Toby Harriman ’06 is a professional photographer who has traveled the world over telling beautiful stories through photography and video. He is a regular contributor to National Geographic Travel, and he is the founder of Planet Unicorn, a multi-faceted company which creates and curates original stories from Toby and other artists he represents, features a fine art gallery, and has a studio/production unit. His latest project Myanmar: Beauty and Strife is a stunning look at a landscape and culture that captivated Toby and led him to produce a 25-minute video and write a in-depth personal reflection. Both are well-worth every minute of your time.
Toby's passion for making art has been life-long. Reflecting on his time on The Point, he said:
“At Cardigan, I took classes with Susan March Rives, but never took any photo classes that I can remember. I know that since about first grade or earlier I was quoted as saying 'I just want to create art all day,' and that's about the same mindset I had my entire schooling life. I was the type that would try to get out of study hall so I could go do art instead. At Cardigan, I remember doing sculpture with clay, and at Holderness I was extremely into pottery and took my first photo class. My mind has always been hooked on creating, and I made it my goal to make a career of it, no matter what. After studying Web Design in college at the Academy of Art University in San Francisco, I decided to dive straight into photography full time.
I can’t say I know exactly what’s next, however. It's a weird spot in this fast and changing industry. I am partnering with a few companies as an ambassador and will continue contributing to National Geographic Travel, but for the most part I live very day-to-day. I work more with clients privately these days as an aerial director on commercials, but my true passion is creating work for myself and telling stories where I have full control.”
Thank you, Toby for sharing your passion with us, and keep up the amazing work. To follow Toby and see more from him, visit his personal website at www.tobyharriman.com.