Category Archives: Nate

Natuation

Last Saturday I went down to Manhattan, Kansas to watch Nate graduate from Kansas State University with a degree in Food Science. He will be finding another job soon and hopefully moving closer.

Here are some pictures from the party:


Nate's Graduation Party - 2021

Nate's Graduation Party - 2021

Nate's Graduation Party - 2021

Nate's Graduation Party - 2021

Nate's Graduation Party - 2021

Nate's Graduation Party - 2021

Nate's Graduation Party - 2021

Nate's Graduation Party - 2021

Nate's Graduation Party - 2021

Nate's Graduation Party - 2021

Nate's Graduation Party - 2021

Nate's Graduation Party - 2021

Nate's Graduation Party - 2021

Nate's Graduation Party - 2021

Nate's Graduation Party - 2021

Nate's Graduation Party - 2021

Nate's Graduation Party - 2021

Nate's Graduation Party - 2021

Nate's Graduation Party - 2021

Nate's Graduation Party - 2021

Nate's Graduation Party - 2021

Nate's Graduation Party - 2021

I transported the cake from Boone. Don’t worry, I didn’t make it. Dutch Oven did. It will be fascinating to see where life takes Nate, Laura, and the kids next!

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


WEEK 327 - CANDID PORTRAIT
CANDID PORTRAIT

CANDID PORTRAIT! What a great theme for Year 9 of THE WEEKLY PHOTO CHALLENGE!

But what is a CANDID PORTRAIT image? A CANDID PORTRAIT image is simply an image where the person that is the subject of the photo isn’t posing for the picture. It doesn’t necessarily mean they don’t know their picture is getting taken, but they definitely aren’t posing for the picture. They are just being themselves. Which is why I prefer CANDID PORTRAITS a gazillion to one over formal portraits. But that is just me.

Happy photo harvesting!

WPC – WEEK 326 – ODD CAMERA ANGLE

ODD CAMERA ANGLE has proven to be an oddly successful theme!

But you didn’t come here to listen to me talk all tommyrot about participation rates. You came to see the submissions:


WEEK 326 - ODD CAMERA ANGLE - ANDY SHARP
Andy Sharp

WEEK 326 - ODD CAMERA ANGLE - ANDY SHARP (Photo by Don Lester)
Submitted by Andy Sharp – Photo by Don Lester

WEEK 326 - ODD CAMERA ANGLE - ANGIE DEWAARD
Angie DeWaard

WEEK 326 - ODD CAMERA ANGLE -BILL WENTWORTH
Bill Wentworth

WEEK 326 - ODD CAMERA ANGLE - CHRISTOPHER D. BENNETT
Christopher D. Bennett

WEEK 326 - ODD CAMERA ANGLE -  MICHELLE HAUPT
Michelle Haupt

WEEK 326 - ODD CAMERA ANGLE - TAMARA PETERSON
Tamara Peterson

WEEK 326 - ODD CAMERA ANGLE - SHANNON BARDOLE-FOLEY
Shannon Bardole-Foley

WEEK 326 - ODD CAMERA ANGLE - KIO DETTMAN
Kio Dettman

WEEK 326 - ODD CAMERA ANGLE - KIO DETTMAN
Kio Dettman

WEEK 326 - ODD CAMERA ANGLE - TERESA KAHLER
Teresa Kahler

WEEK 326 - ODD CAMERA ANGLE - KIM BARKER
Kim Barker

WEEK 326 - ODD CAMERA ANGLE - KIM BARKER
Kim Barker

WEEK 326 - ODD CAMERA ANGLE - MICKY AUGUSTIN
Micky Augustin

WEEK 326 - ODD CAMERA ANGLE - CATHIE RALEY
Cathie Raley

WEEK 326 - ODD CAMERA ANGLE - ELIZABETH NORDEEN
Elizabeth Nordeen

WEEK 326 - ODD CAMERA ANGLE - CARLA STENSLAND
Carla Stensland

WEEK 326 - ODD CAMERA ANGLE - CARLA STENSLAND
Carla Stensland

WEEK 326 - ODD CAMERA ANGLE - MONICA HENNING
Monica Henning

WEEK 326 - ODD CAMERA ANGLE - MIKE VEST
Mike Vest

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 327 - CANDID PORTRAIT
CANDID PORTRAIT

CANDID PORTRAIT! What a great theme for Year 9 of THE WEEKLY PHOTO CHALLENGE!

But what is a CANDID PORTRAIT image? A CANDID PORTRAIT image is simply an image where the person that is the subject of the photo isn’t posing for the picture. It doesn’t necessarily mean they don’t know their picture is getting taken, but they definitely aren’t posing for the picture. They are just being themselves. Which is why I prefer CANDID PORTRAITS a gazillion to one over formal portraits. But that is just me.

While thinking on your subjects for your CANDID PORTRAIT image, meditate on the following quote:

If indeed you must be candid, be candid beautifully.
-Unknown

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 our idea of CANDID PORTRAIT in this place that is little more than me being candidly candid next Monday.

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.

Postcard Recreation Project – Presbyterian Church

I need to start today by wishing Laura a happy birthday. Happy birthday Laura!


Nate and Laura Engagement Pictures

Miller Family - 2020

Jonah Turns 3

9 EMOTIONS PROJECT - LAURA MILLER

Baby Tri-Force 1st Birthday Party

I hope your birthday is as amazing as you want it to be!

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This set of old-timey postcards I recreated for THE POSTCARD RECREATION PROJECT, are of the First Presbyterian Church. Their website has a pretty good “History” section. Here is some of its content:

·The First Presbyterian Church of Montana, Boone County, Iowa was organized with nine members on March 12, 1866

·A church building was erected on the spot where the current Educational Building now stands on March 1, 1868. The cost of the structure was $1,500.

·The town of Montana changed its name to Boone on August 30, 1871.

·1878 was the year of the organization of the Presbyterian Women’s Missionary Society.

·A congregational meeting was held to consider the erection of a new church building on February 24, 1879.1879 also marked the beginning of a Christian Education Program.

·The present church building was dedicated on December 28, 1879.It was estimated that the cost was $10,000.

·At a congregational meeting on March 3, 1887, it was decided to build a manse, the cost not to exceed $2,000.

·Hope Chapel was erected at the corner of Sixteenth and Tama Streets in March 1895.The building and lot were sold in 1949.

·In 1906 this congregation was the largest in the Fort Dodge Presbytery with a communicant membership of 321.

·In 1916 the congregation numbered 519, the Sunday School enrollment was 615 and the annual budget was $5,302.The organizations included the Young People’s Society, the Men’s Brotherhood, and 3 women’s societies.

·On November 10, 1935, the present organ was dedicated.

·In 1939, the first Vacation Bible School was conducted for children.

·In 1947, the Women’s Groups voted to reorganize and become an all-inclusive group to be known as the Presbyterian Women’s Organization.

·The current Educational Building was completed in 1954 at a cost of $147,000.Dedication was held on March 27, 1955.

·The Jordan Presbyterian Church merged and was welcomed to the Boone church by action of the Presbytery on September 22, 1964.

I think the Presbyterian Church is the second oldest standing church building in Boone. I think the Marion Methodist Church is older, but I’ll have to get back to you on that.

Here are the postcards:


1st Presbyterian Church2229 - Boone Iowa - Original
1st Presbyterian Church – 2229 – Boone – Iowa – Original

1st Presbyterian Church2229 - Boone Iowa - Redux
1st Presbyterian Church – 2229 – Boone – Iowa – Redux

Presbyterian Church - Boone IA - 938 - Original
Presbyterian Church – Boone IA – 938 – Original

Presbyterian Church - Boone IA - 938 - Redux
Presbyterian Church – Boone IA – 938 – Redux

Presbyterian Church - Boone, Ia - Original
Presbyterian Church, Boone, Ia – Original

Presbyterian Church - Boone, Ia - Redux
Presbyterian Church, Boone, Ia – Redux

First Presbyterian Church - Boone, Iowa - Modern Interpretation
Presbyterian Church – Boone, Iowa – Modern Interpretation

The next time we check in with THE POSTCARD RECREATION PROJECT it will involve a train depot.

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


WEEK 286 - PLAY
PLAY

A PLAY image is simply an image where the composition includes either something that is PLAYed or somebody PLAYing. There are all types of things that can be PLAYed. Games to musical instruments to sports to people.

Of course, PLAY has multiple meanings. A PLAY can be words on a piece of paper that tell a story or a PLAY can be acting out those words on a stage. It is more than just humans that PLAY. Animals also PLAY.

Think about the following old proverb when you are considering your PLAY interpretation:

All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy,
All play and no work makes Jack a mere toy.

Meditation on these words will no doubt lead to a fascinating PLAY image.

Happy photo harvesting!

Miller Time – 2020 – Vol. 4

This is the final collection of pictures from when I went to Manhattan to take pictures of the triplets near their second birthday. Chaos! That is the only way to really describe what a photo session with 3 two year-olds with their own agenda. I should have brought a photo assistant, but that certainly isn’t the easiest thing to do in a pandemic. However, in the future, I am going to try to get Alexis to come with me for all family portrait shoots. She has a great eye for the part of portrait photography that I generally fail at. Posing people. I don’t know that she will want to go on 10 hour car rides, but I’ll figure out a way to make it worth her while.

Here are the remainder of the Miller pictures:


Miller Family - 2020

Miller Family - 2020

Miller Family - 2020

Miller Family - 2020

Miller Family - 2020

Miller Family - 2020

Miller Family - 2020

Miller Family - 2020

Miller Family - 2020

Miller Family - 2020

Miller Family - 2020

Miller Family - 2020

Miller Family - 2020

Miller Family - 2020

Miller Family - 2020

Miller Family - 2020

Miller Family - 2020

Miller Family - 2020

Miller Family - 2020

Miller Family - 2020

Miller Family - 2020
A picture that proves sometimes, there are no rules in photography.

Miller Family - 2020

Miller Family - 2020

Miller Family - 2020

Miller Family - 2020

Hopefully we have another great photo session when they get ready to turn 3!

Miller Time – 2020 – Vol. 3

I need to start this post off by wishing Lowell a happy birthday. Happy birthday Lowell!


Arizona Day 3

Little League - 2009

Computer Mine Holiday Card - 2017

I hope it was as happy as you wanted it to be!

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Here is another collection of pictures from when I travelled to Manhattan to take pictures of the Millers. These are mostly post-park pictures, where I was just playing around. Which is what I do best:


Miller Family - 2020

Miller Family - 2020

Miller Family - 2020

Miller Family - 2020

Miller Family - 2020

Miller Family - 2020

Miller Family - 2020

Miller Family - 2020

Miller Family - 2020

Miller Family - 2020

Miller Family - 2020

Miller Family - 2020

Miller Family - 2020

Miller Family - 2020

Miller Family - 2020

Miller Family - 2020

Miller Family - 2020

Miller Family - 2020

Miller Family - 2020

There is one more collection of photos from this day still in the hopper.

Miller Time – 2020 – Vol. 1

The picture for the August in the 2021 Photography 139 Calendar was taken after the derecho devastate a good chunk of Iowa. It was taken of the elevator in Luther with a fisheye lens. It was taken on August 11, 2020.


2021 Calendar - August

Here are some details on the photo:

DETAILS

CAMERA: Sony ILCE-7M2
LENS: Fisheye
EXPOSURE: 1/320
ISO: 100
LATITUDE: 41.96685
LONGITUDE: -93.82281

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Back in October, I made a daytrip to Manhattan, Kansas to take pictures of the triplets around the time of their first birthday. Although a more formal portrait was planned, candid portraits more ruled the day. 1 year olds (particularly 3 of them) don’t cooperate much for formal portraits.

Here are some of my favorites:


Miller Family - 2020

Miller Family - 2020

Miller Family - 2020

Miller Family - 2020

Miller Family - 2020

Miller Family - 2020

Miller Family - 2020

Miller Family - 2020

Miller Family - 2020

Miller Family - 2020

Miller Family - 2020

Miller Family - 2020

Miller Family - 2020

Miller Family - 2020

Miller Family - 2020

Miller Family - 2020

Miller Family - 2020

Miller Family - 2020

Miller Family - 2020

Miller Family - 2020

Miller Family - 2020

Miller Family - 2020

Miller Family - 2020

When we got to the park, we ran into a group of witches. Just kidding, it was a group of women that were in the woods, dancing in a circle. They gave us bubbles though, so they were good witches… errr… women dancing in the woods in a circle.

There are definitely more pictures from this day to come.

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.

Black Lives Matter – Boone – Three

I need to start the day by wishing a very happy birthday to Bethany. So… happy birthday Bethany!!!


9  Emotions Project - Bethany

Nora's Birthday Party - Age 2

Baby Tri-Force 1st Birthday Party

Minnesota State Fair - 2019

Photo of the Day 0109 - August 19, 2014

I hope your birthday is as amazing as you want it to be!

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I thought this would be the last collection of pictures from the Boone Black Lives Matter event, but I miscalculated how I would break these down into volumes, so there will actually be one more collection of pictures after these pictures. Everybody wins!

Here is my version of what I witnessed at the Black Lives Matter event. I parked at my church’s parking lot because it was a good central location to witness the parade, without getting too close to it. I also had these visions of maybe cracking out the drone, but that never happened.

I walked east on 8th Street to the green space. Along the way, I noticed that a Latina owned business had put up signs to support the Black Lives Matter movement. They were also handing out free snacks and water to protesters.

When I got near the green space, I noticed that a local real estate business that owns a healthy portion of downtown buildings was also outside handing out free water to protesters. They had boarded up all of their buildings a couple days before.

Next to them, Paradox was also handing out free drinks and had placed signs with inspirational quotes on their building. I think the owners may have helped organize the event, because somebody came over to them to complain that nobody could hear the speakers, they offered to bring out a sound system.

The Boone Community Theater was also handing out water to protesters. As was the the Police Department and at least 2 other businesses.

I kept my distance from the protest, but from what I could discern, it started with an 8 minute and 46 second moment of silence to represent how long the police officer kneeled on George Floyd’s neck when he was killing him.

I think there were a couple of speakers, but I really couldn’t hear them, because of the distance I was keeping because of the virus and a lack of an operating sound system.

There were a few people standing around and observing. It is hard to say if they were just checking it out or are sympathetic to the cause and keeping their distance because of the virus. However, before the march began, I didn’t see anybody I thought was there to agitate.

After the march started, I did notice a couple of people that were there to counter-protest, I guess you would call it. One guy kept circling around the marchers in his truck. He had taped a couple signs to his truck that read “Support the Blue”.

There was a considerably less counter-protester, I guess you would call him, that didn’t really hang around, but drove past the marchers blaring the Berlin song “Take My Breath Away”. I think at some point, he realized how extremely stupid that was, because he didn’t stick around for very long.

There was also a group of high school students that were either sympathetic to the cause, or just being stupid. They didn’t march, but they drove by the marchers blaring the N.W.A. tune, “F*ck Tha Police”. Which wasn’t really all that cool, under the circumstances. Which is rare, because there are very few circumstances where it isn’t cool to drive around blaring N.W.A. Just did it the other day with “Straight Outta Compton”.

The marchers left the green space and marched south on Story Street to Mamie. At Mamie they turned west and marched to Greene Street. At Greene Street, the marched north to 5th Street. At 5th Street they marched west to Carroll Street. At Carroll Street they marched north to 8th Street. From 8th Street, they marched east back to the green space.

When they returned, there was some chanting, but the event seemed to end about 7 PM mostly. It seemed that a few people were still milling around, but I took off, went home. Threw my clothes in the washer and took a shower. Which is what you should do if you are in a large group of people.

Here is the third collection of pictures from the Black Lives Matters event in Boone:


Black Lives Matter - Boone

Black Lives Matter - Boone

Black Lives Matter - Boone

Black Lives Matter - Boone

Black Lives Matter - Boone

Black Lives Matter - Boone

Black Lives Matter - Boone

Black Lives Matter - Boone
Anna Olson!

Black Lives Matter - Boone

Black Lives Matter - Boone

Black Lives Matter - Boone

Black Lives Matter - Boone

Black Lives Matter - Boone

Black Lives Matter - Boone

Black Lives Matter - Boone

Black Lives Matter - Boone

Black Lives Matter - Boone

Black Lives Matter - Boone

Black Lives Matter - Boone

Black Lives Matter - Boone

Black Lives Matter - Boone

Black Lives Matter - Boone

Black Lives Matter - Boone

Black Lives Matter - Boone

Black Lives Matter - Boone

Black Lives Matter - Boone

Black Lives Matter - Boone

Black Lives Matter - Boone

For those of you that don’t know Anna Olson, she is a future President of the United States. I hope we don’t have to wait for her to be old enough to be our first female President, but if we do, she will make an excellent first female President. She will also make an excellent second or third female President. I look forward to working in her administration 20 years from now.

There is just one collection of pictures from the Boone Black Lives Matter event left.