The eldest son of British poet David Harsent,[1] he was born in Aylesbury, England in 1965, and lives in New York and Australia.
After continuing his studies at Watford college,[2] England, Simon moved to London and eventually to Australia, where he established himself as a leading commercial photographer.
In 2000, he moved to New York City where he has continued his commercial career as well as concentrating on fine art work.
[6] In 2009, he published his first monograph, Melt: Portrait of an Iceberg[7] which has been shown in The Australian Center of Photography, Oliver Gordon Galley in Toronto Canada, The Saatchi and Saatchi Gallery Sydney and The Alison Milne Gallery, Toronto Canada.
[3][5] Harsent's work is included in the permanent collection at both the Queensland Art Gallery and The Powerhouse Museum.