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f you’ve ever been to a PRCA rodeo and noticed a woman lying on the ground inside the arena near the fence, it was probably professional commercial-photographer, Mary Peters. No, she’s not injured. That’s just the unique angle from which she likes to create her dramatic rodeo images.
photographer
A lifelong lover of the art form, Mary specializes in photographing rodeos, cowboys and cowgirls, western lifestyle and creating fine art images. Raised in Lewistown, she spent youth embracing an outdoor lifestyle of hunting, fishing, snowmobiling and camping. Initially, she loved to photograph wildlife and landscape scenes. That all changed in 2015, when she photographed her first rodeo. Mary recalls, “Until then I had never been around rodeo all that much, except to watch a few as a spectator. The minute I stepped into the arena, it felt like I was always supposed to be there.”
By Mark La Rowe
mary peters
Unlike many other rodeo photographers, Mary focuses on the stock, not the contestant. “I don’t know why that is. It is just the way I shoot.” With digital cameras and the ability to instantly see images on the back of the camera, many photographers will spend time in between contestant runs reviewing their images. Mary doesn’t. She continually scans the arena and crowd for opportunities to create unique images. Her friendly and chatty nature makes her a favorite in the rodeo world and she enjoys shooting with other photographers. “I like to work alongside other photographers. It is fun and we can all learn something from each other,” says Mary. Constantly striving to capture images from a unique angle that gives them that little “something special,” Mary is well-known for her dynamic and dramatic images. She likes to capture the heart of the action and accentuate the athleticism of both the stock and the contestants. “I usually don’t post a typical cover shot. I like it when they are all bound up, or when the horse does a quick head turn to smile for the camera. Most of all, I love shooting in bad weather. I swear those bucking horses are like kids in a mud puddle,” Mary chuckles. In 2012, Mary was involved in an accident that resulted in a severe concussion. This had a significant impact on her life. “The problem with a concussion is, you as a person feel fine,” she said, “but you don’t remember a year and a half of your life.” She still has no memories from that period and has struggled with her photography for many years. As a result, Mary has relearned the entire photographic process, from a technical standpoint. “I needed to streamline and simplify the mechanics,” she recalls.
Still, Mary’s creative spirit, love of photography, and work ethic keeps pushing her forward. She covers rodeos for the PRCA across Montana, as well as other states including California and Oregon. She’s also photographed the National Finals Rodeo and world famous Miles City Bucking Horse Sale for many years. Mary doesn’t get caught up in who is competing, whether it be a world champion or a first time competitor. She focuses on the action. “Most of the time I like to hide in the corner so they forget that I am there. That’s when I can capture the candid, genuine moments.” A frequent contributor to Pro Rodeo Sports News, Western Horseman, and Bronc Riding Nation, among many other publications, Mary’s images are very much in demand. Unlike many other rodeo photographers, she likes to take her time reviewing and editing. “There are so many rodeo photographers shooting and selling their photos right after the event. I just have never been that way. I like to have my eyes on every image of mine before it goes into the public domain.” A self-described “old school” photographer, Mary loves to print her images in a soft black and white form with just a hint of warmth. Although also in demand for her wedding and portrait skills, she’s spending more energy focusing on her current workshops and gallery shows. With a schedule full of rodeos, commercial shoots, writing, portraits, and raising a family, this bubbly personality is always buzzing off to somewhere. In addition, Mary is currently working on a new series of fine art pieces. They will measure four-feet wide by up to eight-feet tall and be printed as fine art, mixed-media pieces. The series, based on rodeo, will be showcased at the Hells A Roarin’ event in Gardiner, MT at the end of this summer. So, if you are attending a rodeo this summer and see a long-haired brunette lying face-down in the rodeo arena, don’t be alarmed. It is probably just Mary doing her thing. Check out Mary’s imagery at www.photographybymarypeters.com
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