Tag: encouragement

Reaching For The New Light

Color Photography, Uncategorized, wildlife
Hello Friends! Tonight’s Feature Image is titled “Reaching For The Light 31721” and is available for purchase by clicking the thumbnail and reaching out to me on the contact page.

Deep beneath the layers of leaves and duff the tiny roots feel the calling of the sun. The warmth of the new light kindles a refreshing of life in the long dormant forests. The little mottled leaf pushes back the dark blanket of yesterday’s glory to greet the new life of today.  But isn’t that how all of life goes? What was yesterday’s glory must be shed eventually. Certainly we need to rest beneath our accomplishments for while to recover our strength but eventually we have to leave that place in order to grow again. And although what rises above the surface is wonderful and beautiful it’s not really the core of our being. Our true self is the roots that grow unseen deep beneath the surface. The parts above are really only there to engage with the light and feed our roots.

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/

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.

https://lloydslensphotographyllc.com/

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=238248269630914251

Lastly, 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 photographer

Thank you again for your support of my page!❤

Awakening Promise

Color Photography

Hello Friends! Tonight’s Feature Image is titled “Awakening Promise 31721” and is available for purchase by clicking the thumbnail and reaching out to me on the contact page.

The morning sun reclaims the dew in the form of mists rising from the ancient Appalachian Mountains as O step into a new day. I’ve been monitoring the slightest changes since the long dark of December 21st. Each little sign pulls my heart towards the end of the cold months and the refreshing of my beloved forest. One of my favorite memes on social media is an image of Noah’s Ark that says “Sometimes faith will make you look stupid.” Eight years ago I moved into my current home and while exploring the property I noticed several plants with onions like leaves growing in a very straight line. I presumed that someone had placed them there of course but for eight years there were only green leaves that never bloomed. I have no idea how long the bulbs were in the ground before they even sent up the leaves but whoever put them there did so in faith that one day there would be flowers to welcome the new season. But they never got to see them bloom themselves. The former residents were very elderly and passed away which is how the house became available to you wife and I on the market in the first place. As I knelt down on still wet earth to take the photo of the first bloom of these flowers planted in faith all those years ago I found myself thinking about acts of faith. There is absolutely nothing wrong with doing something with the expectation that you’ll soon reap the rewards of your efforts but sometimes that’s not how it works out. Sometimes the things that we do go beyond our own lives. Even if that’s not what we expected at the time. In fact even as I write this article I’m thinking that because our works tend to occupy the world beyond our lives that it’s even more important to listen to that inspiration and make sure that we do good things. One day that promise will awaken and just because we don’t see the immediate results doesn’t mean we failed. It just means that something more has to happen within its appointed time. We may not even see it within our time on earth but that effort was not wasted. It just takes time to awaken.

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/

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.

https://lloydslensphotographyllc.com/

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=238248269630914251

Lastly, 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 photographer

Thank you again for your support of my page!❤

Around The Bend

black and white photography, encouragement

Hello Friends! Tonight’s Feature Image is titled “The Bend 113020bw” and is available for purchase by clicking the thumbnail and reaching out to me on the contact page.

The low rumble of a distant train echoes across the river as the unseen train makes its way upstream. After a lifetime of listening to the tracks you learn how to tell the difference between a train load of coal and an empty train. This one is empty. I suspect it’s on its way to be filled. The horn blares out a mournful tone at the crossing. I can’t help but let out a silent howl of my own as she passes on hidden by the wilderness around us.

We don’t always see what’s on the other side of the bend in the tracks but that doesn’t mean it’s completely alien to us. Last night I had some thoughts about peace and fear. Fear of the unknown is probably the most common. What’s waiting around the next bend? Forget the exact quote or who said it but the unknown is always expected to be more grandiose than it actually is. The monster in the closet typically turns out to be a mouse that’s trying to find its way out. The lottery ticket is most likely a worthless piece of paper. And the “New Normal” in reality is a temporary thing that’s not normal at all. It just fills the gap between changes. How can anything that changes so regularly be regarded as “normal”? I never really understood that. But I digress. The point of course is that it’s when we can’t see what’s on the other side that we stop focusing on our peace and start to concentrate on fear. Fear is a hungry beast and when we give it attention it consumes everything. That’s not to say that we shouldn’t have any concerns about the future but only that we shouldn’t dwell on the negative. If we acknowledge the truth it should also include the fact that we are overcomers! We have that peace of mind that allows us to plan effectively. And if we can see how to get beyond the bends of our lives we really have little to fear. God is a way maker. He’ll handle what we can’t.

Good night friends and be blessed throughout your days.

Announcement:

I am adding additional social media to my network. Eventually, I’ll be leaving Facebook behind for a multitude of reasons. Even though the Lloyd’s Lens Photography page is strictly non-political I have been restricted from interacting with followers with no explanation for why. But it’s not just that. For years now Facebook has throttled content providers in general. They encourage us to grow our audience and then want to sell us back the access to them. In addition, they collect and sell the data from our interaction. So Facebook has become an entanglement of thorns. In response I have created the Lloyd’s Lens Photography Discussion Group on MeWe. We can still interact directly on the blog but starting today I’ll be looking for more platforms that respect the privacy of my followers and don’t limit who gets to see the post.

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

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.

https://lloydslensphotographyllc.com/

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=238248269630914251

Lastly, 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 photographer

Thank you again for your support of my page!❤

The Thorns

black and white photography, encouragement, Thoughts and Musing

Hello Friends! Tonight’s Feature Image is titled “The Thorns 11221” and is available for purchase by clicking the thumbnail and reaching out to me on the contact page.

As I approached the old barn to photograph the rusted hinge and weathered gray wood I’m given one of those “gifts” from nature that I don’t much like to receive. A thorn in the flesh. But it’s okay. I’ve fought this battle many times in my life. I know almost all of the tricks to overcome the trial. I first acknowledge the pain. One the first lessons of adulthood is that uncomfortable doesn’t kill. Don’t recoil from the pain. Accept it. If you try to pull away the Thorns will only rip your skin and cause more pain. The cane that bears the thorns is long dead and brittle. It’s a simple thing to reach down and break off the parts that are not embedded in my skin and clothes. Carefully reach down and lift the remaining branch opposite of the direction it went in. There will be more pain but not as much as going in. I took the photos and headed back to the road. But as did so that thorny branch sought it’s revenge by tangling itself in my pants and trying to make me fall.

It’s an unfortunate fact that some of life’s situations are in themselves thorn patches. We’re drawn in by the idea of a reward such as the perfect rustic image or perhaps it’s hope of gaining approval from others. Whatever it is it’s the idea of the rewards that distracts us from the surrounding hazards and before we know it we’re caught. Most of the time we panic and struggle but the struggle only leads to a greater entanglement. We have to stop and break off the excess material. We have to remove the catches that have attached themselves and do so knowing that it’s going to be uncomfortable. And as we leave tangling thorns we have to be careful not become tangled again.

God, guide my steps but do so knowing that I’m human and as such I’ll most likely make a wrong step. And when I make the wrong step give me the grace to get free. And as I leave those circumstances behind pick me up if I fall.

Good night friends and be blessed throughout your days.

Announcement:

I am adding additional social media to my network. Eventually, I’ll be leaving Facebook behind for a multitude of reasons. Even though the Lloyd’s Lens Photography page is strictly non-political I have been restricted from interacting with followers with no explanation for why. But it’s not just that. For years now Facebook has throttled content providers in general. They encourage us to grow our audience and then want to sell us back the access to them. In addition, they collect and sell the data from our interaction. So Facebook has become an entanglement of thorns. In response I have created the Lloyd’s Lens Photography Discussion Group on MeWe. We can still interact directly on the blog but starting today I’ll be looking for more platforms that respect the privacy of my followers and don’t limit who gets to see the post.

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

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.

https://lloydslensphotographyllc.com/

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=238248269630914251

Lastly, 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 photographer

Thank you again for your support of my page!❤

The Bright Spot

Color Photography, encouragement
Hello Friends! Tonight’s Feature Image is titled “Life In December 121220a” and is available for purchase by clicking the thumbnail and reaching out to me on the contact page.


Soft winter mists float through the Appalachian Forest as the big blue truck makes it’s way towards the lake. It’s been little more than a month since I’ve seen any signs of life other than a few scattered birds. The cold damp chill  of the late Fall and early Winter gives little comfort to the melancholy soul that cries out for time outside of the box. The gray world has enveloped my mountain fully.  And yet there’s a flash of color beyond the glass barrier that holds me inside. Small, freshly opened and still seeking their full glory these tiny yellow flowers are here just in time. Every December they appear to break up the mundane plane of empty fields and bare branches. They are the proverbial breath of fresh air to the swimmer. They don’t last long but they give me just enough to make it a little longer until the next awakening of nature. 

Good night friends and be blessed throughout your days.

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 would like to Follow me on Facebook the web address is

https://www.facebook.com/aviewfromthelens/

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.

https://lloydslensphotographyllc.com/

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! Simplymessage me on Facebookoruse 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=238248269630914251

Lastly, 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 photographer

Thank you again for your support of my page!❤