You’re So Vain, You Probably Think this Post is About You

This is the final post of the 2017 backlog.

I usually get tapped with taking the pictures for the day job’s holiday card.

My co-workers range from putting in a ton of effort in getting ready for their portrait to just showing up and saying “let’s get this done” to complaining incessantly about it.

I, for the most part, enjoy the exercise, even though these are little more than glorified mugshots that take up about 1 square centimeter on a card that I’m not certain many of our customers even look at.

I’m going to share the pictures of co-workers that are also subscribers to this here blog. Maybe a couple more that I just enjoy.


Computer Mine Holiday Card - 2017

Computer Mine Holiday Card - 2017

Computer Mine Holiday Card - 2017

Computer Mine Holiday Card - 2017

Computer Mine Holiday Card - 2017

Computer Mine Holiday Card - 2017

Computer Mine Holiday Card - 2017

Computer Mine Holiday Card - 2017

Computer Mine Holiday Card - 2017

Computer Mine Holiday Card - 2017

Computer Mine Holiday Card - 2017

Computer Mine Holiday Card - 2017

Computer Mine Holiday Card - 2017

Computer Mine Holiday Card - 2017

Computer Mine Holiday Card - 2017

Computer Mine Holiday Card - 2017

Computer Mine Holiday Card - 2017

Computer Mine Holiday Card - 2017

I don’t Photoshop these. I just turn them over to the powers that be. Okay, I might have Photoshopped Jorge’s picture a hair because I kept being told that his eyes are too small. Dude has small eyes. Why you pickin’ on him?

These aren’t the pictures used on the holiday card. They aren’t even the best pictures from their shoots. Tey are just pictures that I liked.

An Artist’s Notebook will probably take Sundays off for the time being. I think we all need the break.

06-11-08

The pictures from the folder 06-11-08 are from a road trip I took with Willy and Jay to Dyersville. The point of the road trip was to see The Field of Dreams. Jay actually suggested this road trip, even though he doesn’t like baseball. I agreed to go, even though I don’t like the movie FIELD OF DREAMS.

Also on the trip, we stopped at the Basilica of Dyersville. I’m not 100% sure of what Basilica is, but I believe it is a really fancy Catholic church where the Pope can hang out if he ever get kicked out of Rome.

Here are some pictures from the road trip:


Field of Dreams Road Trip

Field of Dreams Road Trip

Field of Dreams Road Trip

Field of Dreams Road Trip

Field of Dreams Road Trip

Field of Dreams Road Trip

Field of Dreams Road Trip

Field of Dreams Road Trip

Field of Dreams Road Trip

Field of Dreams Road Trip

Field of Dreams Road Trip

Field of Dreams Road Trip

Field of Dreams Road Trip

Field of Dreams Road Trip

Field of Dreams Road Trip

Field of Dreams Road Trip

Field of Dreams Road Trip

Field of Dreams Road Trip

Field of Dreams Road Trip

Field of Dreams Road Trip

Field of Dreams Road Trip

Field of Dreams Road Trip

Field of Dreams Road Trip

Field of Dreams Road Trip

Field of Dreams Road Trip

Field of Dreams Road Trip

Field of Dreams Road Trip

Field of Dreams Road Trip

Field of Dreams Road Trip

Field of Dreams Road Trip

Field of Dreams Road Trip

Field of Dreams Road Trip

Field of Dreams Road Trip

Field of Dreams Road Trip

Field of Dreams Road Trip

Field of Dreams Road Trip

Field of Dreams Road Trip

Field of Dreams Road Trip

Field of Dreams Road Trip

Field of Dreams Road Trip

By adding these images to the Photography 139 Gallery, I was able to restore the following historic “An Artist’s Notebook” entries to their original glory:

Field of Dreams

St. Francis Xavier Basilica

Next Saturday’s walk down memory lane will involve a trip to the Iowa State Fair!

A Photo Journal – Henry Carroll – Page 70-71

As the 2018 political season wound down, I found it to be a perfect time to tackle Page 70 and then subsequently Page 71 of THE PHOTO JOURNAL PROJECT:


Photo Journal - Page 70
Page 70 – Take a picture of something you hate.

There are few things in the world I hate more than the “stick-to” narrative. This belief that everybody has a right to express their political opinion, except for artists and athletes. Since I happen to be both (Monstars, represent!), it is something that hits home.

When a plumber or a line cook expresses a political opinion, nobody is out there saying, “Stick to plumbing” or “Stick to cooking”.

But whenever an athlete or an actor expresses a political opinion you hear a chorus of “Hey pal, stick to sports, just stick to sports.”

Which is weird because athletes like Jackie Robinson and Muhammad Ali (to name just a couple) have been instrumental in leading social change.

Even stranger still is the people who come down on artists. It is the job of the artist to say some thing. That is the point of art. It isn’t always political, but sometimes, that is going to be political. Banksy is probably the greatest political artist of our times. It would be tragic if he was silent.

By the way, thanks to Michelle for making my “Stick to Photography” sign!

Page 70 leads to Page 71 of THE PHOTO JOURNAL PROJECT:


Photo Journal - Page 71
Page 71 – Email me the picture and I’ll email you a picture of something I hate.

Page 71 asked you to send your hate picture to the author of A PHOTO JOURNAL, and then he would email you back a picture of something he hates. The author of A PHOTO JOURNAL is Henry Carroll. This is what he emailed me back.

Not sure what page we will check in with next time we check in with THE PHOTO JOURNAL PROJECT. It’ll be a surprise to all of us!

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A reminder that this week’s WEEKLY PHOTO CHALLENGE theme is PETS:


WEEK 166 - PETS
PETS

A PETS image is any photo of a PET(S) or anything related to a PET(S).

Happy photo harvesting!

#BlueWave2018

I decided to make a few abstract images to commemorate the Blue Wave in the 2018 Midterm Elections.

I was quite the historical night and a very successful night for the Democrats.

Consider:

  • Despite facing tremendous gerrymandering in many states, Democrats gained between 37-39 House seats. The most since the post Watergate Midterm.
  • Despite the worst Senate map that any party has faced since 1960, the Republicans only managed to flip deep red states North Dakota, Missouri, and Indiana. They were unable to flip Montana and West Virginia. Meanwhile, the Democrats flipped Senate seats in traditional red states of Arizona and Nevada. When all is said and done, the Republicans will probably also flip Florida. Which will be by far the greatest Republican accomplishment of the night.
  • Democrats flipped over 300 state legislative seats.
  • Democrats flipped 7 governors.
  • 15 Represenatives with A Grades from the NRA* lost. All lost to Moms Demand Action Candidates.
  • Jared Polis became first openly gay governor when he was elected in Colorado
  • First Native American women elected to Congress. Sharice Davids in Kansas. Deb Halaland in New Mexico. Davids is a lesbian, which makes her the fist openly LGBT member of Congress from Kansas as well.
  • The first two Muslim women were elected to Congress in Rashida Tlaib and Ihan Omar.
  • Krysten Sinema became the first openly bisexual woman elected to the Senate when she won in Arizona.
  • Democrats currently lead the House popular vote by 6.8%. That number will be closer to 8% when all votes are counted.
  • Voters in Idaho, Nebraska, and Utah all voted to expand Medicaid under the Affordable Care Act.  Those are all red states by the way.
  • Michigan voted to expand voting rights. Approving same-day voter registration, made it easier to request absentee ballots, and reinstated straight-ticket voting.
  • Maryland passed a measure to implement same-day voter registration.
  • Florida passed Amendment 4 which restores voting rights to 1.4 million formerly incarcerated Floridians that served their times and paid their debts to society. That leaves only Iowa and Kentucky as the only backward states that don’t.
  • Trump’s campaigning, fearmongering, and constant lying had next to no effect on the results.  Trump endorsed candidates won about 50% of the time. Which is about the same as just flipping a coin.  For the record, he came to Iowa to campaign for Rod Blum. Rod Blum lost.
  • Midterms usually have little effect on the Presidential election, but a few things that will make it easier for the Democrats to win in 2020 (besides a historically unpopular President). The states of Wisconsin, Michigan, and Pennsylvania all elected Democrat Governors. While that doesn’t mean that they will go blue in 2020, but if they would’ve went blue in 2016, Hillary would be the President right now. It is much easier for a Presidential candidate to win a state when they can attach to a governor’s existing campaign apparatus. Florida is considered a swing state, it consistently votes red. However, by the slimmest margins. Amendment 4 could easily swing Florida blue. While Ohio has become increasingly red, Virginia is now solidly blue. They almost offset each other. While people have claimed that Texas is purpling for years, it isn’t quite there yet. However, traditional red states Arizona and Nevada are now definitely swing states. New Mexico has become a blue state.
  • If you were to move the vote 6% towards the Republican candidate in 2 years, the Democrat candidate would still win the White House.
  • Turnout for the midterm election was historically high. More than 49% of eligible voters actually voted.
  • For the first time in history more than 100 women will serve in Congress.
  • Young voter turnout increased by 188% If you ware wondering if you are a young voter, you are if you between the ages of 18 and 29.

All in all, it was an incredible midterm with many fascinating, historical results.  Below are my abstract salutes to the Blue Wave:


#BlueWave2018

#BlueWave2018

#BlueWave2018

#BlueWave2018

#BlueWave2018

#BlueWave2018

#BlueWave2018

#BlueWave2018

#BlueWave2018

#BlueWave2018

#BlueWave2018

#BlueWave2018

#BlueWave2018

#BlueWave2018

It will probably be quiet for a few weeks here in Iowa. However, I expect 2020 presidential hopefuls will start hitting Iowa sometime in January. I have a goal of trying to see as many of them as possible.

*A domestic terrorist organization

Naima Underwater Test

Naima likes to walk in water. Naima doesn’t swim, unless forced. She doesn’t enjoy it. But she loves tromping around in water.

I decided to try to grab a picture of her tromping around in water, from underwater.

It didn’t work out that well because the place we go so she can run around off her leash, has a muddy bottom. But here are some pictures from the test. This was back in May at Dickcissel Park.


Underwater Test

Underwater Test

Underwater Test
You can actually see Naima in this picture.

Underwater Test

Naima at Dickcissel Park

Naima at Dickcissel Park

Naima at Dickcissel Park

Naima at Dickcissel Park

Naima at Dickcissel Park

Naima at Dickcissel Park

Naima at Dickcissel Park

Naima at Dickcissel Park

The water around here has gotten pretty cold, so underwater photography is probably done for 2018. However, I have plans for purchasing a camera for next year that is going to be for underwater photography and slow motion photography. It is low on the priority list:

1. Pay off car.
2. Bank fraud refund.
3. New rear brakes.
4. Big 12 Championship Game Trip ????
5. Remaining Self-Directed Training Budget – $355.20
6. 2019 Calendars ????
7. Iowa State Bowl Trip ????
8. Subscribe to Des Moines Register
9. Hope to not get screwed over by the GOP Tax Scam.
10. DJI Mavic Pro 2
11. Sony RX0
12. Sony Alpah a7II

Although 11 and 12 can be switched around, depending on whether or not I come across a deal. And obviously, there are lots of question marks on the big board. But this is how I plan on blowing tons of money in the near to nearish future.

About the Sublime

The day that I found out that I got 2 pictures in the Iowa State Fair Photography Salon, I celebrated by taking a few pictures of flowers in the Photography 139 Flowerbeds.

Here are a few of them:


Lily

Lily

Lily

Lily

Lily

Flower

Flower

Flower

Flower

Not that I’ve given the matter much thought, but I think that I might try to enter a couple of categories in the State Fair Photography Salon that I have never entered before. I’ve been thinking about entering the Drone category (if I get that drone) and the Panorama category. I haven’t done panoramas much lately, but I thought I would give it a whirl again at some point.

WEEKLY PHOTO CHALLENGE – WEEK 165 – LANDSCAPE

Before we get too involved in the week’s WEEKLY PHOTO CHALLENGE, I want to take a little bit of time to toot my own horn. Today at 9:36 AM, I made the final payment on the Camry. Today, that baby is mine! I don’t have the pink slip in my hand yet, but that is only a matter of time! Below is the moment I clicked “Pay”:


Making My Last Car Payment on the Camry
(Photo Cred to Michelle)

Now, right after I determine how much money I might potentially spend on going to the Big 12 Championship Game, then right after I figure out if I’m going to make calendars again this year, then right after I get the rear brakes replaced, then right after I figure out how much I might potentially spend on an Iowa State Bowl Game, then after I figure out how the GOP Tax Scam effected my tax return, I can begin drone shopping in earnest. I hope to have one purchased by February. You know. When it is too cold to use it!

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LANDSCAPE, at least in my humble opinion, can be a tough nut for some people to crack, during the time of year when everything is dying and the land is barren. Despite that fact, a few people out there were able to come up with a LANDSCAPE photo.

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


WEEK 165 - LANDSCAPE - CATHIE RALEY
Cathie Raley

WEEK 165 - LANDSCAPE - JESSE HOWARD
Jesse Howard

WEEK 165 - LANDSCAPE - MICKY AUGUSTIN
Micky Augustin

WEEK 165 - LANDSCAPE - TAMARA PETERSON
Tamara Peterson

WEEK 165 - LANDSCAPE - ANGIE DEWAARD
Angie DeWaard

WEEK 165 - LANDSCAPE - CATHIE RALEY
Cathie Raley

WEEK 165 - LANDSCAPE - CHRISTOPHER D. BENNETT
Christopher D. Bennett

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 166 - PETS
PETS

PETS! What a great theme! But what is a PETS photo? A PETS photo is any photo that involves PETS or byproducts of PETS! If you don’t have a PET(S) or feel you don’t have access to a PET(S), then Naima can be booked. Her sitting fee is 2 milk bones and 5 minutes of head scratching.

The submissions for PETS will be published next Tuesday and not next Monday. Don’t panic. I still look forward to your interpretations.

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 due date. 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 petted Monday.

ANDERSON-DEGENEFFE: SET 4

This is the final collection of pictures from the Anderson-Degeneffe Wedding that I am going to share.

This almost concluded the 2017 back log. It does conclude it if I decide not to share any pictures from the Computer Mine Holiday Card. I will make my decision on that before I get to the end of this here blog.


Amber and Steve's Wedding

Amber and Steve's Wedding

Amber and Steve's Wedding

Amber and Steve's Wedding

Amber and Steve's Wedding

Amber and Steve's Wedding

Amber and Steve's Wedding

Amber and Steve's Wedding

Amber and Steve's Wedding

Amber and Steve's Wedding

Amber and Steve's Wedding

Amber and Steve's Wedding

Amber and Steve's Wedding

Amber and Steve's Wedding

Amber and Steve's Wedding

Amber and Steve's Wedding

Amber and Steve's Wedding

Amber and Steve's Wedding

Amber and Steve's Wedding

Amber and Steve's Wedding

Amber and Steve's Wedding

Amber and Steve's Wedding

Amber and Steve's Wedding

Amber and Steve's Wedding

Amber and Steve's Wedding

Amber and Steve's Wedding

Amber and Steve's Wedding

Amber and Steve's Wedding

Amber and Steve's Wedding

Amber and Steve's Wedding

Amber and Steve's Wedding

Amber and Steve's Wedding

Amber and Steve's Wedding

Amber and Steve's Wedding

I do believe I will share some photos from the Computer Mine Holiday Card Photo Shoot. Then I will be done with the 2017 back log and we will all get our Sundays back. Whew!

Little White Lye Soap and Boone County Sea Dogs

At this point on our stroll down memory lane, rather than go through full folders, I’m taking a a bit out of a folder at a time, because some of these folders have hundreds and hundreds of images.

These images are from a “tubing” trip down the Des Moines River and pictures I took for Shannon for an article on her for The Des Moines Register.


Boone County Sea Dogs

Boone County Sea Dogs

Boone County Sea Dogs

Boone County Sea Dogs

Boone County Sea Dogs

Boone County Sea Dogs

Boone County Sea Dogs

Boone County Sea Dogs

Boone County Sea Dogs

Boone County Sea Dogs

Little White Lye Soap - Des Moines Register

Little White Lye Soap - Des Moines Register

Little White Lye Soap - Des Moines Register

Little White Lye Soap - Des Moines Register

Little White Lye Soap - Des Moines Register

Little White Lye Soap - Des Moines Register

Little White Lye Soap - Des Moines Register

Little White Lye Soap - Des Moines Register

The pictures that were taken on the river were taken with a disposable camera.

By adding these images to The Photography 139 Gallery, I was able to restore the following historic “An Artist’s Notebook” entries to their original glory:

That Picture

Slow on the Take…

Boone County Sea Dogs

Next Saturday’s walk down memory lane will involve a trip to the Field of Dreams.

A PHOTO JOURNAL – HENRY CARROLL – PAGE 40

Back at the end of August I had a free Saturday afternoon, so I decided to head out to Big Creek and tackle Page 40 of THE PHOTO JOURNAL PROJECT:


Photo Journal - Page 40
Create a playlist. Now listen to it while out taking pictures.

It was hard for me to determine the exact appropriate length for a playlist, so I sorta cheated on that aspect. I decided to just use the soundtrack from BABY DRIVER. It is, perhaps, the best soundtrack in movie history. Especially with the way it is intertwined into the movie.

If you don’t know the soundtrack, here is a listing:

Disc one

No. Title Artist(s) Length
1. “Bellbottoms” Jon Spencer Blues Explosion 5:17
2. “Harlem Shuffle” Bob & Earl 2:52
3. “Egyptian Reggae” Jonathan Richman & The Modern Lovers 2:37
4. “Smokey Joe’s La La” Googie Rene 3:02
5. “Let’s Go Away for Awhile” The Beach Boys 2:21
6. “B-A-B-Y” Carla Thomas 2:57
7. “Kashmere” Kashmere Stage Band 4:57
8. “Unsquare Dance” Dave Brubeck 2:00
9. “Neat Neat Neat” The Damned 2:42
10. “Easy” (single version) The Commodores 4:16
11. “Debora” T. Rex 3:19
12. “Debra” Beck 5:43
13. “Bongolia” Incredible Bongo Band 2:15
14. “Baby Let Me Take You (In My Arms)” The Detroit Emeralds 3:53
15. “Early in the Morning” Alexis Korner 3:01

Disc two

No. Title Artist(s) Length
16. “The Edge” David McCallum 2:54
17. “Nowhere to Run” Martha and the Vandellas 3:02
18. “Tequila” The Button Down Brass 3:32
19. “When Something Is Wrong with My Baby” Sam & Dave 3:16
20. “Every Little Bit Hurts” Brenda Holloway 2:57
21. “Intermission” Blur 2:27
22. “Hocus Pocus” (original single version) Focus 3:18
23. “Radar Love” (1973 single edit) Golden Earring 3:44
24. “Never, Never Gonna Give Ya Up” Barry White 4:51
25. “Know How” Young MC 4:02
26. “Brighton Rock” Queen 5:10
27. “Easy” Sky Ferreira 4:28
28. “Baby Driver” Simon & Garfunkel 3:16
29. “Was He Slow?” (credit roll version) Kid Koala featuring Kevin Spacey and Jon Bernthal 1:47
30. “Chase Me” Danger Mouse featuring Run the Jewels and Big Boi 3:27

Only one picture can be physically adhered into the physical A PHOTO JOURNAL, but obviously I took many more when I was out and about tooling around Big Creek. Here are some of the others:


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I’m not sure which page we will check-in with next time we check-in with THE PHOTO JOURNAL PROJECT. I need to get out there and take some more pages!

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


WEEK 165 - LANDSCAPE
LANDSCAPE

A LANDSCAPE photo is a photo of a landscape. It could be a cityscape. It could be a waterscape. But the main subject of the photo is land or water or a city.

Happy photo harvesting.