Peter Bennett

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

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

Peter’s 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.

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

He has also had the privilege to work with a numerous local environmental organizations over the years including FoLA...

Exhibits
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 – (2022)
Open Threads II, Angel Street Brewery, an official MOPLA Exhibition - Curated group show – (2019)
First Annual Faculty, Member and Alumni Exhibition at Los Angeles Center of Photography – 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 fundraiser - 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 ...