Bev Pettit is an internationally published photographer who specializes in equine and western lifestyle photography. Having been around horses her entire life, either through good fortune or opportunities created, it was only natural that Pettit would choose the horse and the West as her main photographic subjects. Inspired by her love of horses, she strives to go beyond the inherent beauty of the animals to convey emotion in her work, at times using starkness to isolate details and to create a sense of intimacy with the viewer.

After a decade of living and working in Asia and Europe, she now appreciates a quiet life with her family and horses on their ranch in Arizona. She insists on total control over the look and feel of each image from start to finish, and maintains a studio in her home where she creates and prints each image. Although her compositions are created in camera, the final image takes on many new lives in the digital darkroom before it is deemed ready for print. Pettit’s creative process for any given image can take up to several weeks.

Each frame is first studied and then the thought process begins, before the vision for a final outcome is formed. Pettit places great emphasis on lighting and contrast in her images. At times her work reveals the grit and real-life hardness of a cowpuncher attempting to catch a wildly running horse in a muddy arena during a ranch competition; other times she captures the power and majesty of mustangs galloping freely through the open plains. (scroll down for more)

Bev enjoys teaching online courses in fine art photography, judging international photo competitions, mentoring students on a private basis and conducting photo workshops throughout the Western US. Her work has received numerous awards and has been published extensively both in the US and internationally. She is currently represented in fine art galleries throughout the western states.