Tag: individualism

The One Who Stands Out

Color Photography, wildlife
Hello Friends! Tonight’s Feature Image is titled “One Stands Out 33021” and is available for purchase by clicking the thumbnail and reaching out to me on the contact page.

The late afternoon sun kisses my mountain as I stroll around the yard for a breath of fresh air. I’d thought that maybe I’d catch one of the butterflies resting on a bloom and having a sip of nectar on a warm Spring day. But none were there this time. As I search the depths of the bush through my lens I noticed that among the repeating patterns of little yellow flowers only one seemed to turn its face towards me. Superficially all the flowers are identical. They’re all the same color, size and shape. The majority of them that are in focus are facing the left. But only one that’s looking directly into the lens. We’re often told that our words have power. But we humans actually communicate more with our body language than we do our words. So much so that our dogs are adapted to watch our hands and facial expressions while paying attention to our tone of voice than they pay attention to our vocabulary. If you’re words are powerful then your smile multiplies that power exponentially. So look up from your devices from time to time and give someone a smile. You’d be amazed at how much your warm smile says to people.

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!❤

Thoughts On Individualism for 2021

Color Photography
Hello Friends! Tonight’s Feature Image is titled “Be Yourself 122920a” and is available for purchase by clicking the thumbnail and reaching out to me on the contact page.

The other trees in the forest stood by with an indignant expression. “What does she think she’s proving? How long will she keep up this silliness?” They murmured among themselves. The oaks were worst. They even demanded to her face that she should straighten up. But Joy didn’t care what the rest of the forest thought. She was just going to continue to be herself.

There’s always that one person in the group who is the life of the party. It’s not really the person who zigs when everyone else zags but the person who starts the zig zags in the first place. These blessed souls are more often than not the most intelligent people among us. They the individualists. The ones who question the world and ask why normal is normal. They take risks and cause the rest of to push the envelope a little.

When I saw the tree with the curly queue I said to myself, “There’s a nonconformist if I ever saw one. I imagine that to get such a strong bend in the trunk of the tree that at one point someone tied a knot in the top when it was young and limber enough to be shaped. As the tree grows it straightens out enough to reach for the heavens but will always bear the mark of it’s history. People are like that too. We all carry a little of our experience throughout our lifetime. It’s what makes us unique. In some ways, it’s the bend that stands out. An injury was purposefully given to this tree. In a field of tall straight boles it’s been stunted and misshapen. For most woodworking it’s now completely useless. But what makes this tree an awesome nonconformist is the fact that it didn’t give up. It untangled itself the best it could and kept going!

In life we have people who will do their best to shape us into their version of what they want us to be. Often this is based on first impressions or what kind of word they want. Unless it’s really what you are in your heart do not conform to the mold they build around you. Free yourself as best as you can and continue to reach for the heavens. Those who are not strong enough to break their own molds might even judge you but don’t give in. Simply look on them with kindness and empathy and understand that in most cases they are only expressing their frustration at themselves. Just keep growing into the individual you were meant to be.

Good night friends and be blessed throughout your days.

Image Titled “Be Yourself 122920b” showing a closer look at the curly queue.

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!❤

The Workday Ends

Back and White Photography

The end of the day arrives at last. As the last rays of natural light floods the Kanawha valley the day shift workers climb into their vehicles and head home. Along the way dinner is being prepared and sometimes the aroma wafts onto road. Children and pets rush out to greet the homecommers. The ties and work boots are abandoned with exuberance and those comfortable pants with the elastic band are picked up along with old tee shirt that feels like a welcoming hug. The say that the clothes make the man. If that’s true then taking your work clothes off is like taking off the person who you have to be and becoming who you are again. As I look at the feature image and see the parked train and the cars headed home it’s a great metaphor for the end of the workday and a little time for real life.

Hello Friends and thank you for your support of my page. If you have enjoyed the photos or the writings please let me know by commenting and sharing my work on your social media. Please also consider following Lloyds Lens Photography on Facebook. If you don’t want to miss a post then you can sign up for email alerts on my website at the bottom of the Welcome Page.

Tonight’s Feature Image is titled “Paused” and is available for purchase by contacting me on Facebook or by using the Contact Form on my website.

4X6- $5.00

5X7- $10.00

8X10- $15.00

I am also available for portraits by appointment by using the Contact Form or Facebook Messenger.

Overcoming Produces Beauty

Color Photography, Thoughts and Musing

I’ve said it before about how much I love twisted and crooked, gnarly trees. The curls sweeps of the wood speak of challenges that were overcome to survive. I’m not sure what caused the arabesque in the trunk of this one but the moment I saw the double curve I fell in love with the tree. No doubt that it had to have carried the weight of at least one or maybe two larger trees as it grew. I also have no doubt that it’s unique shape prevented it from being harvested at some point in its history.

Sometimes God allows us to go through struggles that we don’t understand. We might wonder how much longer a situation will last. We might think that the burden we carry will pull us down. But if we just keep going and we don’t give up we can make it. Sure, there’s going to be scars and we may not stand as tall as some of our contemporaries. But, that doesn’t make us any less beautiful. It makes us overcomers and it makes us unique.

As I looked around at the surrounding forest there were hundreds of trees that were straight and tall. Some of trunks were so thick that you and your best friend couldn’t reach all the way around them by joining hands. But they all faded into the background. The only one that stood out and begged to be photographed was the one who was unique. One day this tree will fall just like the rest of them. As a woodworker I can imagine some bent wood furniture being made from crooked trunk. If it ever happens it will be a centerpiece in someone’s home where the others couldn’t compete with the graceful curves produced by overcoming the struggle. Don’t ever give up. Bend and adapt to overcome and you’ll grow into something special.

Hello Friends and thank you for your support of my page! If you have enjoyed the photos or the writings please let me know by commenting and sharing my work on your social media. You can also follow Lloyds Lens Photography on Facebook. Leaving a positive review also helps me to grow my audience. 🤗

What Was The Question?

Color Photography, Thoughts and Musing

Tonight’s image is an old mile marker that’s found along an abandoned road near the Meadow River in West Virginia. Apparently it marks mile number 42.

Fans of The Hitchhiker’s Guide to The Universe have already begun to snicker. For the rest of the world here’s why. In the book and subsequent movies a large supercomputer named Deep Thought was built to answer the ultimate question of “What is the meaning of life, God, the universe and everything?” After billions of years Deep Thought came up with the answer 42. The irony was that the people who built the computer were long dead and by the time the answer came nobody could remember the question or why it was asked. Now, to be honest I have never read the book and was only present while the movie was playing. As such, I’m only familiar with the trivia. But when I heard the story I began to appreciate implication.

We as humans seem to be hardwired to want to skip learning experience and go straight to mastery of just about everything. We want the “cheat codes”. So much so that we often put more efforts into gaining the cheat than we do experiencing the win. In the Hitchhiker’s Guide the scientists and priests who spent all that time looking for the meaning of life did so at the expense of living life to its fullest. This is the folly of trying to win at all costs. It’s the struggle that makes the victory sweet. If you skip the struggle then the victory is hollow and you never really get to experience it fully. What’s more is that you tend to be so focused on the goal that the importance of the original purpose is lost.

Maybe I’m making that very mistake myself in trying to make my point. Let me close by simply saying that life is an adventure. One that you’ll miss if you try to skip ahead.

Oh and the answer to the question asked by Douglas Adams? Well, I have an opinion of course. The meaning of life, God, the universe and everything is that we were created by God to know the love of our creator. That’s it. It’s that simple. No need for advanced AI or billions of years waiting for an answer that’s as vague as the question. Just talk to him and listen for answers.

Hello Friends and thank you for support. If you’ve enjoyed my photos or the writings please let me know by commenting and sharing my work on your social media. Please also consider following Lloyds Lens Photography on Facebook.