He was born in Paris and trained as a photograveur before working in a photogravure workshop. During World War II, he did forced labor in Germany. After the war, he began his photography career and traveled extensively for various publications, capturing images that celebrated the beauty and joy of everyday life. He received numerous awards and honors throughout his career, including the Kodak Prize, the Grand Prix National de la Photographie, and the Fondation Hasselblad Prize. He was also known for his humanistic approach to photography and was considered a "correspondent of peace" by his friend Jacques Prévert.