jazzminemarie.photoPainting SD Pink
Posted on October 22, 2020
Harbor Drive Pedestrian Bridge, San Diego, California, Oct. 2018
I recently collaborated with Black SD Magazine to paint SD pink for Breast Cancer Awareness Month. Black SD Magazine is a digital publication that promotes and supports Black businesses and creatives here in SD, and I’m all for it. This month, they’re working in partnership with the American Cancer Society & Maya’s Cookies to raise awareness and encourage Black women to get screened for breast cancer early on. Their goal is to raise $2,500 for the cause, so I’ll be linking their website here.
Jazz, The Photo Student
Posted on October 15, 2020
Chair Without a Person, San Diego, California, Sept. 2020
If you didn’t already know, I’m a photography student. I started taking photography classes two years ago, after switching from nursing to a photo & digital imaging major (I talk more about this in my introductory blog). It’s been a fantastic experience being able to do what I’ve always wanted to do. It’s also cool being surrounded by people who feel the same way. The photo department is terrific at my school. We have a studio, darkroom, Mac desktops, scanners, printers, cameras, lenses, strobes, and pretty much whatever equipment we need available for check-out. We also have FREE access to all the Adobe Creative Cloud apps, which is a huge bonus since I practically live in Photoshop and Lightroom.
East Jesus II
Posted on September 21, 2020
Cosmic Lac, East Jesus, Niland, California, Jan. 2020
I previously shared photos from my trip to East Jesus earlier this year. We arrived midday on a bright sunny day, so the shooting conditions weren’t the most ideal. I went with a black and white edit so that the focus could be more about the details. I recently revisited the photos wanting to find a way to take advantage of the imperfections. I felt like showing East Jesus in color could add more to the story.
Escape to Tulum – Digital
Posted on September 16, 2020
Tulum, Mexico, Jul. 2020
It’s officially been a month since I got back from Tulum, and I miss it so much. It was the first time all year that I felt at 100% at peace, and ever since my trip, I’ve made a conscious effort to try to maintain it. What I’ve discovered has helped me the most is disconnecting from social media as much as possible, getting outside, and focusing on the things I love to do.
Escape to Tulum – Film
Posted on September 4, 2020
Tulum, Mexico, Jul. 2020
I recently traveled to Tulum, Mexico, for a much-needed getaway… Yes, in the middle of a pandemic. Like mostly everyone else in California, I had been inside since mid-March. I hadn’t planned on traveling until at least next summer. I consider myself an “extroverted-introvert”: I enjoy my own company, but I like the option to go out and do things and be around other people as needed. Having no choice but being stuck at home for months, combined with nonstop bad news of the world, was starting to eat away at my mental health.
Salvation Mountain
Posted on August 31, 2020
Salvation Mountain, Calipatria, California, Jan. 2020
Salvation Mountain was the first stop along my day-trip to Niland earlier this year. I previously shared photos from my visit to East Jesus located further down the road in Slab City. I actually discovered this location through Instagram. I’d seen many stunning photoshoots done here, so I figured it would be a visually appealing place to check out.
East Jesus
Posted on August 25, 2020
Howdy, East Jesus, Niland, California, Jan. 2020
In January of 2020, my friends and I took a day trip to Niland, California, to visit an art community called East Jesus. East Jesus is about a 2.5-hour drive from San Diego, California, and it’s located literally in the middle of nowhere, hence the name “East Jesus.” It’s apart of a community called Slab City, also known as “The Last Free Place on Earth.” According to Eastjesus.org, it serves as a “refuge to artists, musicians, survivalists, writers, scientists, laymen, and other wandering geniuses.” It was established in 2007 by a man named Charles Stephen Russel, who worked alongside Leonard Knight, known for Salvation Mountain, located just down the road from East Jesus.
Playing Tourist in San Francisco
Posted on August 20, 2020
Chinatown, San Francisco, California, Mar. 2019
I grew up just 45 minutes outside of San Francisco, so it’s easily one of my favorite places on Earth. There’s so much to see, do, and eat that it never gets old. My mom, sister, and I would visit often, but we usually took the same route. We called ourselves “Playing Tourist.” This time I made a new route. In all of my visits, I never considered taking a guided city tour. It was always easiest (& cheapest) to ride BART (train) downtown & then walk everywhere from there. A few of my favorite places to visit in the city are Pier 39, Fisherman’s Wharf, Union Square, Baker Beach, and Golden Gate Park.
Rainy Day at Mission Beach
Posted on August 19, 2020
Mission Beach, San Diego, California, Mar. 2020
I got this idea to shoot at Mission Beach located in San Diego, California, on a cloudy day, but I’d be shooting film only this time. I just got back into shooting film after starting an Alternative Photography Practices course. The last time I remember shooting with film was well over a decade before. I started as a film photographer (not that I had any other choice being born in the ’80s) and learned that while shooting film, you only get so many exposures to get it right versus digital where you can shoot, delete, and even edit out your mistakes. I shot these mid-March 2020 just as everything started to shut down due to all the uncertainty surrounding COVID-19. Aside from the apparent cloudy day, I feel like all that was going on made the beach that day seem a little more eerie than usual.
Where it all Started…
Posted on August 19, 2020
San Diego, California, Jun. 2020
Hello, and welcome to my very first blog! A little about me: I’m originally from the San Francisco Bay Area. I grew up in Antioch, California, but I currently reside in San Diego. I’ve lived here since 2012 after joining the US Navy. I served aboard the USS Princeton CG-59 as an Operations Specialist, and that was an experience that opened my eyes to the rest of the world. I was honorably discharged from active duty in 2016 after deciding that it wasn’t for me, and haven’t looked back since. I felt like I had to suppress a large part of who I was to fit into the toxic environment, but I came out a stronger and wiser woman.
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