Tim Bret-Day

Tim Bret-Day always felt like the odd one out and connected with the outsiders. Tim's dad was French, chic, and gregarious, his mum, proudly working-class, an observer with an acerbic wit.

Initially commissioned by fashion magazines and record companies illustrating commissioned work and embarking on many trips around the world, Tim has worked in photography all his life.

Often returning from these travels, he would show the pictures he'd shot for himself to his friend Roberto who then would print them in black and white. But nobody would see these pictures. In 1998, Tim lost his dear friend, whose parting words to Tim were 'you must show who you are, really express yourself'. Tim decided this would be his route forward.

It coincided with the advent of digital photography in 1997, which then unleashed an ability to reconstruct his memories of watching The Singing Ringing Tree with his mother, thumbing through his dad's Paris Vogues, and a fear of the dark. Tim confronted the 'less is more' background with images full of detail and narrative. It led to commissions with David Bowie, Harvey Nichols, and Agent Provocateur, all encouraging him to do what he wanted. Tim Bret-Day has shot worldwide campaigns for everyone, usually with a cast of thousands. Deep within the chaos of these shoots, he finds happiness. His collaboration with illustrator David Bray for the Harvey Nichols campaign, HN on Earth is in the permanent poster collection at the Louvre, Paris.

Always onto the next project, lockdown forced Tim to confront his archives which he has found revealing.