Gérard Vandystadt, a name, a look, a model, passed away last Sunday at the age of 77 after dedicating his life to sports photography. He elevated this genre to inspire many photographers over decades.
Born in Paris, he started in journalism at 17 with the Nouvelles de Versailles. At 21, on November 12, 1970, he was at Notre-Dame for the solemn mass in honor of General de Gaulle, attended by world leaders. However, he didn’t focus on politics but on sports photography, founding the Vandystadt photo agency in 1977.
“Vandystadt was about panache. He created aesthetic sports photography in France,” said Franck Seguin, now the photo editor of L’Équipe. He became a reference for young photographers, known for his innovative stadium shots with bold compositions and beautiful lighting.
Twice awarded the prestigious World Press prize, Vandystadt was a distributor for the London agency Allsport in France. Despite suffering economically in the late 90s due to digital changes and the purchase of Allsport by Getty, he continued to produce award-winning work.
According to Stéphane Kempinaire, he refused to sell his agency to Getty, rejecting a substantial offer. A new agency, Regards du Sport, emerged, but Vandystadt’s golden age had passed. In his last years, he lived in a small village in the Pyrénées-Orientales.
