Tim has a research interest in the ‘thingness’ of photography and the materiality of the photographic print. His artist’s books explore touch and disruptive sequencing using unconventional formats such as the dossier, envelope, folio or archive box. Through handling books, viewers are presented with an enhanced, haptic reading experience. Tim Daly's projects present alternative social histories using observational photography exploring unexpectedness, visual humour and poignancy, sometimes incorporating archive materials.

Since 1990, Daly has worked on a cluster of themes including architecture: of social housing, of the Plotland movement and of former asylum complexes; do-it-yourself culture especially renovation and modification and finally leisure pastimes and tourism, including inland waterways. In addition, Tim Daly has written over twenty books on photography, photobook design, print production and project development aimed at undergraduate students.

Since 2000 he has worked with most US and UK publishing houses including Bloomsbury Academic, AVA, Peachpit Press, Focal Press and Aurum Press. Tim has exhibited his work widely, including at The Photographers’ Gallery, London and at the NGBK in Berlin and in 2017, Tim established Fugitive Press.