REMINDER: THIS IS THE LAST WEEK WHERE YOU CAN LEAVE A SUGGESTION FOR THE THEMES FOR NEXT YEAR’S WEEKLY PHOTO CHALLENGE. YOU CAN DO THAT BY LEAVING A COMMENT ON THIS ENTRY ON THE WEBSITE. NO OTHER WAY. DON’T EMAIL THEM TO ME. DON’T TEXT THEM TO ME. LEAVE THEM IN THE COMMENTS SECTION OF THIS POST.
YOU DON’T NEED TO SUGGEST SOME STALWARTS, BECAUSE THE FOLLOWING ARE ALREADY BAKED IN TO THE CAKE:
+ BLACK & WHITE
+ STREET PHOTOGRAPHY
+ ROAD TRIP
+ ART
+ MUSIC
+ #INSTAGOOD
+ SLICE OF LIFE
SO FAR THE FOLLOWING SUGGESTIONS HAVE BEEN MADE:
ANDY SHARP
+ WHAT YOU’D SNEAK INTO A MOVIE THEATER
+ BLACK AND WHITE OLD SCHOOL
+ TWO TONE
+ DREAM
+ PIZZA
+ WEIRDEST CONDIMENT IN YOUR FRIDGE
JOE DUFF
+ THREE
+ SPOOKY
+ DRIPPING
+ DAMAGED
LOWELL DAVIS
+ SPIRIT
+ ANXIOUS
+ SOMETHING STUPID
+ PEACE
+ RAGE
IT IS A GOOD START, BUT KEEP THE SUGGESTIONS COMING IN THE COMMENTS SECTION OF THIS POST.
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Today is Elainie’s birthday. So I have to wish her a happy birthday.

Happy birthday Elainie!
On your birthday I just hope you get plenty of sleep and rest!
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Today is also Layla’s birthday So I must wish her a happy birthday!

Happy birthday Layla!
I hope you have an amazing birthday! Getting the day off from school was a good start!
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PLACES! What a great theme! But did enough people go someplace to make it a popular theme? You will have to keep scrolling to find out.
As of 12:01 PM on Monday, October 28, this was the current list of ACTIVE streaks (ignore everything in parentheses):
*1-Adam Gordon – 1 week (IA, MS, MO, KS, MI, CAN)
*2-Kyle Sharp – 1 week (IA)
3-Johnathan Stensland – 1 week (IA)
*4-Mary Green – 4 weeks (MI, IA, IN, IL, PR)
*5-Jesse Howard – 4 weeks (IA, MO, NE, FL, ABW, CUW, MN)
6-Alexis Stensland – 4 weeks (IA)
*7-Suzie Brannen – 5 weeks (IA, MD)
8-Sabas Hernandez – 7 weeks (IA, OH)
*9-Deb Powers – 9 weeks (MT, IA)
10-Sara Lockner – 13 weeks (IA, BHS, MN)
11-Willy McAlpine – 16 weeks (IA)
12-Deanna McClain – 20 weeks (IA, MN)
13-Mike Vest – 23 weeks (IA, MO, OK, AR, KS)
14-Lowell Davis – 43 weeks (IA, MO)
15-Brandon Kahler – 44 weeks (IA, MN)
16-Scott Degeneffe – 62 weeks (IA, FL, UT, CO, KY, IN, IL, MN, WI)
*17-Sheri Fakhouri – 72 weeks (IA, NE, GA)
18-Logan Kahler – 73 weeks (IA, MN, MO)
19-Nathanial Brown – 74 weeks (IA, SD, GA, TN, IRL, UK, FL, IL, KS, NE, MN, PA,, WI, NY)
20-Tamara Peterson – 85 weeks (IA, MN)
*21-Mindi Terrell – 89 weeks (IA)
*22-Linda Bennett – 118 weeks (KS, IA, MI, NY)
*23-Sarah Toot – 119 weeks (PA, NY, VT, NV, NJ, NC)
*24-Angie DeWaard – 122 weeks (IA, IL, SCT, ENG, MN)
25-Dawn Krause – 127 weeks (IA, IL)
26-Kim Barker – 133 weeks (IA, CO, LA)
*27-Joe Duff – 134 weeks (TX, NY)
*28-Teresa Kahler – 145 weeks (IA, NE)
*29-Carla Stensland – 145 weeks (IA, MO, SD, WY, CO)
30-Micky Augustin – 147 weeks (IA, IL, FL, AK)
31-Andy Sharp – 148 weeks (IA, NE, AR, MS, MO, TN, LA, IL, MN, WI)
32-Bill Wentworth – 149 weeks (NE, MO, FL)
33-Cathie Morton – 152 weeks (IA, FL, BHS, MO, LA)
34-Elizabeth Nordeen – 154 weeks (IA, OH)
35-Shannon Bardole-Foley – 156 weeks (IA, CA, NV, AR, MO)
*36-Kio Dettman – 158 weeks (IA)
Here is the list of rules for Year 11 of THE WEEKLY PHOTO CHALLENGE:
1. The picture must 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 and take pictures challenge!
2. There is a limit of 2 submissions per person per theme. If you send me more than 2, I will use the first 2 that you submit.
3. Deadline to submit your submission is 11 AM next Monday.
4. To be considered the photographer of an image, you have to be the one that clicks the shutter. If you hand your camera over to somebody else to take a picture of you, you are NOT the photographer of that image.
5. No screen captures. This is a photography challenge. Not a “look at what I found on the internet” challenge.
There are still 2 ways to submit:
1. Email your submission to bennett@photography139.com.
2. Text your submission to my Google Pixel 8 Pro.
But you didn’t come here to listen to me talk all tommyrot about participation rates or streaks or the rules of the challenge or how to submit. You came to see the submissions and what streaks continued and what streaks flamed out:

Jen Ensley-Gorshe (Ames, Iowa) – 1 week

Monica Jennings (Iowa) – 1 week

Amy Peterson (Deal’s Orchard – Greene County, Iowa) – 1 week

Amy Peterson (Deal’s Orchard – Greene County, Iowa)

Kyle Sharp (Warsaw, Missouri) – 2 weeks

Johnathan Stensland (Iowa) – 2 weeks

Suzie Brannen (Iowa) – 6 weeks

Sabas Hernandez (Iowa) – 8 weeks

Deb Powers (Ankeny, Iowa) – 10 weeks

Sara Lockner (Iowa) – 14 weeks

Willy McAlpine (Iowa) – 17 weeks

Deanna McClain (Iowa) – 21 weeks

Mike Vest (Madrid, Iowa) – 24 weeks

Lowell Davis (Iowa) – 44 weeks

Brandon Kahler (West Street Deli – Ames, Iowa) – 45 weeks

Scott Degeneffe (Paddy’s Pub – Boone County, Iowa) – 63 weeks

Sheri Fakhouri (Iowa) – 73 weeks

Logan Kahler (Des Moines, Iowa) – 74 weeks

Nathanial Brown (Bagley, Iowa) – 75 weeks

Tamara Peterson (Veterans Cemetery – Perry, Iowa) – 86 weeks

Mindi Terrell (Iowa) – 90 weeks

Linda Bennett (E. Stroudsburg, Pennsylvania) – 119 weeks

Sarah Toot (E. Stroudsburg, Pennsylvania) – 120 weeks

Angie DeWaard (Universal Studios, Florida) – 123 weeks

Angie DeWaard (Universal Studios, Florida)

Dawn Krause (Iowa State Memorial Union – Ames, Iowa) – 128 weeks

Kim Barker (Ankeny, Iowa) – 134 weeks

Joe Duff (Great Wolf Lodge – Texas) – 135 weeks

Joe Duff (Great Wolf Lodge – Texas)

Teresa Kahler (First United Methodist Church – Boone, Iowa) – 146 weeks

Teresa Kahler (Jack Trice Stadium – Ames, Iowa)

Carla Stensland (Boone, Iowa) – 146 weeks

Micky Augustin (Iowa)- 148 weeks

Andy Sharp (Missouri) – 149 weeks

Bill Wentworth (Omaha, Nebraska) – 150 weeks

Cathie Morton (Castaway Cay, Bahamas) – 153 weeks

Cathie Morton (Castaway Cay, Bahamas)

Elizabeth Nordeen (Nevada, Iowa) – 155 weeks

Shannon Bardole-Foley (St. James Celebrations – Warren County, Iowa) – 157 weeks

Kio Dettman (Ledges State Park – Boone County, Iowa) – 159 weeks

Kio Dettman (Boone County, Iowa)

Christopher D. Bennett (Jack Trice Stadium – Ames, Iowa) – 579 weeks
There were 37 participants this week. That is a pretty good week!
There were submissions this week taken in the following places:
+ Bahamas (2)
+ Florida (2)
+ Kansas (1)
+ Iowa (40)
+ Missouri (2)
+ Nebraska (1)
+ New Jersey (1)
+ Pennsylvania (2)
+ Texas (2)
Here is the Year 11 list of places where submissions have been taken (submissions taken in each places):
+ Arkansas (20.5)
+ Alaska (1)
+ California (3)
+ Colorado (10)
+ Florida (14)
+ Georgia (3)
+ Hawaii (2)
+ Illinois (15)
+ Indiana (6)
+ Iowa (1575)
+ Kansas (60)
+ Kentucky (1)
+ Louisiana (8)
+ Maryland (1)
+ Michigan (11)
+ Minnesota (15)
+ Mississippi (2.5)
+ Missouri (20.5)
+ Montana (4)
+ Nebraska (52)
+ Nevada (4)
+ New Jersey (5)
+ New York (21)
+ North Carolina (2)
+ Ohio (5)
+ Oklahoma (2)
+ Pennsylvania (38)
+ Puerto Rico (4)
+ South Dakota (5)
+ Tennessee (2.5)
+ Texas (66)
+ Utah (1)
+ Vermont (1)
+ Virginia (1)
+ West Virginia (1)
+ Wisconsin (5)
+ Wyoming (1)
+ Aruba (1)
+ Bahamas (4)
+ Canada (2)
+ Curacao (1)
+ Ireland (3)
+ England (2)
+ North Ireland (1)
+ Scotland (1)
36 states so far! 1 U.S. Territory! 6 foreign countries! Not bad! So far, the following people have submitted from multiple places:
+ Nathanial Brown (IA, SD, TN, GA, IRL, NIR, FL, IL, KS, NE, MN, PA, WI, NY) – 14
+ Jen Ensley-Gorshe (IA, CO, MO, TX, TN, VA, IL, FL, IN, WV, PA) – 11
+ Andy Sharp (IA, NE, MO, AR, TN, MS, LA, IL, MN, WI, KS) – 11
+ Scott Degeneffe (IA, FL, UT, CO, IN, KY, IL, MN, WI) – 9
+ Jesse Howard (IA, MO, NE, FL, ABW, CUW, MN) – 7
+ Christopher D. Bennett (IA, MO, NE, IL, IN, LA) – 6
+ Sarah Toot (PA, NY, VT, NV, NJ, NC) – 6
+ Adam Gordon (IA, MS, MO, KS, MI, CAN) – 6
+ Angie DeWaard (IA, IL, SCT, ENG, MN, FL) – 6
+ Shannon Bardole-Foley (IA, CA, NV, AR, MO) – 5
+ Cathie Morton (IA, FL, BHS, MO, LA) – 5
+ Carla Stensland (IA, MO, SD, WY, CO) -5
+ Mary Green (MI, IA, IN, IL, RP) – 5
+ Michelle Haupt (IA, MO, KS, LA, MI) – 5
+ Mike Vest (IA, MO, AR, OK, KS) – 5
+ Micky Augustin (IA, IL, FL, AK) – 4
+ Linda Bennett (KS, IA, MI, NY) – 4
+ Logan Kahler (IA, MN, MO) – 3
+ Bill Wentworth (NE, MO, FL) – 3
+ Kim Barker (IA, CO, LA) – 3
+ Becky Parmelee (AR, IA, OK) – 3
+ Sara Lockner (IA, BHS, MN) – 3
+ Susanna Funk (IA, CO) – 2
+ Brandon Kahler (IA, MN) – 2
+ Tamara Peterson (IA, MN) – 2
+ Teresa Kahler (IA, NE) – 2
+ Sheri Fakhouri (IA, NE) – 2
+ Sabas Hernandez (IA, OH) – 2
+ Suzie Brannen (IA, MD) – 2
+ Elizabeth Nordeen (IA, OH) – 2
+ Deanna McClain (IA, MN) – 2
+ Dawn Krause – (IA, IL) – 2
+ Joe Duff (TX, NY) – 2
+ Lowell Davis (IA, MO) – 2
+ Evie Gorshe (IA, IN) – 2
+ Layla Gorshe (IA, OH) -2
+ Deb Powers (MT, IA) – 2
+ Kyle Sharp (IA, MO) – 2
Nathanial now has a commanding lead to be crowned “The Most Travelled THE WEEKLY PHOTO CHALLENGE Photographer!”
The big milestone reached this week was Deb joining the Double Digit Streak Club! WooHoo!
But it wasn’t all fun and games. Adam couldn’t build on his submission from last week and his streak is over before it begins. Mary and Alexis’ streak end at 4 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:

MACRO
MACRO! What a great them for Year 11 of THE WEEKLY PHOTO CHALLENGE!
I try not to explain the themes very much any longer, but MACRO is a more technical term, so I’ll give a bit of an explanation. Here is a solid enough definition:
Macro photography is all about showcasing a subject larger than it is in real life — an extreme close-up of something small.
I look forward to your MACRO interpretation.
That’s all I got, so if the good Lord’s willin’ and the creek don’t rise, we will take a close look at your idea of MACRO in this place next Monday!














I was just noticing the list of everywhere photos have been submitted from this year. That is amazing! I hope it continues and expands into 2025!
I have been racking my brain for an idea for a theme that hasn’t already been done. Here are some I have thrown against my skull. They don’t all stick but some ooze down rather slowly:
Shoot Through
Relaxation
Veteran
Rock or Stone
Bathtub
Found in a Public Bathroom
Behind the Door
Love
Meaningful
Sunshine
That is a great list!
I’m not doing awesome here, but:
– Silhouette
– Emotion Relayed Without a Face
– Food photography
– Photography for a commercial/ad
Great list!
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