My work as a photographer, academic, art director, and architect is deeply rooted in process. Research, practice, explorations, and paying attention are the foundation of my work.
I am innately curious and seek challenges. The unifying thread of my work is my infatuation with the space between. My work inevitably explores liminality and interstitiality.
Ultimately, photography, architecture, and design are each embedded with so many iterations, decisions, and interactions that, when composed well, appear simple and effortless but feel right. The layers, anxieties, and work are embedded with this esoteric knowledge, but its not lost on the viewer.
Tim is a multifaceted creative professional whose career spans photography, academia, art direction, and architecture. With over two decades of experience as a professional photographer, he has consistently pursued excellence across diverse creative disciplines while maintaining a successful photography practice. His formal education includes both a Bachelor's and Master's degree from Columbia University in New York, complemented by ongoing professional development through specialized workshops and training programs.
His editorial portfolio encompasses more than 200 features nationally and internationally, including The New York Times, The Washington Post and Magazine, The Wall Street Journal, Time, Forbes, Business Week, Fast Company, Wired, Elle Decor, Architectural Digest, House Beautiful, Dwell, Interior Design, Smithsonian Magazine, and Preservation, among others.
Tim collaborated with Knoll, Boffi, and Starwood Hotels in the commercial sector while completing over 250 architectural and interior design projects. These pursuits have involved coordinating with diverse teams of architects, designers, editors, stylists, and technical specialists.
After graduating from Columbia University’s Graduate School of Architecture Planning and Preservation, Tim pursued his commitment to social impact through significant pro bono work. He provided architectural knowledge for post-earthquake reconstruction efforts in Haiti after 2010, serving as Team Architect and Global Advisor for UniHaiti, New York City/Léogâne, and Treasurer & Board member for the Haiti Housing Collaborative. His dedication to community service extended to photographic projects for numerous non-profits, including DIFFA, an HIV/AIDS care support organization, the Kips Bay Boys and Girls Club, and DesigNYC.
From 2015 to 2024, Tim served as a full-time assistant and then associate professor of photography at Kent State University. He maintained a rigorous commitment to professional development during his tenure, refining his pedagogical approach and photographic expertise. His research and teaching focused on innovative pedagogy, including a novel approach in color theory and practice, New Media theory and applications, and emerging literacies in photography and the expanding role of lens-based visual media, ensuring his students were introduced to received cutting-edge instruction in this rapidly evolving field.
Tim's art & research work can be seen on timothybell.net