Bea Nettles is an American photographer known for her narrative, often autobiographical approach. Her formal training, in painting and printmaking rather than photography, informs her unconventional, multimedia presentation techniques. In the late 1960s, while still a graduate student, Nettles began to imbue her work with elements associated with women’s work. Drawing from her Grandmother’s quilting techniques, she started to machine stitch directly onto her photographs. Such unconventional, innovative, and often then radical approaches to making photographs gained her early recognition.

In the early 1970s, Nettles immersed herself in producing limited-edition books. These books were filled with innovative printing techniques, and Nettles often cast images of herself as the main character. Events in the Water along with the book Events in the Sky were Nettles' first offset litho projects. The first and last photo in Events in the Water was taken by Bea with an Instamatic camera when she was 13 years old.