Bob Peterson

About the Artist

I started in photography more than 40 years ago with both 35mm and medium format cameras. I did weddings and a lot of travel photography and had my own darkroom, to include color printing. However, as my kids started growing up and I got busy with work, I slipped back to using point and shoot cameras for many years, to include my first few digital cameras. Then three years ago my son showed me his new DSLR. I held it in my hands, took a few photos, and was hooked. I dived right back in and am primarily shooting landscapes and nature photographs. I am a volunteer photographer for the Annapolis and Anne Arundel County Convention and Visitor’s Bureau and for Historic London Town and Gardens. A number of my photographs are featured in the Annapolis Visitor’s Center on West Street, on the cover of the 2015 Annapolis Visitor’s Guide, and on the cover of the December 2014 edition of Chesapeake Bay Magazine. Originally from Pennsylvania, I have lived Anne Arundel County for more than 45 years and currently reside in Annapolis with my wife Ruth. I recently retired from The Boeing Company and now have more time for my love of photography. 

Artist's Statement

As a photographer, I originally did not see myself as an artist because I do not paint or draw and have no formal art training. Photography has always been a part of my life, but has been recently reinvigorated through the wonderful digital cameras and processing software that are now available. As I studied the art of photography, I realized that art is the result of a creative process and that photography can be a large part of that creative process. In the hands of many people, a camera only takes pictures, but for me taking the picture is but one step in the overall creative process. My inspiration comes from the world around me. I photograph what I see and what I like, and I try to create images that are more than just a “snapshot.” My images need to present the subject in a way that makes you want to not just view, but to study, the image. This is accomplished through composition, lighting, exposure, and post-processing, but it starts with a vision of the final product. You need to “see” the final image before snapping the shutter, you need to frame the image in the camera, and you need to capture the image with the camera. Processing of the image in the digital darkroom, printing the image on the appropriate medium, and displaying the image are all part of the process of creating digital photographic art. I have been told that my photographic style is unique, and my images are both bold and realistic at the same time. I continually strive to learn and improve both my image capture and image processing to further enhance my art.