Timothy Allen

Timothy Allen was born in Tonbridge, Kent, England, the second son of two school teachers. He attended The Judd School and took further education at Leeds University where he received a BSc in Zoology.{{cite web|url=http://royalscottishgeographicalsociety.blogspot.co.uk/2013/01/timothy-allen-shares-stunning-images.html|title=Timothy Allen Shares Stunning Images from the BBC's Human Planet |publisher=Royal Scottish Geographical Society|date=3 January 2013|accessdate=19 January 2018}} 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.Leeds Alumni Magazine. Issue 09 Subsequently, after graduating from university he returned to Indonesia where he spent a further 3 years travelling 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.

After returning from Bosnia, Allen was offered his first job as a freelance photographer working at The Sunday Telegraph in London. A year later, after commissions from all of the British broadsheet publications, he eventually settled into a six-year position at The Independent.{{cite web |url=http://humanplanet.com/timothyallen/about/ |title=about – Timothy Allen |work=Human Planet |accessdate=22 February 2017}}

A member of Axiom Photographic Agency from 2002 to 2011 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.{{cite web|url=http://blog.travellerspoint.com/90/ |title=Getting paid to travel the world and take photos – Best of Working in Travel on Travellerspoint |website=Blog.travellerspoint.com |date=8 June 2007 |accessdate=22 February 2017}} In 2012 Allen signed with the International film production company Great Guns who currently represent him worldwide.{{cite web |url=http://www.greatguns.com/news/timothy-allen-wins-travel-photographer-of-the-year/ |title=Timothy Allen|Film Production Company News |publisher=Great Guns |date=5 February 2013 |accessdate=22 February 2017 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20170214103015/http://www.greatguns.com/news/timothy-allen-wins-travel-photographer-of-the-year/ |archivedate=14 February 2017 }}

In 2017 Allen was the subject of a documentary on Animal Planet titled Epic Animal Journeys in which a film crew followed him on a midwinter nomadic migration across the Yamal Peninsula in Siberia with a Nenets family.{{cite AV media| url-status = live| archive-url = https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211210/9BkCoVQF-Cs| archive-date = 2021-12-10| url = https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9BkCoVQF-Cs| title = Epic Animal Journeys Promo | website=YouTube}}{{cbignore}}

In 2019 Allen was on the winning team of notable Alumni from the University of Leeds who won the Christmas edition of the BBC's Christmas University Challenge programme, alongside Henry Gee and Jonathan Clements, and captained by Richard Coles.{{cite news |title=BBC Two - University Challenge, Christmas 2019, Leeds University v Clare College, Cambridge |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m000crh9 |work=BBC}} They were the first non-Oxbridge team ever achieve first place in the tournament.{{cite news |title=Leeds Alumni Magazine {{!}} And it's goodbye from Leeds… |url=https://magazine.alumni.leeds.ac.uk/and-its-goodbye-from-leeds/ |work=magazine.alumni.leeds.ac.uk}}

Allen owns a production company and is also the host of his own Podcast.{{cite web |title=The Timothy Allen Podcast on Apple Podcasts |url=https://podcasts.apple.com/in/podcast/the-timothy-allen-podcast/id1556869203 |website=Apple Podcasts}}

In 2008, the BBC commissioned Allen to work on the documentary project Human Planet. This was the first time that the BBC had employed a dedicated photographer on a landmark series.{{Cite web|url=http://www.humanplanetblog.com/?p=143|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20120321063848/http://www.humanplanetblog.com/?p=143|archive-date = 21 March 2012|title = Welcome to Human Planet - BBC Human Planet}} He spent over a year and a half travelling with 4 teams, covering stories of human endeavour in over forty countries around the world. Using the newly released first generation of DSLR cameras with HD video capabilities, Allen shot content for the programme and its accompanying multimedia projects{{cite web |url=http://timothyallen.blogs.bbcearth.com/2009/02/24/a-short-film-shot-with-my-new-camera/ |title=A short film shot with my new camera – Timothy Allen. Photographer, Human Planet |website=timothyallen.blogs.bbcearth.com |access-date=17 January 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090523124841/http://timothyallen.blogs.bbcearth.com/2009/02/24/a-short-film-shot-with-my-new-camera/ |archive-date=23 May 2009 |url-status=dead}} as well as imagery that was published in a best-selling{{cite news|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/media/tv-radio/story-of-survival-how-the-bbc-has-revived-photojournalism-2179589.html |title=Story of survival: How the BBC has revived photojournalism |newspaper=The Independent |date=9 January 2011 |accessdate=22 February 2017}} BBC book, formed an exhibition and was used in the program's worldwide branding and publicity.

He wrote a weekly blog for BBC Earth, documenting his work during Human Planet.{{cite web |url=http://timothyallen.blogs.bbcearth.com/ |title=Timothy Allen. Photographer, Human Planet |website=timothyallen.blogs.bbcearth.com |access-date=17 January 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090412135502/http://timothyallen.blogs.bbcearth.com/ |archive-date=12 April 2009 |url-status=dead}}

In 2016 Allen created a photography scholarship award in conjunction with the Sharjah Government Media Bureau. Each year the scholarship is awarded to 5 photographers from around the world and includes a 10-day trip to the United Arab Emirates to work alongside Allen.{{Cite news|url=https://xposure.ae/tapsa/|title=Timothy Allen Photography Scholarship Award (TAPSA) {{!}} Xposure|date=24 June 2017|work=Xposure|access-date=11 September 2017}}

• One time overall winner in Travel Photographer of the Year{{cite web|url=http://www.tpoty.com/winners/2013 |title=Winners 2013 |publisher=TPOTY |date=17 August 2014 |accessdate=22 February 2017}}
• Six times category winner in Travel Photographer of the Year{{cite web|url=http://tpoty.com/2010/winners/gallerytpoty2007.html |title=2007 Winners Gallery |publisher=TPOTY |date=1 January 1970 |accessdate=22 February 2017}}{{cite web |url=http://www.tpoty.com/winners/2011 |title=2011 Winners Gallery |publisher=TPOTY |date=1 January 1970 |accessdate=22 February 2017 |archive-date=2 November 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121102160812/http://www.tpoty.com/winners/2011 |url-status=dead }}{{cite web|url=http://www.tpoty.com/winners/2012 |title=Winners 2012 |publisher=TPOTY |date=18 August 2013 |accessdate=22 February 2017}}{{cite web|url=http://www.tpoty.com/winners/2014 |title=Winners 2014 |publisher=TPOTY |date=5 September 2015 |accessdate=22 February 2017}}{{cite web|url=http://www.tpoty.com/winners/2015 |title=Winners 2015 |publisher=TPOTY |date=1 January 1970 |accessdate=22 February 2017}}
• Five times runner up in Travel Photographer of the Year{{cite web|url=http://www.tpoty.com/2010/winners/gallerytpoty2010.html |title=2010 Winners Gallery |publisher=TPOTY |date=1 January 1970 |accessdate=22 February 2017}}{{cite web|url=http://www.tpoty.com/winners/2016 |title=2016 Winners |publisher=TPOTY |date=1 January 1970 |accessdate=22 February 2017}}
• The Pangea Award of Excellence at SIPA 2016{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k1jwxmQ-zw0 |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211221/k1jwxmQ-zw0 |archive-date=2021-12-21 |url-status=live|title=Timothy Allen – Pangea Award of Excellence – SIPA2016|website=YouTube }}{{cbignore}}
• Press Photographer's Year Award{{cite web|url=http://www.theppy.com/content/results2007 |title=2007 Results | The Press Photographer's Year 2013 |website=Theppy.com |date=9 August 2000 |accessdate=22 February 2017}}
• Arts Photographer of the Year{{cite web|url=http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qn4158/is_20020528/ai_n12618433/ |title=CBSi |via=Find Articles |accessdate=22 February 2017}}
• Twice nominated Photographer of the Year at the British Press Awards{{cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/media/2003/mar/19/pressandpublishing3 |title=British Press Awards | Media |newspaper=The Guardian |accessdate=22 February 2017}}
• 'Human Planet' has won a host of awards including two BAFTAs and an Emmy Award as well as the ITB's Cultural Book Prize{{cite web|url=http://www.itb-berlin.de/en/MediaCentre/PressReleasesAndNews/index.jsp?lang=en&id=271936 |title=ITB Berlin – Press Releases |website=Itb-berlin.de |accessdate=22 February 2017}}

{{Reflist|30em}}

• {{Official website|humanplanet.com}}
• [https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-12618167 BBC News audio slideshow conversation with Allen]
• [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X-FURsztt9E Interview on NBC's Carson Daly Show]
• [https://www.telegraph.co.uk/travel/destinations/asia/mongolia/10946464/Life-through-my-lens-Timothy-Allen.html Daily Telegraph Interview: 'Life through my lens']
• [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4s2kGW6_Zj0 Behind the scenes film shot during one of Allen's expeditions through Mongolia]
• [http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b019gy9w#p00nd8kk BBC Radio 4 'From Our Own Correspondent' despatch from Allen]
• [https://www.independent.co.uk/news/media/tv-radio/story-of-survival-how-the-bbc-has-revived-photojournalism-2179589.html Independent on Sunday: Interview with Allen]

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Category:1971 births

Category:Living people

Category:English photojournalists

Category:Photographers from Kent

Category:British portrait photographers

Category:People from Tonbridge

Category:Photography in India

Category:Alumni of the University of Leeds

Category:People educated at The Judd School

Category:The Independent people