John Parkes Decker

John Parkes Decker (c. 1840s–c. 1890s) was an early West African photographer, born in pre-colonial times of today's regions of The Gambia or Sierra Leone. Having worked in coastal regions from Senegal to Cameroon, his earliest mention is from 1867, and he was active until at least 1890.

Travelling between major cities in colonial West Africa, Decker worked for both European and African clients. His work included portraits as well as pictures documenting social and political life. In particular, he was commissioned by the British Colonial Offices to photograph buildings and urban spaces such as Freetown in Sierra Leone. Decker's contributions are notable for the history of African photography, representing early efforts by African-born individuals to document their societies through the photographic medium.