Carl Bower is a Denver-based photographer exploring intimate portrayals of private experience through documentary work and portraiture. A finalist for the Pulitzer Prize, his work has been exhibited at the Georgia Museum of Art, The Phoenix Art Museum, the Annenberg Space for Photography, and in the permanent collectinon of the Portland Art Museum.

Select Press
Capturing People As They Face Their Greatest Fears, American Photography,  February 2021
Private Fears, Fisheye, March 2019
Showing: Carl Bower, 2019
Chica Barbie, The Georgia Review, Fall 2014
Colombia’s Picture Perfect Beauty Queens, The New York Times, July, 2010
Chica Barbie, The Sunday Times Magazine, July 2010
Colombia’s Beauty Pageant Obsession from All Angles, Resolve, April 2010
Diane’s Story, Verve Photo, October 2010
Chica Barbie, Burn Magazine, October 2009
Chasing Cinderella, Lenscratch, 2009


Exhibitions
2023    Denver Center for the Performing Arts, Small Talk, Denver, CO
2021    Blue Sky Gallery, Private Fears, Portland, OR (solo)
2021    Colorado Photographic Arts Center x SaveArtSpace, In a Time of Change, Denver, CO
2021    Center for Photographic Art, Future Past, Carmel, CA
2020    Center for Fine Art Photography, Portfolio Showcase, Ft. Collins, CO
2020    The Baldwin Photographic Gallery, Trust the Story, Murfreesboro, TN
2019    Pingyao Photography Festival, The Relationship Show, Pingyao, China
2019    Latitude, Too Tired Project, Chicago, IL
2019    The Big Picture, Denver, CO
2018    California State University Art Gallery, Showing, Turlock, CA
2018    The Fence, Chica Barbie, Denver, CO
2017    PhotoPlace Gallery, Intimate Portraits, Middlebury VT
2016    Georgia Museum of Art, Storytelling, Athens, GA
2014    Phoenix Art Museum, IN FOCUS: Self-Published Photobooks, Phoenix, AZ
2014    Filter Photo Festival, Photobooks, Chicago, IL
2011     Blue Sky Gallery, Chica Barbie, Portland, OR (solo)
2011    Kopeikin Gallery, Women’s Work, Los Angeles, CA
2011    The Annenberg Space for Photography, Beauty Culture, Los Angeles, CA
2010    Photo Center NW, PhotoLust, Seattle, WA
2010    Farmani Gallery, Select Gender, New York, NY
2009    Photo Center NW, Exposed: Critical Mass, Seattle, WA
1998    505 Gallery, Diane’s Story, Washington DC (solo)
1996    Washington Project for the Arts, New Visions, Washington, DC
1995    Ellipse Arts Center, Streetwise: The Documentary Aesthetic, Arlington, VA


Awards & Honors
2021    The Silver List, Silver Eye Center for Photography
2020    Portfolio Showcase Award, Center for Fine Art Photography
2019    Director’s Choice Award, Colorado Photographic Arts Center
2019    Critical Mass, finalist
2015    Latin American Fotografía, selected
2014    Review Santa Fe
2014    FotoVisura Grant, third place
2010    Review Santa Fe
2010    Critical Mass, finalist
2010    Photography Book Now, second place, editorial
2010    New York Photo Awards, Photographic Book, finalist
2010    LOOKbetween, presenting photographer
2009    Photolucida Critical Mass Book Award, top-six finalist
2009    Palm Springs Photo Festival, finalist
2009    Blue Earth Alliance Prize for Best Project Photography
1995    Individual Artist Award, Maryland State Arts Council
1995    Clarion Award
1995    Pulitzer Prize for Feature Photography, finalist