Chris Steele-Perkins was born in Burma in 1947 and began photographing while studying at university in Newcastle-upon-Tyne. He has worked extensively in the Third World, photographing in 1973 the relief effort in Bangladesh. He has taught photography in London and has served on the Photographic Committee of the Arts Coucil (1976-79). Among his awards was the 1988 Oscar Barnack Award from World Press Photo for his story on thalidomide victims.