Tag: beautiful

Categories
Blog Photo Gear Rambling Self-exploration Travel

New Mexico, Land of Enchantment

Okay, so Greg and I traveled to New Mexico last week for a backpacking trip in the mountains…well, and to sample the awesome cuisine! It’s in the name, right? New MEXICO? Who knew driving just one state over could take as long as it would’ve taken to get to Florida if we’d gone in the opposite direction. Or, pretty close.

When going backpacking, one does not just throw stuff into their backpack and go, Greg tells me. It takes an enormous amount of planning (and half of what REI has to offer, apparently.) When packing, a good rule of thumb is to not pack more than what your back can handle! It’s not rocket science, but it does require you to ask such questions as, “Do I really need a coat or can I get by with a fleece jacket?” or “How small amount of food can sustain me each day?” Thankfully, this wasn’t our first rodeo, so we knew that skimping in these areas could make for a tortuous trip!

Greg could’ve easily left his camera and tripod and extra lens at home, but would Dr. Who leave his screwdriver? or Dora leave her backpack? or Ernie his Rubber Duckie? Boy, was I glad we weren’t relying on my rinky-dink camera to give us those awesome shots of our epic vacation. So, below are two sets of pictures from the same trip. I bet you can tell which ones are Greg’s and which are mine.

DSC_2801-HDR DSC_2593-HDR-Edit DSC_2885-HDR DSC_2905-HDR DSC_2947 DSC_2824 DSC_2724
Being in a place like New Mexico surrounded by the beauty of it’s landscapes, structures and nature, you understand Georgia O’Keeffe when she said, “I found I could say things with color and shapes that I couldn’t say any other way…things I had no words for.”

Besides our backpacking adventure, we visited the towns of Albuquerque, Taos and, lastly, Santa Fe. Did you know Santa Fe has over 250 art galleries as well as a variety of museums and performing arts? By the end, I’d seen so much raw beauty in nature and in the renderings of so many painters, sculptures, photographers and other craftsmen, I felt full. In fact, gluttonous to the point of feeling selfish. I wanted to share something of my own world before I left their world.

Driving home, I thought of my own little “neck of the woods.” And, in my woods the trees are tall and beautiful and stay green all year. And, the ground is lush with grasses and gardens. We should all be inspired wherever we go and by whatever we see. We should want to come back from our travels and, “Bloom where we are planted.” God created me just the way I am to the family and place I was born. Who am I to argue about anything?

So, the food wasn’t Mexican food I’m accustomed to having in East Texas. The most popular restaurants seemed to be the ones that served “New Mexican,” and your waiter asks if you want red or green chile. It did not disappoint!

FullSizeRender 2

 

P1030437

P1030442

IMG_2316

Categories
Blog Graduating Seniors News Travel Workshops, Seminars & Talks

Keep Nacogdoches Beautiful

G Patterson Studio owners and volunteers pose with Katie Blevins in recognition of the Nacogdocehes Landscape Leadership Award. (Photo courtesy Nacogdoches Chamber of Commerce)
G Patterson Studio owners and volunteers pose with Katie Blevins in recognition of the Nacogdocehes Landscape Leadership Award. (Photo courtesy Nacogdoches Chamber of Commerce)

It’s been three years since we visited Park Cities, Utah. In my mind, it’s a city that will always be synonymous with beautiful. Besides its terraced landscape and grandiose vistas, it was clean. I don’t just mean absent of trash on the roadways, but attention-to-detail clean. We’re talking yards mowed, hedges clipped and roads swept. There were no garish signs on poles; in fact, there were few poles of any kind at all. Maybe it was the way the sun set in the sky or, simply, because I was on vacation, but I was happy. It felt like I’d just stepped into the Technicolor “Wizard of Oz.” Screen Shot 2017-07-03 at 11.24.00 AM

Until I visited this town, I wouldn’t have imagined how the aesthetics of a city could truly make or break a tourist’s experience. Nacogdoches is home to many tourists each year. Many of them come because of our designation as the Garden Capital of Texas. Our city’s university, businesses, civic groups and many individuals have worked well together to help create that designation. We should be proud of these efforts and for the difference it’s made in our parks, paths, and gardens.

Luke Stanley surrounded by his Eagle Scout project in the SFA garden. The labyrinth was finished spring 2017.
Luke Stanley surrounded by his Eagle Scout project in the SFA garden. The labyrinth was finished spring 2017. (Photo by Greg Patterson, G Patterson Studio & Gallery)
G Patterson Studio owners and volunteers pose with Katie Blevins in recognition of the Nacogdocehes Landscape Leadership Award. (Photo courtesy Nacogdoches Chamber of Commerce)
G Patterson Studio owners and volunteers pose with Katie Blevins in recognition of the 2017 Nacogdocehes Landscape Leadership Award. (Photo courtesy Nacogdoches Chamber of Commerce)

When I see the improvements to our parks or the flower boxes downtown or the new labyrinth at SFA’s trail system at University Dr. and Starr, I’m inspired to play a part. We recently received the Landscape Leadership award by Keep Nacogdoches Beautiful for the initiative we took in establishing our portrait garden in downtown Nacogdoches. It was bestowed on us due to the efforts made by my parents and other volunteers; it’s because of their concerted efforts, I realize that “many hands make light work.”

If  you want to be part of the change but don’t know what to do or where to go, Keep Nacogdoches Beautiful is a great place to begin. KNB implements programs to clean up litter, reduce and recycle waste, encourage individual responsibility and beautify and enhance the local community. KNB’s volunteers have done this so well they were named a Gold Star Affiliate by Keep Texas Beautiful, a designation conferred on just 66 of KTB’s more than 395 affiliates in 2017. At www.keepnacbeautiful.org, you’ll see exactly what they do and many different ways you, or you and your family, or you and your co-workers can get involved.

There’ve been many positive changes made to our city, but noo one will tell you it’s easy. Wouldn’t it be worth it, though, to be able to say, “We’re proud of Nacogdoches and how beautiful it is?” To be the town that everyone else blogs about? I can’t think of a better way to spend a weekend but alongside friends helping clean and beautify Nacogdoches. It all starts with you!

Categories
Blog Children Family Pets Portrait Sessions Rambling Self-exploration

The Hiccup in My Brain

Pano of the portrait garden

I woke up this morning different. As always with me in February, I begin to get a little moody. I’ve always blamed it on the lack of sunshine or of being outside less often. If I don’t watch myself, I begin to care less about the things that are important to me; I begin just passing time.

As the temperature fell be a degree or two, I looked out the window and began to see the heavy raindrops turn to sleet and then, to snow. And as the snowflakes fell lightly to the ground, it seemed as though something in my thinking seemed lighter, maybe fresher? By the time I got to work, I felt entirely different from the day before. I was making lists and looking forward to the weekend. I was planning my next craft project and looking forward to making dinner tonight.

How is it that a little snow could change my whole attitude? Am I so shallow that it took an abrupt change in the weather’s pattern to shift my perspective? Why do I feel so useless, at times, when trying to gain the upper hand with my emotions?

Change, whether good or bad, can be construed as positive, in that it opens up our mind to possibilities that we couldn’t contrive before. What I experienced this morning was a simple jump start for my brain. I’m sure I could have found other ways to achieve this, such as taking my dog for a walk or visiting a sick neighbor.

Bertrand Russell said, “In all affairs it’s a healthy thing now and then to hang a question mark on the things you have long taken for granted.”

Isaiah 43:18-19 “Do not call to mind the former things, or ponder things of the past. Behold, I will do something new, now it will spring forth: will you not be aware of it?”

IMG_0692
Avoiding work
Pano of the portrait garden
Pano of the portrait garden
Categories
Blog Family Portrait Sessions Rambling Weddings

Photographer Needed

When people find out that our oldest, Jessica, is getting married, invariably one of the questions they ask is, “Who’s going to be the photographer?” Her father will be walking her down the aisle, after all. But, before we ever get to that point, Greg’s been able to do for her what he’s done for so many other brides over the past twenty five years. Because, what many brides want nowadays is the whole experience caught on camera, not just the wedding.

Jessica is fortunate to have a wonderful fiancee who recognizes the importance of capturing life’s moments on camera, big and little. So, they have pictures of the moment he proposed atop a mountain in Utah. Since then, we’ve taken many more of their story together. Some for the “Save the Date” cards, some more of their engagement, and a few in between. There will undoubtedly be many taken on the actual wedding day. Most of these Greg will take, but we’re not sure who’ll be taking pictures during the actual ceremony. The album we layout for a newly married couple is very appropriately called a “Storybook.” Here’s a small montage of Jessica and Grant’s story so far. patterson_9822_nocrop 700_9740 700_8927a photo1 photo5photo1

Categories
Blog Children Family Graduating Seniors Portrait Sessions

To Photoshop or Not to Photoshop?

That is not really the question. In today’s society, we all do a little tweaking with our pictures. With the ability to change and enhance at our fingertips, it’s hard not to. We’ve been engineered to like beauty; our eyes are drawn to it. Companies plan their ad campaigns based on it. Beautiful ads sell!

True beauty is different, though. True beauty is what happens when someone smiles without inhibition. Photoshop can’t create true beauty.

Daniel as a child posing like a "power ranger" showing off his true self.
Daniel as a child posing like a “power ranger” showing off his true self.
Daniel as a high school senior just being himself.
Daniel as a high school senior just being himself.

Fortunately, we see a lot of beautiful people at our studio. My husband is a good photographer, but he’s also good at bringing out a person’s natural beauty. Do we photoshop our images? Yes, absolutely, but it’s a collaborative process between us and the client. Oftentimes, if a client doesn’t like that mole or the gap in their teeth, we encourage them to leave it untouched. Those “flaws” are what make you, well you! Looking back on my own children’s pictures from years ago, I love that my son made his “Power Ranger” pose for every picture. And, I’d never want to change my daughter’s oversized front teeth. (She did finally grow into them.)

So let’s all agree to celebrate the true beauty within.  Even the most reserved of our clients walk away from a portrait session looking and feeling beautiful.  To those who haven’t had that experience yet, we’d love an opportunity to showcase your “true beauty.”

Categories
Blog Children Events Family Portrait Sessions Rambling

Our Portrait Garden’s 10 Year Transformation

Current image of the private portrait garden of G. Patterson Studio
Current image of the private portrait garden of G. Patterson Studio
Current image of the private portrait garden of G. Patterson Studio
Current image of the private portrait garden of G. Patterson Studio
10 year old image of the garden before it was the garden.
10 year old image of the garden before it was the garden.
10 year old image of the pond before it was the pond.
10 year old image of the pond before it was the pond.

To our friends of the studio, you are certainly familiar with our private portrait garden.  We try to use it in some creative way for every session.  Hopefully, you would agree that it is one of  the little treasures of Nacogdoches.  To those that have not had the pleasure of a family or children portrait session in the garden, I am confident that you will be amazed.  With greenery and colorful blooms almost year round, pond and waterfall, gazebo and swing, stone walkways and pergola, our garden provides an endless variety of gorgeous portrait backgrounds and settings.  Upon seeing our garden for the first time, clients will often “oooh” and “aaah” and exclaim that they never knew this beautiful scene was tucked away in downtown’s back yard.

The garden is wonderful, of course, but it is also a labor of love.  Much thoughtful planning went into the initial design and layout of the garden.  And countless hours go into maintaining it day after day, year after year.  I would be remiss to not mention Cindy’s father, Harry, who pours seemingly every spare minute he has into manicuring the plants.  He does an incredible job and we are all thankful.  Greg and Cindy and their children also contribute their fair share to this effort.  Luckily, we don’t ask our clients to join in the yard work.  You get to sit back and enjoy the hard labor that provides fairytale-like beauty.

Looking at these old photos, it’s hard to believe so much has changed in 10 years.  We are so blessed to be able to offer this unique benefit to our clients.  I hope that you come by to see our private portrait garden some time soon.  It is jaw-droppingly amazing in April and May.  Bring the family.  You’ll be glad you did.

-Daryl Sparks

Categories
Blog Children Pets Portrait Sessions

Capturing your Imagination

A portrait of a girl riding a pony barefoot.
A portrait of a girl riding a pony barefoot.
A portrait of a girl riding a pony barefoot.
A portrait of a girl riding a pony barefoot.

The image above represents a very special story to me:

One day, a young woman, pregnant with a baby girl, buys a beautiful dress.  The woman has a vision of her baby growing into a beautiful young lady that will fit into that dress for her fifth birthday.  In her vision, she sees her precious daughter wearing the dress while riding a pony barefoot with wind in her hair.  Before the baby is even born, her mother can see this idea as a portrait hanging in her home.  For the next five years, the woman patiently waits until the day finally comes when that baby has grown into the beautiful girl she had imagined.  This sweet story has a beautiful ending as the portrait of her dreams now hangs in the woman’s home.

This is the kind of story that makes photographers love their job.  However, so much has changed in the field of photography over the past few years… for better or worse. Cameras have gotten faster and more powerful, as they simultaneously have gotten sleeker and less expensive.  Today, even our phones have better digital cameras on them than existed ten years ago.  Everyone has a camera at their fingertips.  Sadly for some, the ubiquitous nature of the modern day camera has changed their expectation of professional photography.  These families no longer expect a friendly, customized portrait session.  Instead, they anticipate a dry, quick, cookie-cutter session with forced expressions.  To these families, I encourage you to expect more from photography.  Let the story of the young mother inspire you to dream bigger.  Though much has changed, one very important thing has stayed the same.  A well crafted photograph still has the ability to stop you in your tracks and make you FEEL… happy, nostalgic, hopeful, excited, or even in love.

At G. Patterson Photographic Studio & Gallery, taking a photograph is less about documenting what someone looks like and more about capturing the essence of that person in that moment in time.  Anyone can snap a photo and have it resemble the person they were aiming at.  But that’s not our goal here at the studio.  Our goal is to create a work of art that evokes emotion… that sees personalities shine through… that captures the loving relationships families share.  One of the first questions we ask our clients before ever taking the camera out is, “What is your vision for this photograph?”  We want to know if they have thought about who will be in it, what they will wear, will it be posed or candid, what type of setting, where will it be displayed, and finally what should it be about.  Anyone can point a camera at someone else and press a button.  What sets us apart is our willingness and ability to cater a session to your particular needs thereby creating a piece of portrait art that represents what you had envisioned and ultimately tells your story.

Remember that it is still possible to create a photograph that captures the imagination.  And that’s exactly what we strive to do each day at G. Patterson Studio.  We would love the opportunity to turn your dreams into reality through our fine-art photography.