Timothy Allen
Encyclopedia
Timothy Allen is an English
photographer best known for his work with indigenous peoples and isolated communities around the world.
and took further education at Leeds University where he received a BSc in Zoology
. Whilst at university, Allen undertook a three month ecological research project in remote jungle on the Indonesian Island of Sulawesi
during which an encounter with a reclusive forest dwelling tribe proved to be a pivotal point in his life. Subsequently, after graduating from university he returned to Indonesia where he spent a further 3 years traveling and studying. It was during this time that he discovered his passion for photography. At the age of 27 he began a part time diploma in photography in Hereford
and for his first year project he joined an aid convoy to Mostar
during the town's struggle to rebuild itself after the Yugoslav Wars
.
and consequently dropped out of college and moved to London. A year later, after commissions from all of the British broadsheet publications, he eventually settled into a six year position at The Independent
.
A member of Axiom Photographic Agency since 2002 his more recent work has revolved around indigenous peoples
. It was a personal project in Bhutan
, India
and Nepal
designed to escape the "rat race back home" that lead the BBC to commission him as part of the Human Planet
team.
. This was the first time that the BBC had employed a dedicated stills photographer on a landmark series. He spent over a year and a half travelling with 4 teams, covering stories of human endeavour in over forty countries around the world. The resulting imagery was published in a best-selling BBC book, formed an exhibition and was used in the program's worldwide branding and publicity.
. He has received six Picture Editors' Awards
and has been both a winner and runner up in Travel Photographer of the Year.
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
photographer best known for his work with indigenous peoples and isolated communities around the world.
Early life
Timothy Allen was born in Tonbridge, Kent, the second son of two school teachers. He attended The Judd SchoolThe Judd School
The Judd School is a state secondary school in Tonbridge, Kent, southeast England. It was established in 1888 at Stafford House on East Street in Tonbridge, where it remained for eight years before moving to its present location on Brook Street, in the south of the town...
and took further education at Leeds University where he received a BSc in Zoology
Zoology
Zoology |zoölogy]]), is the branch of biology that relates to the animal kingdom, including the structure, embryology, evolution, classification, habits, and distribution of all animals, both living and extinct...
. Whilst at university, Allen undertook a three month ecological research project in remote jungle on the Indonesian Island of Sulawesi
Sulawesi
Sulawesi is one of the four larger Sunda Islands of Indonesia and is situated between Borneo and the Maluku Islands. In Indonesia, only Sumatra, Borneo, and Papua are larger in territory, and only Java and Sumatra have larger Indonesian populations.- Etymology :The Portuguese were the first to...
during which an encounter with a reclusive forest dwelling tribe proved to be a pivotal point in his life. Subsequently, after graduating from university he returned to Indonesia where he spent a further 3 years traveling and studying. It was during this time that he discovered his passion for photography. At the age of 27 he began a part time diploma in photography in Hereford
Hereford
Hereford is a cathedral city, civil parish and county town of Herefordshire, England. It lies on the River Wye, approximately east of the border with Wales, southwest of Worcester, and northwest of Gloucester...
and for his first year project he joined an aid convoy to Mostar
Mostar
Mostar is a city and municipality in Bosnia and Herzegovina, the largest and one of the most important cities in the Herzegovina region and the center of the Herzegovina-Neretva Canton of the Federation. Mostar is situated on the Neretva river and is the fifth-largest city in the country...
during the town's struggle to rebuild itself after the Yugoslav Wars
Yugoslav wars
The Yugoslav Wars were a series of wars, fought throughout the former Yugoslavia between 1991 and 1995. The wars were complex: characterized by bitter ethnic conflicts among the peoples of the former Yugoslavia, mostly between Serbs on the one side and Croats and Bosniaks on the other; but also...
.
Career
After returning from Bosnia, Allen was offered his first job as a freelance photographer working at the Sunday TelegraphSunday Telegraph
The Sunday Telegraph is a British broadsheet newspaper, founded in February 1961. It is the sister paper of The Daily Telegraph, but is run separately with a different editorial staff, although there is some cross-usage of stories...
and consequently dropped out of college and moved to London. A year later, after commissions from all of the British broadsheet publications, he eventually settled into a six year position at The Independent
The Independent
The Independent is a British national morning newspaper published in London by Independent Print Limited, owned by Alexander Lebedev since 2010. It is nicknamed the Indy, while the Sunday edition, The Independent on Sunday, is the Sindy. Launched in 1986, it is one of the youngest UK national daily...
.
A member of Axiom Photographic Agency since 2002 his more recent work has revolved around indigenous peoples
Indigenous peoples
Indigenous peoples are ethnic groups that are defined as indigenous according to one of the various definitions of the term, there is no universally accepted definition but most of which carry connotations of being the "original inhabitants" of a territory....
. It was a personal project in Bhutan
Bhutan
Bhutan , officially the Kingdom of Bhutan, is a landlocked state in South Asia, located at the eastern end of the Himalayas and bordered to the south, east and west by the Republic of India and to the north by the People's Republic of China...
, India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
and Nepal
Nepal
Nepal , officially the Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal, is a landlocked sovereign state located in South Asia. It is located in the Himalayas and bordered to the north by the People's Republic of China, and to the south, east, and west by the Republic of India...
designed to escape the "rat race back home" that lead the BBC to commission him as part of the Human Planet
Human Planet
Human Planet is an 8-part British television documentary series. It is produced by the BBC with co-production from Discovery and BBC Worldwide...
team.
Human Planet
In 2008, the BBC commissioned Allen to shadow its film crews during the shooting of the documentary project Human PlanetHuman Planet
Human Planet is an 8-part British television documentary series. It is produced by the BBC with co-production from Discovery and BBC Worldwide...
. This was the first time that the BBC had employed a dedicated stills photographer on a landmark series. He spent over a year and a half travelling with 4 teams, covering stories of human endeavour in over forty countries around the world. The resulting imagery was published in a best-selling BBC book, formed an exhibition and was used in the program's worldwide branding and publicity.
Awards
Allen has won various awards including; Arts Photographer of the Year presented to him by the British Prime Minister, Tony BlairTony Blair
Anthony Charles Lynton Blair is a former British Labour Party politician who served as the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 2 May 1997 to 27 June 2007. He was the Member of Parliament for Sedgefield from 1983 to 2007 and Leader of the Labour Party from 1994 to 2007...
. He has received six Picture Editors' Awards
Picture Editors' Awards
The Picture Editors' Awards were established to recognise and reward the best of photographic journalism throughout the UK and Ireland, and to promote the interests of press photography. The Awards were founded by a group of newspaper picture editors in 1993 as a non-profit organisation, and each...
and has been both a winner and runner up in Travel Photographer of the Year.
Sources
- BBC News audio slideshow conversation with Timothy Allen
- Interview on NBC's Carson Daly Show
- BBC 1 interview with Timothy Allen (UK only)
- The Independent on Sunday: Interview with Timothy Allen
- Getting paid to travel the world: An Interview with Timothy Allen
- India's North East: Update from Tim Allen
- An interview with photojournalist Timothy Allen
- The Press Photographers’ Year Awards
- Debrett's People of Today, Timothy Allen Biography (2009 Print Edition)