Peter M. Pfersick

So glad he was in my life. I met him in 1960 at Staunton Military Academy. We played basketball for them and had an excellent team. So shocked when I heard he had passed. He will always be in my thoughts and prayers.

Love you, Pete!!

I just found a small poster for his MFA show at Montalvo Center. I live in upstate NY now. But between 1975-1977 I frequented Looking Glass, almost every day, getting film processed. I was, and still am, an untrained photographer. Peter always was kind and funny, always had photo advise for me, a UCB student, in the Art Department, making slide shows. I remember Peter's billboards: He would find a billboard with fruit or food on it, and over a period of weeks would paint mould and...

Today, Nov 30, 2014, I came across some negs and contact sheets that I shot while studying with Peter. He was such a pushy teacher, all the more to make us smarter. On the first class day,1989, Diablo College, 33 students sat taking notes of $$$ material costs plus his expectations, just in case we thought his photography clsss was an easy credit. Came the following class session there were only thirteen of us seated. What a wash out. Then he told us about his "Number One" student; one of...

He used to tell me and I sure many of you
"Just remember these important words",
"Nobody Said It Was Gonna Be Easy"

I moved away from Berkeley and only now have I heard word that Peter has passed away.
When it came to Peter's advise on photography, it also applied to life.

I took his summer class at UCB one year. He would give us assignments like shooting doors, or a still-life. He said that the image had better make him feel something. He didn't want any pictures of a police chase or drug addict in an alley way. Going after the dramatic shot, for the beginner anyway, was a cheap and easy...

i miss you poppie

I was merely a customer when Peter and Jack opened their store on Telegraph and Alcatraz. But slowly, I was drawn into photography. Peter opened my eyes to art. I haven't been near the store for years, but I have always appreciated Peter and his vision.