About me

Born in Queens, New York and growing up in Greenwich Village, I picked up my first camera and took my first darkroom class at the age of twelve. I was inspired by my maternal grandfather who had a photo studio on the boardwalk in Brighton Beach, Brooklyn, and my father, an avid amateur photographer who travelled around the country documenting post WWII America with a medium format camera.

I spent many years working as a travel photographer, and in 2000 I started my own photo agency, Ambient Images, which specialized in images of New York and California. In 2015 I formed Citizen of the Planet, LLC, devoted exclusively to the distribution of my stories and photographs that focus on a variety of environmental subjects.

My work has appeared in hundreds of publications including the New York Times, Sierra Magazine, Time, Newsweek, National Geographic, Sunset Magazine, Los Angeles Magazine, and New York Magazine.


My fine art prints hang in the California State Capitol, California Science Center’s permanent Ecosystem exhibit, and many other museums, private institutions, and collector’s homes.

I have also had the privilege to work with numerous local environmental organizations over the years including FoLAR (Friends of the LA River), The Sierra Club, Greenpeace, Heal the Bay, 5 Gyres Institute, Algalita Marine Research Foundation, Communities for a Better Environment, and the LA Conservation Corps.

I have been an instructor for over twelve years at the Los Angeles Center of Photography, I currently teach classes on Night Photography and Environmental Storytelling, and for years I led their Los Angeles River Photo Adventure tour.
You can see my current class schedule here.

I have had seven books published either under my own name or as part of a collection from my former agency, Ambient Images. My most recent book: The Los Angeles River, Photographs by Peter Bennett was published in late 2021

Exhibits

Dabster Arts, Main Street Gallery - Adventures in La La Land – curated group show – 1 print from Walls & Bridges series – (2023)

The Hive Gallery, Los Angeles – Pixel Popcorn - Curated group show - 4 prints of East Village in the 1980s – (2023)

We are Here Now – curated multi-media exhibit celebrating the art, music and film from New York’s East Village in the 1970-80s, Studio Hill Gallery, Woodbury, CT – 6 prints – (2023)

Solo show at Laemmle Royal Theatre, West LA – 12 B&W portraits of filmmakers, film critics, and film historians in conjunction of the release of documentary film: Only in Theaters - (2022)

The Hive Gallery, Los Angeles – Curated group show – 4 prints from Mindful of Photos series - (2022)

Open Threads II, Angel Street Brewery, an official MOPLA Exhibition - Curated group show – (2019)

Los Angeles Center of Photography - Member and Alumni Exhibition – Curated group show – (2018)

Art Share LA, Los Angeles – Curated group show – (2017)

Annenberg Beach Gallery, Santa Monica – Curated group show – LA Detailed (2016)

FoLAR annual gala – solo pop up show – 20 prints (2016)

Group show at Keystone Gallery, Los Angeles - The Los Angeles River: A City Runs Through It - (2016)

Solo show at Laemmle Royal Theatre, West LA, part of Art in the Arthouse program - 11 Dye sublimation aluminum prints of the LA River - (2015)

Solo show at NoHo Laemmle Theatre, North Hollywood, part of Art in the Arthouse program - 13 Dye sublimation aluminum prints of the LA River - (2015)

Los Angeles Center of Photography 2015 faculty show, Hollywood (2015)

Permanent installations

California Speaker of the House, Anthony Rendon’s State Capitol office – 2 large prints of LA River

California Science Center – 10 prints in permanent installation of Ecosystem - L.A. Zone exhibit

City View Senior Living, Los Angeles - Large canvas display print of LA skyline

Rio Vista Apartments, Los Angeles, 7 prints of Los Angeles River – permanent exhibit

Riverwalk at Reseda Apartments, Los Angeles, 9 prints of Los Angeles River – permanent exhibit

Kaiser Permanente Medical offices, Playa Vista - Large display print of Ballona Wetlands

Downtown Center Business Improvement District offices, Los Angeles - 2 prints of Los Angeles River

Your Daily Photograph

Your Daily Photograph is a curated daily web showcase for fine art photography. A valued resource for serious collectors, YDP is led by Daniel Miller, owner of Duncan Miller Gallery in Santa Monica, California.

Images selected
12/6/2022 – In-N-Out@LAX
4/25/2021- Nice Bright Ball Enjoying the Surf
5/20/2020 - Pray for the USA
1/1/2020 - Times Square, 12:01am


Books

New York’s East Village in the 1980s - Coming in 2023

Los Angeles River – Photographs by Peter Bennett  (2021)

New York City, America the Beautiful series, Firefly Books (2010)

A Field Guide to New York City, Twin Lights Publishing (2009)

California, America the Beautiful series, Firefly Books (2009)

Our San Diego, Voyageur Press (2006)

Only In Los Angeles, Voyageur Press (2004)

New York City - A Photographic Portrait, Twin Lights Publishing (2004

TEACHING

Instructor at Los Angeles Center of Photography (formally Julia dean Photo Workshops) (2010 - Present)

Private training and consultation in the areas of photography and digital workflow

PHOTO PROJECTS

Documentation of California wetlands. Wetlands are typically home to many bird species and indigenous plant life, considered the most biologically diverse of all ecosystems; wetlands act as a natural water purification and storage system for our coastlines. Although some communities have made great efforts to protect them, wetlands are still under constant assault by development, pollution and man’s never ending encroachment on nature. (2019 - Present)

Documentation of Los Angeles River and LA Revitalization Plan, including 2008 Los Angeles River Expedition, La Gran Limpieza river clean-ups, new park construction and openings, 1st annual Off tha’ Hook fly fishing event and 1st annual LA River Boat Race (2008 - Present)

Ed Begley Jr’s attempt to construct the greenest home in North America for television series “On Begley Street” (2012 - 2014)

Construction and journey of the “Junk Raft” a modern ‘Kon Tiki’ made from plastic water bottles and other recycled objects that sailed from Long Beach to Hawaii in order to bring attention to the plastic pollution in the North Pacific Gyre (2008)