art photos – Page 4 – LLOYD'S LENS PHOTOGRAPHY LLC

Crossing After The Storm

Last night the wind howled across the ridge line knocking over trees like a child throwing a tantrum. Bright flashes of lightning splashed across the sky and thunder rattled the windows. My little buddy Scout alternated between cuddling with my wife and I for protection against noise.

Almost as suddenly as it started the thunder faded away over the mountains and the three of us sat by candlelight listening to the rain as it slowed to a halt. As the sound of rain hitting roof gave way to the chorus of frogs I was struck by how peaceful the night had become without the noise of technology. With the only light being that of an LED candle in the hallway we soon drifted off to sleep.

The next morning the electricity grid was still down and that means going to town for coffee. As I stepped outside the mountains full of songbirds and that special fresh scent that comes only after a thunderstorm. The storm left behind a mist the clung to the landscape and made everything look magical. This was the perfect opportunity for me to get out with my gear and visit one of my favorite subjects to photograph. The curved trestle bridge between Alloy and Deepwater West Virginia. As I carefully step beyond the foliage in full view of the river and the bridge. The azure sky was broken up by the remnant of the storm. The clouds are no longer dark and angry and seem to be drawn beyond the mist covered mountain in the background. Below the river runs high and muddy but otherwise the is flat and soothing. The long curved bridge draws my eyes forward into the land of the Adena where it said that ancient giants sleep beneath the forest in halls of stone. I have taken several shots of the bridge and while Fayette County West Virginia has a world famous bridge this one rivals it’s beauty.

Like the rivers and streams of my Appalachian Mountains I can’t really seem to stay in one place. I take several shots from multiple cameras and it’s time to make my way towards the big blue truck parked on the edge of the road and look for the next destination.

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Determination

black and white photography

The paved a road over me but I sprouted anyway.

The put up a fence to keep me out but climbed onto the fence and used it to reach skyward.

Then men came with saws and in anger they cut me down and hauled off my crown. I was devastated for a season. But my roots are strong and deep and in defiance I rose again.

I will not give up.

I will not yield.

I will live and I will flourish in this place where God planted me in spite of all challenges.

I am determined.

Hello Friends! Tonight’s feature image is titled “Determined To Live “and is available for purchase by following the instructions at the bottom of the article. ( you can click on the tile to reach the contact form)

I have passed by this tree stump every day for more than fifteen years but I never really noticed it. Modern life is lived at sixty five miles per hour and it’s easy to overlook the details when you’re just trying to make your destination on time. However, I was forced to stop in front of stump by a construction zone and noticed the guardrail running through the tree. I couldn’t believe that I had not ever noticed it before standing just a few feet away from the current guardrail. But when I saw it I couldn’t unsee it. It was one of those things that called for to me to tell it’s story.

I thought about the conditions it must have had to sprout in. It would have been mowed down several times before reaching a size too large for the mower to cut. It was in the process of absorbing the guardrail when it was cut down. Now I see new leaves sprouting up from the stump. The tree embodies the the definition of determination. The drive to thrive regardless of adversity.

Being determined doesn’t mean that there won’t be a struggle or that you won’t be knocked down. Instead it means not giving up before you overcome.

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https://youtu.be/FDcrY6w8oY8

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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.

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A Mother’s Day Story

Color Photography

Hello Friends and thank you for your support of my blog. Tonight’s feature image is titled “Flowers For Mommy” and is available for purchase by following the instructions at the bottom of the article.

Tiny hands work diligently in the warm morning sun. Softly, a little voice hums a tune as each daisy is carefully selected and placed in the repurposed soda bottle. The arrangement is a little crowded because the more flowers that are included means a bigger “I Love You”. The little feet march proudly back into the house carrying the gift.

She was awake and watching everything from the bedroom window but when she heard the singing out in hallway she crawled back under the covers and pretended to be asleep. The song was more or less the tune of happy birthday but the lyrics were based on phrase “I Love Mommy”.

As the song ended she was presented with the bundle of daisies which were displayed in the soda bottle on the kitchen table. Before they faded she pressed them between the pages of a book and kept them with the rest of her special memories.

Down through the years there was many gifts. The little feet walked out into a life of their own and the tiny hands developed skills that earned a good living. Mother’s Day gifts included nice jewelry and fancy meals. But always paled in comparison to the empty soda bottle of wildflowers. On the page of her memory book where the pressed daisies had been preserved was the words “Nothing says “I Love You like daisies in the hands of a child”.

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Approaching Thunder Shakes Loose A Childhood Memory

Color Photography, Uncategorized

Hello Friends! Tonight’s feature image is titled “Thunder Ridge” and is available for purchase by following the instructions at the bottom of the article.

I stepped out of the big blue truck and walked just beyond the gate. The scent of the impending rain hangs heavy in the air. The local songbirds are all huddled under the bushes for shelter as thunder rolls across the ridge. The empty roads beckons me to come & explore but the Darkening sky forbids me to walk too far. As I gaze down the road I allow my imagination to wander beneath the approaching thunderheads. My thoughts are interrupted by a different thunder. Its the sound of four large engines turning propellers on the tarmac in the distance. It has the be the 130th Airlift Wing warming up a C-130. The massive aircraft is often seen floating above the Kanawha Valley. It’s truly an awesome sight to see them emerge from the thick clouds on days like today.

When I was 11 years old my Civil Air Patrol group was transported to the Patuxent River Naval Air Test Station by the 130th AW ( the aircraft is a C-130 & the Air National Guard Group that is stationed her happens to also be the 130th group. ) My impression of the C-130 was that it’s the aeronautical version of a four wheel drive SUV. The seating for troop transport in the late 70s & early 80s was an adventure all of it’s own for a farm-boy of my age. Imagine that you’re locked into a tube with woven web lawn chairs hanging from the interior of the tube. They strap you in and taxi to the runway. The 130 is an STOL aircraft. That stands for Short Take Off & Landing which means that its angle on take off is really steep. The woven basket that you’re seated in swings like a pendulum as the plane jumps into the air. The sky on that day was really cloudy like you see in the feature image and it was turbulent. I suppose the resulting ride reminded me of sliding around on a muddy jeep trail which is what makes me think of them in the frame of a four wheel drive. Or, maybe the pilot was just adding a little extra adventure for a cargo load of wide eyed kids but it was like an amusement ride. Once we had reached a certain altitude we were allowed to get up and walk around a bit. everyone rushed towards the windows. For may of us it was first time off the ground. land was also an experience because they reverse the engines to land and its not like a passenger jet. There’s little or no soundproofing in the big green birds and when the propellers start the other direction its quite a racket.

I relive that trip several times a day now when they fly over the office at my day job. They fly really close to this road & if I can ever time it right I should be able to get some good shots of them. Today however, the combination of rain & limited time forced me to climb back into the truck before the C-130 made its appearance. As I rolled the big blue truck back onto the hardtop the large drops of water made contact with the windshield and I knew that today wasn’t the day. That’s okay. It’s an event that occurs on this road every day and I’ll get the shot eventually. It’s just a matter of timing. I do have a decent shot from an earlier flyover to share but I’ll continue to watch the sky for that perfect shot.

C-130 Hurcules flyover on April 24th 2019

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Dogwood & Tree Frogs

Color Photography

Hello Friends! Tonight’s feature image is titled “Dogwood Before The Rain “and is available for purchase by following the instructions at the bottom of the article. Tonight’s image has very little to do with the story and was merely used for a backdrop to the story.

The bright sunshine dims as the dark clouds gather overhead. The birds continue to sing but the tune changes as they signal their mates to come to shelter from the rain. As the flocks gather the forest falls silent but only for a moment. A lone tree frog drones out from somewhere among the leaves and branches. The rain comes softly at first but soon the heavens open up and sheets of water pound the forest. It doesn’t last long. The cloudburst is over as quickly as it began. The water collects and pools on the forest floor where the thick canopy of trees prevents it from drying up. The water isn’t really deep enough to be what most people would call a pond. It’s really more of a ditch but it is full of life. Tiny little fish-like creatures dart about through leaf litter on the bottom grazing on algae and snagging the occasional mosquito larvae.

When I was a kid there was a huge puddle out in the woods and it was always full of tadpoles and newts. As your shadow fell across the water the puddle would almost look as if it was boiling from all the sudden movement. In addition to the newts the tadpoles came from tree frogs and leopard frogs. It was practically an amphibian city with tadpoles in various stages of development. The surrounding forest was always full tree frogs and even to this day one of the most peaceful things in my life is laying in bed and listening to the tree frogs sing me to sleep. Even as I write this article there’s a tree frogs just outside my window singing.

There’s actually two types of tree frogs that frequent my home. The Eastern Gray Tree frog and Cope’s. To look at these two species you can’t tell the difference. In fact it wasn’t until we developed genetic testing that we knew for sure it was two unrelated species. But there is a way to tell the difference without trying to get a frog to spit in a cup. The two frogs sing a very different songs. Cope’s Gray Tree Frog has more of a trill where The Eastern Gray Tree frog has more of a warble sound.

By standing on my porch and listening I can tell that I have one male Eastern Gray Tree Frog in the front yard and Two of the Cope’s Gray Tree Frogs, one in back of the house and one down near the marsh off to the side. I’m guessing that the only way to know how many and what species females there are would be venture outside and see who shows up to each call.

As I lay here in my recliner listening to the lullaby/love songs of the tree frogs the peaceful feeling overcomes me and I must bid you a good night.

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