About Michael Petrizzo
Michael Petrizzo (1953-2022) was an award-winning Cape Cod photographer and digital artist, with works admired locally, nationally and internationally. He passed away unexpectedly in January 2022, leaving us, his very proud family, quite the collection of digital artwork and photography.
He purchased his first 35 mm camera in 1979—an Olympus OM-10—and began a decades-long journey as a self-taught enthusiast of color, light and composition.
Michael loved Cape Cod, which motivated him to safeguard its wonders and the memories formed here through meaningful images. He became a dedicated follower of the day’s weather to better predict shooting conditions and cloud action, as well as an avid explorer of the Cape’s numerous scenic nooks and crannies.
For many, the Cape is an escape, as it was for Michael. The peace, joy and wonder he felt here saturated his images as he intended, much like the colors he tirelessly captured in the Cape’s special light.
Of course, he loved to transfer his expertise to any scene and enjoyed capturing other locales, including NYC and the Arizona desert.
In the early 2000s, Michael discovered a new world of possibility when introduced to the power of digital imagery and tools. He credited his children for showing him how to upload images to the Internet (all four of us take credit for this), where he started to enter his work into online contests.
The power of affirmation from other professional photographers compelled him to continue sharing his work, when one of his pieces, A Cold Winter’s Night, scored recognition as the Photo of the Quarter. His prize included membership to KelbyOne (then known as the National Association of Photoshop Professionals), a collection of tutorials and courses that taught the ins and outs of the digital post-production process. He became enamored with the seemingly endless techniques available for fully honoring every locale he shot.
As an artist, Michael believed in excellence from start to finish, from click or brush stroke to the final image—he also offered fine art productions for other artists, including giclee printing and photo restoration services. His credentials included:
Member of Professional Photographers of America
Member of Professional Photographers Association of Massachusetts (PPAM)
Member of Professional Photographers of Cape Cod
He won a number of awards over the years, including Judges Choice and Court of Honor for PPAM, and Best Black and White for the Cape Cod Art Association.
Read more about Michael in The Falmouth Enterprise and Cape Cod Life.
About Michael Petrizzo Fine Art
Our mission for Michael Petrizzo Fine Art is to continue Michael’s legacy through a fine art photography print and gift shop that celebrates his life and work, and the abundance of the earth’s beauty.
In many ways, the portfolio of work he left with us represents the deep dedication and attention he devoted to the things he loved most—his family and his faith.
We will always wish we had more time with Michael. But, we are so, so grateful to have shared the life we did with him, and to now take joy in our many special memories, a lot of which were spent on the Cape.
We ask that when you enjoy Michael’s work, you think of him and of the wonder of God’s creation, but most importantly, of the wonder of love, family and being together in a place as special as the Cape.
