Born in Bagheria, in Sicily, in 1943, Ferdinando Scianna enrolled in Literature and Philosophy at the University of Palermo, but did not complete his studies there. In 1963, he met Leonardo Sciascia, with whom, at the age of 21, he published the first of numerous books that they then wrote together, Feste religiose in Sicilia (Religious Festivals in Sicily), which won the Nadar Prize. He then moved to Milan, where in 1967 he started worked for the weekly magazine L’Europeo as a photoreporter, special correspondent and then regular correspondent in Paris, where he lived for ten years. Introduced by Henri Cartier-Bresson, he joined the Magnum agency in 1982. Since 1987, he has been alternating reportage with fashion and advertising photography, areas where he has gained international success. His most important books include I Siciliani (Paris, 1977), Kami (Milan, 1988), Le forme del Caos (Udine, 1988), Leonardo Sciascia (Milan, 1989), Marpessa (Milan, 1993), Altrove, reportage di moda (Milan, 1995), Viaggio a Lourdes (Milan, 1996) and Dormire, forse sognare (Udine, 1997).