lloydslensphotographyllc

West Virginia Day 2019

Hello Friends! Tonight’s feature image is titled “Sundown On The Kanawha River “and is available for purchase by following the instructions at the bottom of the article.

In April of 1863 the people who lived west of the Blue Ridge mountains began to talk about succession. Virginia had already succeeded from the Union and was now ready to succeed from itself. By June 1863 Mountaineers were part of Union once more and West Virginia was born. Our spirit is embodied in our state motto Montani Semper Liberi, Mountaineers Are Always Free.

West Virginia of course is most known today because of the coal that lights up the night and smelts the steel. But that’s not all we are.

We are the ones who still hold the doors open for a stranger at the store. One of my favorite stories about my fellow Mountaineers came from a local talk radio show when a woman called in to publicly thank two young men that helped her when she lost a load of laundry out of the open bed of her truck. She said that they never asked her name. They just stopped and started picking up her lost belongings.

Our wilderness is second to none. We have clean wild rivers that provide rapids for thrill seekers and shoals for those who just want wade through the water and fish or collect stones. We even have natural water slides to splash around in.

We are also the future. As I understand it, a plan is being formed to recover Rare Earth Elements from the waste of coal mining. We’re being told that not only will this mean a better economy but it will also help keep our beautiful environment clean.

I think about my ancestors that tamed the hills and valleys by the blood sweat and tears. My own grandfather who wore a carbide light on his head as he went into the deep dark mines and risked the mountain collapsing in on him as he fed his wife and eight children by pulling the coal out one shovel full at a time. He helped power the industrial revolution in a time when a lot of work was still done with a mule team. And in the very near future it’s very possible that a miner will sit in air conditioned comfort and supervise a team of robots that will mine materials that power the automation revolution.

I have to wonder what else the future of a free people might bring. But one thing I have a solid inclination to believe is that whatever else comes we will maintain a sense of who we are and never lose that independent spirit that conquered the Blue Ridge mountains.

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Things Are Just Ducky #5

Color Photography, wildlife

Hello Friends! Tonight’s feature image is titled “Duck Bathing On The Kanawha River” and is available for purchase by following the instructions at the bottom of the article.

George the mallard has been scavenging the park all morning. He’d had quite a bit of luck finding scraps left behind by the humans. Humans are always dropping their food in the water or on the ground. They didn’t really seem to mind when he waddled up and claimed what they dropped. Sometimes they even shared with him.

As he was making his way across the parking lot of the park he spotted a large male human straddling a motorcycle. Parts of the motorcycle were so shiny that he could see his own face in them. George carefully approached the big man from behind pausing for a moment to practice his “hungry face” in the reflection of big shiny pipe near the back of the bike. He tried to make his cheeks hollow and his eyes sad. Then he circled around wide and stood in front of the man. The biker wore black leather and was covering his eyes with dark glasses. In his hands was a crinkly bag full of something crunchy. George’s mouth began to water with anticipation of whatever the large human was enjoying. “Excuse me sir, might I have a taste of the crunchy stuff in your bag?” He asked politely. But all the human understood was a series of low quacking sounds. The human took another big bite out of the bag. Once more George made a polite inquiry and started walking in circles to get the biker’s attention. The big man smiled. “My friend, are you sure that this what you want?” He asked. George responded with excitement and was quacking like crazy. The big biker gave George a doubtful look but even though he looked big and scary he had a soft spot in his heart for wildlife. He dropped a single reddish colored chip in front of George. The chip never hit the ground. George swooped in like a falcon on the hunt and started to grind the chip in his bill. But something was wrong. George’s tongue began to burn and his eyes watered for real. It wasn’t an ordinary chip. It was a flaming hot red pepper pork rind! George took off like a rocket and dove head first into the water. He opened his bill as wide as he could shaking his face under the water. He felt like he had drank half of river before the spice relented. As George relaxed and began to recover Ralph paddled up to him. Once he saw that his friend was going to be okay Ralph gave George two pieces of advice. Be careful what you wish for and beggars can’t be choosers. After a long while George began working the crowd at the park again. It’s just part of being a duck and he couldn’t be a successful duck without the resources of the local humans. However, was never as greedy as to accept what was given without first making sure that it was something that he actually wanted. And his friend the biker began to make sure that he had a small pouch of rolled oats to share with the ducks from that day on. In fact, every Saturday without fail his Harley Davidson rolled up to edge of water and waited for George to show up.

* If you like to feed ducks at your local park please don’t give them bread because it can make them sick. Oats, cracked corn and regular bird seed are all acceptable. After writing this I did a quick search. It seems that hot peppers are regularly given to chickens but a few sources said that ducks won’t touch anything with peppers in it. Things Are Just Ducky is of course fictional and intended to be pure entertainment.

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Basic Elements

Back and White Photography

There are only three basic shapes in the known universe. The point, the Ray ( or line ) and the curve. Everything our eyes perceive is simply our brain’s interpretation of the way theses shapes are organized. Even a Jackson Pollock painting can be broken down into the three prime shapes. The only real difference is the complexity and arrangement of the elements.

Sometimes life gets really complex. On those days helps to break things down to their basic elements. Instead of the point like we have in art it’s the goal. In place of the Ray it’s the method and in place of the curve it’s the adjustment. The basic elements of life. All other elements are just patterns based on the three basics. Thus, the complexity can be dismantled and better understood. As the pattern builds and repeats it becomes easier to anticipate the next element.

The next thing is variance. We as humans are drawn to repeating patterns but we also have a need for variety. One of the reasons why I named tonight’s feature image “Basic Elements” is because of the repeated patterns. When I was first starting to learn photography as a form of fine art it was suggested that the more triangles that I could include the better the image would be received. “People like triangles” the lecturer said. Tonight’s image is full of triangular shapes but not rows of triangles. They are scattered across the picture as are the points and curves. This gives the eye something to find in different parts of picture in a way that keeps it from being boring.

We need variance in our lives. Routine is great for dependability but quickly degrades into monotony. Planning variance in our daily routine helps us avoid boredom and have a more fulfilling life pattern. It might be as simple as taking a different route to work or listening to a different style of music as we go about the daily tasks but breaking up the pattern is what’s important.

As looked through the broken bow of wreck I noticed that all of the elements were contained in the image presented to me as well as a few not covered in this post. It was time to snap the shutter and move on to the next opportunity. The big blue truck waits for me in the shade of the nearby forest and I can hear the call of the road beckoning me to come and find the next destination. That too is a pattern that I must follow.

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Into The Storm

Color Photography

Angry clouds gather above my head once again. The wind batters the abandoned strip mine in bursts as the songbirds huddle together in the thickest part of the underbrush as they seek shelter from nature’s wrath. Somewhere else in the forest a box tortoise closes his shell as tightly as he can and the deer bed down on the leeward side of the mountain. The instinct to avoid a storm is one of the strongest forces in nature.

But there are those who have a different mindset. Some people run into the storm. For those people the raw power that God placed in elements of nature is irresistible, for some it’s scientific curiosity, and for others it’s the knowledge that after the storm passes someone will need help. I’ve found that the majority of the people who run into the storm do so because they themselves were touched by the aftermath of a storm in some way.

There’s definitely a Superman complex to one degree or another going on in the minds of most people. That’s okay as long as it comes with an equal measure humility. As humans we have a drive to make a difference and there’s a sense of fulfillment that comes with helping a stranger that will never see or hear from you again. But I think that there’s more than social instincts happening. I think that helping to set things right makes us feel like we’ve got some measure of power over the storm. We may not be able to stop the storms but the storms can’t stop us either. The scientists who chase storms do so to provide earlier warnings and stronger shelters. The rescuers do so to bring as many people to safety as possible. The rebuilders take up where the rescuers and scientists left off. Everyone does their part and the whole benefits.

But this phenomenon isn’t limited to weather. We extend this behavior into all aspects of life. A person who is terrified of a natural storm may not think twice about rushing in to aid someone who is in the middle of emotional distress. I’d be willing to bet that a lot of those who would take on the natural storm will steer clear of the emotional storm. We all have a purpose and a place in such things. In fact for a lot of people the “storm” comes in the form of loneliness and what’s called for is a person who is just willing to ask them about their day.

As the storm moves in closer to my position I can see the thick bands of rain cascading down and a second wave of thunder begins the countdown to when I need to have my camera and myself someplace warm and dry. Fortunately the big blue truck is just a few steps away from where I’m set up. This particular storm isn’t really expected to cause damage. Sometimes all it turns out to be is a few gusts of wind, an isolated shower and a lot of noise. That’s great for a dramatic photograph but not really dangerous enough to warrant sticking around long enough to get wet.

With my lens tucked away safely in its dry case the big blue truck rolls back onto the pavement and I move on to the next opportunity.

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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! Simply message me on Facebook oruse 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.

Thank you again for your support of my page!❤

Father’s Day 2019

Color Photography

Dad's Got Your Back — Hello Friends! Tonight’s feature image is titled “Dad’s Got Your Back ” and is available for purchase by following the instructions at the bottom of the article.

I’ve actually been holding onto this image since Valentine’s Day. The dominant buck in this area has been playing hide and seek with my lens most of year. It’s also fairly unusual for the Buck to be seen in the company of his offspring so when I spotted them all at the edge of the parking lot I knew that I needed to get a shot. What I didn’t expect was for them to offer a cool pose. If you viewing the image from a phone or tablet you may not be able to tell that the deer on the left is a button buck. It’s antlers are just barely out and are in the form of knobs on top of his head. In an effort to make them face the camera I whistled. The two bucks immediately positioned themselves back to back ready to fend off whatever just made the noise they heard. As the shutter snapped the thought of dad having your back came to me and I knew that I had my Father’s Day post.

I’ve never been a father myself but I have been a son. I grew up with a father who made countless sacrifices for his sons. Even when the paycheck was humble and we lived in a single wide trailer dad seemed to have a great joy in making sure that my brother and I had the most popular toys. I remember in particular the Batman that came from the store and the accessories that he made himself to go with them. I still have a toy “Bat-copter” that dad cut out with a jigsaw from a leftover scrap of lumber. It’s still one of my most cherished toys today. ( even if it is a bit dusty from storage)

The “Bat-copter” is still one of my most cherished toys. Made by my dad in 1971 and decorated with a crayon by me.

There was a lot of roughed out wooden toys. Today I also have some fine accent furniture that dad made for my wife and I. Dad’s woodworking skills greatly improved over the years but that first helicopter was better than anything that was store bought because of the love that went into it.

As I got older and became involved with sports dad was always there. The only game that he ever missed he missed because of a funeral.

There was never a problem that I couldn’t talk about with my dad. Even today dad is there ready to help me think things through. He doesn’t have to give the solution outright. Instead he asks the questions that lead to the solutions.

Most of all, I have greatly benefited from the prayers of a Godly father. I haven’t always played it safe. I have actually cheated death on a regular basis and no doubt that the prayers of a Godly father had something to do with that. Dad had my back even when I didn’t know it.

There was also times when dad was physically with me and I didn’t know it. I was allowed to go play in the middle of woods and explore the deep trails near my home. I didn’t know that dad was tracking me the whole time. He just hung back enough to let me think that I was alone. He was allowing me to build skills while still providing a safety net.

Dad has still got my back today. I know that no matter what I can go to my father’s house and get what I need. In my dad I have found a buddy, a companion, a strong arm of support and a brother in Christ.

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