Mama Casset was born into a wealthy family in Saint-Louis, Senegal. In 1918, his family moved to Dakar. At the age of 12, he became the assistant of a friend of his father, the French photographer Oscar Latataque. He had the opportunity to join the French Air Force and took aerial photographs and reports in French-speaking Africa. After returning to civilian life after the Second World War, Mama Casset opened his African Photo studio in the medina of Dakar. His black and white portraits of the bourgeoisie and ordinary people, taken only with Leica cameras, were a great success. He lost his sight in the years, ceased his activity and died in 1992.
