Art, Candid Portrait, Nature, Youth Group

Docking Station Alpha

March 22, 2016 Christopher D. Bennett

As I’ve posted about before, I spent my weekend (a few weekends back) with my church’s youth group on their annual retreat to the Y Camp.

Here are some pictures I took with a cruddy camera phone of the weekend.

Jentry being oh so scary.

Docking Time!

Shawn, enjoying the fire.

Morning on the river.

The river is beautiful in the morning.

Jentry and Shawn kicking back.

Caitlin enjoying the fire.

Docking Time on the deck.

Sarah rocking the karaoke machine!

Service work.

More service work.

Make note of some of the art that I’m showing. Especially if there is a piece you would like to own.

Basketball?

Competition!

More competition!

I built this fire!

Note this art!

Sad Jentry

Hmmm… Cool mugs. Kinda like to own one of them…

Last worship of the weekend.

Last Group Photo

Jentry biffed it. More than once.

MacKenzie, Megyn, and Sarah

Wood Chips!

The long walk home.

You can rest assured that more about this trip and definitely more about this group of kids will be coming your way.

Angie, Art, Bill, Kim, Movies, Nature, Pastor Sarah, WPC - Submissions

WEEKLY PHOTO CHALLENGE – WEEK 27 – TREE

March 21, 2016 Christopher D. Bennett 2 Comments

There aren’t as many people out there that are as passionate about a TREE as they are about their PET. However, the people that have passion are very passionate.

Here are this week’s submissions for TREE:

Bill Wentworth

Kim Barker 1

Kim Barker 2

Sarah Karber

Angie DeWaard 1

Angie DeWaard 2

Angie DeWaard 3

Christopher D. Bennett

It should be noted that we are officially at the halfway point of this project and it has yet to have a single strike against it. Therefore it is somewhat safe (as safe as a UNI lead anyways) to assume that this project will return for a second year. Which means, you should start thinking about themes you want to see for next year. I might be open to suggestions. Although I might not.

On a week where I’m not as rushed, I will publish the full list of 52 themes, so you know what is out there.

How about next week’s theme?

SILHOUETTE!

I’m 100% sure that everybody knows what a tree is. I’m about 98% sure everybody knows what a SILHOUETTE is, but just in case, here is a definition.

the dark shape and outline of someone or something visible against a lighter background, especially in dim light.

The best way to tackle this is to photograph something that is backlit. Preferably something that has an interesting shape. Size or action.

You get it. And I can’t wait to see what people submit.

HOUSEKEEPING

A quick note from THE PHOTOGRAPHY 139 SHAMELESS SECRET DIVISION.

It is troublesome that people have actually been paying attention to my blog post titles lately. I mean, that means I don’t completely exist in a vacuum and that is scary. While I’ll be glad to occasionally answer a “what does that mean” blog title question, I am glad to solve another mystery that I’ve recently been asked.

How do I decide the order of the pictures in the WEEKLY CHALLENGE posts?

I believe when I was asked this question, the person thought I ranked them. I don’t. Believe me. I don’t. I upload all the submissions at the same time, so I post them in the order that they get uploaded. So pictures submitted that are smaller and have a name that is near the front of the alphabet, that picture will probably be near the top. Larger files are usually towards the bottom.

I’m not here to judge art. Unless it is Andy Warhol’s art. That guy sucked. See FACTORY GIRL is you don’t believe me. If it is in a movie it has to be true.

Blogging, WPC - Reminder

Technical Glitch

March 21, 2016 Christopher D. Bennett

Because of a technical glitch at Photography 139 Worldwide Headquarters, the post of this week’s submissions won’t occur until this evening.

However, you can start working on this week’s theme… SILHOUETTE.

Animals, Black & White, History, Road Trip, Self-Portrait, Street Photography, Travel

Minnesota

March 19, 2016 Christopher D. Bennett 2 Comments

This collection images comes from a folder called “Minnesota”. It is also from January 2006.

These were taken on the Mississippi River in Saint Paul.

Next Saturday’s folder is entitled “Sculpture Garden”.

Bethany, Black & White, Dae Hee, Road Trip

Words of Widsom, Lloyd My Man

March 18, 2016 Christopher D. Bennett 4 Comments

When I stay with Bethany and Dae Hee, the guest bedroom is across from this crazy long and crazy thin hallway. It is something out of a nightmare. A took a quick snap of it last time I was up there. Well, last time I was at there place.

They are moving from this place at some point in the near future, so I might not ever get to photography it again. Sadness ensues.

PARTICULARS

CAMERA: SONY SLT-A65V
ISO: 1600
FOCAL LENGTH: UNRECORDED
APERTURE: UNRECORDED
EXPSOURE: 1/60
DATE: 02/28/2016 – 08:37
NO GPS DATA RECORDED

Black & White, Carla, Ruins

The Bravest Act

March 17, 2016 Christopher D. Bennett 2 Comments

As many of you may know, the historic Wagon Wheel Bridge recently collapsed after being damaged by ice dams.

Carla and I went out there to take a looksie. Here is one of the photos from that trip:

Some of you may be wondering why I’m not wishing you guys a Happy St. Patrick’s Day.

Listen, I’m for just about any holiday. Even one that is designed to mock the Irish for having the genetic predisposition for alcoholism. Mock away, I say.

But today, the Iowa State Cyclones battle the Gaels of Iona in the NCAA tournament.

I wish for nothing but sadness for anything that is remotely Gaelic.

I will mock (celebrate) the Irish tomorrow. By eating a Reuben. Which was invented by a Lithuanian in Nebraska, but is somehow now considered Irish food. Whatever.

GO CYCLONES!!!

No particulars today. I’m lazy.

Basketball, Derrick, Lowell, Mark, Sara, Tim, Willy

ROUNDBALL ORACLES – YEAR 12

March 16, 2016 Christopher D. Bennett

Once again, the Madness is upon us. It is time to put your basketball knowledge to the test and try to take your place upon the list of immortals.

If you are interested in joining this year’s pool. Contact me via email at bennett@photography139.com.

Once again this year, there is no fee.

The champion will win The Roundball Oracles Trophy.

The last place adult (that gave full effort) will receive the Sara Lockner Good Effort Trophy.

League rules, how to get in, past champs below.

Rules

First Round: The weight for each correct pick is 1. The seed of the winning team is added to the correct pick total.
Second Round: The weight for each correct pick is 2. The seed of the winning team is added to the correct pick total.
Sweet 16: The weight for each correct pick is 4. The seed of the winning team is added to the correct pick total.
Elite : The weight for each correct pick is 8. The seed of the winning team is added to the correct pick total.
Final Four: The weight for each correct pick is 16. There is no bonus applied.
Championship: The weight for each correct pick is 32. There is no bonus applied.

Tiebreaker: The total score of the Championship game. Constitution:

Past Roundball Oracle Champions:

2015 – Derek Dohrman
2014 – Brandon Kahler
2013 – William McAlpine
2012 – Lowell Davis
2011 – Carrie Baier
2010 – Mark Wolfram
2009 – Mark Wolfram
2008 – Mark Wolfram
2007 – Tim Peterson
2006 – William McAlpine
2005 – William McAlpine

Past Sara Lockner Good Effort Recipients:

2015 – Derrick Gorshe
2014 – Sara Lockner

Bethany, Nature, Road Trip

Corporate Handouts and Building Bombs

March 16, 2016 Christopher D. Bennett 2 Comments

Here is a picture of the mist from Minnehaha Falls from my trip there with Bethany. Or more precisely it is a picture of Minnehaha Falls where its mist has covered my camera.

You may be getting an idea of how incredibly slick and dangerous this little photo excursion ended it being.

PARTICULARS

CAMERA: SONY SLT-A65V
ISO: 100
FOCAL LENGTH: UNRECORDED
APERTURE: UNRECORDED
DATE: 02-26-2016 18:19
NO GPS DATA

Nature, Night, Youth Group

Glass Packs

March 15, 2016 Christopher D. Bennett 4 Comments

I took this picture from the back deck of the lodge where we spent a plurality of our time during the 2016 Youth Group Retreat. I took this picture after we had set up the prayer stations and while we were waiting for the kids to return from their outdoor worship service.

While I do enjoy this picture, I wish I wouldn’t have been dinking around on the back of the deck because all of the excitement was in the front. A couple of wannabe toughs drove by our site revving their car engine really loud with their lights off. Let me tell you, the intimidation factor was at least a 10.

Until, the other male chaperon, Corey walked out of the shadows and up to them and knocked on their car window. They screamed like little school girls. Then drove off into the night. Never to be seen or heard from again.

PARTICULARS

CAMERA: SONY SLT-A65V
ISO: 100
FOCAL LENGTH: UNRECORDED
APERTURE: UNRECORDED (But probably f/22)
EXPOSURE TIME: 618 seconds
DATE: 03-05-16 21:39
LATITUDE: 42.12372°
LONGITUDE: – 93.93404°