Chas Gerretsen’s life has been marked by diverse experiences and global travels. Born in Holland in 1943, he moved to Australia at 16, worked as a crocodile hunter, and took up photography. After moving to the U.S. in 1963, he became a cowboy and made his first film. In 1967, he ventured to Southeast Asia, where he spent seven years covering conflicts in Vietnam, Cambodia, and Laos, later extending his work to South America. Gerretsen’s decision to become a conflict photographer stemmed from his curiosity about war. His first exposure came during the Tet Offensive in Vietnam, where he quickly began working as a cameraman and photojournalist, selling his images to major outlets.

Starting as a freelance photographer, he sold images to major outlets like UPI, AP, and Life. From 1968 to 1971, he captured the battlefields of Vietnam, Cambodia, and Laos, but grew disillusioned over time, questioning the impact of war photography. He noted how the real horrors often went unpublished and expressed frustration with the excitement combat photos created, without showing the full brutality. Gerretsen’s most compelling work came from quieter, mundane moments amid the chaos, offering a more complete view of war’s monotony. After Vietnam, he briefly stepped away but returned during Cambodia’s civil war in 1970. His time there was marked by tragedy, and many of the photos he took were lost before eventually resurfacing months later.

In September 1973, following a military coup in Chile, Chas Gerretsen was among several foreign photographers capturing the turmoil. His images of the coup and its aftermath faced challenges getting to the international media, until fellow photojournalist Sylvian Julienne helped deliver them to Paris. Gerretsen’s focus shifted to General Augusto Pinochet, photographing him several times, including by direct invitation. These photos were later published in a book, Chili, but Gerretsen received no financial compensation. Decades later, his images became iconic, with two particularly significant ones displayed at Chile’s Museum of Memory. One, depicting Pinochet in dark sunglasses, became synonymous with his authoritarian rule. Although his work went largely unrecognized by global media, it was deeply appreciated by the Chilean people, leading to Gerretsen receiving the Robert Capa Gold Medal Award for his courageous war photography in 1973.

After years of conflict photography, Chas Gerretsen sought balance, feeling worn out from constant travel and the chaos of war zones. He moved to Hollywood, hoping for a change, but it wasn’t until he was contacted to work on Apocalypse Now that his wish was realized. Despite facing technical challenges like extreme humidity and equipment issues, Gerretsen quickly adapted to a new world of film set photography, learning to work with light and angles in ways he hadn’t as a photojournalist. His ability to shoot freely on set, often in close proximity to director Coppola, led to iconic images used in the film’s advertising. Gerretsen also influenced the portrayal of Dennis Hopper’s character, advising him to carry multiple cameras to reflect the reality of conflict photography. However, working with Marlon Brando was more difficult, as Brando refused to be photographed during active scenes, forcing Gerretsen to restage moments after filming.

After Apocalypse Now, Chas Gerretsen grew disillusioned with the film industry and chose to leave it all behind, buying a sailboat and retreating from the chaos. His photos were stored away, eventually ending up in the basement of the Netherlands Foto Archief, where they remained forgotten for years. In 2019, filmmaker Baris Azman discovered the lost archive and created a documentary, Dutch Angle: Chas Gerretsen and Apocalypse Now, bringing Gerretsen’s work back into the spotlight. Gerretsen reflected on the rediscovery, grateful for the opportunity that Coppola’s film had provided. His story illustrates the unexpected paths photography can take, showing how lost images can resurface, finding new life long after being forgotten.