Somewhere in Time: Craig Bromley’s Nostalgic Journey

The power of emotion and nostalgia is undeniable, and it’s something that Craig Bromley, a US-based photographer, harnessed to create a stirring self-promotion image that captures the imagination and the heart. His unique vision and use of a vintage camera and film to give a time travel feel adds an emotive and romantic touch to his work. Bromley was recently awarded a prestigious Advertising 2023 Gold Award for this latest project titled “SOMEWHERE IN TIME.” The project is a beautiful exploration of memory, time, and the connections that bind us. In this blog post, we’ll learn more about Bromley’s inspiration.

By: Craig Bromley

“She walked towards me and called out my name; and as I said her name, I  realized that I had not seen her in 24 years. “A quarter of a century,” she said, as we hugged like we were holding onto treasure. Familiar, yet with fresh eyes. Are we ghosts somewhere in time, or are we living in the wonder of a second chance? 

“In advertising, we are used to running out of time as we endeavor to tell our client’s story in pictures. While there never seems to be enough time for concept, strategy, production, and analysis, we find a way to achieve the client’s goal. As I introduce myself to art buyers, I focus on feeling. After all, the emotion held within an embrace may be the same emotion that sells a car or a  perfume. How does it feel to hug someone that you have not seen in a quarter of a century? If a photographer can create an image that invites the viewer to recall memories or invent dreams, then maybe there is more behind self-promotion than the precise details of production. Since all great advertising is a  collaboration, it would make sense that the artist, director, producer, and client will all have the same sense of how it should feel. 

“If we still feel the same after 24 years of being apart, does that mean we were somehow always together? If we surrounded ourselves with the same luxuries and traveled with the same photos in our heads, were we dreaming the same dreams? I love being reminded of the memories that got left behind. The way someone smiles at you is just as unique as the words that are spoken. I reach for your hand and see you reaching for mine. It has always been about the journey. Hug me. This time I will never let go.”

To see more of Craig’s work, click here.

To see other Advertising 2023 winners, click here. To enter our Advertising 2024 competition, click here.