He exhibits his work widely throughout the United States and Europe. Recent exhibitions include "The True Gospel Preached Here", Fogelman Gallery, University of Memphis; "Days of War", Musee de la Photographie a Charleroi, Charleroi, Belgium, and "The God Factor Project" in Braga, Portugal. West has received numerous awards for his photographic work including fellowships from the National Endowment for the Arts, The Ford Foundation for the Arts, and the Polaroid Corporation. His photographs are included in many public and corporate collections such as The Nelson Atkins Museum of Art, The Houston Museum of Fine Arts, The Library of Congress, the Victoria and Albert Museum, and the Museum Ludwig. In 2014, the University Press of Mississippi published “The True Gospel Preached Here”, featuring 70 of West’s color photographs documenting the spiritual and creative works of folk artists, Reverend H. D. and Margaret Dennis.