I am a West Virginia native who has always loved photography. I have studied it for many years. I recently turned my hobby into a business. I do event photography, senior and family portraits. I also have several home décor prints and items available for purchase. Some of my photos have been used for book covers. I hope to soon have an on line store at this site.
Hello Friends! Tonight’s feature image is titled “Pink Azalea 5920a” and is available for purchase by the instructions at the bottom of the article.
The unseasonably cold weather and overcast skies have had me watching the world through someone else’s lens for the past few days. So when the rain stopped for a little while I headed for the light to see what changes have taken place. Beneath the side deck and in a little sheltered spot this pink azalea has quietly been building up her Spring fashion. If the Flame Azalea that I posted last night burned away the last cold day then the pink azalea flushed in celebration.
Image Titled “Pink Azalea 5920b”.
Although her flowers are smaller they’re just as bright. I have have seeing quite a few woodnymph butterflies outside my windows in those few moments between showers and I suspected that this was why. The previous owners of the house had planted the pink azalea just before I bought it. In the past several years it’s grown so much that I’ll need to trim it back before it takes over the deck. The plan is to prep several of the branches to be removed with rooting hormones so that I can replant them and help the azalea spread.
Hey Friends! Just a quick reminder that Lloyds Lens Photography is available for portraits!
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Tobook me simply reach out using theContact Pageand we’ll set a date. If you’re within a 50 mile radius of Summersville West Virginia all travel fees are waived.
Hello Friends and thank you for your support of my page. If you have enjoyed the photos or the writings please let me know by commenting and sharing my work on your social media. I also want to invite you to Follow Lloyds Lens Photography on Facebook
If you would like to Follow me on Facebook the web address is
Did you know that I also do portraits by appointment? If you’re interested in a portrait session either message me on Facebook or Use the Contact form. The YouTube link below takes you one of my slideshows.
I’m now using Zazzle to fulfil orders. What this means for you is a secure way to place an order, discount codes & a broader product selection! Simplymessage me on Facebookoruse the contact form on my websiteand tell me which image you want and I’ll reply with a direct link to where you can place the order.
Lastly, all of the photos and writings are my original work unless otherwise specified and are not to be copied or reproduced without expressed written permission from the photographer
Hello Friends! Tonight’s feature image is titled “Orange Azalea 5920a” and is available for purchase by the instructions at the bottom of the article.
The Orange Azalea is definitely one of my favorites. It seems like the point where this one blooms marks the last cold snap. Well, more or less the last one.
Image Titled Orange Azalea 5920b shows the bush’s likeness to living flame
Like the red maple keys this azalea make my imagination well up with images of the plant storing up the heat of the sun until it finally erupts into flames. The unopened buds even resemble fire with their conical form.
It’s also a favorite of the local butterflies. They all gather on it every year when the flowers open. I’m not certain that they’re native to the area but the do seem to grow wild. I don’t really see as many of them in the woods as I did when I growing up but we actually called them honeysuckle. Which they’re not. I have also noticed that the hummingbirds are attracted to them and when they bloom that means that I should be watching for the hummingbirds to return.
Image Titled Orange Azalea 5920c
The blooms are short lived. In a few weeks they’ll be scattered across my lawn but for now they are pure joy!
Hey Friends! Just a quick reminder that Lloyds Lens Photography is available for portraits!
This slideshow requires JavaScript.
Tobook me simply reach out using theContact Pageand we’ll set a date. If you’re within a 50 mile radius of Summersville West Virginia all travel fees are waived.
Hello Friends and thank you for your support of my page. If you have enjoyed the photos or the writings please let me know by commenting and sharing my work on your social media. I also want to invite you to Follow Lloyds Lens Photography on Facebook
If you would like to Follow me on Facebook the web address is
Did you know that I also do portraits by appointment? If you’re interested in a portrait session either message me on Facebook or Use the Contact form. The YouTube link below takes you one of my slideshows.
I’m now using Zazzle to fulfil orders. What this means for you is a secure way to place an order, discount codes & a broader product selection! Simplymessage me on Facebookoruse the contact form on my websiteand tell me which image you want and I’ll reply with a direct link to where you can place the order.
Lastly, all of the photos and writings are my original work unless otherwise specified and are not to be copied or reproduced without expressed written permission from the photographer
Hello Friends! Tonight’s feature image is titled “Bumblebee 42820″and is available for purchase by the instructions at the bottom of the article.
I approach the Azalea cautiously in the warm afternoon sun. The loud buzzing sounds as much like a squadron of WW2 bombers as it does anything else. The bush was full of these massive bumblebees! ( technically this is a carpenter bee) Some of them were over an inch long! While not as friendly as the honeybees they have never been aggressive towards me. Sometimes even even allowing my cellphone to hover over them as close as 4 inches while I take a snapshot. The floating believe the lie between the flowers exploring each one in detail before moving on. They are solitary bees and because they bore holes in wood to make their nests they can do a bit of damage to structures. But before the arrival of the Europeans to North America they were one of the main pollenators. The bug bruiser of a bee shows no concern as I move in for a decent shot. I stood and watched as they worked side by side with a honeybee. Overall, it was one of the most peaceful moments I’ve had in a while.
Hey Friends! Just a quick reminder that Lloyds Lens Photography is available for portraits!
This slideshow requires JavaScript.
Tobook me simply reach out using theContact Pageand we’ll set a date. If you’re within a 50 mile radius of Summersville West Virginia all travel fees are waived.
Hello Friends and thank you for your support of my page. If you have enjoyed the photos or the writings please let me know by commenting and sharing my work on your social media. I also want to invite you to Follow Lloyds Lens Photography on Facebook
If you would like to Follow me on Facebook the web address is
Did you know that I also do portraits by appointment? If you’re interested in a portrait session either message me on Facebook or Use the Contact form. The YouTube link below takes you one of my slideshows.
I’m now using Zazzle to fulfil orders. What this means for you is a secure way to place an order, discount codes & a broader product selection! Simplymessage me on Facebookoruse the contact form on my websiteand tell me which image you want and I’ll reply with a direct link to where you can place the order.
Lastly, all of the photos and writings are my original work unless otherwise specified and are not to be copied or reproduced without expressed written permission from the photographer
Hello Friends! Tonight’s feature image is titled “Hello Jack 41620a and is available for purchase by the instructions at the bottom of the article.
Disclaimer: Tonight’s wild edible plant is considered to be toxic unless prepared properly. Plants in this family contain high concentrations of calcium oxalate which is can cause sores and numbing if ingested and may even be fatal. My Forage Friday posts are only intended to be for entertainment purposes and I always recommend that you do further research before trying any wild edible plants for the first time..
The mottled light filters through the new leaves in my little forest sanctuary. I have come for another survey of what nature might surprise me with. The area is actually quite small but has really been densely populated by a wide variety of subjects to explore and photograph. This day was no exception. Standing proudly among the ferns and Trillium was Jack-In-Pulpit. Or, as it’s otherwise known “Indian Turnip”.
There is an intrinsic duality to the plant. It has two main names that It goes by. And it is considered both toxic and edible at the same time. As stated in the disclaimer the plant has a high concentration of calcium oxalate. Oddly enough, that’s the same stuff that kidney stones are made of. Not being a chemist I only have a basic understanding of the substance but I do know that the chemical has different forms and the toxicity may vary with each. So if you’re curious about the toxin I’ll need to refer you to the link in the disclaimer. And, it’s a combination of the toxin, the availability of the plant itself and the completely of the process to remove that toxicity that’s kept me from having even a nibble of it.
The process of making Jack-In-Pulpit edible isn’t as simple as leeching the tannins from acorns or cooking Poke Salad in multiple changes of water. And it only seems to be the roots that were consumed by Native Americans. The process involved slowly roasting the roots in the ground for several days and a 6 month long drying process. The results were then ground into a powder that’s rumored to taste like chocolate. But before you crawl through the forest looking for Jack, read on. The plant was also used as a contraceptive. This can only be effective if the plant has phytosterols strong enough to interfere with a woman’s endocrine system and thus prevent pregnancy or, it’s so toxic that she has a miscarriage. Either way, there’s more than a considerable amount of risk. Just because something is natural doesn’t mean it’s not dangerous. The online reference I saw said that only 2 tablespoons of the preparation would cause permanent sterility. My mind kept going back to the Wikipedia article saying that calcium oxalate may be lethal.
The hood of Jack-In-Pulpit Is called a spathe. The spathe gives Jack-In-Pulpit a look that reminds us a carnivorous pitcher plant. But Jack-In-Pulpit practices a catch and release philosophy. In the male phase the spathe will have a small slit near the bottom that allows the pollinators to escape after a good dusting of pollen. And here’s where we see that duality again. Jack-In-Pulpit is capable of going back and forth between male and female flowers. The scent of the flowers is best described as acrid. It’s pollinated by fungus gnats that are attracted by the smell of rotting meat with a hint of garlic.
Image Titled “Hello Jack 41620b” showing the 3 loved leaf.
The leaves of Jack-In-Pulpit are really similar to the Trillium. It’s a little hard to tell from this photo but the leaves of Jack-In-Pulpit form a T when viewed from above where the Trillium growing next to it is more equally spread into a triangle.
It’s at this point in the Forage Friday posts that I’ve been considering the possibility of cultivating the forage plants as ornamental plants to sell and raise cash. But Jack-In-Pulpit seems to be one of those plants that only grows well in God’s creation. If you’re talented enough and have just the right spot for them to flourish then nothing’s impossible. But Jack-In-Pulpit is said to resist cultivation and therefore will remain wild and free in my little forest sanctuary.
Hey Friends! Just a quick reminder that Lloyds Lens Photography is available for portraits!
This slideshow requires JavaScript.
Tobook me simply reach out using theContact Pageand we’ll set a date. If you’re within a 50 mile radius of Summersville West Virginia all travel fees are waived.
Hello Friends and thank you for your support of my page. If you have enjoyed the photos or the writings please let me know by commenting and sharing my work on your social media. I also want to invite you to Follow Lloyds Lens Photography on Facebook
If you would like to Follow me on Facebook the web address is
Did you know that I also do portraits by appointment? If you’re interested in a portrait session either message me on Facebook or Use the Contact form. The YouTube link below takes you one of my slideshows.
I’m now using Zazzle to fulfil orders. What this means for you is a secure way to place an order, discount codes & a broader product selection! Simplymessage me on Facebookoruse the contact form on my websiteand tell me which image you want and I’ll reply with a direct link to where you can place the order.
Lastly, all of the photos and writings are my original work unless otherwise specified and are not to be copied or reproduced without expressed written permission from the photographer
Hello Friends! Tonight’s feature image is titled “Tiny Treasure 42720” and is available for purchase by the instructions at the bottom of the article.
The softly fallen rain now trickles as minut streams that roll silently through the forest floor. Deep within the the wind thrown tree a thick mat of threads transport the necessities of life to the surface. As I approach the old birch log the scent if the rain soaked moss fills my nose. Then, among the tiny fern-like strands of moss a single leaf rises as it was a tree itself. Simple and unpretentious and yet the beauty of leaf is undeniable. The gentle curl near the base reminded me of a small child waking from a nap and rubbing it’s eyes. No wonder we refer to a rotting log as a “nurse tree”.
Image Titled “The Nurse Tree 42720”. The tree fell in 2012.
I’ve watched this log since it fell in 2012 when straight line winds forced my forest to be reborn. The event was what lead me come to the realization that disruption precedes regeneration. The event opened up the canopy and allowed seeds that had been in the ground for a long time to have their chance to flourish. Many of the wildflowers that I’ve posted this year were born out of that destruction. The giant tree fell and gave the moss a place to gather. The moss held the moisture and provided habitat for the fungus and the fungus feeds the violet leaf that spawned my moment of tranquility.
As we move forward in this time of concern I want you to know that even though the world changes that disruption doesn’t have to mean loss. It can also mean rebirth and the germination of seeds that once lay dormant unable to wake until something let in the light.
Hey Friends! Just a quick reminder that Lloyds Lens Photography is available for portraits!
This slideshow requires JavaScript.
Tobook me simply reach out using theContact Pageand we’ll set a date. If you’re within a 50 mile radius of Summersville West Virginia all travel fees are waived.
Hello Friends and thank you for your support of my page. If you have enjoyed the photos or the writings please let me know by commenting and sharing my work on your social media. I also want to invite you to Follow Lloyds Lens Photography on Facebook
If you would like to Follow me on Facebook the web address is
Did you know that I also do portraits by appointment? If you’re interested in a portrait session either message me on Facebook or Use the Contact form. The YouTube link below takes you one of my slideshows.
I’m now using Zazzle to fulfil orders. What this means for you is a secure way to place an order, discount codes & a broader product selection! Simplymessage me on Facebookoruse the contact form on my websiteand tell me which image you want and I’ll reply with a direct link to where you can place the order.
Lastly, all of the photos and writings are my original work unless otherwise specified and are not to be copied or reproduced without expressed written permission from the photographer
LLOYD'S LENS PHOTOGRAPHY LLC 