A native of Utah, David Pettit has lived in Springdale since 1981.  He has worked as a professional photographer since 1977, starting out with portrait and commercial work, and eventually moving into landscape photography.

David now devotes most of his time to scenic photography, and his award-winning scenic photographs hang in private and public collections around the world. His images of Utah’s national parks, wilderness, and remote areas have appeared in numerous major publications. Working in and around Zion, Bryce, Grand Canyon and Grand Staircase-Escalante has shaped David’s artistic philosophy.

“I’ve come to believe that the camera simply cannot accommodate the scale and magnificence of the landscape, so I aim to create a more intimate view and capture those fleeting moments that give the land its spiritual quality.”

While the southwest is wonderfully colorful, it is also full of marvelous textures and patterns. Millions of years of upheaval and erosion have left a variety of shapes and textures. David likes to explore these natural compositions as well as the grand vistas. The landscapes of the southwest challenge photographers to create images that avoid reducing the scenery to a cliché or a postcard picture.

“When all is said and done, if my images touch a viewer, draw him or her back for a second look to pause and contemplate, I think I have been successful.”