In case you forgot, I’m in Milwaukee on a Mission Trip. Far from the yoke and chain of a computer.
I will post the submissions for BLUE upon my return. Most likely Friday or Saturday.
However, you can start on this week’s theme:
The picture doesn’t necessarily have to be of your HOMETOWN. As long as it suggests to you the concept of HOMETOWN, that is all that really matters.
I look forward to looking at all the submissions when I get home! Good luck!
The collection of images in the folder 04-14-07 includes one of Alexis’ many hamsters, The Chiz’s first Iowa State Spring Game, and lots of squirrel!
Next week’s collection will include June and Dean Miller and maybe a tulip.
As I promised, after two days of having to look at disgusting Coca-Cola products, I would reward you with fuzzy cuteness. If I am nothing, I am a man of my word!
A week or so back, I was in the backyard with my legendary hunting pooch Naima. We were in the process of putting away a tarp that I was drying out. As I picked up the tarp, Naima started going crazy. After I moved the tarp I uncovered one of her favorite toys. I naturally assumed this is what she wanted so badly. I pointed it out to her, but she ignored it and she kept barking.
I turned around to see what she was all jacked up about. Turns out having fallen out of the tarp was this cute little baby possum.
After snapping a few photos, I placed the tarp over him and let him be. Despite the advice of legendary outdoorsman and animal lover Micky Augustin to just hit it with a shovel and throw it in the garbage.
When Naima woke me up at 5:30 in the morning the next day (as is our custom), I went outside and removed the tarp. Baby Possum was gone. Having moved on to spread his fuzzy cuteness to the rest of the world.
I hope our paths can cross again and and if they do I’m sure he will give me a knowing glance that says, “Hey pal. Thanks for not hitting me in the head with a shovel and throwing me in the garbage. That was doing a brother a solid.”
PARTICULARS
CAMERA: Sony SLT-A65V
ISO: 500
FOCAL LENGTH: 60mm
APERTURE: f/4
EXPOSURE: 1/100
DATE: 06/09/2016 – 19:50
LATITUDE: 42.05525°
LONGITUDE: -93.87058°
PHOTO ASSISTANT: Naima
PHOTO EDITING SOUNDTRACK: “My Name Is” by Eminem
QUESTION 20
Even though I can’t find a good glass of it in Kansas or Minnesota or anywhere else I may travel outside of Iowa, what do I always drink with my breakfast?
ANSWER: CHOCOLATE MILK
BONUS
What decidedly Iowa food item do Scottie D. and I travel the backroads of the Cyclone State to eat, rate, and seek out the best of?
ANSWER: Tenderloin
Today we take a look at the second half of the “made to order” HDR EFEX PRO 2 filters.
As a refresher, here is the original image:
Here is a look at the filters:
Then, of course. If you want, you can play with the numerous options and come up with a creation of your own. Like so…
I am, once again, sorry for the disgusting subject of these photos, but like I wrote, tomorrow will be something fuzzy and cuddly.
We will touch base with the Nik Collection again in the near future.
QUESTION 19
In youth, my friends and I tried and failed to make 1 horror movie STAYIN’ ALIVE: THE SPORTING twice, an action movie (SWORN TO VENGEANCE), and another horror movie (QUIETUS). However, we did successfully finish a movie starring Jay Janson (as an androgynous ne-er-do-well), Bill Wentworth as his manservant, William McAlpine as a short tempered natural philosopher, Anders Runestad as a hen-pecked husband with a gambling addiction, Corey Faust as an omniscient narrator, and Christopher D. Bennett as a trash talking homophobe, playing a deadly game of RISK. What was the name of this nearly cult classic?
ANSWER: GAMES
BONUS
What was the unfortunate name of the “studio” that produced this film?
ANSWER: CHEESEDICK FILMS
A month or so ago I wrote about a free Photoshop Plugin from Google called the Nik Plugin Collection. Today I’m going to share some of their default filters.
This post is going to concentrate on the the HDR EFEX PRO 2 tool, which creates HDR (High Dynamic Range) images.
This Plugin can work in two ways. It can either create an HDR Image by merging multiple images or it can do HDR Tone Mapping from a single image and make sort of a faux HDR Image.
Because there are 28 different “ready to go” filters I am splitting this post into 2 different days.
I apologize for the disgusting nature of the base image, but I considered it a good example. I’ll make up for it on Friday by publishing something cute and furry.
Here are the first examples from the HDR EFEX PRO 2:
I know. Coca-Cola. Disgusting. On the positive, it is a rusted out, old abandoned Coca-Cola machine. Just like all Coke machines should be.
For the record, I found this one in Strong City, Kansas.
The rest of the filters will be unveiled on the morrow.
QUESTION 18
What movie was the theme of the birthday party invite for my 30th birthday?
ANSWER: LOGAN’S RUN
BONUS
What two other people were featured in these invites?
ANSWER: ANDERS RUNESTAD & JESSE HOWARD
A couple Saturdays back I traveled to America’s crossroads: Colo, Iowa to take place in a turtle race that I have dubbed The Colo Derby.
My noble steed Titian dominated the competition, but on that day, it would NOT only be the turtles that smelled fishy. If you get what I’m laying down. Nudge-nudge-wink-wink! I’m saying the officiating was terrible. Okay.
Here are a few photos of this most American of travesties.
Victory. Titian is thy name!
A training lap.
I’m hoping we can make some wishes out of turtle-planes.
The combatants and their steeds. Cathie (left) was the “victor”.
The official results and some dimestore (albeit very accurate) analysis:
1. Cathie’s Turtle (won because some people don’t understand time.)
2. Titian (second place because of the base ugly human emotion called jealousy.)
3. Joe’s Turtle (third place because Joe was afraid to touch his turtle and his turtle didn’t respect him for this weakness.)
4. Michelle’s Turtle (last place because Michelle hates animals and the turtle could sense it and the turtle quit on her.)
After the race was run, I placed Titian back in the 5 gallon bucket from which he came. I am a man. He is a turtle, but I know we made a very special connection that day. Our paths will cross again. We will have our vengeance!
This week’s theme seemed to really inspire lots of people. Including first time contributor and conspiracy theory enthusiast Joe Lynch. Who wanted it known that those aren’t clouds in his picture. They are chem trails. Dropped by “them” on the “masses” to dumb us down or make us easier to control or more violent or something. Wake up people!
Here are the submissions for SKY/CLOUDS:
Angie DeWaard
Christopher D. Bennett
Carla Stensland 1
Carla Stensland 2
Jodie Bennett 1
Jodie Bennett 2
Stephanie Kim 1
Stephanie Kim 2
Stephanie Kim 3
Stephanie Kim 4
Becky Perkovich 1
Becky Perkovich 2
Mike Vest
An impressive collection of submissions methinks.
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 should be easy enough. Almost everybody has access to something BLUE. Blue is even an emotion. My inbox should be just packed full of BLUE submissions.
If you normally don’t pay attention to HOUSEKEEPING, you might want to this week. Or you might be disappointed next week.
MESSAGE FROM THE PHOTOGRAPHY 139 RULES DIVISION
1. 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.
2. Your submission needs to be emailed to bennett@photography139.com by 11 AM on the Monday of the challenge. 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.
MESSAGE FROM THE PHOTOGRAPHY 139 SHAMELESS SELF-PROMOTION DIVISION
Nothing new to report on this front. However, if you are reading these words and don’t have a Photography 139 email subscription. Let this guy know. I’ll get you hooked up!
MESSAGE FROM THE PHOTOGRAPHY 139 SCHEDULING DIVISION
I will be in Milwaukee next Monday for my church’s Youth Group Mission Trip. The deadline for BLUE will not change. However, the submissions will not be published next Monday. More like Friday night or Saturday when I return. However, at 12:01 PM next Monday, the week’s theme will publish and you can begin working in earnest on it.
MESSAGE FROM THE PHOTOGRAPHY 139 FACE BOOK IS THE DEVIL DIVISION
Just a heads up that I probably won’t be publishing a link to this here post today. Any time there is a mass shooting I stay away from Facebook for a couple days. Considering the nature of this latest symptom of our country’s disease, I’m sure Facebook is even worse than normal with posts that are racist, homophobic, scapegoating the mental health system, and highly inaccurate with its interpretation of the Second Amendment. These types of incidents always just make me sad. I don’t need anger pile on top of it.
I like to think that humans are mostly decent people. Even if most of the evidence seems to suggest otherwise. Seems like the timing of the Mission Trip is perfect.
That’s all I got, so if the good Lord’s willin’ and the creek don’t rise, we will commune again next Monday.
QUESTION 17
How many biological siblings do I have? Be very specific.
ANSWER: 2.5
BOUNS
What are their names?
ANSWER: TERESA, CARLA, & JODIE
This collection of images was stored in the folder 04-04-07.
Dragonfly!
Next week’s folder contains many photos of the Iowa State Spring Game from 2007. Yes. The first Spring Game of The Chiz.
QUESTION 16
Christopher D. Bennett is loved as far west as Manhattan, Kansas and as far south as Houston, Texas and as far north as Eagan, Minnesota and as far east as Brooklyn for his flower photography. What is his favorite flower?
ANSWER: MOONFLOWER
BONUS
Besides “dashing”, what does the D. in Christopher D. Bennett stand for?
ANSWER: DUANE
I had a recent trip to Marshalltown to try some pizza with some friends, co-workers, and co-working friends. On the way back Joe begged me to stop at the State Center Rose Garden. I obliged him.
It is one of my favorite places to visit every year and I can almost always have it to myself. Like Lone Wolf(s) like it!
PARTICULARS
CAMERA: SONY SLT-A65V
ISO: 400
FOCAL LENGTH: 60mm
APERTURE: f/4
EXPOSURE: 1/100
DATE: 06/04/2016 – 20:31
LATITUDE: 42.01533°
LONGITUDE: -93.16016°
PHOTO ASSISTANT: Joe Lynch
PHOTO EDITING SOUNDTRACK: “Bakai” by John Coltrane – COLTRANE (Track 1)
QUESTION 15
I was hardcore even as a child. As a youngster, what band was the first rock concert I ever attended?
ANSWER: REO SPEEDWAGON
BONUS
I saw my current favorite band in concert at First Ave. Who are they?
ANSWER: THE SWELL SEASON
Here lieth a few PERSPECTIVE attempts that weren’t quite up to snuff.
Such a sad and pathetic bunch.
QUESTION 14
This year I will be going on my 5th Mission Trip with my church’s Youth Group. Name the 4 places I have already gone: (Hint: 1 place twice)
ANSWER: KANSAS CITY, MINNEAPOLIS, KANSAS CITY, MARTIN (SOUTH DAKOTA)
BONUS
Where is the Mission Trip going this year?
ANSWER: MILWAUKEE
