Born in Perpignan, France, in 1941, the photographer Jean-Louis Nou studied under Thérèse Le Prat who introduced the young Nou to the notion of the photographer as ethnographer, an idea which would profoundly influence his work. During his early travels in Asia, Nou came into contact with Eastern philosophy which lead him to travel to India, where he would remain for the next fifteen years, researching and photographing the region, publishing over thirty books on the country in his lifetime. His deep love and understanding of Indian society and customs meant that Nou was able to approach his photographic subjects with a rare profundity and clarity, which met with critical acclaim, the photographer being awarded the Niepce Prize in 1975 for his work. Nou also undertook commissions for various museums and publishers and it was during one such photojournalistic assignment in 1992 that Nou was involved in a car accident in which he died.