Confirmed!

A couple of Sundays ago was Confirmation Sunday in my church. It was a big day for the Youth Group as 5 members became full members of the church AND for the Methodist Men as we served a brunch in between services to celebrate their accomplishments.

Here are a few pictures from the day:


All 5 of these kids bring such wonderful, unique, and amazing dimensions to our church. I’m excited to see where their faith journeys take them.

Valley Lodge is Closed

Since a few people have been asking, I am making a formal announcement.

THERE IS NO CHRISTOPHER D. BENNETT BIRTHDAY EXTRAVAGANZA AKA BENNETT-FEST THIS YEAR!

The reasons are multiple and complicated, but it is probably your fault. If you search your heart, you know it to be true.

So there will be NO:

– Baby Got Rack Award Winning Barbecue
– Hardcore Firetub Action
– Bubbles
– Sidewalk Chalk
– Golden Retriever
– Master’s Playlist
– Cornhole
– Tent
– Stimulating Conversation
– Catching up with old friends
– No photos like the ones below



2016 Birthday Party Photo Booth

2016 Birthday Party Photo Booth

2016 Birthday Party Photo Booth

2016 Birthday Party Photo Booth

2016 Birthday Party Photo Booth

2016 Birthday Party Photo Booth

2016 Birthday Party Photo Booth

2016 Birthday Party Photo Booth

2016 Birthday Party Photo Booth

2016 Birthday Party Photo Booth

2016 Birthday Party Photo Booth

2016 Birthday Party Photo Booth

Better luck in 2018. I have the idea for that year’s invite. I just need to find some volunteers and some costumes.

WEEKLY PHOTO CHALLENGE – WEEK 83 – SMOKE

This week’s participants are small in number, but mighty in spirit. But you don’t want to listen to me talk all tommyrot about participation rates, you just want to see the submissions for SMOKE:


WEEK 83 - SMOKE - KIM BARKER
Kim Barker

WEEK 83 - SMOKE - BECKY PERKOVICH
Becky Perkovich

WEEK 83 - SMOKE - SHANNON BARDOLE
Shannon Bardole

WEEK 83 - SMOKE - CATHIE RALEY
Cathie Raley

WEEK 83 - SMOKE - CHRISTOPHER D. BENNETT
Christopher D. Bennett

WEEK 83 - CARLA STENSLAND - SMOKE
Carla Stensland

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 84 - TREE
TREE!

TREE should be easy enough. Even people that have been tricked into living in big cities have access to a TREE or two. Even if they have to visit them in a museum.

HOUSEKEEPING

A 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.

A MESSAGE FROM THE PHOTOGRAPHY 139 SHAMELESS SELF-PROMOTION DIVISION

Nothing new to report. I’ll try to do better next week.

Want your own Photography 139 email subscription? Call, email, or text me and I’ll get you the hook up.

A MESSAGE FROM THE PHOTOGRAPHY 139 GALLERY DIVISION

Sometimes people send me descriptions of their photos. I’ve never done anything with that information in the past. However, if you send me a description in the future, I will add it to your image in the Weekly Photo Challenge Gallery that houses all the submissions.

**************************************

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 arbory Monday!

07-24-07

I decided the time wasn’t right for the world to see the donut photos.

There aren’t many pictures in the folder called 07-24-07:


07-24-07

07-24-07

Next Saturday’s folder looks like it is all about playing with in camera zoom effects.

WEEKLY PHOTO CHALLENGE REMINDER – SMOKE

This is your reminder that this week’s them for the WEEKLY PHOTO CHALLENGE is SMOKE:


WEEK 83 - SMOKE

I have been told that there are in fact people out there that still SMOKE. It is baffling, but apparently it is still a thing. The good news is that this opens up the potential for more photo opportunities.

Also, I wouldn’t get too strict with the definition of smoke. Steam or vapor are probably close enough. Clouds. No! Clouds are not SMOKE!

Happy photo harvesting!

March

Now would be a good time to check in on the Selfie Project. I’ve attempted and failed at this project 3 times now. The farthest I’ve ever made it is 116 days. I feel like this just might be the year.

Here are some of my favorites from March:


Selfie Project - March 1
March 1

Selfie Project - March 4
March 4

Selfie Project - March 5
March 5

Selfie Project - March 7
March 7

Selfie Project - March 8
March 8

Selfie Project - March 9
March 9

Selfie Project - March 11
March 11

Selfie Project - March 12
March 12

Selfie Project - March 13
March 13

Selfie Project - March 15
March 15

Selfie Project - March 21
March 21

Selfie Project - March 22
March 22

Selfie Project - March 24
March 24

Selfie Project - March 27
March 27

Selfie Project - March 28
March 28

I do post these daily on Instagram. You can follow me here: @christopherdbennett

Progress

I have two more photos from the Women’s March that I want to share individually before I do a big post of the best of the rest. Here is one of them:


Not Far Enough

PARTICULARS

CAMERA: SONY SLT-A65V
ISO: 100
FOCAL LENGTH: 35mm
APERTURE: f/7.1
EXPOSURE: 1/100
DATE: 01/21/2017 – 13:30
LATITUDE: 41.59233°
LONGITUDE: -93.60254°
PHOTO ASSISTANTS: Jen, Sara, Shawn, Evie, Layla, & Gretchen
PHOTO EDITING SOUNDTRACK: “Coca-cola Cowboy” by Mel Tillis from EVERY WHICH WAY BUT LOOSE SOUNDTRACK

Li’l JT Sr.

A few weeks back Micky and I hopped in his wife car and traveled to exotic North Ankeny to visit Michelle, Craig, Lily, and the newest addition to their family… Levi.

I didn’t actually getting any pictures of Levi, but here are some pictures of Lily:


Lily

Lily

Lily

Lily

Lily

Lily

Lily

Lily

Lily

Lily

Lily

Lily

I have to give Micky some props. It was amazing how quickly Lily warmed up to him. He is the toddler whisperer. A skill that will no doubt come in handy on our future snake hunting adventures.

Now I Know I’m Being Used

I don’t normally explain too much with anything, but I feel I should at least answer a question that will be going through your mind while looking at these pictures.

Yes, I think water fowl are ANGRY. All the time.

Probably with good reason. We are always trying to kill them for no real good reason. But they need to get over themselves, we are always trying to kill each other for no good reason, you think killing a duck even registers.

Any ways, here are the ANGRY photos that didn’t make the cut for this week’s WEEKLY PHOTO CHALLENGE:


Loser - Angry

Loser - Angry

Loser - Angry

Loser - Angry

Loser - Angry

Loser - Angry

Loser - Angry

Loser - Angry

Loser - Angry

Loser - Angry

If only these images believed in themselves, they might be able to accomplish anything.

Also, shout out to Kio Dettman who assisted with these photos.