In the Photography Spotlight - Mike Peters

by Skip Cohen

​We're an industry of artists, and our love for any particular image is always unique to the viewer. My old buddy Dean Collins, when an image of his was criticized, his comment was always the same, "Beauty is in the eyes of the checkbook holder!"

We all have favorites we follow on their websites and in social media, and Mike Peters is one of mine. Two years ago, I did a book for Panasonic and Marathon Press. There were only two copies made for the public display. It was a giant album designed to show the quality of LUMIX cameras combined with Marathon's outstanding quality of Bella Art Albums.

The page at the top of today's post is where I look at my relationship with Mike started, and I shared the image on the left in a post last year. Although now and then a closeup nature shot jumps in, Mike is all about people. As a LUMIX Ambassador, he's out and about capturing his favorite species - humanity.  

We can only speculate on the story behind each image, but as a body of work, the story couldn't be more continuously developing or obvious. At a time in the world where the news media captures the challenges in the differences between us - Mike is capturing what makes us all the same. From the intensity of a pensive stare to a smile to communicating and sharing an emotion, he never slows down on his quest to capture another face to add to his own version of The NeverEnding Story. 

​I love the way Mike describes the images in his galleries:

The images you will see here have been presented as seen, I crop only rarely and work to get the composition nailed in the camera. No pixels were harmed in the making of any of these images! The people you see in these photographs, with the exception of the performances, are regular people, not models or actors. Many are in real situations that were happening in the moment, while others have been a part of a scenario that was set up just for the camera.

Mike needs to be on your radar - follow him on Instagram, or his website. Every image he shares represents another chapter in a day in the life of America. Click on any image to view in the SCU lightbox.

Mike is a LUMIX Ambassador, and a member of one of the most unique and diverse educational teams in professional photographers. This group of artists and educators represent some of the finest photographers in the industry and should be on your radar, along with Mike. You'll also find them hanging out from time to time in the LUMIX Photographers group on Facebook.

​Panasonic never slows down on developing creative tools for photographers to raise the bar on the quality of the images they capture. Mike's favorite camera and lens to work with these days is the LUMIX G9 and the Leica 10-25mm F1.7 lens. For more information, click on either thumbnail below.

LUMIX G9 Mirrorless Camera Kit, 20.3 Megapixels plus 80 Megapixel High-Resolution Mode, 5-Axis Dual I.S2

LUMIX G LEICA DG VARIO-SUMMILUX 10-25mm, F1.7 ASPH. Lens, Mirrorless Micro Four Thirds Mount

©Montclair State University

©Montclair State University

©Montclair State University

©Montclair State University