Photographs have an incredible ability to tell stories without words. When a photographer creates a photo essay, the images themselves communicate volumes—often powerfully and quietly. French photographer and photojournalist Marie-Laure De Decker devoted her career to capturing the human side of war and conflict. Her subjects were the emotions and daily lives of people behind each volatile scene.
Decker’s Photojournalism Journey Begins
Decker was the first woman to integrate the photo agency, Gamma, at the age of 24. Her first assignment was an encounter with the realities of war in Vietnam. She photographed soldiers during the 1971 Christmas season. Her lens also revealed moments of life in Saigon—sometimes with soldiers, sometimes without. She ventured into hospitals, visited schoolchildren, and even documented heated street exchanges between soldiers and locals.
Driven by a sense of adventure, Decker put herself in the heart of each story. In Chad, a country she truly loved, she gained soldiers’ trust. They allowed her to set up a makeshift photo studio among rough, rocky terrain. They wanted to pose for portraits by her.
In both North and South Yemen, women and children in colorful dress welcomed her, and men proudly displayed their traditional knives and weapons—moments De Decker captured with respect and candor.
Decker also turned her camera on French politicians, actresses, and filmmakers, photographing them in candid settings, far from the spotlight, revealing unexpected facets of their personalities.
What is Special
What made Decker’s work especially distinctive was her perspective as a woman in a male-dominated field. She paid close attention to the fashion, colors, and activities of her subjects, highlighting the dignity, beauty, and courage not just of fighters but of everyone affected by conflict. Rather than glorifying war, her images celebrate everyday resilience.
Her Son’s Discovery
Years later, during the Covid lockdown, Decker’s son, Pablo Saavedra de Decker, discovered an extraordinary archive: 300,000 negatives and images, each a memory and a story waiting to be shared. As he pored over the photos, Marie-Laure recounted the stories behind the images to her son, Pablo.
She passed away in 2023, but her legacy continues. Pablo collaborated with the Maison européenne de la photographie to create an exhibition that honors her life’s work. The exhibition’s poster features a striking image: Marie-Laure de Decker in a helicopter over Vietnam, 1971.
This exceptional exhibition runs at the Maison Européenne de la photographie until September 28, 2025. Although the exhibition has nearly run its time, the original of this story should have been published in June. However, I feel it is very important to remember that in the 1970’s there were women who chose education and a focus. I can only wonder how many other stories are out there of women who desired to show another side of a story and remain anonymous. This story and memory of Marie-Laure de Decker will now remain in cyberspace forever as a guiding light to someone.
Further reading
Vanity Fair France Marie-Laure de Decker, au nom de la mère
Pablo Saavedr de Decker: “My Mother Hated War” Blind Magazine
Marie-Laure de Decker’s Vietnam war self-portrait (The story behind the Vietnam helicopter self-portrait ) The Observer
Additional Self-Portraits and Photos from the Exhibition
Decker took self-portraits throughout her career. She wanted to see what her face was like from youth to old age (between 20 and 70). Many of the photos in this story are either screenshots from videos or reflect other images in the glass.
