Ivan de Petrovsky was initially self-taught in the art of photography. As he became increasingly interested in the craft itself, and not just in the picture taking, he embarked on a series of workshops at the International Center of Photography (ICP) in New York City. After completing his season at the ICP, Ivan left New York and headed for the Maine Photographic Workshops in Rockport, Maine, where he was enrolled in the residency program for photographers. Here, under the expert guidance and instruction of such luminaries as Brenton Hamilton and Jan Rosenbaum, he learned the intricacies and skills involved in toning and bleaching negatives and prints, and the complexities of fine-art printing. During his time in Maine, Ivan furthered his skills by attending workshops with numerous photographers including the Magnum photographer, Constantine Manos, and ICP veteran Amy Arbus.

From Maine, Ivan headed to London and signed on at the London College of Printing (LCP). He learned many skills in the art of commercial photography — exploring, among others, the fields of flash photography and large-format photography.

After the LCP, Ivan travelled to Sydney, Australia, where he was quickly taken on by the Look photographers agency. He shot campaigns for Coca-Cola, Energy Australia, Nutrimetics and Sunraysia UK Juice Company, to name a few. He shot much of his commercial work digitally as the clients increasingly desired to embrace this medium.

When not shooting commercially Ivan returns to his love of fine-art photography and particularly to wilderness areas around the globe. His series 'Solitude' was shot on location in the U.S., and many of these prints are now held in private collections on several continents.