Category Archives: Bethany

Goodbye 2022.

Happy New Year to those of you sheeple that follow the Gregorian Calendar. I for one, moved to Unix time years ago. So if I have a birthday party this year (Sara wants me to have one, but I doubt it happens) the invites will list the time of the event in Unix Time, like an adult. But I don’t want to tell you what calendar to use.

I think you should look at the options. By the Gregorian Calendar, when this post publishes, it is the year 2022. But there are other calendars.

Here is a list of other calendars and what year it is if you use those calendars:

Hebrew – 5783
Islamic – 1444
Chinese – 4659
Coptic – 1739
Japanese – Reiwa 4
British Regnal – 1 Cha. 3
Buddhist – 2566
Nanakshahi – 554
Hindu – 5123
Juche – 111
Byzantine – 7531
Roman – 2775
Holocene – 12022
Unix Time (like an adult): 1672531199 (roughly)

As you can tell, Unix Time is clearly superior.

Even though I don’t celebrate New Years, I do like to give holiday Power Rankings.

Here are my champagne power rankings:

CHAMPAGNE POWER RANKINGS
10. All champagne is trash.
9. All champagne is trash.
8. All champagne is trash.
7. All champagne is trash.
6. All champagne is trash.
5. All champagne is trash.
4. All champagne is trash.
3. All champagne is trash.
2. All champagne is trash.
1. Champere

So Happy New Years to those who celebrate it. I will have been asleep a couple hours when the bell tolls for 2022. I’m old, lame, and don’t get invited to adult parties.

+++++++

Time to reveal the December image for the 2023 Photography 139 Gregorian Calendar:


2023 Calendar - December
December

The December image is a picture of the old mill in Independence, Iowa. I took it while harvesting the town signs of Buchanan County for THE TOWN SIGN PROJECT. In retrospect, it isn’t a great image for the brutal colds and snows of December. But it was the last selected image and December was the last month that didn’t have an image. These things tend to sort themselves out.

TECHNICAL DETAILS
CAMERA: Sony ILCE-7M4
DATE: May 28, 2022 – 9:41 AM
LENS: Tamron 17-28 f/2.8
FOCAL LENGTH: 28mm
APERTURE: f/9
EXPOSURE: 1/320
ISO: 100
EXPOSURE BIAS: +.3

I have no calendar images to share tomorrow. Or again until December. If the Photography 139 Calendar exists again in 2024.

+++++++

This year when I handed a calendar to somebody I asked them to pick a favorite image. Then I photographed them with their favorite image. I also asked people that I didn’t hand deliver a calendar to to pick a favorite image and then send me a picture of them with that image. Like 3 people did that. So good for them? Not that such treachery might factor in who gets a calendar next year…

I forgot to do this for the attendees of the Westhaven Christmas, so this won’t be held against them. Maybe Nate. I did ask him and he said “No problem” and then never sent me a picture.

Any way here is a collection of, but not comprehensive collection of pictures of people with their favorite pictures from the calendar:



Shannon


Bethany and Nora


Colleen


Also Colleen


Also, also Colleen


Andy


Baier (Jason)


More Baiers (Olivia)


More Baiers (Ben)


More Baiers (Carrie and J.J.)


More Baiers (Will)


Russell


Michelle


Elizabeth


Willy


Micky


Kio


Kim


Brandon


Teresa


Logan


Elainie


Sabas


Johnathan


Jason


Carla


Dawn


Lockners


Gorshes


Scott


Anders


Becky


Alexis


Jesse


Jay


Nader

It is possible more pictures might trickle in, if people I mailed calendars to haven’t received them yet. I think every picture got picked except for January. Poor January. Might try this again next year. We’ll see if the people like it.

+++++++

This is your reminder that this week’s THE WEEKLY PHOTO CHALLENGE theme is BODY PART:


WEEK 381 - BODY PART
BODY PART

IT IS POSSIBLE I MIGHT ROAD TRIP ON MONDAY. IF I DO, THERE WILL BE NO ADDITIONAL REMINDERS. YOU ARE ON YOUR OWN!!!

BODY PART! What a great final theme for Year 9 of THE WEEKLY PHOTO CHALLENGE!

But what is a BODY PART image? Simply put, it is a picture where a major compositional element of the image is a BODY PART. Doesn’t have to be your BODY PART. Could be somebody else’s. It could belong to an animal. There are so many BODY PART(s) to choose from! Heads. Shoulders. Knees. Toes. Just to name a few.

Happy photo harvesting!

Caroline

Today I reveal the March image for the 2023 Photography Calendar.


2023 Calendar - March
March

I took this picture of this American Gothic barn near Mount Vernon, Iowa on a TOWN SIGN PROJECT road trip with Michelle on November 14, 2021.

Here is a picture of us standing in front of it:


Day 318 - November 14, 2021

Here are some fun facts about the picture:

CAMERA: Sony ILCE-7M2
LENS: Sigma 28-75 F/2.8
FOCAL LENGTH: 53 mm
FIELD OF VIEW: 37.5 degrees
APERTURE: f/4.5
SHUTTER: 1/200
ISO: 100
EXPOSURE BIAS: +.3

I also Photoshopped a powerline out of the image… cause I hate powerlines.

+++++++

Hello I’m looking for a friend I lost some time ago
Your mother says she wants her girl back home
Sometimes you think you’ve found yourself you really only lost yourself
Or maybe you’re afraid to be alone
-Brandi Carlile

Thursday is for flowers! Today I’m sharing the final collection of flowertography pictures I took on August 14, 2022.


Through Dirt - 2022

Hush - 2022

Digging for God - 2022

Digging for God - 2022

Caroline

Caroline

Radiation of Happiness - 2022

Radiation of Happiness - 2022

Radiation of Happiness - 2022

So Does Hope - 2022

So Does Hope - 2022

So Does Hope - 2022

So Does Hope - 2022

So Does Hope - 2022

So Does Hope - 2022

Last Penny - 2022

Last Penny - 2022

Last Penny - 2022

Last Penny - 2022

Caroline

Caroline

Caroline

Caroline

Nora was infatuated with moonflowers, which shows she has great taste!

More flower pictures next Thursday!

Selfie Project – August 2022

Another month down and another month of THE SELFIE PROEJCT in the books. I think I had a pretty active August. At least in spurts. With Pufferbilly Days and the State Fair and some much needed vacation all in August, I did some things man.

I don’t anticipate September being anywhere as busy, but hopefully I’ll do some cool stuff this month.

Here are some of my favorites from August for THE SELFIE PROJECT:


Day 213 - August 1, 2022
August 1

Day 214 - August 2, 2022
August 2

Day 215 - August 3, 2022
August 3

Day 216 - August 4, 2022
August 4

Day 217 - August 5, 2022
August 5

Day 218 - August 6, 2022
August 6

Day 220 - August 8, 2022
August 8

Day 221 - August 9, 2022
August 9

Day 223 - August 11, 2022
August 11

Day 224 - August 12, 2022
August 12

Day 225 - August 13, 2022
August 13

Day 226 - August 14, 2022
August 14

Day 228 - August 16, 2022
August 16

Day 229 - August 17, 2022
August 17

Day 230 - August 18, 2022
August 18

Day 231 - August 19, 2022
August 19

Day 232 - August 20, 2022
August 20

Day 233 - August 21, 2022
August 21

Day 236 - August 24, 2022
August 24

Day 237 - August 25, 2022
August 25

Day 238 - August 26, 2022
August 26

Day 239 - August 27, 2022
August 27

Day 240 - August 28, 2022
August 28

Day 241 - August 29, 2022
August 29

Day 243 - August 31, 2022
August 31

Of course there can only be one selfie that represents THE SELFIE PROJECT every day, but I did have a busy August, so here are the many alternates:


SELFIE PROJECT - ALTERNATE - AUGUST 2022

SELFIE PROJECT - ALTERNATE - AUGUST 2022

SELFIE PROJECT - ALTERNATE - AUGUST 2022

SELFIE PROJECT - ALTERNATE - AUGUST 2022

SELFIE PROJECT - ALTERNATE - AUGUST 2022

SELFIE PROJECT - ALTERNATE - AUGUST 2022

SELFIE PROJECT - ALTERNATE - AUGUST 2022

SELFIE PROJECT - ALTERNATE - AUGUST 2022

SELFIE PROJECT - ALTERNATE - AUGUST 2022

SELFIE PROJECT - ALTERNATE - AUGUST 2022

SELFIE PROJECT - ALTERNATE - AUGUST 2022

SELFIE PROJECT - ALTERNATE - AUGUST 2022

SELFIE PROJECT - ALTERNATE - AUGUST 2022

SELFIE PROJECT - ALTERNATE - AUGUST 2022

SELFIE PROJECT - ALTERNATE - AUGUST 2022

SELFIE PROJECT - ALTERNATE - AUGUST 2022

SELFIE PROJECT - ALTERNATE - AUGUST 2022

SELFIE PROJECT - ALTERNATE - AUGUST 2022

SELFIE PROJECT - ALTERNATE - AUGUST 2022

SELFIE PROJECT - ALTERNATE - AUGUST 2022

SELFIE PROJECT - ALTERNATE - AUGUST 2022

SELFIE PROJECT - ALTERNATE - AUGUST 2022

SELFIE PROJECT - ALTERNATE - AUGUST 2022

SELFIE PROJECT - ALTERNATE - AUGUST 2022

SELFIE PROJECT - ALTERNATE - AUGUST 2022

SELFIE PROJECT - ALTERNATE - AUGUST 2022

SELFIE PROJECT - ALTERNATE - AUGUST 2022

SELFIE PROJECT - ALTERNATE - AUGUST 2022

SELFIE PROJECT - ALTERNATE - AUGUST 2022

SELFIE PROJECT - ALTERNATE - AUGUST 2022

SELFIE PROJECT - ALTERNATE - AUGUST 2022

SELFIE PROJECT - ALTERNATE - AUGUST 2022

SELFIE PROJECT - ALTERNATE - AUGUST 2022

SELFIE PROJECT - ALTERNATE - AUGUST 2022

SELFIE PROJECT - ALTERNATE - AUGUST 2022

SELFIE PROJECT - ALTERNATE - AUGUST 2022

SELFIE PROJECT - ALTERNATE - AUGUST 2022

SELFIE PROJECT - ALTERNATE - AUGUST 2022

SELFIE PROJECT - ALTERNATE - AUGUST 2022

SELFIE PROJECT - ALTERNATE - AUGUST 2022

You might be thinking, “That is a lot of pictures with ice cream!” There is a reason for that. The reason isn’t because I love ice cream, but that is probably the base level reason. I’ll explain the real reason in a future post. Or I won’t. What is important for you to know is that your humble narrator is a champion. A ice cream champion. Also, Willy and Jesse owe me dinner.

You also might be thinking, “How many gray t-shirts do you own?” The answer is, plenty.

Finally you might be thinking, “You need to retire that green t-shirt.” Yeah, that is true enough.

Baby Got Rack – Iowa State Fair – 2022

While I’m still not ready to reveal what picture got into the Iowa State Fair Photography Salon and what “award” it received, I am ready to share some pictures from Baby Got Rack’s day at the Iowa State Fair.

It was mostly great. We won 1st Place in our category (Combo/Specialty) and also won 1st Place in Showmanship. The only slight down is that we once again didn’t come home with the literal crown they give to Best of Show. That once again went to the guy that won Beef. Scott says that Beef doesn’t always win Best in Show. Scott is wrong about this, but we didn’t qualify for Beef so we couldn’t enter Beef. Anyways, this is one of the internal debates with the team. Like how some people on the team don’t realize that lemonade sucks. But what can you do?

Here are some pictures from the day:


Baby Got Rack - 2022 - Iowa State Fair

Baby Got Rack - 2022 - Iowa State Fair

Baby Got Rack - 2022 - Iowa State Fair

Baby Got Rack - 2022 - Iowa State Fair

Baby Got Rack - 2022 - Iowa State Fair

Baby Got Rack - 2022 - Iowa State Fair

Baby Got Rack - 2022 - Iowa State Fair

Baby Got Rack - 2022 - Iowa State Fair

Baby Got Rack - 2022 - Iowa State Fair

Baby Got Rack - 2022 - Iowa State Fair

Baby Got Rack - 2022 - Iowa State Fair

Baby Got Rack - 2022 - Iowa State Fair

Baby Got Rack - 2022 - Iowa State Fair

Baby Got Rack - 2022 - Iowa State Fair

Baby Got Rack - 2022 - Iowa State Fair

Baby Got Rack - 2022 - Iowa State Fair

Baby Got Rack - 2022 - Iowa State Fair

Baby Got Rack - 2022 - Iowa State Fair

Baby Got Rack - 2022 - Iowa State Fair

Baby Got Rack - 2022 - Iowa State Fair

Baby Got Rack - 2022 - Iowa State Fair

Baby Got Rack - 2022 - Iowa State Fair

Baby Got Rack - 2022 - Iowa State Fair

Baby Got Rack - 2022 - Iowa State Fair

Baby Got Rack - 2022 - Iowa State Fair

Baby Got Rack - 2022 - Iowa State Fair

Baby Got Rack - 2022 - Iowa State Fair

Baby Got Rack - 2022 - Iowa State Fair

Baby Got Rack - 2022 - Iowa State Fair

Baby Got Rack - 2022 - Iowa State Fair

Baby Got Rack - 2022 - Iowa State Fair

Baby Got Rack - 2022 - Iowa State Fair

Baby Got Rack - 2022 - Iowa State Fair

Baby Got Rack - 2022 - Iowa State Fair

Baby Got Rack - 2022 - Iowa State Fair

Baby Got Rack - 2022 - Iowa State Fair

Baby Got Rack - 2022 - Iowa State Fair

Baby Got Rack - 2022 - Iowa State Fair

Baby Got Rack - 2022 - Iowa State Fair

Baby Got Rack - 2022 - Iowa State Fair

Baby Got Rack - 2022 - Iowa State Fair

Baby Got Rack - 2022 - Iowa State Fair

Baby Got Rack - 2022 - Iowa State Fair

Baby Got Rack - 2022 - Iowa State Fair

Baby Got Rack - 2022 - Iowa State Fair

Baby Got Rack - 2022 - Iowa State Fair

Baby Got Rack - 2022 - Iowa State Fair

Baby Got Rack - 2022 - Iowa State Fair

Baby Got Rack - 2022 - Iowa State Fair

Baby Got Rack - 2022 - Iowa State Fair

Baby Got Rack - 2022 - Iowa State Fair

Baby Got Rack - 2022 - Iowa State Fair

Baby Got Rack - 2022 - Iowa State Fair

Baby Got Rack - 2022 - Iowa State Fair

Baby Got Rack - 2022 - Iowa State Fair

It was a big day for Boone, which is low-key becoming the Barbecue Capital of the World. In addition to Scott’s TWO wins, Rashawn Parker of Boone captained Team Parker to 1st Place in Team. Sean Van Cannon of Boone also came home with 1st Place in Poultry. Just getting to the State Fair through the Boone County Fair is a gauntlet!

If you would like to peruse all the pictures from Baby Got Rack’s 2022 Season, click on the link below:

Baby Got Rack – 2022

It was an up and down season that ended on a high. We will be ready to go in 2023.

+++++++

This is your reminder that this week’s THE WEEKLY PHOTO CHALLENGE theme is WEEKENDS:


WEEK 362 - WEEKENDS
WEEKENDS

WEEKENDS! What a great theme for Year 9 of THE WEEKLY PHOTO CHALLENGE.
But what is a WEEKENDS photo? It is simply a picture taken of something you do on WEEKENDS. Or it could simply be of something you do this coming WEEKEND(S). So taking your picture this WEEKEND(S) is probably your best bet.

Happy photo harvesting!

WPC – WEEK 361 – FAMILY

I’m not sure that FAMILY ended up being that popular of a theme. Which is weird. Are people embarrassed by their FAMILY? I guess you’ll have to keep scrolling to find out.

As of 12:01 PM on Monday, August 8, this was the current list of ACTIVE streaks (ignore the numbers in parentheses):

+ Jesse Howard – 1 week
+ Sara Lockner – 1 week
+ Willy McAlpine – 1 week
+ Linda Bennett – 2 weeks (2)
+ Sarah Toot – 3 weeks
+ Suzie Brannen – 5 weeks
+ Sabas Hernandez – 5 weeks
+ Monica Jennings – 5 weeks
+ Mary Green – 7 weeks (4)
+ Angie DeWaard – 8 weeks
+ Dawn Krause – 12 weeks
+ Kim Barker – 18 weeks
+ Joe Duff – 19 weeks
+ Logan Kahler – 21 weeks
+ Teresa Kahler – 29 weeks (2)
+ Tamara Peterson – 29 weeks
+ Carla Stensland – 29 weeks (2)
+ Michelle Haupt – 30 weeks
+ Micky Augustin – 31 weeks
+ Andy Sharp – 32 weeks
+ Bill Wentworth – 33 weeks
+ Cathie Morton – 37 weeks
+ Elizabeth Nordeen – 38 weeks
+ Shannon Bardole-Foley – 40 weeks
+ Kio Dettman – 43 weeks (4)

But you didn’t come here to listen to me talk all tommyrot about participation rates or streaks. You came to see the submissions and what streaks continued and what streaks flamed out:


WEEK 361 - FAMILY - LOGAN KAHLER
Logan Kahler – 22 weeks

WEEK 361 - FAMILY - LOGAN KAHLER
Logan Kahler

WEEK 361 - FAMILY - LOGAN KAHLER
Logan Kahler

WEEK 361 - FAMILY - BROOKLYN ERB
Brooklyn Erb – 1 week

WEEK 361 - FAMILY - ANDY SHARP
Andy Sharp – 33 weeks

WEEK 361 - FAMILY - CARLA STENSLAND
Carla Stensland – 30 weeks

WEEK 361 - FAMILY - SABAS HERNANDEZ
Sabas Hernandez – 6 weeks

WEEK 361 - FAMILY - TERESA KAHLER
Teresa Kahler – 30 weeks

WEEK 361 - FAMILY - TERESA KAHLER
Teresa Kahler

WEEK 361 - FAMILY - TERESA KAHLER
Teresa Kahler

WEEK 361 - FAMILY - MICKY AUGUSTIN
Micky Augustin – 32 weeks

WEEK 361 - FAMILY - MICKY AUGUSTIN
Micky Augustin

WEEK 361 - FAMILY - ELIZABETH NORDEEN
Elizabeth Nordeen – 39 weeks

WEEK 361 - FAMILY - BILL WENTWORTH
Bill Wentworth – 34 weeks

WEEK 361 - FAMILY - JOE DUFF
Joe Duff – 20 weeks

WEEK 361 - FAMILY - KIO DETTMAN
Kio Dettman – 44 weeks

WEEK 361 - FAMILY - KIO DETTMAN
Kio Dettman

WEEK 361 - FAMILY - KIO DETTMAN
Kio Dettman

WEEK 361 - FAMILY - CHRISTOPHER D. BENNETT
Christopher D. Bennett

WEEK 361 - FAMILY - MARY GREEN
Mary Green – 8 weeks

WEEK 361 - FAMILY - LINDA BENNETT
Linda Bennett – 3 weeks

WEEK 361 - FAMILY - SHANNON BARDOLE-FOLEY
Shannon Bardole-Foley – 41 weeks

WEEK 361 - FAMILY - TAMARA PETERSON
Tamara Peterson – 30 weeks

WEEK 361 - FAMILY - SARAH TOOT
Sarah Toot – 4 weeks

WEEK 361 - FAMILY - DAWN KRAUSE
Dawn Krause – 13 weeks

WEEK 361 - FAMILY - MONICA JENNINGS
Monica Jennings – 6 weeks

WEEK 361 - FAMILY - CATHIE MORTON
Cathie Morton – 38 weeks

WEEK 361 - FAMILY - MICHELLE HAUPT
Michelle Haupt – 31 weeks

WEEK 361 - FAMILY - BRANDON KAHLER
Brandon Kahler – 1 week

WEEK 361 - FAMILY - ANGIE DEWAARD
Angie DeWaard – 9 weeks

WEEK 361 - FAMILY - KIM BARKER
Kim Barker – 19 weeks

WEEK 361 - FAMILY - KIM BARKER
Kim Barker

24 participants! That is a pretty good week, but definitely the least popular theme for a bit.

There were 4 streaks that bit the dust. Jesse, Sara, and Willy couldn’t make it a second week. Suzie’s 5 week streak is history as well.

I can’t be certain, but I think the empire extended from Pennsylvania to Texas to Kansas to Nebraska and Iowa this week.

But enough dwelling on the past. Time to look to the future. We are all interested in the future, for that is where you and I are going to spend the rest of our lives. And remember my friend, future events such as these will affect you in the future! This week’s theme:


WEEK 362 - WEEKENDS
WEEKENDS

WEEKENDS! What a great theme for Year 9 of THE WEEKLY PHOTO CHALLENGE.

But what is a WEEKENDS photo? It is simply a picture taken of something you do on WEEKENDS. Or it could simply be of something you do this coming WEEKEND(S). So taking your picture this WEEKEND(S) is probably your best bet.

While thinking on possible subjects for your WEEKENDS picture, mediate on the following quote for inspiration:

cozy+smell of pancakes-alarm clock=weekend
-Amy Krouse Rosenthal

I look forward to seeing your interpretation.

RULES

The picture has to be taken between 12:01 PM today and 11 AM next Monday. This isn’t a curate your photos project. This is a get your butt off the couch (unless you are taking your picture from the couch) and take pictures challenge.

You can send your images to either bennett@photography139.com OR you may text them to my Pixel 5.

That is all I got, so if the good Lord’s willin’ and the creek don’t rise, we will all be sharing your idea of WEEKENDS in this place that is my permanent Saturday next Monday.

WEEK 362 – THEME REVEAL

I’m on vacation this week. While I don’t have grand plans for today, it is set aside for errands. If you are reading this, it has taken long enough that I haven’t had time to cobble together this post. Just cause I’m busy do stuff that isn’t incredibly fun, doesn’t mean you can’t get a start on this week’s theme:


WEEK 362 - WEEKENDS
WEEKENDS

WEEKENDS! What a great theme for Year 9 of THE WEEKLY PHOTO CHALLENGE.

But what is a WEEKENDS photo? It is simply a picture taken of something you do on WEEKENDS. Or it could simply be of something you do this coming WEEKEND(S). So taking your picture this WEEKEND(S) is probably your best bet.

While thinking on possible subjects for your WEEKENDS picture, mediate on the following quote for inspiration:

The only reason we ask other people how their weekend was is so we can tell them about our own weekend.
-Chuck Palahniuk

But I also like this one:

Anybody have plans to stare at their phone somewhere exciting this weekend?
-Nitya Prakash

I look forward to your interpretation. The FAMILY interpretations should be posted later tonight.

Memory Lane Denouement

Today is a monumental day. It is the last of our Saturday walks down memory lane. With this last collection of images, I was able to fix all the blogs that had missing pictures due to my constant changing of image gallery hosts. The last entry to be fixed was in August of 2011. Unfortunately many entries weren’t able to be fixed completely because I have lost images over the decade and half this website has been in existence. Most of those were pictures that were “archives” images that were scans of old pictures from the film days. The other major missing hole will be pictures from the first two years of THE WEEKLY PHOTO CHALLENGE, originally known as THE RANDOM WEEKLY PHOTO EXPERIMENT. It is sad that this collection will never be “complete” again, but we are never actually fully complete, are we? However, when it comes to the RANDOM WEEKLY PHOTO EXPERIMENT, there is probably less than 50 images missing. So that isn’t terrible. After all, it isn’t like anybody goes back and looks at my journal entries from 11 years ago.

Here is the last collection of images:


Twins vs. Padres - 2011

Twins vs. Padres - 2011

Twins vs. Padres - 2011

Twins vs. Padres - 2011

Twins vs. Padres - 2011

Twins vs. Padres - 2011

Twins vs. Padres - 2011

Twins vs. Padres - 2011

Twins vs. Padres - 2011

Twins vs. Padres - 2011

Twins vs. Padres - 2011

WEEK 24 - PEOPLE - CHRISTOPHER D. BENNETT

WEEK 25 - SOOTHING - CHRISTOPHER D. BENNETT

WEEK 26 - LIGHT PLACEMENT - CHRISTOPHER D. BENNETT

WEEK 27 - BLACK AND WHITE - CHRISTOPHER D. BENNETT

WEEK 28 - GAMES - CHRISTOPHER D. BENNETT

WEEK 29 - FRAMING - CHRISTOPHER D. BENNETT

WEEK 30 - NIGHT - CHRISTOPHER D. BENNETT

WEEK 32 - NOISE - CHRISTOPHER D. BENNETT

By adding these pictures to the Photography 139 Gallery, I was able to restore the following historic “An Artist’s Notebook” entries to their original glory:

Minnesota

RWPE Y2 #24 – PEOPLE

RWPE Y2 #25 – SOOTHING

RWPE Y2 #26 – LIGHT PLACEMENT

RWPE Y2 #27 – BLACK & WHITE

RWPE Y2 #28 – GAMES

RWPE Y2 #29 – FRAMING

RWPE Y2 #30 – NIGHT

RWPE Y2 #32 – NOISE

There is no walk down memory lane next Saturday. I’m not sure what next Saturday will even hold. I might start taking Saturdays off. I might start moving the formal portraits to Saturdays and start taking Sundays off. Or I might just start working on the backlog. It is a mystery that only time will solve.

Triplet + Jonah Birthday Party

A few weeks back the Triplets and Jonah had a birthday party at the KOA near Adel. I wasn’t able to make the party because it was schedule for the same time as the Iowa State-Oklahoma State football game that I was scheduled to attend. But I did have time to drive down to Adel and hang out for about 90 minutes before I had to head to Ames to witness Iowa State beat a top ten Cowboy team.

Here are some pictures from my hang time:


The Triplets and Jonah Birthday Party - 2021

The Triplets and Jonah Birthday Party - 2021

The Triplets and Jonah Birthday Party - 2021

The Triplets and Jonah Birthday Party - 2021

The Triplets and Jonah Birthday Party - 2021

The Triplets and Jonah Birthday Party - 2021

The Triplets and Jonah Birthday Party - 2021

The Triplets and Jonah Birthday Party - 2021

The Triplets and Jonah Birthday Party - 2021

The Triplets and Jonah Birthday Party - 2021

The Triplets and Jonah Birthday Party - 2021

The Triplets and Jonah Birthday Party - 2021

The Triplets and Jonah Birthday Party - 2021

The Triplets and Jonah Birthday Party - 2021

The Triplets and Jonah Birthday Party - 2021

The Triplets and Jonah Birthday Party - 2021

The Triplets and Jonah Birthday Party - 2021

The Triplets and Jonah Birthday Party - 2021

The Triplets and Jonah Birthday Party - 2021

The Triplets and Jonah Birthday Party - 2021

The Triplets and Jonah Birthday Party - 2021

The Triplets and Jonah Birthday Party - 2021

The Triplets and Jonah Birthday Party - 2021

The Triplets and Jonah Birthday Party - 2021

The Triplets and Jonah Birthday Party - 2021

The Triplets and Jonah Birthday Party - 2021

The Triplets and Jonah Birthday Party - 2021

The Triplets and Jonah Birthday Party - 2021

The Triplets and Jonah Birthday Party - 2021

The Triplets and Jonah Birthday Party - 2021

The Triplets and Jonah Birthday Party - 2021

The Triplets and Jonah Birthday Party - 2021

Having everybody meet up in kind of a central location and spend the weekend was a pretty cool idea I thought. I hope it happens again on a weekend where Iowa State doesn’t have a home game, so I can be around more than 90 minutes. It was also really cold that weekend. I mean not really cold, but it was definitely colder than you would want.

Derrick told me that KOA campsites suck and hate children, but that wasn’t my experience, in the 90 minutes I was there. I would consider staying there on a trip sometime. I didn’t know they rented cabins and tents.

It was the first time I’d seen many of these people since before the pandemic. I hope it doesn’t take so long to see them again. Although I pretty sure I’m going down to Manhattan for Nate’s graduation in about a month.

2010-07-26

The pictures in the folder 2010-07-26 are from a road trip I took to Minnesota with Sara. It was frankly one the best road trips of my life. I got to hang out with some of my favorite people in the world. I got to see my favorite band in concert AND we went to Flugtag! Plus we ate at a really mediocre German restaurant.

Here are some pictures:


In this Old Purple Town

In this Old Purple Town

In this Old Purple Town

In this Old Purple Town

In this Old Purple Town

In this Old Purple Town

In this Old Purple Town

In this Old Purple Town

In this Old Purple Town

In this Old Purple Town

In this Old Purple Town

In this Old Purple Town

In this Old Purple Town

In this Old Purple Town

In this Old Purple Town

In this Old Purple Town

In this Old Purple Town

In this Old Purple Town

In this Old Purple Town

In this Old Purple Town

In this Old Purple Town

In this Old Purple Town

In this Old Purple Town

In this Old Purple Town

In this Old Purple Town

In this Old Purple Town

WEEK 29 - DEPTH OF FIELD - CHRISTOPHER D. BENNETT

Me and My Miracle Whip Cooler

Me and My Miracle Whip Cooler

That Miracle Whip cooler is one of my proudest possessions. If my house was on fire, it would be just outside the Top 5 things I would run in and grab. It was a gift from Sara. I believe she bought it in Wisconsin. The few chance I get to tailgate, it goes with me. It did sadly get too close to the grill recently. While it is still fully functional, one side is a little sad looking now. I think it makes me love it more!

By adding these pictures to the Photography 139 Gallery, I was able to restore the following historic “An Artist’s Notebook” entries to their original glory:

This Old Purple Town

RWPE #29 – DEPTH OF FIELD

Next Saturday’s walk down memory lane will involve “nature’s fence”.

Blessings 2020

Let’s face it. 2020 has been a terrible year. I could spend hours and hours polishing this turd, but a turd is still a turd.

I basically only see 2 other people on a regular basis right now. Willy and I haven’t held a Friday Night Supper Club since March 13. We went to Jimmy’s for their Friday the 13th sale. I can count on one hand the amount of times I’ve seen any of my nieces and nephews this year. I’ve been able to hold a couple of Union Street Theater Nights in the reconfigured Union Street Theater, but it isn’t really the same. The masks and the sound of the air purifiers makes conversation a little difficult and food is definitely a missing element. Since March, the only stores I have been inside are the Boone Wal-Mart and Boone Hardware. I go to Hy-Vee every other week. I’ve seen Bethany twice. Nate and Laura once. Becca, not at all. I haven’t seen the Lockners at all. I’ve seen the Gorshes thrice. I run into Willy around town now and again. Jay stops by here and there to work on his homework. I see Jesse now and again. I haven’t met Kalista’s baby. Baier, Russell, Andree? Distant memories. Since I left the Computer Mine with the belief that I would be working from home for a few weeks, the only co-workers of note that I’ve seen in person are Vest, Lowell, Kim, and Elizabeth. I haven’t met Jorge’s twins. My church has had maybe a dozen worship services and those are suspended again. The Mission Trip is cancelled. There will be no Mission Trip next year. Youth Group has been put on hold indefinitely. For the first time since September 18, 2004, they played football games at Jack Trice Stadium and I wasn’t in attendance. The Cyclones Women’s Basketball Season just tipped off. I wasn’t there. I will most likely, not be able to attend any Cyclones Men’s games this year.

All of that being said, 2020 has still been an embarrassment of blessings for me. In a time where the pandemic was horribly mismanaged by an inept and corrupt federal government, causing employment rates to go through the roof and food insecurity and evictions to sweep across the country like a second plague, I have not had to worry about my job. As these pandemic pounds can attest, I haven’t once had to worry about my next meal. I was in a solid enough financial position that when the $1200 dollar stimulus check hit my bank account I wasn’t sure what to do with it. We were supposed to put it where it would do the most good, so I donated some of it to Joe Biden’s campaign.

While the only people I see on a regular basis are Mom and Teresa. I am still blessed with a pretty incredible family:


Bennett Family Photo Shoot - 2017

Baby Tri-Force 1st Birthday Party

While I see them rarely, I still have a pretty incredible set of friends:


March 12, 2019

August 10, 2019

August 13, 2019

LOSER - BLACK & WHITE

Self Portrait Project - 2012

Photo Journal - Page 56 Reject

Honey Hollow

PORTRAIT - ALTERNATE

While we don’t get to worship an awesome God together right now, I still have a pretty incredible church family:


October 27, 2019

October 30, 2019

September 25, 2019

June 27, 2019

June 23, 2019

January 16, 2019

While I continue to work at home, I still talk to and try to stay in contact with my amazing work family:


August 30, 2019

December 27, 2019

PORTRAIT - ALTERNATE

And while Naima is becoming off the charts spoiled, I’m blessed to have her in my life as well:


Black and White Alternate

I hope to see so much more of all of you in 2021. In fact, I’ve started to compile a list of things that I look forward to doing when this pandemic subsides. It isn’t a glamorous list. But that is a sign of 2020.