Deep in East Texas, a place dear to my heart is nestled under the swaying pines. Palestine is a town where my mom’s family has lived since the time of wagons bringing goods down the unpaved streets. Throughout my life, I have visited and grown to feel a part of my soul resides there. People, buildings, pets and various other important things to me have come and gone as life rolls on. My only regret is that I haven’t documented the time I spend there sooner.
It’s important to remember what we are thankful for and to slow down and live every moment we have with family.
Larita Camp, 69, my grandmother, feeds Haven, 6 months, my cousin, in the main house on the property. Haven is the newest edition to our family and is an astonishingly behaved baby. I was glad to photograph such a beautiful moment between a grandmother and granddaughter. I know this shot will be gold in ten years. (Evan Pratt)
Karie Pratt, 50, my mother, lines up a shot in a pool game. The intense form of her hand looks beautiful in this shot. But, the focus in her movement represents a vital skill she’s helped instill in me; give your all in everything you do. (Evan Pratt)
Randy Camp, 57, my great uncle, poses in front of his property. This land in Palestine has been in the family since the days of pioneers and provides a place for our family to hang out, catch up, spend the holidays, and reminiscence on the days gone by. (Evan Pratt)
Payne Farris, 21, my cousin, throws a football across Old Camp Road. I liked this photograph because of the two daddy-longleg spiders in each eye of the ancient birdbath statue. Throwing a football is a tried-and-true pastime when our family gets together. (Evan Pratt)
Daniel Wooddell, 47, my second cousin, sits and sips a beer for the camera. Daniel enjoys hanging out when family comes to town and is a massive Dallas Cowboys fan. His mood might depend on the outcome of a game. (Evan Pratt)
Here, our family history is juxtapositioned against some of the newest members of our family. Taylor Cox, 28, my aunt, and Willow Mae Camp, 2, my cousin, sit under the wall of pictures chronicling our family’s legacy. (Evan Pratt)
Tyler Cox, 28, plays with Ghost. Ghost is my uncle Chad’s dog and he is an Australian Shepard with the Merle gene. He is a loyal companion and loves anyone who will play with or pet him. (Evan Pratt)
David Camp, 58, my great uncle, inspects a rifle given to my uncle Chad Camp, 38. As hunting is a big part of life in rural Texas, taking care of one’s supplies and guns is important to the safety of the hunter and others. (Evan Pratt)
Taylor Cox, 28, my aunt, and Willow Mae Camp, 2, my cousin, peel potatoes for the Thanksgiving meal later that day. I enjoyed photographing the relationship between a mother and daughter in such a seemingly simple task. (Evan Pratt)
David Camp, 58, my great uncle, lines up a pool shot against Preston Wooddell, 44, my second cousin. Pool is a go-to game in my family and the competition can be fierce, but we always have a good time. (Evan Pratt)
Tyler Cox, 28, quarters a deer while Chad Camp, 38, my uncle, and Larita Camp, 69, my grandmother, say their goodbyes. Cox just got out the Navy and is the twin brother of Chad’s girlfriend. (Evan Pratt)
Willow Mae Camp, 2, my cousin, colors on an old wooden bench with Karie Pratt, 50, my mother. My mother was tasked with keeping Willow busy while her parents took some time to themselves out hunting. Behind Willow is the garage that serves as a hangout and setting for the pool games. (Evan Pratt)
Payne Farris, 21, my cousin, looks at a deer shot that morning. The deer will provide food to the family and bragging rights to the hunter. Hunting is a tradition in this area and the primitive interactions between predator and prey remains the truest form of survival there is. (Evan Pratt)
Timothy Starr, 64, my third cousin, and Emmett Pratt, 51, my father, stare into the flames of a fire on a cold night in November. Tim used to be an avid break dancer. He passed down one of this cowboy hats to me and I wear it with pride. (Evan Pratt)
From Austin, Texas, Evan Pratt is a junior at CU Boulder studying journalism and critical media practices. He’s always wanted to tell stories whether it be through his writing, his music with his band Scenic Brooke West, his new love of photography or around a fire pit. He’s always been called an old soul and it doesn’t bother him one bit. In fact, some days he pretends he was an old man who got a chance to do it all over again. It helps him appreciate each day as it comes and live up every moment.
Evan Pratt is a CU journalism and critical media practices student, contact him at evpr0659@colorado.edu.
