Daniel Demeter was born and raised in Los Angeles, California. He traveled independently to more than 35 countries throughout Europe, the Middle East, the Indian subcontinent and Southeast Asia. Demeter spent more than three years exploring Syria in depth, combining his passion for photography with his desire to share the beauty of Syria with the world. He currently resides in San Luis Obispo with his wife and cat, pursuing a degree in cultural anthropology and maintaining a website dedicated to Syria's cultural and historic sites. Joshua Landis is Director of the Center for Middle East Studies and Associate Professor at the University of Oklahoma's College of international Studies. He writes "Syria Comment," a daily blog on Syrian politics that attracts over 100,000 readers a month. He has lived four years in Syria, and spent most summers in Damascus until the revolution began. He is a frequent consultant to government agencies and think tanks and is invited as an analyst on TV and radio.