Author: lloydslensphotographyllc

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.

When Fellowship Happens

Color Photography, West Virginia

One of the things that I look forward to in the summer is when friends gather together just to hang out. We make little mini holiday as a framework. There will be Homecoming Sundays at churches and family reunions in addition to the birthday parties and anniversary celebrations all summer long. We’ve been holed up in house for winter and any excuse to get out into the sun is a good one. We see old friends and acquaintances in the parks having lunch just because it’s Tuesday or Wednesday. Mankind was meant to be social. It’s our nature to be together for at least a little while. Even the grumpy old curmudgeon wants someone to curmudge for.

Here in the Appalachian mountains of West Virginia such gatherings are often accompanied by live music. Typically a “gospel sing” will feature bluegrass style music and a potluck dinner.

Whatever the occasion or excuse it’s all about coming together in fellowship and brotherhood. All that’s needed is a warm day, chores that are finished and good friends.

Meeting A Beauty Queen in Forest

Uncategorized

Springtime in the Appalachian mountains is a magical experience. The buds on the trees are beginning burst into shades of light green. Little tiny flowers appear on the edges of the forest. A mockingbird is singing close by. He is like the person at every party that only knows the chorus of each song and blends them all together into one song. He’s the mix DJ of the woods. (mockingbird calls)

Several yards/meters away something scurries through the duff of the forest floor. I look over that direction and a chipmunk pops out from under a fallen tree. He squeaks out a chirp of disapproval at me for blocking his path and vanishes back into his hole. That’s when I noticed the Carolina Spring Beauty (Claytonia caroliniana) modestly occupying the ground at my feet. The crom was one of the favorite foods for Native Americans. Although I have never tried them I do consider them as part of my survival garden along with the wild wood violets that are almost as thick as the grass in my yard.

I knelt down to address this tiny beauty queen who didn’t shy away from my camera and took her portrait. She smiled warmly and with a subtle nod granted approval for me to share the picture with you tonight.

On Justice and Vengeance

black and white photography, Thoughts and Musing

Above is the Nicholas County Courthouse. While taking the picture I began to think of it as a place of justice. But what is justice?

We’ve all been there. Somebody does you wrong and you cry out for justice. The world seems out of balance you just won’t rest until things are set right again. But, is it really justice that we’re seeking? Or, is it vengeance? Common sense would seem to imply that the two words describe the same thing but do they really? As I contemplate the terms and try to sort out the answer I have come to find more questions.

Can justice truly exist without mercy and grace? ( which incidentally are not the same thing either). Mercy is when we are found guilty of some infraction and yet, we are spared the consequences of guilt. Mercy also has a tendency to come with conditions. When a police officer lets you off with a warning instead of a full blown citation as long as you’re not caught speeding on his street again. He knows that you’re guilty. He can prove it. But, he doesn’t pursue the charge. Maybe it’s your first offense or he just likes you or he he’s sympathetic to your circumstances. Whatever the reason, he granted you mercy.

Then what is grace? From the time I was a child I was taught that grace is the unmerited favor of God. We don’t deserve it, but he gives it anyway because he wants to. Now, let’s take our same police officer and same situation. Only now, he gives you money for lunch in place of the ticket. Our good officer has just demonstrated both mercy and grace.

So with the above example in mind let’s re-examine the difference between justice and vengeance.

Does vengeance allow for mercy and grace? Not really. We might claim to have shown mercy or grace or both but if we’re honest with ourselves we must admit that isn’t really so. We have either grown weary of vengeance or we felt that the other party has suffered enough. In either case, we didn’t allow the escape of a certain amount of punishment.

Justice however does allow for mercy and grace. Punishment is avoided under the right conditions.

One other thing about vengeance. Is it possible for an innocent person to suffer undue vengeance? I’m sure each of can find at least one example from our own past of a person being paid back for something that they didn’t do. However, if justice is true, then true guilt is established prior to pay backs.

It would seem that under a close scrutiny that there could be holes in what we call common sense if we can’t separate justice from vengeance.

Common sense may be easy to understand but in reality it isn’t always accurate and it isn’t always neutral.

Adventures In Writer’s Block

Color Photography

Somewhere in the deepest recesses of my imagination there’s a magic bridge that can take me to any place that’s real or imagined. I can go to any point in time. There will be mystery and adventure. Tonight as I try to crossover into my adventure I am faced by an opponent who blocks my bridge and tries to prevent my crossing. He’s an ugly little troll who demands his toll! His name is writer’s block. He has the nerve to set himself right in the middle of my bridge and refuses to budge. How shall I overcome this terrible little tyrant? The pen is mightier than the sword, or so they say. But he simply ducks each stroke and laughs. Well then little troll we should turn the pen and simply blot you out. No good. The little troll just sneers and reappears with a mischievous grin as he begins heckling and taunting me. From my bag of tricks I draw forth musicians and poets. They sing and dance at my command as I orchestrate a playlist the way a general would direct his army. The music fails to remove the troll but I can tell that I extracted a toll of my own. I have the troll “on the ropes”. He is beginning to wear down. It’s time for a coup de gras! A few good stories from my fellow authors should inspire a dream that will seal the little troll’s doom. And that’s where I call upon you my dear readers and friends. There are comments allowed below. Tell me, how do you defeat the troll and take back your bridge to adventure?