Tim Rawle was born in Ashford, Kent. After studying fine art and graphic design at St Martin's School of Art and at the Central School of Art and Design, London, he read architecture at Downing College, Cambridge, continuing his education at the Architectural Association, where he was Caldicott Scholar. He first came to prominence with the publication of his book Cambridge Architecture in 1985. Besides providing the text and the photographs for this venture he also designed the book. The Daily Telegraph described it as "an astonishingly comprehensive book... a unique and valuable record". His next book project in 1987 was to provide the photography and design for Cinzia Maria Sicca's Committed to Classicism: The Building of Downing College, Cambridge. The following year he was commissioned to design a new pictorial book on the National Portrait Gallery's collection as well as a small guide to the NPG's outstation at Bodelwyddan Castle, North Wales. In 1991, he set up a small business called "The Cambridge Portfolio" to publish high-quality calendars, diaries, greetings cards and postcards featuring his photographs of Cambridge buildings and Cambridge town and gown. He did the photography and design for the official guide to King's College Chapel, published in seven different languages. Used extensively by publishers and record companies, many of his pictures have become iconic. For a period spanning several years he produced prospectuses for many Cambridge colleges and independent schools in south-east England. A revised edition of Cambridge Architecture was brought out by André Deutsch in 1993. His reputation as an accomplished photographer was secured with publication by Frances Lincoln of his book Cambridge in 2005. According to the book's jacket, "There are familiar and unfamiliar views, but at all times their assured composition bears the unmistakable stamp of this photographer now internationally acclaimed for his Cambridge portfolio." In his review in CAM, the university magazine, the late Dr Peter Richards wrote: "At the heart of the book lies a fascinating exploration of seven hundred years of University architecture... This is, quite simply, the best introduction to Cambridge ever published." The Howard Foundation commissioned Tim Rawle to be the author and photographer of a new book on Downing College published in September 2015 and lauded by the Georgian as a "well-researched architectural history" with "exceptional photographs". There are plans afoot to publish a companion volume to Cambridge simply entitled Oxford. Tim Rawle was appointed a Fellow Commoner of Downing College, Cambridge in 1987.
