Bill Brandt was born in Hamburg on May 2, 1904 to a German mother and an English father. Growing up during World War I, and on account of his background he was subject to major bullying as a young schoolboy, making him resentful of his German background. At the age of 16, Brandt contracted tuberculosis and spent five years in a sanatorium in Switzerland. It was during this period of time that Brandt began experimenting with photography. After being released from the sanatorium, Brandt began documenting British society. The kind of documentary work Brandt was producing was uncommon for that period of time. He published two books to showcase his work, The English at Home (1936) and A Night in London (1938). During World War II, Brandt did not focus on any particular subject, however excelled in his portraiture and landscape. Upon the arrival of peace in 1945, he began to create a series of nudes. He is best known for his post-war period books including, Perspective of Nudes (1961), and Shadow of Light (1966). Brandt’s contributions to photography established him as one of the most influential photographers of the 20th century.