Category Archives: Politics

Hardin County Auxiliary Images

Back in February I cruised around Hardin County harvesting town sign photos. This was a solo trip. These are some of the non-town sign pictures I took on the trip.


Hardin County
New Providence – This round gym was recently featured in a movie.

Hardin County

Hardin County

Hardin County
Gifford

Hardin County
Union

Hardin County

Hardin County

Hardin County
Whitten

Hardin County
Eldora

Hardin County

Hardin County

Hardin County

Hardin County

Hardin County

Hardin County

Hardin County

Hardin County

Hardin County

Hardin County

Hardin County

Hardin County
Steamboat Rock

Hardin County

Hardin County

Hardin County

Hardin County
Ackley

Hardin County

Hardin County

Hardin County

Hardin County

Hardin County

Hardin County

Hardin County

Hardin County

Hardin County

Hardin County

Hardin County

Hardin County

I really liked Hardin County. There is more than one thing there I would like to go back and photograph again in the future.

A Pandemic Menagerie

This is a clearinghouse post. Grouping together some small collections of photos that might not be large enough to stand on their own. Plus getting multiple folders “finished off” and filed away to their forever homes.

These pictures aren’t pandemic related, but they did occur in a pandemic. Like every picture I take these days. Some were taken at the Ames Farmers Market. Some in my yard. Some on the backroads of Boone County.


Eggcited
This sculpture is called Eggcited. Eggcited! Get it?

Eggcited
Despite the awful name, I love it so!

Bittersweet
From my yard.
Bittersweet

Bittersweet

Halloween 2021
My socially distanced trick-or-treat setup for Halloween.

Halloween 2021

Liberal Values

Nope!
One of the small joys of the pandemic was stopping to photograph this sign and meeting the woman who put it up. She went to school with my Dad and we got to talk about him for a bit.

Early Voting
Self-portrait after voting on the first day of early voting.

Early Voting

Early Voting

Shrooms
My mouth is watering…

Train Art
One of the reasons I like living in a town with a railroad (besides the obvious economic impact) is that it is…

Train Art
Like having a new art museum in town every single day. While Boone has an Art Commission (despite the fact that there are a ton of local artists)…

Train Art
there is a decided lack of public art in town. A mural of a train. A statue of Teddy Roosevelt. A local guy that paints his snow banks…

Train Art
That is really it. Although I will point out that Boone does a decent job with the performing arts. It just isn’t the same. So thank you Union Pacific!

Good to get all that cleaned out. We’re getting close to my having my backlog cleaned out. It will be interesting what this space will look like when that happens.

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This is your reminder that this week’s THE WEEKLY PHOTO CHALLENGE theme is SYMMETRY & PATTERNS:


WEEK 284 - SYMMETRY & PATTERNS
SYMMERY & PATTERNS

I can’t help but think of Shannon when I think of the theme of SYMMETRY & PATTERNS. Back in the day, we would occasionally go to art shows and fairs together. It often ended up being a painful and frustrating experience because the art booths that she would like to stop and look at were the art that actually hurt my soul (at least a little bit) to look at. It was all symmetrical lines and shapes. I always thought, “if this is the kind of art she likes and she likes my photography, what does that say about my photography? Is it this awful and boring?”

On the other side of the coin, she also hated most of the art I liked. Considered it to be derivative of the illustrations one sees in children’s books. Whatever.

I’m not saying you should tap into your inner Shannon when making your SYMMETRY & PATTERNS picture, but it might not hurt. I’m not saying your picture should be boring and uninteresting. I borderline enjoy the theme reveal picture of the bathroom floor in front of my toilet*. I am saying that you should find a pattern and/or a subject that has symmetry. While this isn’t my favorite theme, I do look forward to seeing your interpretations. I bet Shannon will be counting down the days.

When thinking about creating your SYMMETRY & PATTERNS image, think on the following quote from noted Japanese author Junichiro Tanizaki:

Find beauty not only in the thing itself but in the pattern of the shadows, the light and dark which that thing provides.

Meditate on these words and you will no doubt, make a completely almost interesting SYMMETRY & PATTERNS image.

Happy photo harvesting!

Post #4,000

August 9, 2006. That was the date where I first took keyboard in hand and began typing out the blog that I entitled “An Artist’s Notebook”. I entitled that first post “First Journal Entry”. The categories for that first post were “Blogging”, “Contests”, “Jay”, and “Sara”.

This is the first paragraph I posted:

So here is the first journal entry. I felt like having as pretentious sounding name as possible for my journal. I have a few goals about this journal. My main goal is just to actually write in it. My second goal is to be as truthful as possible towards my true thoughts and feelings. I have another journal on another website, but it is really just a collection of sarcastic statements and cheap jabs at open faced sandwiches. This journal is meant to be about what my achievements and failures are in the world of art. What projects I am working on and what I have accomplished and what I have failed to accomplish. What I am photographing and what I am thinking about entering in photo contests. What I am thinking about. It might not always make sense. It might just be things I need to write down because they strike me as poignant or inspirational. This is in a small way an online “idea box”.

Then it goes on to talk about how I attended the Iowa State Fair Photography Salon Reception with Sara to see what two pictures had been accepted for display that year. Then I would go on to talk about how Jay had talked me into entering the Pufferbilly Days Photo Contest.

The last line of the entry was simply:

I don’t want to mail it in.

While I was actually referencing the Pufferbilly Days Photo Contest, it is my hope that I also didn’t choose to “mail it in” as it pertains to “An Artist’s Notebook”.

It has been 5,276 days since that first post. 5,276 days to reach this day and the 4,000th post in this blog, or “online journal” like I sometimes call it when I don’t like calling it a blog. It is hard to believe I have made it this far, for this long.

It hasn’t been necessarily smooth sailing the whole time. My website has been through a couple different servers. I have been through a couple different hosts for the blog part of the website. I have been through 4 (I think) different image hosting options in those 5,275 days. That jumping around for image hosting solutions did cause the problem that images from my posts from the first few years of this website’s existence have had to be “restored” slowly over time. So far I have semi-successfully restored all the entries though June of 2010. Which means, I still have a full year’s worth of entries left to restore. Somewhere in 2011, was when I fully made the move to my current SmugMug image hosting solution. I have unfortunately lost a few images, probably forever, mostly old phone pictures, but those old posts are as complete as they will ever be.

When I hit these milestones, I like to publish a lot of fairly meaningless stats. This one will be no different. So, here are the “An Artist’s Notebook” categories that I have used the most often:

Top 10 An Artist’s Notebook Categories

#1. Black & White – 698 Entries

#2. Flowers – 693 Entries

#3. Animals – 620 Entries

#4. Jesse – 495 Entries

#5. Portrait – 472 Entries

#6. Shannon – 421 Entries

#7. Carla – 391 Entries

#8. WPC – Submissions – 381 Entries

#9. Teresa – 364 Entries

#10. Mom – 363 Entries

Top Ten An Artist’s Notebook People Categories

#1. Jesse – 495 Entries

#2. Shannon – 421 Entries

#3. Carla – 391 Entries

#4. Teresa – 364 Entries

#5. Mom – 363 Entries

#6. Jay – 320 Entries

#7. Derrick – 295 Entries

#8. Willy – 268 Entries

#9. Vest – 258 Entries

#10. Jen – 254 Entries

Top Ten Non-People An Artist’s Notebook Categories

#1. Black & White – 698 Entries

#2. Flowers – 693 Entries

#3. Animals – 620 Entries

#4. Portrait – 472 Entries

#5. WPC – Submissions – 381 Entries

#6. Nature – 349 Entries

#7. Macro – 332 Entries

#8. Photoshop – 327 Entries

#9. Road Trip – 326 Entries

#10. Art – 314 Entries

People often ask what is the best way to improve their Photography 139 Category Score. The easiest way is to submit pictures to THE WEEKLY PHOTO CHALLENGE. But posing for and assisting me with photo project or photo adventures is also a very good way.

What people have a shot at cracking the Top Ten by the time we hit Post #5,000? Kim, Sara, Logan, and Micky all have a shot. But 1,000 posts is a long ways away. So anybody has a shot!

But what are the Ten Most Popular Photo Galleries in Photography 139 history? Unfortunately, I can’t answer that question. I can only process stats up to 365 days ago. However, I can tell you the Ten Most Popular Photo Galleries of the last 365 Days are.

Click on the image to peruse that gallery.

Top Ten Most Popular Photography 139 Galleries (by view) of the Last 365 Days


WEEK 209 - ARCHITECTURE - CHRISTOPHER D. BENNETT
#1. WEEKLY PHOTO CHALLENGE – YEAR 7 – 57697 Views

Be True
#2. Christopher D. Bennett – 41080 Views

9 Emotions Project - Johnathan
#3. 9 Emotions Project – 36972 Views

Taylan Howard
#4. Taylan Howard – 2020 – 34075 Views

Girl in the Blue Skirt - 2016
#5. Daisies – 26800 Views

Morning in America
#6. Drone – 24659 Views

WEEK 274 - FACELESS PORTRAIT - CHRISTOPHER D. BENNETT
#7. Weekly Photo Challenge – HOF – 24603 Views

Be Aggressive!
#8. Family Happenings – 18,231 Views

Alexis Pregnant with Anela
#9. Alexis Pregnancy Photo Shoot – 2020 – 17057 Views

Black Lives Matter - Boone
#10. Black Lives Matter – Boone – 2020 – 16160 Views

The Ten Most Popular Photography 139 Images of the Last 365 Days (by Views)


Alexis Pregnant with Anela
#1. 7254 Views

Taylan Howard
#2. 3153 Views

2020 Birthday Party Invites
#3. 2460 Views (Photo by Logan Kahler)

Cousin Amy and Sam - 2009
#4. 2228 Views

Garrett Larson
#5. 2127 Views

Baier Family Photo Shoot - 2009
#6. 2111 Views

Camping World Bowl Road Trip - Day 3
#7. 1971 Views

2019  Computer Mine Holiday Card
#8. 1916 Views

The Most Tolerable Third Party
#9. 1891 Views

The Hero of Africa
#10. 1830 Views

Now the secret to the popularity of some of these images is that they are cover photos for albums, but shhhh… don’t tell anybody!

Another category of meaningless statistics, I’d like to share is what have been the most popular posts since the inception of “An Artist’s Notebook”. Although it might not be the most accurate way to judge such things, the only statistic I can use to judge this is “Comments” left on each post. That doesn’t mean emails or text messages or comments I received in person. These are comments that were left in the Comments section of each post.

Most Popular An Artist’s Notebook Entries (by Comments)

#1. The People’s Choice Round Two – 24 Comments

#2. Weekly Photo Challenge – Week 9 – Food – 22 Comments

#2. Weekly Photo Challenge – Week 43 – Sunrise/Sunset – 22 Comments

#4. Town Sign Project: Hamilton County – 21 Comments

#4. Town Sign Project: Dallas County – 21 Comments

#6. Postcard Recreation Project: Some Churches – 20 Comments

#6. Rodan139: Swede Valley Lutheran Church – 20 Comments

#8. Will History Blame Me… – 19 Comments

#9. Yo, Ya Just Get in that, You Get in that Head Space, Ya Know – 15 Comments

#9. You Can Call it a Comeback – 15 Comments

#9. Wild Goose Chase – 15 Comments

#9. Sorry Not Sorry – 15 Comments

One thing to note is that each “An Artist’s Notebook” entry has its Comments section close 30 days after being posted. Some of those still have a chance to grow, but most have been locked into place forever.

The last statistic I want to share before closing out Post #4,000 is kind of a loyalty score. To even be considered for this list, you first have to have a Photography 139 Email Subscription. The following is a statistic based on “loyalty” for lack of a better term to that service.

Top Five Most Loyal Photography 139 Subscribers

1. Michelle Haupt – 99%
2. Joe Duff – 97%
3. Shannon Bardole-Foley – 94%
4. Sara Lockner – 90%
5. Corey Faust – 89%

Thanks to everybody that has supported this adventure for 14 years, 5 months, and now 10 days!

POSTCARD RECREATION PROJECT – POST OFFICE

Today I’m going to share a set of postcards of the Boone Post Office I recreated. A government building that wasn’t attacked by domestic terrorists who have brainwashed by a misinformation ecosystem that can’t handle that their messiah, got his ass handed to him in an election. Despite the fact that there has been zero evidence of voter fraud and the Trump regime has lost 60 lawsuits because they have, zero evidence. It was truly one of the darkest days in American history. A day that will live in infamy.

Mike Pence is a homophobic piece of trash, but his words yesterday did set the right tone:

Today was a dark day in the history of the United States Capitol. But thanks to the swift efforts of U.S. Capitol Police, federal, state and local law enforcement, the violence was quelled. The Capitol is secured, and the people’s work continues.

We condemn the violence that took place here in the strongest possible terms. We grieve the loss of life in these hallowed halls, as well as the injuries suffered by those who defended our Capitol today. And we will always be grateful to the men and women who stayed at their posts to defend this historic place.

To those who wreaked havoc in our Capitol today, you did not win. Violence never wins. Freedom wins. And this is still the people’s house. And as we reconvene in this chamber, the world will again witness the resilience and strength of our democracy, for even in the wake of unprecedented violence and vandalism at this Capitol, the elected representatives of the people of the United States have assembled again on the very same day to support and defend the Constitution of the United States.

So may God bless the lost, the injured and the heroes forged on this day. May God bless all who serve here and those who protect this place. And may god bless the United States of America.

Chuck Schumer also put it very well:

It is very, very difficult to put into words what has transpired today. I have never lived through or even imagined an experience like the one we have just witnessed in this Capitol. President Franklin Roosevelt set aside Dec. 7, 1941, as a day that will live in infamy. Unfortunately, we can now add Jan. 6, 2021, to that very short list of dates in American history that will live forever in infamy.

This temple to democracy was desecrated, its windows smashed, our offices vandalized. The world saw Americans’ elected officials hurriedly ushered out because they were in harm’s way. The House and Senate floors were places of shelter until the evacuation was ordered, leaving rioters to stalk these hallowed halls. Lawmakers and our staffs, Average citizens who love their country, serve it every day, feared for their lives. I understand that one woman was shot and tragically lost her life. We mourn her and feel for her friends and family.

These images were projected for the world. Foreign embassies cabled their home capitals to report the harrowing scenes at the very heart of our democracy. This will be a stain on our country not so easily washed away – the final, terrible, indelible legacy of the 45th president of the United States, undoubtedly our worst.

I want to be very clear: Those who performed these reprehensible acts cannot be called protesters – no, these were rioters and insurrectionists, goons and thugs, domestic terrorists. They do not represent America. They were a few thousand violent extremists who tried to take over the Capitol building and attack our democracy. They must and should be prosecuted to the full extent of the law – hopefully by this administration, if not certainly by the next. They should be provided no leniency.

I want to thank the many of the Capitol Hill police and Secret Service and local police who kept us safe today and worked to clear the Capitol and return it to its rightful owners and its rightful purpose.

I want to thank the leaders, Democrat and Republican, House and Senate. It was Speaker Pelosi, Leader McConnell, Leader McCarthy and myself who came together and decided that these thugs would not succeed, that we would finish the work that our Constitution requires us to complete in the very legislative chambers of the House and Senate that were desecrated but we know always belong to the people and do again tonight.

But make no mistake, make no mistake, my friends, today’s events did not happen spontaneously. The president, who promoted conspiracy theories and motivated these thugs, the president who exhorted them to come to our nation’s capital, egged them on – he hardly ever discourages violence and more often encourages it – this president bears a great deal of the blame. This mob was in good part President Trump’s doing, incited by his words, his lies. This violence, in good part his responsibility, his ever-lasting shame. Today’s events certainly — certainly — would not have happened without him. Now, Jan. 6 will go down as one of the darkest days in recent American history.

A final warning to our nation about the consequences of a demagogic president, the president who enable him, the captive media that parrots his lies and the people who follow him as he attempts to push America to the brink of ruin. As we reconvene tonight, let us remember, in the end all this mob has really accomplished is to delay our work by a few hours. We will resume our responsibilities now, and we will finish our task tonight. The House and Senate chambers will be restored good as new and ready for legislating in short order. The counting of the electoral votes is our sacred duty.

Democracy’s roots in this nation are deep, they are strong. They will not be undone ever by a group of thugs. Democracy will triumph, as it has for centuries. So, to my fellow Americans who are shocked and appalled by the images on their televisions today and who are worried about the future of this country, let me speak to you directly: The divisions in our country clearly run deep, but we are a resilient, forward-looking and optimistic people, and we will begin the hard work of repairing this nation tonight because here in America we do hard things. In America, we always overcome our challenges.

But Barack Obama probably put it best, like he usually does:

History will rightly remember today’s violence at the Capitol, incited by a sitting president who has continued to baselessly lie about the outcome of a lawful election, as a moment of great dishonor and shame for our nation. But we’d be kidding ourselves if we treated it as a total surprise.

For two months now, a political party and its accompanying media ecosystem has too often been unwilling to tell their followers the truth – that this was not a particularly close election and that President-Elect Biden will be inaugurated on January 20. Their fantasy narrative has spiraled further and further from reality, and it builds upon years of sown resentments. Now we’re seeing the consequences, whipped up into a violent crescendo.

Right now, Republican leaders have a choice made clear in the desecrated chambers of democracy. They can continue down this road and keep stoking the raging fires. Or they can choose reality and take the first steps toward extinguishing the flames. They can choose America.

I’ve been heartened to see many members of the President’s party speak up forcefully today. Their voices add to the examples of Republican state and local election officials in states like Georgia who’ve refused to be intimidated and have discharged their duties honorably. We need more leaders like these – right now and in the days, weeks, and months ahead as President-Elect Biden works to restore a common purpose to our politics. It’s up to all of us as Americans, regardless of party, to support him in that goal.

4 people died yesterday. While they were seditionists, it is still sad to see that happen. Just a profoundly sad day in America. But once again, the terrorists did not win.

But enough of the sadness, how about some old-timey postcard recreation!

For this project, I recreated 3 postcards of the old postcard in Boone. Unfortunately, it no longer stands. It was replaced by a more modern post office, so these mostly end up being pictures of a Fareway training center.

Have a look:


Post Office, Boone, Iowa - Original
Post Office, Boone, Iowa – Original

Post Office, Boone, Iowa - Redux
Post Office, Boone, Iowa – Redux

Post Office, Grace Episcopal and Christian Church, Boone, Ia - Original
Post Office, Grace Episcopal and Christian Church, Boone, Ia – Original

Post Office, Grace Episcopal and Christian Church, Boone, Ia - Redux
Post Office, Grace Episcopal and Christian Church, Boone, Ia – Redux

6283 Post Office, Boone, Ia - Original
6283 Post Office, Boone, Ia – Original

6283 Post Office, Boone, Ia - Redux
6283 Post Office, Boone, Ia – Redux

Post Office - Modern Interpretation
Post Office, Boone, Iowa – Modern Interpretation

The next time I recreate an old-timey postcard, it will involve the Boone County Courthouse.

Matthew 25:35

I need to start by announcing that my church is still having our free Thanksgiving Meal this year. This year it is a drive-thru meal. If that sounds like something that you could need or want, here is some information:

First United Methodist’s Annual

FREE THANKSGIVING MEAL

You are invited to a fee drive thru/carryout Thanksgiving meal at the Boone First United Methodist Church (703 Arden Street)! We will NOT be offering out usual dine in meal but are happy to send a home cooked meal with you! Meals will be available for pickup on Thursday, November 26 between 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. Enter Arden Street from 8th Street heading north to south. Please call the church office with the number of meals that you plan to pick up.

To contact the church, call 515-432-4660 and leave a message or email bnfumc@mchsi.com.

Also because of coronavirus, there is a shortage of volunteers. If it is something you might be interested in helping with, I can get you into contact with a guy. You have to be signed up to work before the day, because they are limiting the amount of people inside the church to as few as possible. There is also need for help on the days before.

If interested, like I said, I know a guy.

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Thought today would be a good day to share the ART pictures I took for THE WEEKLY PHOTO CHALLENGE, but didn’t share on Monday:


WEEK 270 - ART ALTERNATE
Why do I feel that the person that put this up, also snapped it to all their friends.

WEEK 270 - ART ALTERNATE

WEEK 270 - ART ALTERNATE

WEEK 270 - ART ALTERNATE

WEEK 270 - ART ALTERNATE

WEEK 270 - ART ALTERNATE

WEEK 270 - ART ALTERNATE

WEEK 270 - ART ALTERNATE

WEEK 270 - ART ALTERNATE

WEEK 270 - ART ALTERNATE

WEEK 270 - ART ALTERNATE

WEEK 270 - ART ALTERNATE

WEEK 270 - ART ALTERNATE

WEEK 270 - ART ALTERNATE

WEEK 270 - ART ALTERNATE

WEEK 270 - ART ALTERNATE

WEEK 270 - ART ALTERNATE

WEEK 270 - ART ALTERNATE

WEEK 270 - ART ALTERNATE

WEEK 270 - ART ALTERNATE

WEEK 270 - ART ALTERNATE

Most of these pictures were taken at the skate park at McHose Park.

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


WEEK 271 - NIGHT
NIGHT

A NIGHT picture doesn’t have to be outdoors. Any picture taken after the sun has gone down is a NIGHT picture.

Happy photo harvesting!

Spread the Faith

I just want to start by congratulating Joe Biden on winning the election to become the next President of the United States of America!



Back when I was on President Quest 2020, my search for who would be the next President of the United States, I did go see Joe Biden at the Boone County Fairgrounds. I did get my picture taken with him. Joe took the picture with my phone:


Joe Biden at Boone County Fairgrounds

If you are interested on revisiting my post on when I saw Joe Biden speak, you can click on the link below:

PRESIDENT QUEST 2020 – JOE BIDEN

I spent my election day on Tuesday as a Mail-In Ballot Poll Watcher at the Boone County Courthouse. It was 12 hours that were very educational, very interesting, and very boring. I plan on writing a whole thing on that day (because I have much to say), but the short version is, I was very impressed with the people who do what is an incredibly tedious and incredibly thankless job. They do it very well and they do it very fair. These people are saints!

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Thought I would share a small collection of flower photos I took in early October:


Nature's Amen - 2020

Nature's Amen - 2020

A Garden of Love

A Garden of Love

A Garden of Love

I think I’m actually starting to run low on flower pictures, but there are still a ton of them out there to be curated as well. It is a conundrum.

WPC – WEEK 264 – SIGNS

Sorry that this is several minutes late today. I went to cast my ballot for the 2020 election during my lunch break from the mine:


Early Votiong 2020

A reminder that if you live in Iowa, early voting starts today! It might be easier and safer than voting on November 3. But you have to make the choice that is best for you.

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


Johnathan at 400mm

Photo of the Day 0009 - May 11, 2014

09-22-07

Stensland Family Photo Shoot - 2016

Bennett Family Photo Shoot - 2017

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

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WooHoo! 53 straight weeks of double digit submissions!! Once again, I didn’t even have to send out any reminder texts.

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


WEEK 264 - SIGNS - KIO DETTMAN
Kio Dettman

WEEK 264 - SIGNS - KIO DETTMAN
Kio Dettman

WEEK 264 - SIGNS - TAMARA PETERSON
Tamara Peterson

WEEK 264 - SIGNS - SHANNON BARDOLE-FOLEY
Shannon Bardole-Foley

WEEK 264 - SIGNS - JESSE HOWARD
Jesse Howard

WEEK 264 - SIGNS - JESSE HOWARD
Jesse Howard

WEEK 264 - SIGNS - JESSE HOWARD
Jesse Howard

WEEK 264 - SIGNS - CHRISTOPHER D. BENNETT
Christopher D. Bennett

WEEK 264 - SIGNS - TERESA KAHLER
Teresa Kahler

WEEK 264 - SIGNS - TERESA KAHLER
Teresa Kahler

WEEK 264 - SIGNS - TERESA KAHLER
Teresa Kahler

WEEK 264 - SIGNS - CATHIE RALEY
Cathie Raley

WEEK 264 - SIGNS - KIM BARKER
Kim Barker

WEEK 264 - SIGNS - ELIZABETH NORDEEN
Elizabeth Nordeen

WEEK 264 - SIGNS - CARLA STENSLAND
Carla Stensland

WEEK 264 - SIGNS - CARLA STENSLAND
Carla Stensland

WEEK 264 - SIGNS - CARLA STENSLAND
Carla Stensland

WEEK 264 - SIGNS - 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:


WEEL 265 - SELF-PORTRAIT
SELF-PORTRAIT

SELF-PORTAIT! What a great theme! But what is a SELF-PORTRAIT? This is simply a portrait where the subject and the photographer are one and the same. If you don’t like taking your own picture, you can always take a picture of somebody else taking a SELF-PORTRAIT. That is a pro tip for ya!

Here is a look back at the previous 7 times SELF-PORTRAIT was a theme:

RWPE #8 – SELF-PORTRAIT

RWPE Y2 #52 – SELF-PORTRAIT

WEEKLY PHOTO CHALLENGE – WEEK 25 – SELF-PORTRAIT

WEEKLY PHOTO CHALLENGE – WEEK 68 – SELF-PORTRAIT

WEEKLY PHOTO CHALLENGE – WEEK 144 & WEEK 145

WEEKLY PHOTO CHALLENGE – WEEK 179 – SELF-PORTRAIT

WPC – WEEK 245 – SELF-PORTRAIT

HOUSEKEEPINGA MESSAGE FROM THE PHOTOGRAPHY 139 RULES DIVISION

The picture has to be taken the week of the theme. This isn’t a curate your pictures challenge. This is a get your butt off the couch (my personal experience) and put your camera in your hands challenge. Don’t send me a picture of you next to the Eiffel Tower, when I know you were in Iowa all week. I will point out that I have let that slide some in the past. I will not in the future. Since it is literally about the only rule.

Your submission needs to be emailed to bennett@photography139.com by 11 AM on the Monday of the challenge due date.

OR

I now allow people to text me their submissions. In the past, I had made exceptions for a couple people that aren’t real computer savvy, even though it was an inconvenience for me and required at least 3 extra steps for me. I am now lifting that embargo because I have a streamline way of uploading photos. I’m not giving out my phone number, but if you have it, you can text me.

It should be pointed out that this blog auto-publishes at 12:01 on Mondays. So it wouldn’t hurt to get your picture in earlier.

That is it, them’s the rules.

A MESSAGE FROM THE PHOTOGRAPHY 139 SHAMELESS SELF-PROMOTION DIVISION

Nobody showed class, taste, and sophistication this week by signing up for a Photography 139 email subscription. I’ll try and do better next week.

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That’s all I got for today, so if the good Lord’s willin’ and the creek don’t rise, we will commune right here again next Monday. Hopefully it will be a very selfish Monday!

WPC – WEEK 263 – STILL LIFE

We did it fam! 52 straight weeks of double digit submissions! I can hardly believe it. That means it shouldn’t be an issue to continue to get great participation rates as we slowly move into the colder and colder temperatures in the coming months. Don’t forget to get your flu shot!

Also, remember that next Monday marks the beginning of early voting in Iowa. Also known as in-person absentee voting.

Absentee Voting in Person
You may cast an absentee ballot in person at your county auditor’s office before any election.

You must vote your absentee ballot at the auditor’s office. You cannot take the ballot home with you.

For voters who need assistance in marking their ballots, an accessible ballot marking device is available at the county auditor’s office.

For primary and general elections, absentee ballots will be available no earlier than 29 days at the county auditors’ offices. For all other elections, ballots will be available as soon as they are ready, but not sooner than 29 days before an election.

In-person absentee voting is not available on election day at the auditor’s office unless the polls open at noon. If the polls open at noon, you may cast an absentee ballot at the county auditor’s office from 8 a.m. to 11 a.m. on election day.

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


WEEK 263 - STILL LIFE - KIO DETTMAN
Kio Dettman

WEEK 263 - STILL LIFE - KIO DETTMAN
Kio Dettman

WEEK 263 - STILL LIFE - KIO DETTMAN
Kio Dettman

WEEK 263 - STILL LIFE - KIO DETTMAN
Kio Dettman

WEEK 263 - STILL LIFE - ANDY SHARP
Andy Sharp

WEEK 263 - STILL LIFE - ANDY SHARP
Andy Sharp

WEEK 263 - STILL LIFE - KIM BARKER
Kim Barker

WEEK 263 - STILL LIFE - CARLA STENSLAND
Carla Stensland

WEEK 263 - STILL LIFE - CARLA STENSLAND
Carla Stensland

WEEK 263 - STILL LIFE - KIO DETTMAN
Kio Dettman

WEEK 263 - STILL LIFE - TAMARA PETERSON
Tamara Peterson

WEEK 263 - STILL LIFE - BECKY PARMELEE
Becky Parmelee

WEEK 263 - STILL LIFE - BECKY PARMELEE
Becky Parmelee

WEEK 263 - STILL LIFE - CHRISTOPHER D. BENNETTT
Christopher D. Bennett

WEEK 263 - STILL LIFE - SHANNON BARDOLE-FOLEY
Shannon Bardole-Foley

WEEK 263 - STILL LIFE - MICKY AUGUSTIN
Micky Augustin

WEEK 263 - STILL LIFE - CATHIE RALEY
Cathie Raley

WEEK 263 - STILL LIFE - LOGAN KAHLER
Logan Kahler

WEEK 263 - STILL LIFE - LOGAN KAHLER
Logan Kahler

WEEK 263 - STILL LIFE - JOE DUFF
Joe Duff

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 264 - SIGNS
SIGNS

SIGNS! What a great theme! No wonder is in THE WEEKLY PHOTO CHALLENGE HALL OF FAME! But what is a SIGNS photo? Any image where a SIGN(S) is an important compositional element of the image. Remember there are more than one kind of SIGN(S). In the theme reveal image, there is the street sign that indicates a “T” intersection. But the dark clouds are also a sign of a coming storm. Tamara’s submission this week is an example of a SIGNS image.

Click on the links below, to see the 7 times in the past where SIGNS has been a theme:

RWPE #12 – SIGNS

RWPE Y2 #46 – SIGNS

WEEKLY PHOTO CHALLENGE WEEK 2 – SIGNS

WEEKLY PHOTO CHALLENGE – WEEK 55 – SIGNS

WEEKLY PHOTO CHALLENGE – WEEK 135 – SIGNS

WPC – WEEK 200 – SIGNS

WPC – WEEK 247 – SIGNS

I look forward to seeing your new interpretations!

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HOUSEKEEPING

A MESSAGE FROM THE PHOTOGRAPHY 139 RULES DIVISION

The picture has to be taken the week of the theme. This isn’t a curate your pictures challenge. This is a get your butt off the couch (my personal experience) and put your camera in your hands challenge. Don’t send me a picture of you next to the Eiffel Tower, when I know you were in Iowa all week. I will point out that I have let that slide some in the past. I will not in the future. Since it is literally about the only rule.

Your submission needs to be emailed to bennett@photography139.com by 11 AM on the Monday of the challenge due date.

OR

I now allow people to text me their submissions. In the past, I had made exceptions for a couple people that aren’t real computer savvy, even though it was an inconvenience for me and required at least 3 extra steps for me. I am now lifting that embargo because I have a streamline way of uploading photos. I’m not giving out my phone number, but if you have it, you can text me.

It should be pointed out that this blog auto-publishes at 12:01 on Mondays. So it wouldn’t hurt to get your picture in earlier.

That is it, them’s the rules.

A MESSAGE FROM THE PHOTOGRAPHY 139 SHAMELESS SELF-PROMOTION DIVISION

Nobody showed class, taste, and sophistication this week by signing up for a Photography 139 email subscription. I’ll try and do better next week.

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That’s all I got for today, so if the good Lord’s willin’ and the creek don’t rise, we will commune right here again next Monday. Hopefully it will be a very signaled Monday!

My Mind was Full of Razors

Last Friday night I prowled around Boone for a little bit taking NIGHT pictures for THE WEEKLY PHOTO CHALLENGE. Many of them, just couldn’t make the cut for Monday. But they seem to be ready for the world now.


My Mind was Full of Razors

My Mind was Full of Razors

My Mind was Full of Razors

My Mind was Full of Razors

My Mind was Full of Razors

My Mind was Full of Razors

My Mind was Full of Razors

My Mind was Full of Razors

My Mind was Full of Razors

My Mind was Full of Razors

My Mind was Full of Razors

My Mind was Full of Razors

My Mind was Full of Razors

I really don’t do enough NIGHT photography these days.

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This is your reminder that this week’s THE WEEKLY PHOTO CHALLENGE theme is ANIMAL.


WEEK 254 - ANIMAL
ANIMAL

An ANIMAL photo is any picture of an ANIMAL or ANIMAL byproduct.

Happy photo harvesting!

Black Lives Matter – Boone – Four

I had two major concerns about the Black Lives Matter protests that are sweeping our country. First was that they would end before they had a chance to tear down every monument to a racist, traitor a-hole that committed treason against our country to fight for the subjugation of other human beings through slavery that were erected in the 1900s and again in the 1950s and 1960s in an attempt to intimidate African-Americans seeking equal rights and trying to perpetuate a future of white supremacy.

Chris Columbus and his genocide-bringing-ass can go to hell as well.

My other concern, is that the Black Lives Matter protests would lead to big spikes in Coronavirus, particularly in a community that due to economic inequality, has had high mortality rates. However, a recent study shows that this has not been the case.

From the study:

6. Conclusions
This study is the first to empirically examine the linkage between the 2020 Black Lives Matter protests and the spread of COVID-19, which has been a point of concern among public health officials and the media (Bacon 2020; Goldberg 2020; Harmon and Rojas 2020). While it is almost certain that the protests caused a decrease in social distancing behavior among protest attendees, we demonstrate that effect of the protests on the social distancing behavior of the entire population residing in counties with large urban protests was positive. Likewise, while it
is possible that the protests caused an increase in the spread of COVID-19 among those who attended the protests, we demonstrate that the protests had little effect on the spread of COVID19 for the entire population of the counties with protests during the more than three weeks
following protest onset. In most cases, the estimated longer-run effect (post-21 days) was negative, though not statistically distinguishable from zero.

While the exact mechanisms for these findings cannot be conclusively known with the data available, the results are consistent with avoidance behavior on the part of the non-attending population. This is consistent with the literature on crime, violence, and perceived safety
amongst the general population, who in the presence of crime or violence choose to remain home more often (Bennet et al. 2007; Stafford et al. 2007; Chalfin 2008; Janke, Propper and Shields
2016; Yu and Lippert 2016; Stolzenberg, D’Alessio and Flexon 2019). While Black Lives Matter protests are protected speech and not criminal activities, they may still be viewed as dangerous by non-attendees due to the occasional presence of violence, including police response to these protests, and elicit avoidance behavior.

There are other possible explanations for our findings as well, such as avoiding travel outside the home due to additional traffic congestion or street closures, or due to lack of available activities from businesses closures near protest sites. Additionally, non-attendees may perceive a higher risk of COVID-19 infection due to the protests and choose to stay home.

Finally, it is possible that the result of suggestive lower spread of COVID-19 relative to non-protesting cities is due in part to characteristics of the protesters. For example, protest attendees may have mitigated the spread of COVID-19 via infection countermeasures such as wearing masks. The attendees may further be a selected subpopulation of younger individuals who if infected have less severe symptoms (Liao et al. 2020) and thus may never get tested and not show up in the official COVID-19 numbers.

Regardless of the underlying mechanisms, our findings show that the protests and the fight against COVID-19 were on net aligned. It is important to underscore that our findings do not imply that that this was the case for all parts of the population. The net effect of increased
sheltering and decreased case growth could mask adverse outcomes within a subset of the population (specifically protest attendees). This could hypothetically cause a redistribution of public health benefits (and costs) across demographic groups, and could only be measured with more granular data that to our knowledge does not exist at present.

However, when considering the results’ implications for the entire population: public speech and public health did not trade off against each other in this case. Our findings also highlight the importance of understanding the behavior of all relevant populations when conducting analysis in the realm of social science in general, and public health in particular: the most visible portion of the population is not always the primary driver of the outcome of interest.

SOURCE: https://www.nber.org/papers/w27408.pdf

While Coronavirus cases are spiking in places like Arizona, Florida, and Texas, this study is pretty indicative of how effective wearing a mask and being outside can be.

So, WEAR A MASK IN PUBLIC!!!!

Here is the final collection of images from the Boone Black Lives Matter event from a couple of weeks ago.


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

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

It was interesting to see such an event in Boone. It is a hopeful sign.