Filipino graphic artist Carlo Olinarez, who put together the maps in the guidebooks, has lived and worked in the Middle East for more than 15 years. He worked in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, for two years as senior colour separator, before moving to Bahrain where he currently resides. When he isn’t at his computer, Carlo enjoys reading, watching movies, photography and biking. He has been a member of the brotherhood Tau Gamma Phi since 1983.
Haider Rafiey fell in love with photography when he was still a child. When his father refused to buy him a camera, he began going to the market every evening after school, wheeling people’s groceries home in a barrow so he could earn enough to buy one for himself. He still has the Agfa box camera he bought with that money in 1954, but his tools have evolved since then and now include Nikon and Minolta digital SLRs. Haider’s preferred subjects are nature as well as traditional homes in Bahrain. He takes great pride in being able to teach young people the art of photography, and he is a long-standing member of the Bahrain Arts Society.