The theme of GOVERNMENT was not nearly as popular as HOBBIES.

As of 10:59 AM on Monday, March 14, this was the current list of ACTIVE streaks:

+ Becky Parmelee – 1 week
+ Kim Barker – 1 week
+ Monica Henning – 1 week
+ Evie Gorshe – 2 weeks
+ Layla Gorshe – 2 weeks
+ Jesse Howard – 2 weeks
+ Linda Bennett – 3 weeks
+ Suzie Brannen – 3 weeks
+ Logan Kahler – 3 weeks
+ Dawn Krause – 3 weeks
+ Mike Vest – 3 weeks
+ Joe Duff – 7 weeks
+ Teresa Kahler – 7 weeks
+ Tamara Peterson – 7 weeks
+ Carla Stensland – 7 weeks
+ Michelle Haupt – 8 weeks
+ Micky Augustin – 9 weeks
+ Andy Sharp – 10 weeks
+ Bill Wentworth – 11 weeks
+ Cathie Raley – 15 weeks
+ Elizabeth Nordeen – 16 weeks
+ Shannon Bardole-Foley – 18 weeks
+ Kio Dettman – 21 weeks

But you didn’t come here to listen to me talk all tommyrot about participation rates or streaks. You came to see the submissions and what streaks continued and what streaks flamed out:

Micky Augustin – 10 weeks

Micky Augustin

Andy Sharp – 11 weeks

Andy Sharp

Teresa Kahler – 8 weeks

Suzie Brannen – 4 weeks

Elizabeth Nordeen – 17 weeks

Kio Dettman – 22 weeks

Kio Dettman

Kio Dettman

Michelle Haupt – 9 weeks

Shannon Bardole-Foley – 19 weeks

Tamara Peterson – 8 weeks

Bill Wentworth – 12 weeks

Carla Stensland – 8 weeks

Cathie Raley – 16 weeks

Christopher D. Bennett

Dawn Krause – 4 weeks

Joe Duff – 8 weeks

Jesse Howard – 3 weeks

Jodie Cue – 1 week

Jodie Cue

Jodie Cue

23 submissions from 17 participants. A pretty good week, but not like the last couple of weeks. That is okay, a regression to the norm is to be expected.

All sorts of streaks dropped this week. Becky, Kim, and Monica could not extend their streaks to two weeks. Evie and Layla’s streaks ended at two, although that might be my fault. Linda’s streak was snapped at 3, as was Logan’s and Vest’s.

Congrats to Micky for becoming the latest person to have a double digit streak! WooHoo!

Here are the current top streaks:

1. Kio – 21 weeks
2. Shannon – 18 weeks
3. Elizabeth – 16 weeks
4. Cathie – 15 weeks
5. Bill – 11 weeks

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:

ABSTRACT!

ABSTRACT! What a great theme for Year 9 of THE WEEKLY PHOTO CHALLENGE!

But what exactly is an ABSTRACT image?

Here is a definition from the Wiki:

Abstract photography, sometimes called non-objective, experimental or conceptual photography, is a means of depicting a visual image that does not have an immediate association with the object world and that has been created through the use of photographic equipment, processes or materials. An abstract photograph may isolate a fragment of a natural scene in order to remove its inherent context from the viewer, it may be purposely staged to create a seemingly unreal appearance from real objects, or it may involve the use of color, light, shadow, texture, shape and/or form to convey a feeling, sensation or impression.

In a nutshell, an ABSTRACT image would be an image that doesn’t necessarily look like the object that is being photographed. Or at least it concentrates on shapes and forms. It isn’t a picture of a flower that looks like a flower. There are several ways to do this:

+ Move the camera while taking the picture.
+ If you are using a camera with a zoom lens. Zoom the lens while taking the picture.
+ Move a light in a dark room.
+ Take a picture of smoke or steam.
+ Take a picture that is out of focus. Lights work as great subjects here.
+ Reflections in water.

The theme reveal image is a picture of the sun, taken in my alley. With a wide open aperture and completely out of focus.

Another option is to find a piece of ABSTRACT art and take a picture of that.

When thinking about possible ways to make your ABSTRACT image, meditate on the following quote:

Abstraction allows man to see with his mind what he cannot see physically with his eyes….Abstract art enables the artist to perceive beyond the tangible, to extract the infinite out of the finite. It is the emancipation of the mind. It is an exploration into unknown areas.
– Arshile Gorky

RULES

The picture has to be taken between 12:01 PM today and 11 AM next Monday. This isn’t a curate your photos project. This is a get your butt off the couch (unless you are taking your picture from the couch) and take pictures challenge.

You can send your images to either bennett@photography139.com OR you may text them to my Pixel 5.

That is all I got, so if the good Lord’s willin’ and the creek don’t rise, we will all be sharing our idea of ABSTRACT in this place that is little more than an abstraction of my thoughts next Monday.