griffiths studied pharmacy in Liverpool and worked in London while photographing part-time for the Manchester Guardian. In 1961, he became a full-time freelancer for the London-based Observer. He covered the Algerian War in 1962, then moved to Central Africa. From there he moved to Asia, photographing in Vietnam from 1966 to 1971.

An associate member of Magnum since 1966, Griffiths became a member in 1971. In 1973, he covered the Yom Kippur War and then worked in Cambodia between 1973 and 1975. In 1977, he covered Asia from his base in Thailand. In 1980, Griffiths moved to New York to assume the presidency of Magnum, a post he held for a record five years.