Category Archives: Photo Journal

Art, Formal Portrait, Jay, Jesse, Photo Journal, Willy, WPC - Reminder

A Photo Journal – Page 31

August 16, 2019 Christopher D. Bennett

Last Saturday night Jay, Willy, Jesse, and I piled into the Sir Pixalot-mobile and headed down to Des Moines for a dinner that had absolutely nothing to do with Jay’s dinner. Anybody that says that the very delicious dinner we took down had anything to do with Jay’s birthday is a terrible liar.

Jay had selected (totally unrelated to his birthday) BAH Brazilian Steakhouse for the dinner. When we got there, there was a 45 minute wait. I took this as an opportunity to take Willy across the river and take the two pictures that I needed for Page 31 for THE PHOTO JOURNAL PROJECT.

Page 31

Tell a joke with two pictures.

This leaves only the following images left to capture before finally closing the book on THE PHOTO JOURNAL PROJECT:

Page 18 – Shoot the other half of this picture by Jason Evans. – This is a profoundly stupid page, but I guess I’ll have to bite the bullet and do it at some point.
Page 28 – Recreate a famous photograph without looking it up.
Page 64 – Head out with a fellow photographer and play a game of photography dare.
PAGE 66-67 – Make a sequence of four pictures inspired by the rise and fall of Britney Spears (or another celebrity).
PAGE 101 – Find an object, close your eyes and compose your shot using touch rather than vision.
Page 106-107 – Email one of your pictures to your photography hero and ask them what they hate about it.
Page 117 – Freeze the frame exactly 57 minutes and 32 seconds in to your favorite film. Take a picture inspired by what you see.
PAGE 121 – Show us that photography is a form of magic.
Page 123 – Don’t take any more photographs -none- until you see something that emotionally moves you. Only then pick up your camera.

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

FLOWER

A FLOWER picture is pretty self-evident. Happy photo harvesting!

Contests, Event, Music, Photo Journal, Pufferbilly Days, WPC - Reminder

A Photo Journal – Page 27

August 9, 2019 Christopher D. Bennett

There are 4 days left to vote for what pictures I will enter in the Pufferbilly Days Photo Contest. If it is too much for you to take on all 6 polls at once, you can vote for the poll for one of the Nature entries below.

At this point the hollyhock picture is in the lead, but not by much.

Nature Set 1

TS Poll - Loading poll ...

If you are ready to vote in all 6 polls, click on the link below:

Pufferbilly Days Photo Contest Poll

Thanks for voting!

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Last Saturday the annual Fly Iowa airshow came to Boone. It was the first time that it had been in Boone in 25 years. As I watched the airshow, it dawned on me that it was the perfect time to capture the image for Page 27 of THE PHOTO JOURNAL PROJECT.

Page 27 -Create drama around the edge of your frame.

Only one image can be physically adhered in the physical A PHOTO JOURNAL, however I did take a few other pictures for the page that I also like.

This leaves the following pages of THE PHOTO JOURNAL PROJECT left to photograph:

Page 18 – Shoot the other half of this picture by Jason by Jason Evans. – This is a profoundly stupid page, but I guess I’ll have to bite the bullet and do it at some point.
Page 28 – Recreate a famous photograph without looking it up.
PAGE 31 – Tell a joke with two pictures.
Page 64 – Head out with a fellow photographer and play a game of photography dare.
PAGE 66-67 – Make a sequence of four pictures inspired by the rise and fall of Britney Spears (or another celebrity).
PAGE 101 – Find an object, close your eyes and compose your shot using touch rather than vision.
Page 106-107 – Email one of your pictures to your photography hero and ask them what they hate about it.
Page 117 – Freeze the frame exactly 57 minutes and 32 seconds in to your favourite film. Take a picture inspired by what you see.
PAGE 121 – Show us that photography is a form of magic.
Page 123 – Don’t take any more photographs -none- until you see something that emotionally moves you. Only then pick up your camera.

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This is your reminder that this week’s WEEKLY PHOTOGRAPHY CHALLENGE theme is MUSIC:

MUSIC

A MUSIC photo is any photo that involves the production of or listening to MUSIC.

Happy photo harvesting!

Formal Portrait, Jesse, Photo Journal, Photoshop

A PHOTO JOURNAL – PAGE 116

August 2, 2019 Christopher D. Bennett

I made a recent stop at Boone’s local old timey ice cream shop for a malt and to pick up a couple glass bottles of Pepsi to pay off a 7 month (but who’s counting) debt. While I was there I spied a couple glass bottles of Bubble Up.

Bubble Up is a soda that reminds me of Jesse. When he was a child his family would travel from Boone to Clinton to visit relatives. On the way there they would stop at King Tower Cafe in Tama. One time Jesse and I and I think Eric made the trip to Clinton and we also stopped at King Tower Cafe. Now, this was over 20 years ago, but the one thing I distinctly remember about the experience is that they served Bubble Up. As a Fountain Drink.

When I spied the Bubble Up, I knew exactly what I needed to do. I needed to purchase it and then photograph Page 116 of THE PHOTO JOURNAL PROJECT:

Page 116 – Shoot an advert where the image says it all wihtout th eneed for any additional copy.

I shot one other picture I liked, but not enough to physically adhere it into the physical copy of A PHOTO JOURNAL (there can be only one):

The leaves the following pages of THE PHOTO JOURNAL PROJECT left to photograph:

Page 18 – Shoot the other half of this picture by Jason by Jason Evans. – This is a profoundly stupid page, but I guess I’ll have to bite the bullet and do it at some point.
PAGE 27- Create drama around the edge of your frame.
Page 28 – Recreate a famous photograph without looking it up.
PAGE 31 – Tell a joke with two pictures.
Page 64 – Head out with a fellow photographer and play a game of photography dare.
PAGE 66-67 – Make a sequence of four pictures inspired by the rise and fall of Britney Spears (or another celebrity).
PAGE 101 – Find an object, close your eyes and compose your shot using touch rather than vision.
Page 106-107 – Email one of your pictures to your photography hero and ask them what they hate about it.
Page 117 – Freeze the frame exactly 57 minutes and 32 seconds in to your favourite film. Take a picture inspired by what you see.
PAGE 121 – Show us that photography is a form of magic.
Page 123 – Don’t take any more photographs -none- until you see something that emotionally moves you. Only then pick up your camera.

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This is your reminder that this week’s WEEKLY PHOTO CHALLENGE theme is LETTERS OR NUMBERS:

LETTERS OR NUMBERS

Happy photo harvesting!

Brandon, Contests, Formal Portrait, Photo Journal, State Fair, WPC - Reminder

A Photo Journal – Page 36

July 12, 2019 Christopher D. Bennett 2 Comments

A week ago I went to my mailbox and found the results sheet from the Iowa State Fair Photography Salon sitting in my mailbox waiting for me.

The Iowa State Fair Photography Salon is one of the most prestigious and hardest photo contests in the state. I usually count myself lucky if I get one picture accepted. There have been plenty of years where I have been shutout. It is always with low expectations when I grab the yellow card out of my mailbox and take a look at it:

It would appear that I got one picture accepted and that picture got an award. That is nice. If you pushed me on it, I would probably rather get multiple pictures in rather than an award, however an award comes with a cash prize, so that is nice.

I don’t know what picture got accepted, but I guess this gives you a reason to go to the Iowa State Fair. I will find out when I go to the Photographer’s Reception in early August.

Since I can’t pick up my pictures until the last day of the fair, it looks like I will be going to the fair on the last day again. If you would like to attend with me, let me know. I usually hit the fair about 11 AM on that day. Leave after 10 PM, so this isn’t a trip to be considered lightly. And if you are a woman, for God’s sake, wear sensible shoes!

Unfortunately, there is no badass band like Here Come the Mummies playing on the last day of the fair this year. However, Nelson will be taking the stage at 8 PM that night. Although I confess, I’ll probably try to make my way to the Bill Riley Stage at 8 PM to see Unspoken. They are a Christian rock band.

Looks like all the hands that were in the air to join me at the fair just went down when the bodies they were attached to read the words “Christian rock”. I’m telling you, Unspoken is a solid band and you would probably love the song “Who You Are” and more than enjoy the tune “Reason”. If you don’t like “Start A Fire”, I think you probably just have terrible taste in music.

Hit me up on the horn or the Snapchat or the Insta or the Tweets or the emails if you are interested.

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The other Sunday Brandon joined us for our post-church feeding. I have had my eye on Brandon for awhile now as the model for Page 36 of THE PHOTO JOURNAL PROJECT. I used this chance to get him to come over so we could get Page 36 knocked out.

Page 36 – Use shutter speed to capture anger.

I took several pictures for Page 36 (including one with a camera inside the aquarium), but only one can be physically adhered into the physical A PHOTO JOURNAL. Here are some of the other pictures I liked, but will only exist in the tunnels of cyberland:

The shutter speed on these pictures is 1/8000th of a second.

This is the list of pages I have left to capture for THE PHOTO JOURNAL PROJECT:

PAGE 16 – Photograph the last thing that made you laugh.
Page 18 – Shoot the other half of this picture by Jason by Jason Evans.
PAGE 27- Create drama around the edge of your frame.
Page 28 – Recreate a famous photograph without looking it up.
PAGE 31 – Tell a joke with two pictures.
Page 64 – Head out with a fellow photographer and play a game of photography dare.
PAGE 66-67 – Make a sequence of four pictures inspired by the rise and fall of Britney Spears (or another celebrity).
Page 73 – Turn form into rhythm.
PAGE 101 – Find an object, close your eyes and compse your shot using touch rather than vision.
Page 106-107 – Email one of your pictures to your photography hero and ask them what they hate about it.
PAGE 116 – Shoot an advert where the image says it all without need for any additional copy.
Page 117 – Freeze the frame exactly 57 minutes and 32 seconds in to your favourite film. Take a picture inspired by what you see.
PAGE 121 – Show us that photography is a form of magic.
Page 123 – Don’t take any more photographs -none- until you see something that emotionally moves you. Only then pick up your camera.

I might be looking for some volunteers to help finish this project off.

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Reminder that this week’s theme for THE WEEKLY PHOTO CHALLENGE theme is SIGNS:

SIGNS

A SIGNS picture is any picture that involves a SIGN(S).

Happy photo harvesting!

Mom, Photo Journal, Photoshop, Self-Portrait, Work, WPC - Reminder

A Photo Journal – Page 109

June 28, 2019 Christopher D. Bennett 2 Comments

Ever since the first time I flipped through THE PHOTO JOURNAL and landed on Page 109, I knew exactly where I wanted to take that picture. I flipped flopped on what I wanted the subject to be, but I never waiver on the setting.

It wasn’t until a week or so before I took the photo that I decided on what I wanted the subject to be. I decided the subject should be me.

Occasionally on Wednesdays I shoot over the ISU Surplus Sale. I don’t usually buy anything, (although I occasionally I come home with a gem) but I like to peruse. A week before I finally pulled the trigger on Page 109, I planned on taking this picture. However, after I left the ISU Surplus Sale and headed west on Airport Road to take the image, I found something terrible. The setting had been fenced off. It now required a security code to get there. A security code I didn’t have. It became obvious that Page 109 was going to need a new setting.

Then out of nowhere I got an email that Micky, I, and others were going to take a Computer Mine Field Trip out there. Boom! Plan back on!

Page 109 – Photograph a word to change its meaning.

While I can only physically adhere one image into the physical A PHOTO JOURNAL, I did take one more photo that I feel like sharing:

I think I have about 10-15 of these pages left.

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Here is you weekly reminder that this week’s WEEKLY PHOTO CHALLENGE theme is CANDID PORTRAIT:

CANDID PORTRAIT

Happy photo harvesting!

Flowers, Macro, Photo Journal

A Photo Journal – Page 34

June 27, 2019 Christopher D. Bennett 1 Comment

At the same time that I took the photos for Page 35 of THE PHOTO JOURNAL PROJECT, I took the photo for Page 34.

Page 34 is the reddish page of THE PHOTO JOURNAL PROJECT. This is what it looks like:

When I looked for a color to go with the red page, I decided to go with a more analogous color scheme, rather than a complementary color scheme like I did for Page 35.

Here is the picture that will be on Page 35 of THE PHOTO JOURNAL:

Page 34 – Take a picture that looks beautiful against this colour.

While that picture will be physically adhered into the physical THE PHOTO JOURNAL, but I did take more pictures.

Another page down! Quite a few still to go…

Flowers, Macro, Photo Journal

A Photo Journal – Page 35

June 26, 2019 Christopher D. Bennett

A few weeks back I spent quite a long time reading about complementary color theories. Basically trying to figure out what colors are supposed to look good with other colors (almost in the context of framing) and my research almost made me think that really all colors go together. No matter what the fashion mags might tell you.

For example colors that are complementary look good together. Those are colors that are the exact opposite on color wheels. Colors that are analogous go together. Those are colors that are next to each other on the color wheel. The next theory is the triad. The triad says that colors that are evenly spaced on the color wheel go together. Then there is split-complementary. This theory says that in addition to the color that is opposite the color on the color wheel, the 2 colors adjacent to the opposite color also complement the color. I’ll just leave rectangle and square alone for now, since you are probably pretty confused by now.

In this respect, I decided to shoot for at least complementary colors when I decided to tackle Page 35 of THE PHOTO JOURNAL PROJECT. Page 34 and 35 actually. These pages are the only pictures in THE PHOTO JOURNAL that aren’t white. They are colored and the assignment is to “Take a picture that looks beautiful against this color”.

That means nothing to you without seeing the pages for yourself, so rather than coming to The Photography 139 Studio and seeing the physical THE PHOTO JOURNAL, I’ll publish a picture below:

Here is the picture that will be physically adhered in the physical THE PHOTO JOURNAL:

Page 35 – And this.

I took a few other pictures that I think work with the blue page:

I think I might be able to finish this project up by the end of July, but there are a couple of pages left that I know I’m going to have to secure a model or two to complete. I might just come hit you up on that.

Drone, Photo Journal, Still Life

A Photo Journal – Page 20

June 25, 2019 Christopher D. Bennett

A couple weeks back when I went up to Kamrar to celebrate my birth I brought along Rodan139 because I felt it was the right tool to photograph what I thought would be a perfect subject for Page 20 of THE PHOTO JOURNAL PROJECT.

As it turned out, it worked out just fine.

Page 20 – Make something big look small.

While Rodan139 was prowling the skies of Kamrar, I snapped a few more photos:

I’m gonna get this project finished yet!

Black & White, Boone FUMC, Candid Portrait, Jodie Cue, Macro, Photo Journal, WPC - Reminder

A Photo Journal – Page 21

May 31, 2019 Christopher D. Bennett 2 Comments

This week I knocked out Page 21 of THE PHOTO JOURNAL PROJECT. I took one of the rubber dinosaurs I seem to have in every room of the house.

Page 21 – Make something small look big.

While only one picture can be adhered into the physical THE PHOTO JOURNAL, however I took a couple other rubber dinosaur pictures that I like:

There are 20 pages left in the Photo Journal Project left to photograph. Gonna keep hammering away!

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

GROUP PORTRAIT

Happy photo harvesting!

Candid Portrait, Photo Journal, WPC - Reminder

A Photo Journal – Page 97

May 24, 2019 Christopher D. Bennett

A couple Saturdays back I went to the Des Moines Farmer’s Market with my Mom. I was mostly on a mission to take a picture for the theme STREET PHOTOGRAPHY for THE WEEKLY PHOTO CHALLENGE. However, I also spied an opportunity to knock Page 97 off of my list for THE PHOTO JOURNAL PROJECT.

Page 97 – Photograph a human as though it were an animal.

While I can only physically adhere one photograph into the physical A PHOTO JOURNAL, there is one more picture I did consider for this page:

The last youth group was a couple Wednesdays back. I’m hoping to use that new free night as an opportunity to knock out several more pages from THE PHOTO JOURNAL PROJECT.

I currently have my eyes on knocking out a few of these pages:

Page 109 – Photograph a word to change its meaning.
Page 121 – Show us that photography is a form of magic.
Page 116 – Shoot an advert where the image says it all without the need for any additional copy.
Page 20 – Make something big look small.
Page 21 – Make something small look big.

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This is your reminder that the theme for this week’s WEEKLY PHOTO CHALLENGE is BLUE:

BLUE

A BLUE photo is a photo of anything that is BLUE.

Happy photo harvesting!