Jean-Michel Berts has been a photographer since the age of 16. With his first Rolleiflex camera he became sensitive to the effects of light. Using methods created by Ansel Adams, Berts makes photographs with 10-minute exposures, a technique combining overexposure of the film and underdeveloping of the negative, creating very rich textures. Today Berts enjoys an international reputation and exhibits his work at numerous art fairs around Europe. He has also worked on advertising campaigns for luxury brands such as Lancome, Dior, Hermes, and Yves Saint Laurent. Alessandra Ricci is Assistant Professor of Archaeology and History of Art at Koc University in Istanbul, with a Ph.D. from Princeton University, and she has lived and worked in Turkey for the last 10 years. She has appeared in several television documentaries, including programs for CNN and the History Channel, and she has written articles for newspapers including the Turkish Daily News and Corriere della Sera. Ricci is currently working on a book about life, architecture, and the archaeology of the Byzantine suburbs of Constantinople.