Reckless, uninhibited and brazen, photographer Peter Beard was, as The Washington Post put it, “as wild as the animals he photographed.” Beard produced some of the most beautiful images of wildlife ever captured on film.
Beard was born in 1938 in New York City. His great-grandfather was James J. Hill, founder of the Great Northern Railway. As a child, he spent his summers at his grandmother’s Tuxedo Park estate, where she gave him his first camera, a Voightländer. He used it to take pictures to accompany his diaries; Beard was a keen diarist throughout his life, amassing more than 100 volumes. At the age of 17, he took a life-changing trip to Africa with Quentin Keynes, Charles Darwin’s great-grandson, using his Voightländer to photograph wildlife.
After attending prestigious private schools such as Buckley and Pomfret, Beard entered Yale University in 1957 as a pre-med student. However, he soon turned his attention toward art, studying under architectural historian Vincent Scully, German artist Josef Albers and painter Richard Lindner. He graduated in 1961 with a degree in art history.
In the 1960s, Beard returned to Africa, where he met Out of Africa author Karen Blixen. Enamored by the continent’s natural beauty, he purchased Hog Ranch near Blixen’s coffee plantation in Kenya. While there, he received a special dispensation from President Uhuru Kenyatta to film, photograph and document the flora and wildlife at Tsavo National Park. This led to The End of the Game, published in 1965, which documented the demise of more than 35,000 starving elephants and 5,000 black rhinos.
Beard became renowned for his black-and-white and color photography, figurative photos and landscapes. He exhibited around the world, including at New York’s Blum Helman Gallery in 1975, the International Center of Photography in Manhattan in 1977, the Centre National de la Photographie in Paris in 1996 and Guild Hall in East Hampton in 2016.
Beard died in 2020 at the age of 82. His works remain in demand with collectors.
On 1stDibs, find original Peter Beard photography, mixed media work and prints.
Peter Beard - Elephant's Embryo, Uganda, Platinum Print- Unsigned
By Peter Beard
Located in Miami Beach, FL
Elephant's Embryo, Uganda Aributed to Peter Beard/Unsigned The original photograph "unsigned" but documented by its inclusion in "Peter Beard - Fifty Years of Portraits, The End of the Game...
Platinum
Iman by Peter Beard - Photographs - 1986
By Peter Beard
Located in Roma, IT
A pair of beautiful vintage color photographs belonging to the Series "Beauty and the Beast". Realized in 1986 for Playboy. Excellent condition.
Photographic Paper
Price Upon Request
I'll write whenever I can..., 1965
By Peter Beard
Located in New York, NY
Signed by the photographer
Platinum
Self Portrait with Saguaro About My Same Age
By Mark Klett
Located in New York, NY
Platinum print (Edition of 100) Titled and dated in pencil, recto Signed and dated in pencil, verso 10 x 12 inches, sheet size 8 x 10 inches, image size This artwork is offered by...
Platinum
Tunnel View, Yosemite National Park California
By Kerik Kouklis
Located in Carmel, CA
Platinum/Palladium (there was no pull down for this) Print Date 2025 Hand printed by artist Edition 1/15 Outer dimensions 16x20" Corner Mounted
Platinum
$3,500
H 16 in W 20 in
Policewoman Playing Tag, New York City, Gelatin Silver Photograph, 16x20, Signed
By Leonard Freed
Located in New york, NY
Policewoman Playing Tag, New York City, 1978 by Leonard Freed, is a 16” x 20” gelatin silver photograph from the photographer's Police Work series and book. The photograph from the estate is stamped verso (back of photo) and signed by Brigitte Freed (widow). A black and white modern photograph...
Photographic Film, Photographic Paper, Silver Gelatin
Southern Oaks
By Beth Moon
Located in Sante Fe, NM
All photographs are platinum/palladium prints. These metals are hand coated on 100% rag cotton water color paper with natural deckled edges and contact printed. Since platinum, like ...
Photographic Paper, Platinum
$275
H 10 in W 13 in
Young Lad ( haunting portrait of young boy on a crowded London street)
By Richard Sadler
Located in New Orleans, LA
Richard Sadler's "Young Boy" is a haunting portrait of a very serious young British lad amidst a crowd of other people. He is dressed very formally in hat, coat and tie. He clutche...
Photographic Film, Photographic Paper
$141,610
H 29.93 in W 43.78 in
Elephants Walking Through Grass, Amboseli – Nick Brandt, Elephants, Photography
By Nick Brandt
Located in Zurich, CH
NICK BRANDT (*1966, England) Elephants Walking Through Grass, Amboseli 2008 Platinum print Image 58.42 x 106.68 cm (23 x 42 in.) Sheet 76 x 111.2 cm (29 7/8 x 43 3/4 in.) Edition of ...
Platinum
$450
H 20 in W 16 in
Empire City Derby Jamaica Racetrack New York City Race Horse Jockey Photographs
Located in Wilton Manors, FL
A pair of antique period prints by American photographer Charles Christian Cook (1873-1957). "Wonderful" and "Bonnie Khayam". ca. 1920's. Platinum prints glued down to backing boa...
Platinum
$2,950
H 20.48 in W 13.39 in D 0.08 in
Ariane - Signed limited edition fine art print, Contemporary, Romantic, Dancer
By Ian Sanderson
Located in Sant Cugat del Vallès, Barcelona
Ariane - Signed limited edition archival pigment print , 2005 - Edition of 5 This is an Archival Pigment print on fiber based paper ( Hahnemühle Photo Rag® Baryta 315 gsm , Acid-fr...
Archival Paper, Photographic Paper, Black and White, Giclée, Pigment, Ar...
$5,133
H 11.82 in W 21.26 in
A Man Feeding Swans in the Snow - Grand Prix NYPH New York Photo Festival 2015
By Marcin Ryczek
Located in Hallein, AT
The photo is signed and stamped on the front by Marcin Ryczek and will be send unframed A Man Feeding Swans in the Snow (2013) - edition 25 in format 30...
Photographic Paper
$2,950
H 14.57 in W 19.69 in D 0.08 in
Ben-Signed limited edition fine art print, Black white photo, Analog, Homoerotic
By Ian Sanderson
Located in Sant Cugat del Vallès, Barcelona
Ben - Signed limited edition archival pigment print, 1996 - Edition of 5 This image was captured on film. The negative was scanned creating a digital file which was then printed...
Archival Paper, Archival Pigment, Black and White, Photographic Film, Pi...
Vertiges III ROME - ITALY
By Chiara Ferrando
Located in Torino, IT
Photography is a means of artistic expression; the scene before me is always the starting point of an adventure. My artworks are inspired by a contemplative gaze: each shot is not ju...
Photographic Paper
$4,130
H 35.44 in W 35.44 in D 0.08 in
Ben 2 -Signed limited edition contemporary print, Black white, Man, Homoerotic
By Ian Sanderson
Located in Sant Cugat del Vallès, Barcelona
An original signed archival pigment print on Hahnemühle Photo Rag® Baryta 315 gsm paper by Scottish artist Ian Sanderson (1951- 2020) titled ‘Ben 2 ‘ who was captured on film in 1989...
Photographic Film, Archival Paper, Photographic Paper, Black and White, ...
Three Giraffes in Mirage on the Taru Desert
By Peter Beard
Located in Toronto, Ontario
Peter Beard (1938–2020) occupies a singular place within postwar photography. Artist, diarist, naturalist, and adventurer, Beard devoted much of his life to documenting the landscape...
Ink, Silver Gelatin
Sold
H 6.7 in W 9.06 in D 0.08 in
Iman on the Set of Beauty and Beasts - Photograph by Peter Beard - 1988
By Peter Beard
Located in Roma, IT
Vintage b/w photograph realized by Peter Beard in 1988. Copyright and provenance: Playboy. Playboy stamp on rear. Excellent condition.
Photographic Paper
...Inside a Camera
By Peter Beard
Located in Toronto, Ontario
Peter Beard (1938-2020) was an American artist, photographer, writer, and naturalist whose work captured the cultural imagination. His visceral documentation and interpretation demon...
Mixed Media, Photographic Paper
Sold
H 16 in W 20 in D 0.1 in
Peter Beard - Beyond Gauguin Night Giraffe Feeding - Framed/Unsigned
By Peter Beard
Located in Miami Beach, FL
Beyond Gauguin Night Giraffe Feeding, Maureen Gallagher Late Night Feeder, 1987 Peter Beard/Unsigned The original photograph unsigned but documented by its inclusion in "Peter Beard - Fifty Years of Portraits, The End of the Game, Eyelids of Morning and many other prints. Size image: 13 3/8 in. H x 19½ in. W Sheet size: 16 in. Hx 20 in. W x 1 in. D Framed: 25.5 in. H x 31 in. W Platinum print Peter Hill...
Platinum
Cheetah Cubs at Mweiga nr Nyeri, Kenya, 1968
By Peter Beard
Located in Miami Beach, FL
Attributed to Peter Beard- original photograph unsigned but documented by its inclusion in "Peter Beard - Fifty Years of Portraits, The End of the Game, Eyelids of Morning and many others. Cheetah Cubs...
Black and White, Archival Pigment, Silver Gelatin
Sold
H 9 in W 13.5 in
Large Tusker, Black and White Nature Photography of Elephant in Kenya, Africa
By Peter Beard
Located in New york, NY
Large tusker "Elephant" photograph by Peter Beard - 9” x 13.5” — is a signed gelatin silver photograph and dedicated ("greetings @xmas 1990 from Peter Beard), top of photo (left cor...
Photographic Film, Photographic Paper, Silver Gelatin
"Beyond Gauguin", Night Giraffe Feeding
By Peter Beard
Located in Miami Beach, FL
Attributed to Peter Beard- original photograph unsigned but documented by its inclusion in "Peter Beard - Fifty Years of Portraits, The End of the Game, Eyelids of Morning and many others.print Maureen Gallagher Late Night Feeder, 1987 Gelatin silver print size image 13 3/8in. x 19½ sheet: each 16in.20 x 1 25.5 x 31 in. framed ____________________________ Peter Hill...
Black and White, Archival Pigment, Silver Gelatin
Cheetah Cubs at Mweiga nr Nyeri, Kenya, 1968
By Peter Beard
Located in Miami Beach, FL
Attributed to Peter Beard- original photograph unsigned but documented by its inclusion in "Peter Beard - Fifty Years of Portraits, The End of the Game, Eyelids of Morning and many others. Cheetah Cubs...
Black and White, Archival Pigment, Silver Gelatin
Sold
H 20 in W 16 in D 0.1 in
Peter Beard - The Death of Elephants in Tsavo Park, Platinum Print/Unsigned
By Peter Beard
Located in Miami Beach, FL
The Death of Elephants in Tsavo Park 1971 - 1972 Peter Beard/Unsigned The original photograph unsigned but documented by its inclusion in "Peter Beard - Fifty Years of Portraits, The End of the Game, Eyelids of Morning and many others. Image size: 20 in. H x 16 in. W Platinum print Peter Hill...
Platinum
Sold
H 16 in W 20 in D 0.1 in
Peter Beard - Elephant's Embryo, Uganda, Platinum Print- Unsigned
By Peter Beard
Located in Miami Beach, FL
Elephant's Embryo, Uganda Peter Beard/Unsigned The original photograph "unsigned" but documented by its inclusion in "Peter Beard - Fifty Years of Portraits, The End of the Game, Eyelids of Morning, and many others. Image size: 16 in. H x 20 in. W Platinum print Peter Hill...
Platinum
Sold
H 20 in W 16 in D 0.1 in
Peter Beard - Francis Bacon at 80 Narrow Street, London, Unsigned
By Peter Beard
Located in Miami Beach, FL
Francis Bacon at 80 Narrow Street, London, March 1972 Peter Beard/Unsigned The original photograph unsigned but documented by its inclusion in "Peter Beard - Fifty Years of Portraits, The End of the Game, Eyelids of Morning, and many others. Image size: 19½ in. H x 13 3/8 in. W Sheet size: 20 in. H x 16 in. W Platinum print Peter Hill...
Platinum, Archival Pigment
Peter Beard - Charge Déléphant/Unsigned
By Peter Beard
Located in Miami Beach, FL
Charge Déléphant Elephant reaching for the last branch on a tree, Kenya, 1965 Peter Beard/Unsigned The original photograph unsigned but documented by its inclusion in "Peter Beard - Fifty Years of Portraits, The End of the Game, Eyelids of Morning and many others. Image size: 19½ in. H x 13 3/8 in. W Sheet size: 20 in. H x 16 in. W Platinum print Peter Hill...
Platinum