lloydslensphotographyllc

A Little Spot For Solitude

black and white photography, Thoughts and Musing

Hello Friends! Tonight’s Feature Image is titled “Nature’s Dance 61621” and is available for purchase by clicking the thumbnail and reaching out to me on the contact page.

The damp leaves make no sound as I ease my way down to the forest path. Every landscape has that special place where you can go to escape from the noise of the outside world. Cities have certain rooftops and little hiding holes tucked away here and there. Panther Mountain that frequently visit has a few gaps in the forest that offer amazing views of the Gauley River below. The property that I grew up on had multiple places on rocky ledges and hidden valleys where a person sit quietly. During pre teens I was in my “ninja phase” and it wouldn’t have been uncommon to find me perched on the edge of a small cliff in the lotus position just breathing and listening to nature. And then there was the rhododendron grove that grew on the corner of the property. In this place a stand of mature rhododendrons stood that was twenty feet tall. The twisted and gnarly stems gave this spot the feel of an enchanted forest where at any moment one might meet any number of characters from legend. Such a grove is also found at Indian Rocks Park in Craigsville West Virginia. On the Far end of the serine pond is the spot that they call the Dancing Forest. The tall rhododendrons grow all over and seem to be dancing to the echoes of ancient drums they felt hundreds of years ago. This is an excellent spot to lose the outside world and find yourself. I plan to go back in the near future for more photos like this one and perhaps to feel that echo of ancient drums rattling through the mountains.

Good night friends and be blessed throughout your days.

Announcement 2.0

For those who have been following me on Facebook and know of the struggle content providers have to get circulation from big tech I’ve been recommending for people to adopt MeWe as a social media platform. One of the problems I’ve run into on MeWe is that people don’t know how to navigate the platform. So to help with that I’ve created a permanent page on my website as a basic Basic Beginner’s Guide To MeWe I’ve tried to anticipate all basic questions there and You can bookmark the page to have as a reference and if you have any questions or suggestions don’t hesitate to contact me. I do still have a day job and I help admin several pages on both platforms so replies might be a little slow but I will answer you.

We also have the Lloyd’s Lens Photography Discussion Group on MeWe that is set up as a fully functional community. There you’ll not only be able to see and connect with me but you can also make your own posts and interact with each other.

I want you to join my group on MeWe: https://mewe.com/join/lloydslensphotographydiscussiongroup

Click the link below to jump to the Basic Beginner’s Guide To MeWe.https://lloydslensphotographyllc.com/guide-to-mewe/embed/#?secret=GJGnIQEVHc

Hey Friends! Just a quick reminder that Lloyds Lens Photography is available for portraits!

To book me simply reach out using the Contact Page and we’ll set a date. If you’re within a 50 mile radius of Summersville West Virginia all travel fees are waived.

If you’re enjoying my blog and don’t want to miss a post then you can sign up for email alerts on my website.

WELCOME TO LLOYD’S LENS PHOTOGRAPHY

https://lloydslensphotographyllc.com/embed/#?secret=ZBipPVJdZw

Lloyds Lens Photography web link — Click here to visithttps://lloydslensphotographyllc.com/

Have you checked out the Zazzle Store?

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 use 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.

Clicking on the photo takes you tohttps://www.zazzle.com/lloydslensphotos?rf=238248269630914251Lastly, 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 photographerThank you again for your support of my page!♥️

Mid Year Marker

Color Photography, wildlife

Hello Friends! Tonight’s Feature Image is titled “Yarrow In Sunlight 62321” and is available for purchase by clicking the thumbnail and reaching out to me on the contact page.

A cluster of small white flowers near the edge of the road catches my eye. The feathery leaves a medicinal scent are unmistakable. The Yarrow is blooming. If I haven’t made it clear the natural calendar that I observe along with the Gregorian calendar is based on nature’s reaction to the wavelength of light reaching the earth. When the Yarrow blooms the year is half over. Technically the 20th of June was the solstice and halfway mark in the circle of the Earth. The Yarrow began blooming a few weeks before and peaks around the solstice. There will be a period when it maintains its blooming for a while and then slowly fade with the season ending in late summer. It’s a reminder that time is ever moving forward and season overlap. We have have only the moment given to us to act in. We can either watch it slowly fade away or we can take advantage and move in sync with the flow of time to accomplish our goals.

Good night friends and be blessed throughout your days.

Announcement 2.0

I want you to join my group on MeWe: https://mewe.com/join/lloydslensphotographydiscussiongroup

Click the link below to jump to the Basic Beginner’s Guide To MeWe.https://lloydslensphotographyllc.com/guide-to-mewe/embed/#?secret=GJGnIQEVHc

Hey Friends! Just a quick reminder that Lloyds Lens Photography is available for portraits!

To book me simply reach out using the Contact Page and we’ll set a date. If you’re within a 50 mile radius of Summersville West Virginia all travel fees are waived.

If you’re enjoying my blog and don’t want to miss a post then you can sign up for email alerts on my website.

WELCOME TO LLOYD’S LENS PHOTOGRAPHY

https://lloydslensphotographyllc.com/embed/#?secret=ZBipPVJdZw

Have you checked out the Zazzle Store?

Hunting Dragons

Color Photography, wildlife

Hello Friends! Tonight’s Feature Image is titled “Red-winged blackbird in flight 62321” and is available for purchase by clicking the thumbnail and reaching out to me on the contact page.

The highland delta is alive with the scattered calls of the songbirds and buzzing of insects. A great blue Heron stalks the shallows unseen behind the tall reeds. I watch carefully for the flick of dragonfly wings. It’s just about the right time for them to come out and fill the air with their magic. The blackbird has a much sharper eye than I and what I failed to notice at twenty feet he noticed at twenty yards. The sharp eyed hunter springs from his perch among the reeds and closes the gap in mere seconds. He executed a ninety degree turn with grace and agility however the dragonfly is also a master of the sky. The insect can see in almost a complete circle and has the advantage of being able to maneuver between the sharp leaves and the blackbird is foiled. He perches on the reed that once held his prey and looked my direction as if it was my fault that his dinner got away. I can’t really blame him for being frustrated. After all, in spite of his sharp eyes and ability to fly he did no better to capture the dragonfly than I did today.

Good night friends and be blessed throughout your days!

Announcement 2.0

I want you to join my group on MeWe: https://mewe.com/join/lloydslensphotographydiscussiongroup

Click the link below to jump to the Basic Beginner’s Guide To MeWe.https://lloydslensphotographyllc.com/guide-to-mewe/embed/#?secret=GJGnIQEVHc

Hey Friends! Just a quick reminder that Lloyds Lens Photography is available for portraits!

To book me simply reach out using the Contact Page and we’ll set a date. If you’re within a 50 mile radius of Summersville West Virginia all travel fees are waived.

If you’re enjoying my blog and don’t want to miss a post then you can sign up for email alerts on my website.

WELCOME TO LLOYD’S LENS PHOTOGRAPHY

https://lloydslensphotographyllc.com/embed/#?secret=ZBipPVJdZw

Have you checked out the Zazzle Store?

Forage Friday #113 Nannyberry

Color Photography, Forage Friday, wildlife

Hello Friends! Tonight’s Feature Image is titled “Nannyberry 61621” and was taken specifically for Forage Friday. All photos found on my website are my original work unless otherwise specified and are available for purchase by clicking the thumbnail and reaching out to me on the contact page.

Please remember that Forage Friday is presented as trivia and not to be mistaken for medical advice.

Thunder rolls through the ridges and hollers of my Appalachian Mountains and the skies pour out their water in great sheets. The Spring shower lasts only a few minutes and soon the birds return from their shelters. By the time I take up the trail the landscape is mostly dry again. Near the edge of the small lake the bright white clusters of small flowers glistens in the bright afternoon sun. Though the nannyberry is nearly twenty feet tall the presence of multiple stems classifies it a shrub and not a tree. And this one is loaded with bloom. The umbel cluster of small flowers are reminiscent of elderberry and hydrangeas or maybe the silky dogwood. Like the silky dogwood nannyberry yields a cluster of dark colored fruit and red fall leaves in the fall.

The edible part of nannyberry is of course the fruit which is described as sweet and somewhat a mix between a prune and a banana. In fact one of the names given to nannyberry is “sweet viburnum”. Nannyberry of course being a type of viburnum. (⚠️ some types of viburnum are toxic. ) It’s generally recommended that the berries are crushed and the hard seeds processed out. The puree is then made into a variety of things like sauces and puddings and even cakes. The usefulness of nannyberry, attractive flowers and colorful fall leaves make nannyberry a great opportunity for those who practice edible landscaping.

Medicinal values include as an antispasmodic made from the bark. The leaves were made into an infusion for treating measles. And as a diuretic,

That’s it for tonight’s #foragefriday Friends.

Good night and be blessed throughout your days!

Announcement 2.0

I want you to join my group on MeWe: https://mewe.com/join/lloydslensphotographydiscussiongroup

Click the link below to jump to the Basic Beginner’s Guide To MeWe.https://lloydslensphotographyllc.com/guide-to-mewe/embed/#?secret=GJGnIQEVHc

Hey Friends! Just a quick reminder that Lloyds Lens Photography is available for portraits!

To book me simply reach out using the Contact Page and we’ll set a date. If you’re within a 50 mile radius of Summersville West Virginia all travel fees are waived.

If you’re enjoying my blog and don’t want to miss a post then you can sign up for email alerts on my website.

WELCOME TO LLOYD’S LENS PHOTOGRAPHY

https://lloydslensphotographyllc.com/embed/#?secret=ZBipPVJdZw

Have you checked out the Zazzle Store?

One Busy Bee Indeed

Color Photography, wildlife

Hello Friends! Tonight’s Feature Image is titled “Silky Dogwood And Bumblebee 62321a” and is available for purchase by clicking the thumbnail and reaching out to me on the contact page.

Overcast skies bless the wilderness with soft light in the afternoon as I wander around the highland delta with an old friend. All around us the native silky dogwood blooms beckoning busy workers. Bumblebees are solitary creatures that live in colonies rather than hives. A honeybee might have an off day on the job and be okay but for the fury little Bumblebees every moment has to count. She and her brood counts on her efforts alone. She is in constant motion as she grooms the flowers and entices them to sweeten the nectar then moves to the next one only to come back and collect her prize. A good day’s effort for a good day’s pay. Pound for pound she will visit hundreds of more flowers and spread more pollen than a single honehbee. She’ll take some back to the hole in a muddy bank and store it away for her hungry brood. As the colony hatches she will stay behind and her children will care for her. But for now she is very busy indeed.

Good night friends and be blessed throughout your days.

Announcement 2.0

I want you to join my group on MeWe: https://mewe.com/join/lloydslensphotographydiscussiongroup

Click the link below to jump to the Basic Beginner’s Guide To MeWe.https://lloydslensphotographyllc.com/guide-to-mewe/embed/#?secret=GJGnIQEVHc

Hey Friends! Just a quick reminder that Lloyds Lens Photography is available for portraits!

To book me simply reach out using the Contact Page and we’ll set a date. If you’re within a 50 mile radius of Summersville West Virginia all travel fees are waived.

If you’re enjoying my blog and don’t want to miss a post then you can sign up for email alerts on my website.

WELCOME TO LLOYD’S LENS PHOTOGRAPHY

https://lloydslensphotographyllc.com/embed/#?secret=ZBipPVJdZw