I’m Jessica Peterson, and before embracing photography professionally, I’ve been a whole lot of things: waitress, middle school teacher, Barnes and Noble minion, blackjack dealer, the list goes on. But this is what I was meant to be doing. I’ve always wanted to be an artist, but I couldn’t draw or paint or sculpt, so I’ve been searching for years for a way to satisfy that artistic longing. In college my dad lent me his Minolta XD-11 to take to Romania for the summer. He gave me a brief crash course on shutter speed and aperture (he had been taking fabulous pictures since before I was born) and sent me off. There was plenty of amazing architecture and beautiful scenery, but my favorite shots were those of the children. And they still are.
Fast forward almost a decade and now I have a daughter and I can’t seem to take enough photos of her. I want to capture every bit of her because already I’ve learned that she grows way too fast. Trevor gave me my first DSLR when she was three months old and it felt like I had reclaimed a missing part of me. My old manual had been idle for quite a while (the cost of film and developing and the time lapse between taking and viewing pictures had forced me to embrace a digital point and shoot), but I had felt that loss. No more! I had the optics and control of my old SLR but the instant gratification of the digital age. Heaven!
Not too long ago, I worked for one of those busy photo studio chains. There were things I liked and things I didn’t, but I learned a lot about what is really important to me as a photographer. Hint: it isn’t about getting the perfect smile. It’s about capturing a moment that will never happen again. It’s about showing soul, not just pretty eyes. It’s about approaching a shoot with a mother’s love and seeing uniqueness in every subject. And it’s pretty hard for that to happen in a twenty minute session in a tiny studio.
So now I’m on my own! Why “One Tree”? Trevor and I were married under a solitary pine tree on Orcas Island. That’s where our family officially began, and if it weren’t for that union, I don’t know if this ever could have happened. Trev has been my ultimate cheerleader, always believing that I should follow my heart and find the thing that makes me feel RIGHT. So this is for him, for us. One Tree Photography.
That’s a lot of writing and not one picture yet! Well, here are a few of Abigail (13 months) in our backyard. I don’t think the lawn has been mowed since her birthday party. I’d hate to cut down the pretty dandelions!
Here's a picture of the Point Lawn and the tree we were married under. Every year we go back to visit.
Thanks so much for stopping by. I have some great posts planned for later this week.
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1 comment:
Jessica, you are in your element! From all the way in Minnesota, I can FEEL how right this is! I have goosebumps! Thank you for having the courage and the brilliance to bring your gifts to a wider audience! Congratulations! (And how lucky are we that we get to enjoy not only your priceless photography, but also your gorgeous prose!) For my next pregnancy, I am flying out to do a sitting with you. Meanwhile, I would like to schedule a session for Josie. Maybe some magical fall pictures!
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