It is time to reveal the July image for the 2023 Photography 139 Calendar:

July

This picture was taken just west of I-35 on Highway 3. I pulled over on my way home from a TOWN SIGN PROJECT harvesting trip to take tis picture. A sunset in a break in the clouds in the rainstorm. It was too beautiful to not to stop and enjoy it.

There is no particular reason this picture was set for July, other than it had to go somewhere. That was a great story.

TECHNICAL DETAILS

CAMERA: SONY ILCE-7M2
DATE: APRIL 23, 7:33 PM
LENS: TAMRON 28-75 f/2.8
FOCAL LENGHTH: 75mm
APERTURE: f/18
EXPOSURE: 1/80
ISO: 100
EXPOSURE BIAS: -.7

Tomorrow I will reveal the August picture for the 2023 Photography 139 Calendar.

It is the last Monday of the month, so it is a good time revisit the THE WEEKLY PHOTO CHALLENGE FAQ:

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS – WEEKLY PHOTO CHALLENGE

Is there a limit to the number of submissions I can have each week?

The short answer is, “no”. Some people think that there is a limit of one submission per person because I only present one submission a week, personally. I have the other 6 days to post my photography. So one is more than enough image from me.

However, the longer answer is, 3 would be a good guide to limit yourself to submit. Some people refer to this as The Kio Dettman Rule. Even though it isn’t a rule, but much over 3 begins to start to overwhelm the submissions of the others in the community. Also, if you are submitting multiple submissions, think about your submissions. Are they unique? Are they of wholly different subjects? Is each submission saying something unique? The goal is NOT to take as many picture for the theme as possible. The goal is to take the best picture for the theme you can, during the week.

The three photo suggestion would better be referred to as The Kio Dettman Suggestion or The Kio Dettman Best Practice.

The long answer is, there isn’t a limit, but 3 is a good rule of thumb. If I start to average about 30 participants a week, I will consider putting a limit of 1 per participant, to help manage my workload, but we are a long ways from averaging 30 participants a week. Although we did hit 30 participants last week, so maybe a hard limit of 1 per person is on the horizon.

Can I send you several pictures and have you pick the best one?

No! No! NO! If those words come out of your mouth or your keyboard, I consider that to be a non-submission.

Do you ever question whether somebody’s submission fits the theme?

Meh. Only if I think somebody is clearly confusing this week’s theme with last week or next week’s theme. Otherwise, if the submission makes sense in your head, that is good enough to me. However, I would urge you to not try to fit your favorite subject into the theme. This isn’t a challenge to share a picture every week of your kid or your business or your pet. It is a challenge to take pictures of different things every week. Which isn’t to say subjects can’t be repeated, but you shouldn’t become reliant on the same ones.

Why can’t I submit after 11 AM on Mondays if the post doesn’t publish until 12:01 PM?

I go to lunch at 11 AM. I leave my office. I’m not near a computer. At 11 AM I hit “Schedule” and then I go throw food down my throat. 167 hours is more than enough time to send a submission. Okay, 166 hours and 59 minutes. You got me.

Are there resolution requirements for submissions?

I won’t turn down submissions that are too small. I will probably ask you for a picture of greater resolution if it is really small. The typical 4 x 6 image posted to my website has a resolution of 1280 pixels x 853 pixels. While a 400 x 300 image might look okay on your phone, it looks like trash on a computer monitor. I prefer images that are at least 1000 pixels at their largest point, but don’t ban smaller pictures at this point.

What format should my submission be?

.JPG but .PNG also works.

If I write a description of my image will you include that in your post?

No. Photography is art that should stand on its own. Only exception is the SLICE OF LIFE theme.

When will you start accepting suggestions for next year’s THE WEEKLY PHOTO CHALLENGE themes?

Suggestions are closed for next year’s list. It will be a minute before they open up again for Year 11 of THE WEEKLY PHOTO CHALLENGE.

Was EXPLORE a popular theme or did get shot down in flames by the Ghost of Christmas Present? You will have to keep scrolling to find out.

As of 12:01 PM on Monday, December 19, this was the current list of ACTIVE streaks (ignore the numbers in parentheses):

1-Suzie Brannen – 1 week
2-Sabas Hernandez – 1 week
3-Becky Parmelee – 1 week
4-Mike Vest – 1 week
5-Sarah Karber – 2 weeks
6-Jesse Howard – 5 weeks
7-Willy McAlpine – 5 weeks
8-Tamara Peterson – 7 weeks
9-Sara Lockner – 13 weeks
10-Brandon Kahler – 18 weeks
11-Linda Bennett – 21 weeks
12-Sarah Toot – 22 weeks
13-Monica Jennings – 23 weeks
14-Angie DeWaard – 26 weeks
15-Dawn Krause – 30 weeks (2)
16-Kim Barker – 36 weeks
17-Joe Duff – 37 weeks
18-Logan Kahler – 39 weeks (2)
19-Teresa Kahler – 48 weeks (2)
20-Carla Stensland – 48 weeks (2)
21-Michelle Haupt – 49 weeks
22-Micky Augustin – 50 weeks
23-Andy Sharp – 51 weeks
24-Bill Wentworth – 52 weeks
25-Cathie Morton – 56 weeks
26-Elizabeth Nordeen – 57 weeks
27-Shannon Bardole-Foley – 59 weeks
28-Kio Dettman – 61 weeks (3)

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:

Andy Sharp – 52 weeks

Angie DeWaard – 27 weeks

Becky Parmelee – 2 weeks

Bill Wentworth – 53 weeks

Brandon Kahler – 19 weeks

Carla Stensland – 49 weeks

Carla Stensland – 49 weeks

Cathie Morton – 57 weeks

Christopher D. Bennett

Dawn Krause – 31 weeks

Elizabeth Nordeen – 58 weeks

Joe Duff – 38 weeks

Joe Duff

Kim Barker – 37 weeks

Kio Dettman – 62 weeks

Kio Dettman

Kio Dettman

Linda Bennett – 22 weeks

Logan Kahler – 40 weeks

Logan Kahler

Logan Kahler

Micky Augustin – 51 weeks

Michelle Haupt – 50 weeks

Sabas Hernandez – 2 weeks

Sarah Toot – 23 weeks

Shannon Bardole-Foley – 60 weeks

Tamara Peterson – 8 weeks

Teresa Kahler – 49 weeks

Willy McAlpine – 6 weeks

Willy McAlpine

Willy McAlpine

23 participants. Not a great week, but it is to be expected, considering a somewhat abstract theme and the Christmas holiday.

I received submissions (assumptions on my part) from Pennsylvania, Iowa, Nebraska, Kansas, Arkansas, and Texas.

I took my picture about 5 miles from my front door.

As you can guess it was a streak bloodbath. Suzie and Vest couldn’t extend their streaks to 2. Sarah’s streak went kaput at 2 weeks. Jesse’s streak ended at 5. 13 wasn’t a lucky number for Sara. Worst of all, Monica’s 23 week streak is gone.

But it wasn’t all bad news. Andy joined the 1 Year Streak Club! WooHoo!

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:

BODY PART

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.

While considering possible subjects for your BODY PART picture, meditate on the following quotes:

Even I don’t wake up looking like Cindy Crawford.
-Cindy Crawford

People often say that beauty is in the eye of the beholder, and I say that the most liberating thing about beauty is realizing that you are the beholder.
-Salma Hayek

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 BODY PART in this place that consists of lots of my parts put to work next Monday.