Category: Color Photography

And Then She Quietly Whispered Goodbye part 2

Back and White Photography, Color Photography
Hello Friends! Tonight’s Feature Image is titled “Yesterday’s Dreams 32321cp” and is available for purchase by clicking the thumbnail and reaching out to me on the contact page.

This is part two of a series of the old barn on Muddlety Creek. For part 1 please visit the link below.

https://lloydslensphotographyllc.com/2021/04/28/and-then-she-quietly-whispered-goodbye-part-1/

Looking over the rubble of the old barn brings to mind how temporary this world is. I’ve had this line of thought concerning this barn for years. When I was younger the wood was still straight, the seams were unbroken and there was still a little natural color in the grain. By the time I took up the lens I could tell that one day I’d be looking at it on the ground. As humans we build some things that seem to defy the flow of time but most of what we make will slowly fade away. Wherever we make something we impart our lives into it. Whenever I do portraits I like to include a shot of just the hands. Our ideas and thoughts may direct our actions but it’s our hands that do the work that changes the world. It was hands that sustained the hunter/gatherer in early history. It was hands that tilled the soil. The grand megalithic structures were all built by hands. And it was hands that built the old barn.

Untitled Image of the old barn on Muddlety Creek first published on October 20th, 2020.
https://lloydslensphotographyllc.com/2018/09/02/forging-yesterday/

Because our lives are finite and tied to the moment we live in the only thing that we own is that very moment. When someone makes something for you or chooses to spend time with you they are truly sharing their most valuable resource of time. Some people look at an object like that old barn and see only rusted tin, rotten wood and the abandoned residue of civilization. But there’s so much more. The hands that yielded up the time invested life into the experience. I was blessed to encounter an older gentleman who actually had worked in that barn for the owners. He didn’t really talk about the misery of hot humid July and August days when the hay would get into your shirt and make you itch. Or the indignantly of mucking out a stall. What he remembered was the relationship he had with the owners. He was a hired hand and he mentioned that they paid well. He also spoke of what good and kind employers they were. But what really stuck with him was the feeling of value they placed on him and the community around them. His exact description didn’t really stick with me but the look of love on his face was unforgettable.

Untitled Image of the old barn first published on November 22nd 2018.
https://lloydslensphotographyllc.com/2018/11/22/where-past-meets-future/

Perhaps it’s this investment of lifetime that explains why we cling to the a past that we can never hold. Old buildings and such provide a temporary store for the intrinsic value of time and energy that brings forth something tangible. The tangible object is anchor point in the flow of time and in some ways provides a way for us to navigate through all the possible outcomes in order to reach the next goal.

Untitled Image of the old barn in winter first published on December 7th 2018.
https://lloydslensphotographyllc.com/2018/12/07/winter-refuge/

The family barn is more than just a place where we store supplies and do work. The one room schoolhouse that my family used as a barn was equipped with a basketball hoop. Although learning how to dribble a ball on the warped floor added a whole new dimension to any game played. If the winter day was mild enough a game of “barnball” could be played. Aside from the almost random direction a ball might bounce when attempting to dribble there was the double bank shot. That’s when you bank the ball from the ceiling and the wall to make a basket. There’s also a corner pass where the ball is passed to one’s self by bouncing it from the corner before doing a lay-up.

Image Titled “Echoes Of A Lifetime” first published on November 27th 2019.
https://lloydslensphotographyllc.com/2019/10/13/echoes-of-a-lifetime/

At this point I think I’ll conclude the recap of the old barn. I’ll miss visiting it but as long as I have the photos I’ll hear the echo of her quiet farewell for the rest of my life. And while the proximity of this site to the marsh makes me doubt that anyone would build a new barn in this same spot I do think that the days of the family farm will return and just maybe I’ll find a new barn to catch my fancy.

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

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!♥️

And Then She Quietly Whispered Goodbye part 1

black and white photography, Color Photography, Landscapes
Hello Friends! Tonight’s Feature Image is titled “Yesterday’s Dreams 32321a” and is available for purchase by clicking the thumbnail and reaching out to me on the contact page.

The North Wind blows a little colder across the marsh as rusted tin flutters slightly. Almost immediately after my last post of the old barn at Muddlety Creek the once majestic structure finally succumbed to the effects of decades of neglect leaving behind only the echoes of yesterday’s dreams.

Image Titled “Cultivate Life” first published January 7th 2018.
https://lloydslensphotographyllc.com/2018/01/07/cultivate-life/

The old barn has been a local landmark my entire life. It was also among the first photos I published when I decided to go professional with my photography. Since then it’s been my muse on many occasions. To me that old barn represented an entire culture. I can easily imagine an old sixties or seventies model truck backed up to opening of the barn while young men moved bales of hay and sacks of feed in or out of the barn. A family farm is also a family business. In my area that meant that you either trade in cattle, feed or both. The slaughterhouse was always local in those days and so was the butcher. The meat was raised, processed and sold locally. The barn was the very backbone of the economy. Even those who worked in the mining industry was dependent on the local farmers and ranchers. And there was often some overlap. A miner would work the mines while his family raised a few head of cattle. Some for himself and a few for the market. Mine closings and layoffs have always been a part of life in Appalachia. A small farm on the side is a way to hedge your bets in the down times.

Image Titled “Yesterday’s Echoes” and was first published on February 6th 2018.
https://lloydslensphotographyllc.com/2018/02/06/old-barn-on-muddlety-creek/

Although I never personally worked in this barn every time I stopped by it the memories of my grandfather’s barn would come flooding back. When I was young I couldn’t tolerate the hay due to severe allergies. But as I grew out of that I spent quite a bit of time in barns. Even just passing an old barn on the highway allows me to relive the smell of grain and hay in the humid August sun. I can still see the rusted ox shoes and a single tree yoke in the corner behind a wooden barrel of grain. A metallic syringe type tool that was designed to help a cow swallow a pill. The barn was also an animal hospital. Today I work with computers and high technology. It’s frustrating when you have a major update trying to load and your whole system refuses to cooperate. But compared to trying to give an 800 pound animal a pill when it’s determined that you’re not going to get its mouth open it’s a breeze. My computer has never broken a single bone in my body. ( Neither did the cows but there was a few narrow escapes. )

Untitled Image of the old barn on Muddlety Creek first published November 10th 2018.
https://lloydslensphotographyllc.com/2018/08/01/very-old-things-and-the-secrets-they-hold/

Places where voices gather in love and friendship seem to hold those voices for a long time in my imagination. When I go to a place that feels familiar I can almost hear the indistinct conversations of people as they work. It’s more so with manual labor than office work. When you’re working with your hands a certain amount of banter is almost obligatory. It also involves a fair amount of teasing in most cases. Occupation of the mind distracts you from how tired you are or the new blisters you earn. In a good team the conversation can even carry a rhythm that helps the work flow. I’m using the term conversation loosely. It’s not really unusual for it to simply be an imitation of a quarterback yelling “hike” as a fifty pound bag of grain is hurled across the room.

Image of the inside of the old barn was taken with a long lens from outside of the structure. At this point it was far too dangerous to actually step inside

That’s it for tonight friends. We’ll have a part 2 tomorrow night. In the meantime, Good night 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

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!♥️

Own The Moment

Color Photography, wildlife
Hello Friends! Tonight’s Feature Image is titled “Forest Treasures 41921” and is available for purchase by clicking the thumbnail and reaching out to me on the contact page.

The soft rain soaks into the landscape as the progression of life flows into the next stage. The saying goes that the brightest flame burns quickest and that’s certainly true for the native trout lily.

Image Titled “Embracing The Light 33121” and is available for purchase by clicking the thumbnail and reaching out to me on the contact page.

The same trout lily in the Featured Image is the one that I published on March 31st 2021. The flower fades and the seed pod is formed in less than a month. I’ve often thought about how the one thing that can be owned by a human being is that very moment we exist in. Once it’s gone it’s inaccessible to us on this side of eternity. The seeds will mature and replenish the forest floor and this same plant will shed it’s leaves and exist only as a dormant root until it’s next season. We have only a few days to enjoy it when it blooms.

Life is finite of course. As Gen-Xers my friends and I would sometimes look at each other and ask “Do you want to live forever?” The correct answer was always something to the effect of “Not on this Earth.” It was cerpe diem in action. The recognition of mortality and the knowledge that we have only a short period to enjoy the full spectrum of life experiences. A few scars will make for interesting stories to share in line while waiting for St. Peter to open the gates.

But a full life can’t always be full throttle. How can we say that we actually had a full experience if we blow through at a hundred miles per hour? We get to the end and we can say that we saw something but we cannot describe what we saw beyond a few words. Was it just a yellow flower growing in the forest? Or was it a miracle of creation that played out before our eyes. Seize the day was never meant to encourage us to live fast but to take the time to truly live. To feel the wind fill your lungs and allow the sun to wash over your skin is a life beyond mere existence.

The moment that’s in your reach right now is the only moment you own. Don’t speed through it in an effort to stockpile accomplishments but rather stretch it out and truly own it.

Good night friends and be blessed throughout your days.

A Peaceful Moment Under The Dogwoods

Color Photography, wildlife
Hello Friends! Tonight’s Feature Image is titled “Afternoon Prayers 41921” and is available for purchase by clicking the thumbnail and reaching out to me on the contact page.

A mild sun ebbs towards it’s resting place behind the far ridge. The sweet aroma of multiple wildflowers drifts down the creek. Most of the songbirds are engaged in a conversation between themselves. All except for one chickadee that seems to follow me as I wander around the foot of the mountain. Since I’ve begun feeding the local songbirds several have caught on to the fact that I’m the one who fills their feeders and chases away the predators. I’ve even managed to train my little buddy “Scout” to know the difference between our songbirds and the “Bad Birds”. The crows are the bad birds. They not only rob the feeders but will also raid the songbird’s nests and steal fledglings. So Scout has learned to bark at crows and keep them away but will sit quietly and watch the songbirds without making a whimper. However, today he stays curled up on his pillow. I’m working too close to the highway for our comfort.

Some places seem to have a spirit of their own. Not in the sense that people have a spirit or that animals sometimes express but a feeling of “sacredness”. As though this spot is a place where God walks seeking a conversation with his children. And not the type of conversation where the believers pour out their troubles in list of needs and desires or a list of sins that are to be confessed but a simple visitation. Perhaps a few words of gratitude for the ordinary miracles of daily life. The singing of the birds, the smell of the forest or the beautiful skyscape that is enjoyed as seen though a lacy screen of Dogwood flowers. Every moment is a gift that is not to be wasted.

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

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!♥️

The Fading Redbud

Color Photography, wildlife
Hello Friends! Tonight’s Feature Image is titled “Redbud 41921a” and is available for purchase by clicking the thumbnail and reaching out to me on the contact page.

The gentle hum of the honeybees is only broken by melodic tones of the songbirds. Today as I strode out to complete a few projects the flycatchers fledglings began to shoot out of the nest. One by one they seemed pop out and introduce themselves to me as I worked on the front porch. They were born and raised a mere two feet from my door so they don’t really seem to mind me being so close. They lumber about clumsily for a few moments until instincts kick in and they are accepted into the wind. They all headed into the little thicket at the edge of the yard and by the time I got back with my camera they’d disappeared again. But they did lead me to the last of the redbud bloom.

The delicate pink flowers only seem to last a few weeks. As they fade away the dogwoods come into bloom and for a very short period we’re blessed with both on my mountain. As the pink, pea-like flowers fade and drop to the ground the leaves are forming and everything is becoming lush green. The Buckeye has started to put forth its floral spikes and the next beauty I look forward to is the mountain Magnolia with it’s large white flowers. I’ve located a few that I hope will bloom close enough to ground level that I can get some nice closeup shots of.

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

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!♥️