Fences are a favorite photographic subject of mine. There are, in the area where I live, many types and situations of fencing, which makes quite a variety of interesting material for my camera. One of the variations on this theme is the range of gate post ornamentation.
For the most part, the ornaments are representations of animals of one species or another. Lions and eagles are perhaps the most common, but as the following photos illustrate, numerous other animals are represented. Occasionally the figure of a child is used to attract travelers. And inanimate objects, most prominently the pineapple, are found.
The photos that follow show the range of ornamentation to be found in my region of northern Virginia.
Figures of lions are common guardians of gates. They are found in a variety of sizes and poses. Fox hunting is an aristocratic sport in my region, and foxes are often used to connect with this local avocation.Another lion is dressed in a poinsettia wreath for the Christmas season.While eagles are common, other birds such as this turkey are not. Yet wild turkeys are common in this area and a turkey on a gate post seems appropriate.A squirrel guards its hoard of nuts.Although not statuary, a horseshoe is a fitting symbol for Virginia’s horse country.Yet another fox guards the entrance to a home.Pineapples are a frequently seen bit of statuary.A variation on the pineapple theme.The angel seated on an orb is perhaps the most unusual gate post ornament I’ve found, this one dressed in holiday garb.
I worked for the U.S. Department of Agriculture for 27 years in the field of rural community and economic development. I retired a few years ago and have been devoting my time to photography and writing. I've been a semi-pro photographer for more than 25 years and sell my work on the Web. I live in rural Virginia not far from the Shenandoah Valley.
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