rusted – Page 2 – LLOYD'S LENS PHOTOGRAPHY LLC

Relics

Every so often I find that my curiosity gets the best of me. I’ve always been an explorer at heart and when I see a piece of junk left behind my inner child wants to play Indiana Jones. I have passed this old drilling rig for thirty years and kept telling myself one day I’ll go down into the overgrown field and check it out. It’s not as simple as it sounds. I live in rattlesnake territory and they absolutely love to make their dens in old machines. It was still winter I figured that they were still hibernating if not frozen stiff and so I made my way to the rig. Since there’s a fine line between bravery and stupidity, I moved cautiously through the briars and winter grasses. I used my tripod to push back the brush and make sure I actually wanted to step there before moving forward. When I finally reached my goal a took a few minutes to appreciate the object before my eyes. I was touching history. Maybe not Earth shattering history but someone’s history. The drilling rig was more than likely used by miners to get core samples for the coal industry. I looked over the broken gauges and switches. The key that turned the machine on was still in the ignition. Levers that were frozen with rust had not been touched by human hands in decades. The steel cables sagged and the wheels had rotted away. I think about the men who operated the drill. I imagine the hot July and August days on the job site. The dust rises from the bore hole turns into mud when it lands on their necks due to sweat. The type of men who do this kind of work are hardy and take pride in the job. They deal with the misery of labor by laughing when it’s over. I would not be surprised if break time included some pranks here and there. There always at least one person on a crew like this who is afraid of snakes and a cheap rubber snake left near a lunch box is better than T.V. These men are not just coworkers. They’re family. They say that history is really his story . But it’s their story and our story. And when you come in contact with one of the relics, it’s your story too.

Rust

Back and White Photography, Color Photography, Thoughts and Musing

I was taught that in order to be art, an image must show the passage of time. Perhaps that has something to do with my being attracted to old barns and cars that have been left to rot away in the middle of a open field. Time is the thing that we’re all born with but never can hold. Not even with iron spikes and steel clamps. Day after day and night after night the elements slowly reclaim the iron. Not even heavy steel bolts and clamps can resist the entropy ( the idea that all things move towards disorder) of the universe. The rust will always come.

Scientists say that our universe should not exist. The nature of the universe is such that energy is easily lost but not easily gained. The implication is that something or someone is adding energy to keep it going.

We’re made of tough stuff. But even as strong as we are our bodies along with our minds and spirits require maintenance to keep the corruption away. Some days I feel like Superman! Other days I say that the Man Of Steel is showing some rust. On those latter days I have to seek out the energy source re-establish order in my little part of the universe.

Image was taken in Glen Farris West Virginia. Never disturb railroad hardware that you may find near the tracks. It’s actually theft.

Long Term Parking

Abandoned, Color Photography

This Jeep was parked in this very spot when I was a kid. It’s one of several old Willie’s Jeeps that the landowner has. In my imagination I can see young soldiers crossing the battlefield in this jeep. I imagine the stories of home that are exchanged. The men are hopeful because the war is over and they are returning home. I imagine that when the jeep is sold as surplus it falls into hands of someone who puts his heart and soul into making it roadworthy again. I can see him exit the highway on a whim to explore some mountain trail. He and his jeep are a good match. They are both rugged and free spirited. Not to bound down by the well traveled highway which goes only to and fro but not out. I imagine the fishing and camping trips with friends and laughter they enjoyed. The jeep started out with a mission to bring people home. Now with it’s mission accomplished it was time to rest. It made one last trip. It’s last escape from the pavement on the edge of the home it came back to. There it could stay parked and enjoy the peace.