Totok Wijayanto taught himself photography since Senior High School. In 2004 he began his career as a photo journalist in Kompas where he stayed until now. He received many photo journalistic awards, among others were National Geographic Indonesia’s first prize for Nature and third place in Human categories (2007). He also won first prize for Adiwarta Awards under the Political News Photography category (2007) and third prize for Photo Journalists Award in the Art and Entertainment category (2011).

He also collaborated in the making of the books Fifty Seven Seconds (2006) and Mata Hati 1975-2007 (2007).