Daniel Demeter was born and raised in Los Angeles, California. With a desire to travel and explore from a young age, he undertook several journeys abroad starting at age 17. Over the next decade he traveled independently to more than 35 countries throughout Europe, the Middle East, the Indian subcontinent and Southeast Asia. He found himself particularly captivated by Syria, developing a deep appreciation for the country's rich culture, history, and archaeological heritage, and its kind and hospitable people. He then spent more than three years exploring the country 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 was educated at Swarthmore (BA), Harvard (MA), and Princeton (PhD). He has lived over 14 years in the Middle East and speaks Arabic and French fluently. 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.