Seydou Keïta

Born 1921 in Bamako, Mali – Died 2001 in Paris, France

“Customers chose a pose according to their preferred model. When they came back to pick up their ‘card’ they were always pleased with the result. They walked in without an appointment and  told me, ‘I want my picture to be like that one, you see? That’s what I want.’ And I did it right away. Sometimes, though, it really didn’t suit them, so I suggested something that looked better. Photography technique is simple, but what made the difference was that I knew how to find the right pose. Infallibly. The face at a slight angle, the eyes really important, the hand position? I was able to make someone look better. The final photo was really beautiful. That’s why I call it Art.”

Seydou Keïta by André Magnin, Editions Salo, 1997