Timothy Allen was born in Tonbridge in the South East of England in 1971. At 22, after graduating from Leeds University with a BSc Zoology he left the UK and spent 3 years traveling around Indonesia where his interest in photography began. In the nineties, after beginning a part-time diploma in photography at Hereford College of Art and Design, Timothy joined an aid convoy to Bosnia in order to shoot his first year reportage project. Six months later he had left college, moved to London and begun working for the Sunday Telegraph, later inspiring commissions from all the British broadsheet publications and finally, a 6 year position at The Independent working predominantly on features and portraits. Timothy joined Axiom Photographic Agency in 2002 leading him to cover a dynamic and broad spectrum of global stories with subjects ranging from the civil war in the remote Spice Islands of far eastern Indonesia, to the intriguing subculture of The World Taxidermy Championships in Springfield , Illinois.
In recent years, the focus of his work has turned to the planet's remaining tribal societies and he currently devotes his time to documenting the diversity of humanity's cultural heritage. He has worked with indigenous communities throughout the world , most extensively in India and South East Asia.
Timothy’s photographs have appeared in most of the world’s prominent editorial publications and his work has been included in countless books and exhibitions. Amongst his commendations, he has received 6 Picture Editors' Guild Awards including the title of Arts Photographer of the Year presented to him by British Prime Minister, Tony Blair. More recently he was the recipient of the 'One Planet, Many Lives' award in Travel Photographer of the year 2007 for his work with the indigenous cultures of the Himalayas.
Awards and Commendations
1999 Preis Fur Junge Fotojournalismus
2001 FujiFilm Features Photographer of the Year (Special Award)
2002 (Nom.) British Press Awards Photographer of the Year
2002 FujiFilm Arts and Entertainment Photographer of the Year
2003 (Nom.) British Press Awards Photographer of the Year
2003 Nikon Arts & Entertainment Photographer of the Year (Special Award)
2003 The Lord Mayor’s Award (Picture Editors’ Guild Special Award)
2005 BG Group Magazine Photographer of the Year (Special Award)
2005 Nikon Celebrity Photographer of the Year (Special Award)
2006 (Shortlist: Photo Essay, News, Ents, News Feat) The Press Photographers’ Year Awards 2006
2006 (Commended) The Guardian Weekend Photography Prize
2007 (Shortlist: Photo Essay, Portraits, Sports Feature) The Press Photographers’ Year Awards 2007
2007 First Prize, Business Industry & Technology, The Press Photographers’ Year Awards 2007
2007 One Planet Many Lives, Travel Photographer of the Year 2007
2008 (Shortlist: Photo Essay) The Press Photographers’ Year Awards 2008