Began taking pictures at the age of 16; initially worked with Louis-Jean Delton, specializing in horse subjects; in 1891 he became a member of the Lille Photographic Society; in 1900 he joined the Linked Ring in London but left in 1908. From 1904-1930 he used the Rawlins oil printing process which had become his favourite. During WW1 he had much of his photographic possessions looted from his home after enrolling; in 1923 he took up photography once again and became a member of the Belgian Photographic Association. He wrote extensive about photographic techniques. In 1935 the Royal Photographic Society in London dedicated a retrospective exhibition to his work.