Tag: Portraits

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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?”

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Avoiding work
Pano of the portrait garden
Pano of the portrait garden
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Blog Rambling Running/Recreation Self-exploration Workshops, Seminars & Talks

Nothing off the chopping block

I began running today. I’ve run plenty of other times, in fact most of my life I’ve run for recreation and leisure, but I had taken a hiatus.  I run for so many reasons. Because my pants feel tight, because I feel blue or maybe I feel “blah.” I run when I feel a little under the weather or if I’m cramping. I run to clear my head or to help me solve a problem. I run to feel the wind on my face and the sun on my shoulders.

But because I’m going through this process of “deconstructing” my life in order to put it back together better, I stopped doing many of the things I became so used to doing just because I’d always done them. The running, to me, had become symbolic of my life. Because I mindlessly cruise through my day like a hamster on its wheel, success was tied to how many “things” I could check off my list, not the meaningful interludes with people.

I was a lot like Bill Murray’s character in the movie, “Groundhog Day,” a weatherman who grudgingly travels to Punxsutawny Pennsylvania to cover Punxsutawny Phil, the groundhog. He finds the job to be beneath him, and is even more upset when he’s snowed in that night. Instead of going home the next day, though, the weatherman wakes up to find it’s the same morning of the day before. And, only he seems to know the day is a repeat. This happens morning after morning when he realizes there are no lasting consequences to his actions. Whether it’s overeating or acting like a jerk that day, it’s forgiven the next morning when he gets to live it all over again. He quickly finds this life to be a lonely one, and so to improve himself and, hopefully, “get the girl,” his outlook on life begins to change. He takes piano lessons, learns French, becomes an ice sculptor, but most importantly, he becomes a student of the people in the town he comes in contact with each day. As his focus is drawn from the inside out, he becomes a happier person and more attractive to those around him.

If I’m going to spend much time on an activity, I don’t want it to be a completely selfish and wasteful endeavor. If I’m trying to live more purposely, should something I ordinarily do by myself face the chopping block? As I run, I think about how basic, how elemental it is. By simply throwing on a t-shirt and sweats, stepping out my back door, and doing something I love, I can feel more passionately about the things that are important to me. Living my life more simply with less stress, I’m hoping to see through all my busyness to the things that really matter.

So, I’ll keep running, especially if it helpsIMG_0347 me do the things I love with the people I love for as long as I can!

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Blog Children Family Rambling Self-exploration

Taking inventory

Instead of setting some goals for myself this year, I decided to take stock of my life. With everything I do, I ask myself why am I doing this? What is my main motivation? For instance, I might ask myself why am I cleaning the house today? No one is making me, so why do it? Is this really all I have to do today? It’s not like there’s bacteria growing under and between things. It’s not that I enjoy it that much. Do I do it because it’s expected of me? If someone sees it dirty, what might they think of me? This is the dialogue I have with myself a lot lately, and I’m not liking hearing what I’m saying.

If my main motivation of doing anything is to keep up this facade, this perfect person I want to display to the world, how will I ever know the real person inside? You might argue that becoming a better person is a good motivator. But, what if that ambition to be a better this or a better that makes us blind to how we’ve manipulated those around us? Getting what we want, in essence, has stolen away some really great relationships. Returning to the cleaning house analogy, what if I kept the cleanest house in town, but I’ve distanced my family, because I got mad every time something was set out of place?

I’m reminded of the question that brought me here. Why don’t I enjoy life more? Is it because I’ve filled it with a lot of things I think need to get done.
How many of us go through the day checking things off a list. How many of us have grown weary because we’ve followed the same list for so long? Grocery shopping on Monday, Bible study on Wednesday, date night with hubby on Friday, try to impress the boss today, make this month’s budget in order to have something to put in college fund, and so on and so forth. All those things are really good, but if we’re doing the same things the same way all the time, we could forget why we’re doing them. Have we forgotten that every day is a blessing, and we have some latitude as to which way it should go. You say you’ve never been good at navigation?
How about daydreaming? But isn’t that a waste of time. Try telling that to Isaac Newton, Florence Nightingale, Albert Einstein or Adele? All admit to daydreaming. So, what’s stopping you, except for that careful plan you laid out for yourself. You better be careful; life might pass you by.

This week I’m looking at the book of Ecclesiastes, and here’s what King Solomon, the smartest man ever had to say about life, “I set my heart to seek and search out by wisdom concerning all that is done under heaven; this burdensome task God has given to the sons of man, by which they may be exercised. I have seen all the works that are done under the sun; and indeed, all is vanity and grasping for the wind. What is crooked cannot be made straight, and what is lacking cannot be numbered.”

A better question to ask myself before doing anything might be, “Does this have any eternal value? Or does this simply help make me a busy person?”
In the words of King Solomon, (I’m paraphrasing here) “It’s not the end of the world. Don’t sweat it!”

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Middlebrook

Let us raise our flags together in unity.

Golden Retriever and winner of the "Awesomest Dog in the Universe" Award frolics in bluebonnets.

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Blog Graduating Seniors

More Seniors 2014

With homecoming season upon us, we wanted to mention that we take awesome senior portraits! For just thirty minutes of your time, you’re sure to take away something truly magnificent! We’ll incorporate uniforms, instruments, a car or even your favorite pet to help make your portraits incredibly….well, you!NHS Senior Gregory_076 PT Jackson_044 PT Meyers_041 PT

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Blog Children Graduating Seniors Rambling

School Picture Day

Bicentennial year
5th grade

Traditionally, school pictures were synonymous for “the worst picture I ever took…ever!”  I don’t know if we cringed more at the creepy guy in the leisure suit behind the camera or when we received our school pictures a few weeks later. But, times have changed and so has picture day.  So said a recent high school senior, “That’s the best school picture I ever took. Oh wait, except for my 9th grade picture…but, you took that one, too.” We like school pictures, if only to

Bicentennial year
5th grade
Seniors '15
High School graduate

dispel any misgivings someone might have about having theirs taken. So, in the spirit of having a better attitude about picture day and school in general, let’s see how many school pictures we can post between now and the day school starts!

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Blog Graduating Seniors Rambling

A Good Day

Collage of official yearbook and fun casual images of Nacogdoches Senior.
Collage of official yearbook and fun casual images of Nacogdoches Senior.
Collage of official yearbook and fun casual images of Nacogdoches Senior.
Collage of official yearbook and fun casual images of Nacogdoches Senior.

It’s that time of year that we begin seeing high school seniors for their yearbook pictures. For Nacogdoches, it’s the velvet drape for girls and for boys, a tuxedo shirt and jacket. For some of them it’s the first time they’ve had professional pictures taken.

For all of them, their senior year marks the end of  youth and the beginning of adulthood. For many of them, it’s just another day; they’ll let it “sink in” by degrees. For others, as they put on that cap and gown, you can tell they “get it.” They’re more quiet than usual and a little nervous. I want to tell them to take a deep breath and, then, hold on. And enjoy every minute of it! Because on the day they graduate and wear this cap and gown again for real, they’ll look back at this day and think what a short time ago it was.

Photographing seniors gives me a nostalgic feeling and helps me to remember the brevity of life. I wish I could get that feeling everyday, so that I might not waste as much time as I do on frivolous things. But, I must go for now and make out my grocery list. I sure don’t want to forget the milk!

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Blog Family

Is it Christmas, Already?

Portrait of sweet family of five taken by Greg Patterson
Portrait of sweet family of five taken by Greg Patterson
Portrait of sweet family of five taken by Greg Patterson
Portrait of sweet family of five taken by Greg Patterson

Before you start decking the halls and hanging ice sickle lights, no it’s not already Christmas… but it sure feels that way.  Time has a way of zipping past us.

Back in October of 2013, my family first started planning our Disney World trip to be taken eight months later in June of 2014.  Last year we thought the day would never come.  Months of anticipation and arranging schedules had to be endured, and now it is ancient history.  Maybe not ancient history, but it has already been more than a month since we have returned from that long anticipated trip.

Yes, time goes by at an alarming rate.  And although we have five more months until Christmas, soon I’ll be writing another one of these blog posts saying how it came and went too fast.

A friend of mine said that the relative sense of “time flying” is directly related to how much fun you are having.  So, the next time you are having a lot of fun, remember to pause and enjoy it.   Because it will zip past you in a blink.

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Beautiful Christmas Cards of a sweet family of five created by G. Patterson Studio.
Beautiful Christmas Cards of a sweet family of five created by G. Patterson Studio.

And since you brought it up 🙂  …..  Summer is a great time to take family portraits to be used on your Christmas Cards.  Our studio will do all the heavy lifting when it comes to designing the perfect card for your family.  It’s just up to you to schedule.  We don’t want you to find yourself stressing at the last minute to get it all done.  So call today.  936-569-7116  It could be Christmas in July!

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Blog Family Portrait Sessions

Is there a better way to start your day?

The Middlebrook Family plays instruments for their family portraits by Greg Patterson.
The Middlebrook Family plays instruments for their family portraits by Greg Patterson.

Amy Middlebrook is sure to be one of the sweetest people you’ll ever meet.  Her nature is pure and genuine, and she is a delight to be near.  So when she called and asked Greg to capture photos of her family, we jumped at the opportunity.

Like with our other clients, we first asked Amy if there was something in particular she had in mind for the portrait.  She mentioned that her family was musical and enjoyed getting together from time to time to just strum a little.  Could we photograph something that captured this aspect of her family?  Of course the answer was “yes,” and the wheels in Greg’s imagination begin to turn.

The morning of her session, we gathered onto the porch of the Hardeman House, just around the corner from our studio, eager to see what musical moments we could create.  What followed was such an emotionally and spiritually stirring event.  George and Amy kicked it off, softly playing the guitar and mandolin and adding in some vocal harmony.  Their son delicately joined in on the ukulele.  Soon the street was echoing with their rising voices.  They were singing to God.  The sound was tender, yet powerful.  It was heartwarming to notice each of the little smiles, nods and quick glances they gave one another.  To hear this sweet family that morning was incredibly uplifting and wonderful to experience.  To see them relate to each other the way they did was quite moving.

Usually we are the ones trying to provide the memorable experience for our clients.  But on that day, we were treated.  Every time I see the beautiful portraits of Amy’s family, I will be reminded of how I felt that special morning.  It was only 30 minutes, but I will carry that memory with me for years… and I am thankful.

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Blog Children Events Family

Nothin’ more East Texas than Watermelons

Kiddos eating watermelon is a great way to celebrate East Texas summertime.
Kiddos eating watermelon is a great way to celebrate East Texas summertime.
Kiddos eating watermelon is a great way to celebrate East Texas summertime.

Summers in East Texas are typically hot and muggy, but you can’t stay cooped up inside all day.  There’s too much fun to be had outside.  Running through sprinklers, catching fireflies, going fishing, going swimming… And one other thing that comes to mind is eating watermelon!  It’s a true East Texan tradition.  I look forward to enjoying some sweet and juicy watermelon with my kiddos in the next few weeks.  And hey, we may even get into a good ol’ fashion watermelon seed spitting fight.

G. Patterson Studio is celebrating this East Texas tradition with our most popular Just 4 Fun Kid’s Series Special – WATERMELON BASH on July 1, 2, and 3.  If you’d like to have these sweet moments of your kiddos captured in a beautiful and timeless way, call the studio at (936) 569-7116.

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Blog Graduating Seniors

Sending Seniors off in Style!

Senior Portrait Fun

We love creating a fun and memorable experience for our seniors.  If they don’t have a blast, then we haven’t done our jobs.  Plus, when our seniors are relaxed and having a good time, it makes capturing amazing moments that much easier.  Every year, we see a new “crop” of seniors come through our studio doors, and we’d like to think they are venturing off to college with some great memories of little ol’ Nac.

It feels like we’re winding down for this year’s graduates, but there is always time for a professional portrait that represents all that your senior has accomplished.  So, if you’re one of the few who haven’t made the time, please feel free to call us and set up an appointment.  We’ll try to make you feel like the center of the universe… and I bet we’ll have a fun time too.