Vietnam: Through the Eyes of a Digger

Greg Carter served in Vietnam from 1969 to 1970 with the 6th Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment. At 19, he purchased a professional camera from the PX (Post Exchange) during his service, which sparked a passion for photography.

When Greg returned home, he found it hard to settle back into everyday life. He left his job to pursue photography full-time—a decision that led to a 45-year career and more than 900 weddings captured.

“I took lots of photos but didn’t get to see many of the results. War soldiers would send their films back to Australia for processing and many photos would end up lost, damaged or stolen. I was then given access to a purpose-built darkroom in Vietnam where I could process and print all of my own photos. As soon as I saw the first image printed on paper I was hooked. I spent every spare moment in the last months taking photos and processing them, removing the risk of losing the irreplaceable photos,” Greg said.

Now retired, Greg hopes this event will help people better understand the human side of the Vietnam War. His photos offer rare insight into daily life, living conditions, friendships and the experiences of Australian soldiers.

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