Who is SAINT JAMES?
James E. Petit (Jim) March 4, 1935 - February 3, 2025
My dear grandfather (my Papa), reverent archivist and attuned photographer.
I have dedicated my photographic work to him. I carry his name with me in every photo I take.
"Every moment, a photo"
James (Jim) had a way of seeing the world that few could match. In the time I spent with him, especially in his later years as one of his primary caretakers, I came to understand him not just as my grandfather, but as a man who had lived many lives before mine, each one shaping the person he became. Through his eyes, I learned that our lives are woven together by the threads of generations that came before us. He taught me to appreciate the beauty and sacredness in every moment, to find magic even in the simplest of things, and to embrace life with love and intention.
Though many may not have known him personally, his legacy lives on in the way he saw the world, in the love he shared, and in the memories he so carefully captured. As I continue my own journey, I carry with me the lessons he imparted: to be intentional, to find beauty in all things, and to truly appreciate the preciousness of time. His spirit remains in every photograph I take, every memory I hold dear, and in the love he so freely gave to everyone he met.
Jim's love for life found its truest expression in his photography. His images weren't just snapshots, they were windows into his soul. Whether capturing the vast ocean, the love he held for his wife, or the quiet moments of everyday life, his photos reveal the emotions he felt in those fleeting moments. He had an uncanny ability to see beauty in the smallest details and took great care in documenting not just the world around him, but the feelings each scene evoked. Through his photography, he taught me the value of being present, of cherishing time, and of honoring the beauty in both grand landscapes and quiet moments.
Why the name saint james?
Jim & Anne
The name SAINT JAMES was coined by Jim’s deeply cherished and quick-witted wife, Anne, my nana. Anne was the love of his life, his soul mate, and one of his favorite subjects to photograph. She would lovingly and sarcastically tease him with the name "Saint James," implying he was not always the sweet and considerate man that everyone perceived him to be (though he really was). This is how she would occasionally refer to him in his absence, accompanied by an eye roll. I chose the name SAINT JAMES not only as a namesake for my papa but also as a way to keep my nana's quick wit and playful spirit alive. Together they embodied perfectly how to move through life: with intention, finding beauty in the details, loving deeply, and always keeping a sense of humor.
WHY THE NAME SAINT JAMES?
Jim & Anne
The name SAINT JAMES was coined by Jim’s deeply cherished and quick-witted wife, Anne, my nana. Anne was the love of his life, his soul mate, and one of his favorite subjects to photograph. She would lovingly and sarcastically tease him with the name "Saint James," implying he was not always the sweet and considerate man that everyone perceived him to be (though he really was). This is how she would occasionally refer to him in his absence, accompanied by an eye roll. I chose the name SAINT JAMES not only as a namesake for my papa but also as a way to keep my nana's quick wit and playful spirit alive. Together they embodied perfectly how to move through life: with intention, finding beauty in the details, loving deeply, and always keeping a sense of humor.
WHY THE NAME SAINT JAMES?
Jim & Anne
The name SAINT JAMES was coined by Jim’s deeply cherished and quick-witted wife, Anne, my nana. Anne was the love of his life, his soul mate, and one of his favorite subjects to photograph. She would lovingly and sarcastically tease him with the name "Saint James," implying he was not always the sweet and considerate man that everyone perceived him to be (though he really was). This is how she would occasionally refer to him in his absence, accompanied by an eye roll. I chose the name SAINT JAMES not only as a namesake for my papa but also as a way to keep my nana's quick wit and playful spirit alive. Together they embodied perfectly how to move through life: with intention, finding beauty in the details, loving deeply, and always keeping a sense of humor.
WHY THE NAME SAINT JAMES?
Jim & Anne
The name SAINT JAMES was coined by Jim’s deeply cherished and quick-witted wife, Anne, my nana. Anne was the love of his life, his soul mate, and one of his favorite subjects to photograph. She would lovingly and sarcastically tease him with the name "Saint James," implying he was not always the sweet and considerate man that everyone perceived him to be (though he really was). This is how she would occasionally refer to him in his absence, accompanied by an eye roll. I chose the name SAINT JAMES not only as a namesake for my papa but also as a way to keep my nana's quick wit and playful spirit alive. Together they embodied perfectly how to move through life: with intention, finding beauty in the details, loving deeply, and always keeping a sense of humor.
WHY THE NAME SAINT JAMES?
Jim & Anne
The name SAINT JAMES was coined by Jim’s deeply cherished and quick-witted wife, Anne, my nana. Anne was the love of his life, his soul mate, and one of his favorite subjects to photograph. She would lovingly and sarcastically tease him with the name "Saint James," implying he was not always the sweet and considerate man that everyone perceived him to be (though he really was). This is how she would occasionally refer to him in his absence, accompanied by an eye roll. I chose the name SAINT JAMES not only as a namesake for my papa but also as a way to keep my nana's quick wit and playful spirit alive. Together they embodied perfectly how to move through life: with intention, finding beauty in the details, loving deeply, and always keeping a sense of humor.
Jim's Photographs
I have compiled some of Jim's best photographs into a few different galleries, including a collection of my own personal favorites. Jim prioritized his family and never pursued photography outside of a personal hobby. His talent and passion was not known by many, however, I hope through these galleries to give his work the recognition and appreciation he never received in his lifetime but deeply deserved. Each photograph was either taken or directed by Jim over the years from his young adulthood in the mid-to-late 1950s through becoming a grandfather. Click below to view the galleries.
