He was born in Bata, Hungary in 1908, and went to live in Budapest in the 1930s; his work connected with the export of Hungarian craft products was instrumental in his reaching Britain. During the war he lived in London where he worked for the Ministry of Labour and zealously backed the allied war effort. Much of his spare time was devoted to planning, through the New Democratic Hungary headed by Count M Karolyi, to whom Peto was personal secretary, the establishment of a socialist Hungary after their homeland's liberation; they did not foresee the postwar domination by the USSR.

In the early post war years Peto took up photography as a career and in 1949 joined The Observer. Much of his work reflects his subsequent travels throughout Europe, the Middle and Far East, and India. He was awarded a bronze medal by the International Organisation of Journalists at Interpress-Foto at their 1960 meeting held in Berlin and was awarded a further bronze medal at the Budapest International Exposition of Photographic Art in 1970. Major exhibitions have been held of his work.

He died on Chistmas Day, 1970, at the age of 62.

Peto's major interest lay in the study of the human form in its natural surroundings and there is no doubt that he was one of the supreme masters of this aspect of photographic art.

Many famous figures from the worlds of politics, art and entertainment are featured in his work, and some of these photographs are especially unique.

The other major aspect of his work involved the arts in the 1950s and 1960s and especially the London Ballet scene around the time of the arrival of Rudolf Nureyev.

The above incorporates material prepared by Stanley Turner and the Contact article by Bob Stewart. Much is based on the recollections of Josef Herman.