France Leclerc, born in Quebec, Canada, is an independent photographer living in Chicago.  Her early career was in academia, but her passion for documentary photography has now taken over.  The curiosity and hunger for learning that had motivated her academic research career did not vanish.  France now uses photography to understand and help depict issues that puzzle her. Among her most prominent themes are culture (especially disappearing ones), gender, and social inequality, always focusing on the human element.  Her images have now been shown in curated exhibitions and have won numerous awards. One of her series was a Gold medal winner in the Culture and Daily Life category of the Julia Margaret Cameron Award in 2023, and two of her series were included in the Curated Selection “State of the World” at the Prix de la Photographie, Paris, also in 2023. Her work has been featured in Geo Magazine, Dodho Magazine, Lens Magazine, and All About Photo.