No Ordinary Monday

Emmy award-winning cinematographer Keith Partridge takes us behind the scenes of adventure filmmaking, revealing the extraordinary skills and mindset required to capture footage where few dare to venture.

From dangling 3,000 feet off Angel Falls in Venezuela to filming on the summit of Everest, Keith has made a career of putting cameras in places that seem impossibly dangerous. What's remarkable is how his journey began – not scaling mountains from childhood, but working in a factory making pressure switches for electric showers after failing his A-levels. His path changed forever when he spotted a BBC job advertisement at 18, beginning a journey that would eventually lead him to resign without another job lined up, simply because he felt called to adventure.

The heart of our conversation explores a particularly harrowing moment during the filming of the BAFTA award-winning documentary "Touching the Void." Keith recounts finding himself on a hanging sheet of ice just an inch thick in the Peruvian Andes, where his guide could only mouth the words "don't fall." This story perfectly illustrates Keith's approach to extreme filming – it's not about recklessness or being "gung-ho," but rather about preparation, situational awareness, and team trust.

What comes through clearly is how Keith views fear as a positive force – a natural pause button that makes you assess situations carefully. For anyone fascinated by adventure, filmmaking, or how people perform under pressure, this conversation offers rare insights into a truly extraordinary career. Keith's journey proves that sometimes the most remarkable lives begin with simply being open to opportunity and saying "yes" when adventure calls.

Keith's website - https://adventurecamera.co.uk/

Follow Keith on Instagram @partridge_keith - https://www.instagram.com/partridge_keith/?hl=en

Check out Keith's book "The Adventure Game" - https://www.amazon.com/Adventure-Game-Keith-Partridge/dp/1910124311

Keith's work on "Touching the Void" - https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0379557/

Check out the "Adventure Film Makers Workshop" at Banff - https://www.banffcentre.ca/programs/adventure-filmmakers-workshop-2024

More of Keith's work - https://www.imdb.com/name/nm1524531/

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SUPPORT US - NOM is a 100% independent show. Help us keep the lights on by buying us a coffee (or a beer) - https://buymeacoffee.com/noordinarymonday. We're deeply grateful for any level of support. 

SHOW SOME LOVE - click five-stars on whatever platform you're on, and leave us a review, or tell a friend about the show. 

WANT TO BE A GUEST? You can submit your own career story through our website at www.noordinarymonday.com, or email us at [email protected].

Welcome to No Ordinary Monday — the podcast that takes you inside the world’s most thrilling, bizarre, and extraordinary careers. Each week, host Chris Baron sits down with someone whose job will make your jaw drop. 

From war photographers, to Mars scientists, bomb disposal experts to dominatrixes...our guests share the highs and lows of their working lives, and reveal that one unforgettable experience that tops everything else in their career.

First episodes will drop Monday 18th August 2025. If you’re into behind-the-scenes stories, weird jobs, or just need a good reason to love Mondays again – check it out.

Subscribe now and catch a new episode every week.

#NoOrdinaryMonday #Podcast #ExtraordinaryJobs #TrueStories

Send us Fan Mail

SUPPORT US - NOM is a 100% independent show. Help us keep the lights on by buying us a coffee (or a beer) - https://buymeacoffee.com/noordinarymonday. We're deeply grateful for any level of support. 

SHOW SOME LOVE - click five-stars on whatever platform you're on, and leave us a review, or tell a friend about the show. 

WANT TO BE A GUEST? You can submit your own career story through our website at www.noordinarymonday.com, or email us at [email protected].