Roger Ballen (b. 1950) has lived and worked in Johannesburg, South Africa for almost 30 years. Born in New York, he worked as a geologist and mining consultant before starting his photographic career by documenting the small villages of rural South Africa and their isolated inhabitants. His images are both powerful social statements and disturbing psychological studies. Ballen’s book Outland, also published by Phaidon, was named Best Photographic book of the Year at PhotoEspaña 2001, Madrid, Spain.

David Travis was chair of the Department of Photography at the Art Institute of Chicago until July 2008, having worked at the institute for 36 years. He curated more than 150 photography exhibitions at the institute and also guest-curated exhibitions at other American museums, including the National Gallery of Art and the Metropolitan Museum of Art.