About

Background
My interest in photography began as a young child, when my grandmother gifted me a camera prior to a family vacation. By the age of 10 I was processing my own film. By 12, I had a full darkroom in my parents’ basement. After photographing travels and friends throughout my teen years, I founded my first photography business at 19 as a sophomore in college. My photographic career has since spanned a wide gamut: from early days as the sole staff photographer at a small college public relations office (which included managing the college’s black-and-white darkroom), to stock photography, to years as a fine-art photographer selling photographic artwork on the regional art festival circuit, to roles as principal staff photographer for advertising agencies, to many more years of freelancing. I have produced and sold stock travel images via multiple stock agencies, and I have executed a number of gallery shows. My fine art images hang in public and private photography collections in the US and in Europe. Most recently, I’ve come full circle and have been focusing on fine-art landscape and conceptual natural history photography.

Most of my current work is centered in the following areas:

Fine-Art Landscape & Natural History
Among my deepest passions is a love for the outdoors. Capturing on film or pixels the natural scenes I encounter when outdoors has always been my greatest interest, especially when venturing off the beaten path. I’m currently exploring several thematic concepts for future exhibition.

Documentary Travel/Fine-Art Travel
I’m lucky to have had the opportunity to travel extensively throughout my life. Perhaps the one thing I’ve enjoyed almost as much as landscape and nature photography, is travel photography. Documenting the people, culture, architecture, and lifestyles of the places I visit, and creating photographic art from the scenes I encounter, has always been highly rewarding. In more recent years, I’ve become interested in the urban landscape as a primary subject itself.

Instructional Photography Workshops
I have taught photography workshops via my own workshop brand, Peterson Photo Workshops, since 2006. I have also produced and taught workshops for a variety of other organizations. Having prior experience teaching at the college level has provided me with both confidence and sound instructional design such that workshop production and delivery is great fun.

Art Community Involvement
In addition to my work as an artist, I strive to be involved and give back to the art community. I have served as a juror for both photographic and non-photographic art exhibitions for organizations such as Octagon Center for the Arts, Iowa Arts Council, Iowa State Fair Photography Salon, Silos and Smokestacks Heart of America Photo Contest, and for camera clubs throughout the Midwest and Rocky Mountains. I’ve also been a member of the Octagon Center for the Art’s Board of Trustees (including terms as both Vice-President and President). I frequently present to photography and arts organizations on photography topics.

So how can I help you?
Please start a conversation to discuss your next project or commission – I look forward to working with you.