SFMOMA: Exposed /  by Jessica Peterson

Today I ventured to the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art to check out the current exhibit Exposed: Voyeurism, surveillance and the camera since 1870.  
It was really interesting to see the different examples of voyeurism, looking in on some of these people's personal lives and the evidence of ones intrusion of another's.  I got to thinking about the blogging/facebooking world, how many of us are willing to expose so much of ourselves, but much of what is revealed is the beautiful, photoshopped, fun, edited parts of ourselves so we can mold the way we are being seen.  It was really refreshing (for lack of a better word) to see something more raw, intelligent and telling, although still not always the "truth" because I am not sure photography is always able to do. 
It was a great show, it was lovely seeing so many great photographers images in print and in person.
I love museums, I love going by myself and at my own pace but I did miss having someone to chat about with it afterwards... So if anyone has already seen it I would love to hear your thoughts.  

Alison Jackson
Jack Road Rage, from the series Confidential
fictional stories made with celebrity look-alike models.
She stated, "I try to highlight the psychological relationship between what we see and what we imagine. This os bound up in out need to look- our voyeurisn - and our need to believe."
Richard Avedon's image of Andy Warhol 
Sohie Calle
I loved her Hotel series, she got a job as a chambermaid in Venice and would photograph the rooms she tended to and the personal object, letters and even what their garbage bins were filled with.  I love that small stories could be created from the tiny details gathered. 
Richard Learoyd
Jasmijn, to the Light
Abelardo Morell
Camera Obscura Image of Maria della Salute with Scaffolding in Palazzo Bedroom
I LOVED these, such an amazing concept and wonderful thing to do. I loved the idea of turning a room into a camera, bringing the outside world in, turning it upside down and then taking a photo of that. 
So brilliant and strange at the same time. 

Lunch Date with D /  by Jessica Peterson

Yesterday I roadtripped by my lonesome to San Francisco,  I am shooting a wedding tomorrow and wanted to come out early to spend some time with D and her new baby Opal.  I LOVE San Francisco, basically I love everywhere I go but I love California in the wintertime because it is nothing like Utah.

Today D and I (along with Opal but I didn't even realize she was there the entire time) went for lunch at the funniest little diner called Arts Cafe.
Before
and After (it was called a hash brown sandwich)
 and there is the baby, just hanging out. 

Crab Pot = a good time /  by Jessica Peterson

It was really strange to eat a bunch of seafood before going to the Aquarium... I felt really bad but I can't say it wasn't worth it.  We went to the Crab Pot to fill up on crab, it was really fun because the waiter brings a huge pot of crab, corn on the cob and potatoes and dumps them onto the table and throws a wooden mallet into your hands and you go to town on the poor little guys until all of their insides are inside you. 
just a fish on the wall 
 Jim and Natalie with their super stylish bibs.  To be honest I thought the bibs were just for kicks but they were a necessity if there ever was one.
And me and my sister Jessica 
(yep, we are both named Jessica...)

oh and PS, still using the Instax Mini and still loving it.

Seattle Day 1 /  by Jessica Peterson

Friday morning I flew to Seattle with two of my close friends so we do take their engagement photos (congrats Nat and Jim!!!).  We figured we would kill two birds with one stone, a great trip to Washington and a beautiful place to take photos.  
After arriving we stopped at Archie McPhees I promise that store was made for me, I was like a child in a candy store, I was laughing and smiling the whole time, I don't know what it is about novelty gifts that make me so happy... While at Archie's I purchased the greatest purchase I could have ever purchased (you will see what it is very soon and most likely quite often from now on). 
Here is me, in my element... haha, I like orange I guess
Jim and Nat 
haha
Visiting some cool place. 
The asphalt is so pretty in Seattle, moss grows everywhere, it's natures carpet.

Dear Film, I like you. /  by Jessica Peterson

I have been reacquainting myself with film again.  I don't think I was aware of how beautiful film really was.  For the past month I have been carrying my old Nikon FM 10 (my first camera) around with me with an old roll of Kodak Portra 400 VC (my favorite).  I wanted to have it for when the time was right.  I found myself shooting when the light was hitting someone just right and I wanted to make sure I had it for myself.  I am really happy I have given film a second chance, there really is something special about it, the tiny imperfections from the dust spots and negative scratches to the grain from pushing too far.
Film feels more precious, I was only shooting one shot of each frame so I wanted to make sure it was a nice one.
Breakfast with Bobbie
Max took a bite of my dinner and thought he had gotten away with it...
Ben
showing off my new instax
the chalkboard after the bday party 

Yep, I like film. 

Photo Tip Friday: Shoot What You Love /  by Jessica Peterson

I am going to start posting little "Jessica's photo tips on Friday's".  I think it will be fun for me to think about photography a little more, why I do it, what I have learned and what I want to learn.  I hope it will be fun for you too.  Today is just about shooting for fun, shooting what you love.  I feel like sometimes I get caught up in the "what" to shoot and when I can't think of anything different or exciting I end up not photographing anything at all.  Sometimes it is nice to just relax, have fun and shoot for yourself.  For me, I am big on cataloging my life, I love photographing the people in my life, the small things that make me tick, and things that I find beautiful and would like to share. I like keeping my moments for longer than a moment.
 Below are a few images I shot this morning:

Pearl
The newest hand for my collection of hands, you can never have enough hands. 
and of course... my sweet pup Max, I adore his loving nature

Anyway, that is my little piece of advice, shoot what you love, the more honest you are about your subject matter the more honest your images will be and other people will pick up on that. 
Let me know what you think, if you have advice for me I would love to hear it as well.

642 Things to Draw /  by Jessica Peterson

I received the book 642 Things to Draw as a gift last week, I thought it was so neat, it is a perfect downtime book to have around.  It is so simple yet so brilliant, each page is sectioned off and gives a suggestion to draw.  I am so excited to carry this thing around and fill it up, it's the perfect church/DMV/toilet/sunny day at the park/airplane/road trip book.  
Thanks Brittany for the amazing gift, you know me so well! 
PS Brittany has a fantastic blog, check it out!