Alexis, Andy, Angie, Art, Becky, Bill, Brandon, Carla, Cathie, Dawn, Elainie, Elizabeth, Jesse, Joe Duff, Kim, Kio, Linda, Logan, Mary, Micky, Mindi, Monica, Nader, Nathanial, Sabas, Sara, Sarah Toot, Shannon, Sheri, State Fair, Tamara, Teresa, Vest, Willy, WPC - Submissions

WPC – WEEK 414 – ART

August 21, 2023 Christopher D. Bennett

I’m leaving for Omaha later than I anticipated, so I did have time to get this post out on time.

ART! A great theme! But did it make a large number of people feel ARTistic enough to submit? You’ll have to keep scrolling to find out.

As of 12:01 PM on Monday, August 14, this was the current list of ACTIVE streaks (ignore the numbers in parentheses):

1-Mary Green – 2 weeks
2-Sara Lockner – 2 weeks
3-Mike Vest – 6 weeks
4-Suzie Brannen – 7 weeks
5-Sheri Fakhouri – 9 weeks (2)
6-Monica Jennings – 10 weeks
7-Logan Kahler – 10 weeks
8-Nathanial Brown – 11 weeks
9-Jesse Howard – 11 weeks
10-Tamara Peterson – 14 weeks
11-Alexis Stensland – 19 weeks
12-Mindi Terrell – 26 weeks (3)
13-Brandon Kahler – 50 weeks
14-Linda Bennett – 55 weeks (2)
15-Sarah Toot – 56 weeks
16-Angie DeWaard – 60 weeks
17-Dawn Krause – 64 weeks
18-Kim Barker – 70 weeks
19-Joe Duff – 71 weeks
20-Teresa Kahler – 82 weeks (3)
21-Carla Stensland – 82 weeks
22-Micky Augustin – 84 weeks
23-Andy Sharp – 85 weeks
24-Bill Wentworth – 86 weeks
25-Cathie Morton – 90 weeks
26-Elizabeth Nordeen – 91 weeks (2)
27-Shannon Bardole-Foley – 93 weeks
28-Kio Dettman – 95 weeks (2)

Here is a look at the updated THE WEEKLY PHOTO CHALLENGE SUBMISSION MAP:

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:

Alexis Stensland (Iowa) – 20 weeks

Andy Sharp (Iowa) – 86 weeks

Angie DeWaard (Iowa) – 61 weeks

Becky Parmelee (?????) – 1 week

Bill Wentworth (Nebraska) – 87 weeks

Brandon Kahler (Iowa) – 51 weeks

Carla Stensland (Spirit Lake, Iowa) – 83 weeks

Carla Stensland (Iowa)

Cathie Morton (Norwalk, Iowa) – 91 weeks

Christopher D. Bennett (Des Moines, Iowa)

Dawn Krause (Iowa) – 65 weeks

Dawn Krause (Iowa)

Elizabeth Nordeen (Iowa) – 92 weeks

Jesse Howard (Iowa State Fair – Des Moines, Iowa) – 12 weeks

Joe Duff (Texas) – 72 weeks

Joe Duff (Texas)

Kim Barker (Ames, Iowa) – 71 weeks

Kio Dettman (Boone, Iowa) – 96 weeks

Kio Dettman (Boone, Iowa)

Linda Bennett (Ann Arbor, Michigan) – 56 weeks

Linda Bennett (Kansas)

Logan Kahler (Iowa State Fair – Des Moines, Iowa) – 11 weeks

Logan Kahler (Boone, Iowa)

Mary Green (Elkader, Iowa) – 3 weeks

Mary Green (Elkader, Iowa)

Micky Augustin (Iowa) – 85 weeks

Mike Vest (Madrid, Iowa) – 7 weeks

Mindi Terrell (Iowa) – 27 weeks

Mindi Terrell (Iowa)

Monica Jennings (Iowa State Fair – Des Moines, Iowa) – 11 weeks

Monica Jennings (Iowa)

Nader Parsaei (Iowa State Fair – Des Moines, Iowa) – 1 week

Nathanial Brown (Iowa) – 12 weeks

Sabas Hernandez (Iowa State Fair – Des Moines, Iowa) – 1 week

Sara Lockner (Iowa State Fair – Des Moines, Iowa) – 3 weeks

Sara Lockner (Iowa State Fair – Des Moines, Iowa)

Sarah Toot (Stroudsburg, Pennsylvania) – 57 weeks

Sarah Toot (Stroudsburg, Pennsylvania)

Shannon Bardole-Foley (Iowa State Fair – Des Moines, Iowa) – 94 weeks

Sheri Fakhouri (Ankeny, Iowa) – 10 weeks

Tamara Peterson (Iowa) – 15 weeks

Teresa Kahler (Iowa State Fair – Des Moines, Iowa) – 83 weeks

Teresa Kahler (Des Moines, Iowa)

Teresa Kahler (Iowa State University – Ames, Iowa)

Willy McAlpine (McHose Park – Boone, Iowa) – 1 week

32 participants this week! That is a great week!

There were submissions this week taken in the following places:
+ Iowa
+ Kansas
+ Michigan
+ Nebraska
+ Pennsylvania
+ Texas

Here is the current calendar year list for states:

+ Arizona
+ Arkansas
+ California
+ Colorado
+ Florida
+ Georgia
+ Illinois
+ Iowa
+ Kansas
+ Louisiana
+ Maryland
+ Michigan
+ Minnesota
+ Missouri
+ Montana
+ Nebraska
+ New Jersey
+ New York
+ Nevada
+ North Carolina
+ North Dakota
+ Ohio
+ Oklahoma
+ Oregon
+ Pennsylvania
+ South Carolina
+ South Dakota
+ Tennessee
+ Texas
+ Utah
+ Washington
+ Washington D.C.
+ Wisconsin
+ Wyoming

33 states and 1 district! That is pretty impressive! Over 60% of the way there!

This is the list of current missing states:
+ Alabama
+ Alaska
+ Connecticut
+ Delaware
+ Hawaii
+ Idaho
+ Indiana
+ Kentucky
+ Maine
+ Massachussetts
+ Mississippi
+ New Hampshire
+ New Mexico
+ Rhode Island
+ Vermont
+ Virginia
+ West Virginia

The Outside of the United States map is currently:

+ British Virgin Islands
+ Mexico (General)
+ Isla Mujeres, Mexico
+ Riviera Maya, Mexico
+ Nassau Bahamas
+ Vallunareju Norte – Peru
+ Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada

The big accomplish week this week was Sheri joining the Double Digits Streak Club! WooHoo!

But it wasn’t all good news. Suzie’s 7 week streak came crashing to a halt. The humanity!

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:

SHADOW

SHADOW! What a great theme for Year 10 of THE WEEKLY PHOTO CHALLENGE!

But what exactly is a SHADOW photo? Simply put it is a picture where a SHADOW plays a major compositional element.

While considering a possible subject for your SHADOW picture meditate on the following quote and I have no doubt you will come up with a fascinating interpretation.

To light a candle is to cast a shadow.
-Ursula K. Le Guin

I look forward to seeing your interpretation!

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. There is a limit of 3 submissions per participant. To be considered the photographer, you have to be the one that takes the picture. Don’t be stealing the work of other artists. You can submit pictures for other photographers that took pictures with your camera or phone, but give credit where credit is due.

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

That is it. Thems the rules!

That is all I got, so if the good Lord’s willin’ and the creek don’t rise, we will all be sharing your idea of SHADOW in this place that is a candle in my life next Monday.

Angie, Contests, Drone, Elainie, Evie, Flowers, Formal Portrait, Jesse, Logan, Nathanial, Sabas, State Fair, Willy

Iowa State Fair Power Rankings

August 20, 2023 Christopher D. Bennett 4 Comments

When this publishes I will be in possession of my Iowa State Fair Photo Contest entries. So at this time, I can lift the blackout on what pictures I entered and what picture was accepted for display. I assume that everybody honored my social media blackout of my picture. And I thank you for that.

Here are the pictures I submitted. The one that got some love and the ones that were told “Get out of here kid! You have no future!”.

2023 Iowa State Fair Photography Salon -

Not Selected for Display

Honorable Mention – Color People

Not Selected for Display

I wasn’t the only person in this little circle of trust that had pictures displayed at the Iowa State Fair Photography Salon. Logan had two pictures displayed and one of his pictures got a little love on the Iowa State Fair Show on IPTV. Nathanial and Angie both got 3 pictures in and got Honorable Mentions in the Sports class.

I hope more people I know enter again next year. Layla expressed interest in entering. I hope Vest gets back in the game too. I also wonder if Carla won’t consider entering. She is going to enter the Clay County Fair Photo Contest this year.

As for me, I probably start getting organized for next year’s contest. Start a folder of possible entries right now. Maybe I could even break a long standing tradition and have people help pick my submissions. I did give some feedback to Angie, Logan, and Nathanial on their possible entries. Maybe I could do the same. Stranger things have happened.

+++++++

On Tuesday as we were leaving the Iowa State Fair after the barbecue contest, Scottie D. asked me why I loved the Iowa State Fair. So I thought I would give a list of things I love about the Iowa State Fair:

#10. Food

I’m sure most people would rank food higher on their list. I do love the food at the Iowa State Fair, but it isn’t actually one of the main attractions for me. I used to have a go-to where I would always get a grinder from Jennie’s Grinder, but Jennie passed away several years ago and I have never found a replacement. There is a “grinder” place near where Jennie’s used to be that sells “Gizmos”. But they aren’t anywhere near the same. Starting with the fact that they don’t use sausage, they use beef. Blah! There is a different grinder place at the State Fair, but I will get into that at a later date.

I also used to get a turkey leg from the Iowa Turkey Federation, but I’ve fallen out of love with the turkey leg. It is just not that much food for the price and it is just too darn messy. But it is very photogenic. Hard to beat a picture with a giant turkey leg.

#9 – People Watching

It is hard to beat the Iowa State Fair for people watching. It truly is a crossroads of all of humanity. You can just post up on a bench anywhere and for hours fascinating things and people walking by.

#8 – Shows

I love the fact that there is so much free entertainment everywhere in the Fair. From concerts on the free stages to chainsaw sculpture artists to the bands playing in Pioneer Hall to the entertainers that are roaming the fairgrounds. There are hypnotists to musicians to jugglers to things that kind of defy description.

#7 – Animals

From the lunkers in the DNR Building to the Biggest Bull to the Biggest Boar to the Avenue of the Breeds I love checking out the animals. And such a wide variety. From turtles to ducks to rabbits to cows to sheep to pigs to chickens to ostriches to elk to horses there is an incredible variety to check out.

#6 – Art

There so much amazing art to check out at the Fair. From sweet murals to sculptures to interactive art displays to sand sculptures to hay sculptures to butter sculptures to so much more.

#5 – Flowers

It is well documented that the Discovery Garden is one of my favorite places at the Iowa State Fair. However, it isn’t the only place to check-out flowers and do some flowertography at the fair. There are 27 flowerbeds and 13,000 flowers. Roses, vinca, zinnias, marigolds… oh my!

#4 – Contests

Obviously I’m partial to the Photography Salon, but there is literally a contest for everybody at the Iowa State Fair. From the barbecue contest to the Ugly Cake Contest to the Big Pumpkin Contest to pie eating to husband calling to the chicken calling to the cow chip throwing to rubber chicken throwing to outhouse racing to horseshoes to crocheting to the 4-H to FFA to the Bill Reilly Talent Show! There are 178 canning categories to enter alone!

#3 – Photo Opportunities

I love street photography! Any place where there is great people watching, art, flowers, animals, and food… to name just a few… you know there is going to be photo opportunities every where you look!

#2 – Tradition

I love the tradition of the State Fair. I have many personal traditions I have every year at the Fair. Some are to remind me of others (such as the Scottish Highland at the Avenue of the Breeds) and some are relatively new (such as going to watch Evie and Layla dance). I have a list of things that I have to do every year. And those are my traditions.

#1 – Family

Going to the State Fair is something that reminds me of family. Both biological and the family I don’t share DNA with. This year I saw Logan and Amanda there. Elainie and Sabas. At one time I was going to go with Teresa and/or Carla before plans fell through. Logan entered the Photo Contest this year. Which is a family tradition. My Dad used to enter the photo contest. Winning the Slide Category one year. My parents both used to volunteer in Pioneer Hall and had a booth there as well.

This year I also met up with the extended family of the Gorshes and the Degeneffes and the Jennings. Nader and Jesse as well. Well maybe, Nader. It is supposed to be in the ballpark of triple digits today, so as of the writing of this entry it is unclear if he ended up punking out.

I might make these power rankings a new Iowa State Fair tradition! Until next year’s Fair!

Automobiles, Black & White, Boone FUMC, Logan, Naima, Nathanial, Still Life, Street Photography, WPC - Alternate

And Maybe I’m Just Not As Interesting

August 19, 2023 Christopher D. Bennett

Time once again to clean up some backlog. These pictures I took during December of 2022, but they didn’t really fit into any previous posts. Some were taken at the Community Christmas Concert that I went to, to watch Logan and Nathanial and Logan work it. Some are alternates for THE WEEKLY PHOTO CHALLENGE theme WATER. Some are taken at the candlelight service at Boone First United Methodist Church. Some are just of Naima.

Apparently Logan and Nathanial and Janae did a pretty good job with the Christmas Concert video because now an independent movie company wants to come to Boone and shoot a movie based on seeing the video on the internet. It will be interesting to see if that actually happens.

Andy, Angie, Boone FUMC, Carla, Contests, Dawn, Jason, Jesse, Logan, Michelle, Nathanial, Pufferbilly Days, Teresa

Pufferbilly Days Photo Contest Recap

August 18, 2023 Christopher D. Bennett

I know I might have written that I was finally going to start sharing pictures from the Color the Wind Festival today, but instead I’m going to do a recap of the Pufferbilly Days Photo Contest before it gets too long in the tooth.

First, I should announce to those of you that voted in the People’s Choice Award what photo took home the prize:

Road Trip by Savannah Martin

Road Trip received 50 votes. The next highest vote total received was 21 votes.

If you are interested in seeing this year’s photo books, click on the links below:

Readable Photo Book

Printable Photo Book

There is a lot of people I need to thank for making this years Pufferbilly Days Photo Contest a success.

The Judges:
+ Andie DeWaard
+ Janae Erickson
+ Lisa Person

The Administrative Staff:
+ Teresa Kahler
+ Carla Stensland

The Pegboard Builders:
+ Andy Sharp
+ Jason Stensland

The Graphic Designer:
+ Monica Jennings

The Photo Display Team:
+ Dawn Krause
+ Jesse Howard
+ Monica Jennings
+ Graham Jennings

The Book Designer:
+ Michelle Haupt

The Best of Show & People’s Choice Award Creator:
+ Anonymous

The Merchants that hosted the photo entries:
+ Boone Theater (Teen and Adult Places)
+ Ema’s Elegance (Adult Animals)
+ The Houndstooth Haberdashery (Adult Trains, Planes, & Automobiles)
+ Infamous Ink (Adult Black & White)
+ The Lavender Basket (Adult Plants)
+ Paradox (Youth)
+ Studio 721 (Adult People)

I didn’t take as many pictures as I have in the past of the machinations of the Photo Contest but I did take a few.

Here are some from the Judging:

Judging went very smooth. There was some good and spirited debate from the judges and for the first time ever, had to engage in some tie-breakers. Including a tie-breaker for Best in Show.

I already have 2 of the judges picked out for next year. Still thinking on that third judge, for now. But I have a pretty good idea. Or at least a couple of candidates in mind.

Monica and I set up the photo displays on Thursday. Paradox and Studio 721 set up the displays themselves, which was a big help. Monica really put the displays together and I did the grunt work.

Here are some pictures of the displays:

On Saturday Jesse and I tore down all the displays. On Sunday we transported them out to McHose Park. Graham and Monica met us out there and setup the tents and the display. Jesse and I sat out there in the pouring rain all day trying to keep the pictures dry.

Here are some pictures from Art in the Park:

Watching over the photo display at Art in the Park was a pretty cool experience, even if the conditions weren’t ideal. I got to meet and speak with a few of the photographers that I hadn’t met before. And I met one person that is interested in entering next year and another that is an artist that urged their friend to enter this year. I enjoyed all of those interactions.

After Art in the Park concluded Dawn and Nathanial helped tear down the display and the tents. Logan returned all the pictures that weren’t picked up at Art in the Park for me.

All things considered, it was a successful year. I’m not sure what changes I will make for next year, but I know I will need to add some new faces to the list of volunteers. That volunteer might be you!

Birthdays, Flowers, Macro, Teresa

The Mother

August 17, 2023 Christopher D. Bennett

Today is Teresa’s birthday. So Happy birthday Teresa!

I hope your birthday is as amazing as you want it to be!

+++++++

Welcome to the end of being alone inside your mind
You tethered to another, and you’re worried all the time
You always knew the melody, but you never heard it rhyme

The first things that she took from me were selfishness and sleep
She broke a thousand heirlooms I was never meant to keep
She filled my life with color, cancelled plans and trashed my car
But none of that is ever who we are

And they’ve still got their morning paper and their coffee and their time
And they still enjoy their evenings with the skeptics and the wine
Oh, but all the wonders I have seen, I will see a second time
From inside of the ages through your eyes

You are not an accident where no one thought it through
The world has stood against us, made us mean to fight for you
And when we chose your name, we knew that you’d fight the power too

You’re nothing short of magical and beautiful to me
I’ll never hit the big time without you
So, they can keep their treasure and their ties to the machine
‘Cause I am the mother of Evangeline
-Brandi Carlile

Thursdays are for flowers! This collection of flowertography images was taken in my yard.

Still plenty more flower pictures to share just from May 27.

Art, Christianity, Road Trip, Street Photography

Dubuque County Aux. – Vol. 1

August 16, 2023 Christopher D. Bennett

Time to start sharing the auxiliary images I took while harvesting the town signs of Dubuque County. Dubuque County includes Dubuque, which is one of my favorite towns in Iowa. Most of the pictures in this collection were taken in Dubuque.

Worthington

Fillmore

Graf

Dubuque

Still plenty more pictures from this road trip to share!

Drone, Nature, Olympic Sports, Panorama

Rodan139: RAGBRAI East of Luther

August 15, 2023 Christopher D. Bennett

On the Tuesday of RAGBRAI I went to check out the festivities in Luther. I expected Luther to be empty by the time I got there and expected everybody to already be in Ames. But Luther was absolutely packed. I’m guessing the people at Whatcha Smokin’ must have made a million dollars the place was so packed. I’m guess the population of Luther more than quintupled.

After checking it out, I drove a couple of miles east of Luther and took some drone pictures of people riding from Luther to Ames.

Not sure what the next set of drone pictures will be. I need to take Rodan139 out again. While I still can. Drone laws are getting pretty ridiculous.

Alexis, Andy, Angie, Art, Bill, Birthdays, Black & White, Brandon, Carla, Cathie, Dawn, Elizabeth, Funk, Jesse, Joe Duff, Kim, Kio, Linda, Logan, Mary, Micky, Mindi, Monica, Nathanial, Photoshop, Pufferbilly Days, Russ, Sara, Shannon, Sheri, Street Photography, Suzie, Tamara, Teresa, Vest, WPC - Submissions

WPC – WEEK 413 – NEGATIVE

August 14, 2023 Christopher D. Bennett

WARNING! NEXT MONDAY I WILL BE ON THE ROAD, SO NEXT WEEK’S POST WILL PUBLISH LATE AND THERE MIGHT NOT BE ANY REMINDERS. PLAN ACCORDINGLY!

I need to start this post by wishing Russ a happy birthday. Happy birthday Russ!

I hope you have lots of visitors today!

+++++++

I did have a late submission for SELF-PORTRAIT that I do need to share. A couple actually:

Susanna Funk (Vallunareju Norte – Peru)

You might be asking yourself why Funk gets special privileges and can blow past the deadline and nobody else can? Because she is climbing a mountain in Peru! If you go climb a mountain in Peru, I will also let you miss the deadline. Maybe.

+++++++

NEGATIVE! An abstract and maybe demanding theme. But were there many people that could find some NEGATIVE in their life to make NEGATIVE into a positive theme? You’ll have to keep scrolling to find out!

As of 12:01 PM on Monday, August 7, this was the current list of ACTIVE streaks (ignore the numbers in parentheses):

1-Mary Green – 1 week
2-Sara Lockner – 1 week (3)
3-Becky Parmelee – 3 weeks
4-Willy McAlpine – 4 weeks
5-Mike Vest – 5 weeks
6-Suzie Brannen – 6 weeks
7-Sabas Hernandez – 6 weeks
8-Sheri Fakhouri – 8 weeks
9-Monica Jennings – 9 weeks
10-Logan Kahler – 9 weeks
11-Nathanial Brown – 10 weeks
12-Jesse Howard – 10 weeks (2)
13-Tamara Peterson – 13 weeks
14-Alexis Stensland – 18 weeks
15-Mindi Terrell – 25 weeks (3)
16-Brandon Kahler – 49 weeks
17-Linda Bennett – 54 weeks
18-Sarah Toot – 55 weeks (3)
19-Angie DeWaard – 59 weeks
20-Dawn Krause – 63 weeks (2)
21-Kim Barker – 69 weeks
22-Joe Duff – 70 weeks
23-Teresa Kahler – 81 weeks (3)
24-Carla Stensland – 81 weeks
25-Micky Augustin – 83 weeks
26-Andy Sharp – 84 weeks
27-Bill Wentworth – 85 weeks
28-Cathie Morton – 89 weeks
29-Elizabeth Nordeen – 90 weeks
30-Shannon Bardole-Foley – 92 weeks
31-Kio Dettman – 94 weeks
* Susanna Funk – 1 week

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 (Hickory Grove Park – Story County, Iowa) – 84 weeks

Shannon Bardole-Foley (High Trestle Trail – Boone County, Iowa) – 93 weeks

Kim Barker (Nevada, Iowa) – 70 weeks

Linda Bennett (Ann Arbor, Michigan) – 55 weeks

Linda Bennett (Kansas)

Suzie Brannen (Iowa) – 7 weeks

Nathanial Brown (Iowa State Fair – Des Moines, Iowa) – 11 weeks

Kio Dettman (Iowa) – 95 weeks

Kio Dettman (Iowa)

Angie DeWaard (Iowa) – 60 weeks

Joe Duff (Dallas, Texas) – 71 weeks

Sheri Fakhouri (Ankeny, Iowa) – 9 weeks

Sheri Fakhouri (Ankeny, Iowa)

Mary Green (Iowa) – 2 weeks

Mary Green (Iowa)

Jesse Howard (Iowa) – 11 weeks

Monica Jennings (Des Moines, Iowa) – 10 weeks

Brandon Kahler (Iowa) – 50 weeks

Logan Kahler (Iowa) – 10 weeks

Teresa Kahler (Iowa) – 82 weeks

Teresa Kahler (Iowa)

Dawn Krause (Iowa) – 64 weeks

Sara Lockner (Iowa) – 2 weeks

Cathie Morton (Norwalk, Iowa) – 90 weeks

Elizabeth Nordeen (Iowa) – 91 weeks

Elizabeth Nordeen (Iowa)

Tamara Peterson (Iowa) – 14 weeks

Andy Sharp (Iowa) – 85 weeks

Alexis Stensland (Ames, Iowa) – 19 weeks

Carla Stensland (Iowa) – 82 weeks

Mindi Terrell (Iowa) – 26 weeks

Mindi Terrell (Iowa)

Sarah Toot (Pennsylvania) – 56 weeks

Mike Vest (Iowa) – 6 weeks

Bill Wentworth (Omaha, Nebraska) – 86 weeks

Christopher D. Bennett (Orpheum Theater – Minneapolis, Minnesota)

29 participants! Subtracting last week’s 33 participants, creates a negative 4. But 29 is still pretty good considering it is somewhat of an abstract theme.

There were submissions this week taken in the following places:
+ Iowa
+ Kansas
+ Michigan
+ Minnesota
+ Nebraska
+ Pennsylvania
+ Texas

Here is the current calendar year list for states:

33 states and 1 district! That is pretty impressive! Over 60% of the way there!

The Outside of the United States map is currently:

+ British Virgin Islands
+ Mexico (General)
+ Isla Mujeres, Mexico
+ Riviera Maya, Mexico
+ Nassau Bahamas
+ Vallunareju Norte – Peru
+ Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada

I took my picture 226 miles from my front door. But in a state that has already been marked. I continue to not contribute.

The big milestones this week were Monica and Logan reaching The Double Digit Streak Club. WooHoo! Mindi reached The Half Year Streak Club! WooHoo!

But it wasn’t all good news. Becky’s 3 week streak ended. Willy’s 4 week streak is gone. Sabas’ 6 week streak is no more.

ART

ART! What a great theme for Year 10 of THE WEEKLY PHOTO CHALLENGE!

But what exactly is an ART photo? Simply put, it is a picture of an existing piece of ART. You could simply find a piece of ART and stand back and take a picture of it. But I would urge you to take an ARTistic look at a piece of an ART. Take a picture of it from a different angle. Take a picture of only part of the picture. Take a picture of it in its environment. Other possibilities are to take pictures of an ARTist making a piece of ART or tools made in the creation of ART. There are just so many possibilities.

While considering possible subject for your submission, meditate on the following quote and I have no doubt your ART submission will be a new piece of ART all its own:

Life beats down and crushes the soul and art reminds you that you have one.
-Stella Adler

I look forward to seeing your interpretation!

RULES

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

That is it. Thems the rules!

That is all I got, so if the good Lord’s willin’ and the creek don’t rise, we will all be sharing your idea of NEGATIVE in this place that started with a pile of negatives next Monday.

Nader, Road Trip, Self-Portrait, Still Life, Tenderloining

I Scream: Glidden Field Work

August 13, 2023 Christopher D. Bennett

After I knocked down the mind-blowing tenderloin from Darrell’s Place, we started to head back to Boone. However, we needed to get some ice cream! We stopped at The Dairy Mart in Glidden.

Here are some pictures:

I got a raspberry malt. Was it good? Well you know I live by the Ted Lasso philosophy on ice cream:

Ice cream is the best. It’s kinda like seeing Billy Joel perform live. Never disappoints.”

Now I wouldn’t go out of my way to get Dairy Mart, but if I’m driving by, I would stop.

Next Sunday’s food adventure will involve donuts.

Boone FUMC, Drone, Naima, Nature, Still Life, WPC - Alternate

Cause All I Ever Wanted Was to Be Enough for You

August 12, 2023 Christopher D. Bennett

Time to cleanup a little bit more of the backlog. These pictures are from November of last year that didn’t really fit into any other previous posts. Most are alternates for various THE WEEKLY PHOTO CHALLENGE theme.