NOTE: A RECENT TREND IS IPHONE USERS ARE SUBMITTING PICTURES IN .HEIC FORMAT. PICTURES NEED TO BE SUBMITTED IN .JPG OR .PNG FORMAT. PLEASE SUBMIT IN THOSE FORMATS SO I DON’T HAVE TO CONVERT YOUR IMAGES INTO A USABLE FORMAT. THANKS!
As we are approaching Year 12 of THE WEEKLY PHOTO CHALLENGE (formerly THE RANDOM WEEKLY PHOTO EXPERIMENT) I can reveal the 52 themes for 2025:
Year 12 WEEKLY PHOTO CHALLENGE THEMES (Not in any order):
1. BLACK & WHITE
2. STREET PHOTOGRAPHY
3. SLICE OF LIFE
4. ROAD TRIP
5. STATUE
6. MUSIC
7. #INSTAGOOD
8. THINGS (PUFFERBILLY CLASS)
9. DREAM (ANDY SHARP)
10. THREE (JOE DUFF)
11. SOMETHING STUPID (LOWELL DAVIS)
12. SHOOT THROUGH (CARLA STENSLAND)
13. EMOTION RELAYED WITHOUT A FACE (ANGIE DEWAARD)
14. HISTORIC BUILDINGS (ISF Theme)
15. FLOWER
16. HUMANS (PUFFERBILLY THEME)
17. ODD CAMERA ANGLE
18. COLORFUL
19. LOVE (CARLA STENSLAND)
20. MOTION
21. TWO TONE (ANDY SHARP)
22. DAMAGED (JOE DUFF)
23. SPIRIT (LOWELL DAVIS)
24. COMMERCIAL PHOTOGRAPHY (ANGIE DEWAARD)
25. TRANSPORTATION (PUFFERBILLY CLASS)
26. FAMILY
27. PAINTING
28. DECORATION
29. BODY PART
30. STICKERS
31. PORTRAIT
32. SNEAK INTO THEATER (ANDY SHARP)
33. SPOOKY (JOE DUFF)
34. PEACE (LOWELL DAVIS)
35. MEANINGFUL (CARLA STENSLAND)
36. SILHOUETTE (ANGIE DEWAARD)
37. BEHIND THE DOOR (CARLA STENSLAND)
38. TOOL
39. FRIENDS
40. WORDS
41. WET
42. COMPETITION
43. SIGN
44. SATURDAY NIGHT
45. SUNSHINE (CARLA STENSLAND)
46. FOOD (ANGIE DEWAARD)
47. PAPER
48. CHARITY
49. ANIMAL (PUFFERBILLY CLASS)
50. WIDE ANGLE
51. CONTRAST
52. EDUCATION
If you want to know what order they are in, you can always go here to look at the Photography 139 Calendar:
Photography 139 Calendar
You can also see that I badly need to spruce up that page on my website.
The order is randomly generated by a list randomizer and then a couple of themes are then moved. For example SLICE OF LIFE is always the week of my Dad’s birthday. And maybe two more were moved to line up with a couple of holidays. But the rest are randomly assigned.
Thanks to everyone that suggested themes this year! Some of them are really outside of the box and creative. Which of course, I love!
And if you look closely, you might get an idea for some of the changes I’m going to make for the 2025 Pufferbilly Days Photo Contest. Shhhhh!
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SYMMETRY! What a great theme! But were enough people beside themselves to make it a popular theme? You will have to keep scrolling to find out!
As of 12:01 PM on Monday, December 2, this was the current list of ACTIVE streaks (ignore everything in parentheses):
1-Becky Parmelee – 1 week (AR, IA, OK, NY)
2-Alexis Stensland – 1 week (IA)
*3-Mary Green – 2 weeks (MI, IA, IN, IL, PR)
4-Monica Jennings – 2 weeks (IA)
5-Sabas Hernandez – 3 weeks (IA, OH)
6-Jesse Howard – 9 weeks (IA, MO, NE, FL, ABW, CUW, MN)
7-Suzie Brannen – 10 weeks (IA, MD)
*8-Deb Powers – 14 weeks (MT, IA)
9-Willy McAlpine – 21 weeks (IA)
10-Deanna McClain – 25 weeks (IA, MN)
11-Mike Vest – 28 weeks (IA, MO, OK, AR, KS)
12-Lowell Davis – 48 weeks (IA, MO, KS)
13-Brandon Kahler – 49 weeks (IA, MN)
14-Scott Degeneffe – 67 weeks (IA, FL, UT, CO, KY, IN, IL, MN, WI)
15-Sheri Fakhouri – 77 weeks (IA, NE, GA)
16-Logan Kahler – 78 weeks (IA, MN, MO)
17-Nathanial Brown – 79 weeks (IA, SD, GA, TN, IRL, UK, FL, IL, KS, NE, MN, PA,, WI, NY)
18-Tamara Peterson – 90 weeks (IA, MN)
*19-Mindi Terrell – 94 weeks (IA)
20-Linda Bennett – 123 weeks (KS, IA, MI, NY, MO)
21-Sarah Toot – 124 weeks (PA, NY, VT, NV, NJ, NC, FL, MD)
22-Angie DeWaard – 127 weeks (IA, IL, SCT, ENG, MN, FL)
23-Dawn Krause – 132 weeks (IA, IL)
24-Kim Barker – 138 weeks (IA, CO, LA)
25-Joe Duff – 139 weeks (TX, NY)
*26-Teresa Kahler – 150 weeks (IA, NE)
*27-Carla Stensland – 150 weeks (IA, MO, SD, WY, CO)
28-Micky Augustin – 152 weeks (IA, IL, FL, AK)
*29-Andy Sharp – 153 weeks (IA, NE, AR, MS, MO, TN, LA, IL, MN, WI, KS)
*30-Bill Wentworth – 154 weeks (NE, MO, FL)
*31-Cathie Morton – 158 weeks (IA, FL, BHS, MO, LA, AZ, NM)
32-Elizabeth Nordeen – 159 weeks (IA, OH)
33-Shannon Bardole-Foley – 161 weeks (IA, CA, NV, AR, MO, MEX)
34-Kio Dettman – 163 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:
Alexis Stensland (Iowa) – 2 weeks
Andy Sharp (Boone, Iowa) – 154 weeks
Angie Dewaard (Iowa) – 128 weeks
Bill Wentworth (Omaha, Nebraska) – 155 weeks
Brandon Kahler (Iowa) – 50 weeks
Cathie Morton (Denver, Colorado) – 159 weeks
Cathie Morton (University of Utah – Salt Lake City, Utah)
Carla Stensland (Iowa) – 151 weeks
Christopher D. Bennett (Boone, Iowa)
Deanna McClain (Iowa) – 26 weeks
Dawn Krause (Iowa) – 133 weeks
Deb Powers (Iowa) – 15 weeks
Deb Powers (Iowa)
Elizabeth Nordeen (Iowa) – 160 weeks
Jesse Howard (Iowa) – 10 weeks
Joe Duff (Texas) – 140 weeks
Kim Barker (Iowa) – 139 weeks
Kio Dettman (Boone, Iowa) – 164 weeks
Kio Dettman (Boone, Iowa)
Linda Bennett (Kansas) – 124 weeks
Logan Kahler (Iowa) – 79 weeks
Logan Kahler (Iowa)
Lowell Davis (Iowa) – 49 weeks
Mary Green (Iowa) – 3 weeks
Mary Green (Iowa)
Micky Augustin (Colo, Iowa) – 153 weeks
Mike Vest (Iowa) – 29 weeks
Mindi Terrell (Iowa) – 95 weeks
Mindi Terrell (Iowa)
Monica Jennings (Iowa) – 3 weeks
Monica Jennings (Iowa)
Nathanial Brown (Iowa) – 80 weeks
Sabas Hernandez (Ankeny, Iowa) – 4 weeks
Sara Lockner (Iowa) – 1 week
Sarah Toot (Caesar’s Palace – Las Vegas, Nevada) – 125 weeks
Scott Degeneffe (Bondurant, Iowa) – 68 weeks
Shannon Bardole-Foley (Cancun, Mexico) – 162 weeks
Shannon Bardole-Foley (Dallas, Texas)
Sheri Fakhouri (Iowa) – 78 weeks
Suzie Brannen (Iowa) – 11 weeks
Tamara Peterson (Iowa) – 91 weeks
Teresa Kahler (Iowa) – 151 weeks
Willy McAlpine (High Trestle Trail Bridge – Boone County, Iowa) – 22 weeks
35 participants this week. A pretty great week!
There were submissions this week taken in the following places:
+ Colorado (1)
+ Iowa (35)
+ Kansas (1)
+ Mexico (1)
+ Nebraska (1)
+ Nevada (1)
+ Texas (2)
+ Utah (1)
Here is the Year 11 list of places where submissions have been taken (submissions taken in each places):
+ Alaska (1)
+ Arizona (1)
+ Arkansas (20.5)
+ California (3)
+ Colorado (11)
+ Florida (16)
+ Georgia (3)
+ Hawaii (2)
+ Illinois (14)
+ Indiana (6)
+ Iowa (1832)
+ Kansas (64)
+ Kentucky (1)
+ Louisiana (8)
+ Maryland (2)
+ Michigan (13)
+ Minnesota (15)
+ Mississippi (2.5)
+ Missouri (23.5)
+ Montana (4)
+ Nebraska (58)
+ Nevada (5)
+ New Jersey (5)
+ New Mexico (2)
+ New York (22)
+ North Carolina (2)
+ Ohio (5)
+ Oklahoma (2)
+ Pennsylvania (40)
+ Puerto Rico (4)
+ South Dakota (5)
+ Tennessee (2.5)
+ Texas (71)
+ Utah (2)
+ Vermont (1)
+ Virginia (1)
+ Washington (2)
+ Washington D.C. (1)
+ West Virginia (1)
+ Wisconsin (5)
+ Wyoming (1)
+ Aruba (1)
+ Bahamas (4)
+ Canada (2)
+ Curacao (1)
+ Ireland (3)
+ England (2)
+ Mexico (2)
+ North Ireland (1)
+ Scotland (1)
39 states so far! 1 U.S. Territory! 1 District! 7 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, DC, WA) – 13
+ 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
+ Cathie Morton (IA, FL, BHS, MO, LA, AZ, NM, CO, UT) – 9
+ Sarah Toot (PA, NY, VT, NV, NJ, NC, FL, MD) – 8
+ Jesse Howard (IA, MO, NE, FL, ABW, CUW, MN) – 7
+ Shannon Bardole-Foley (IA, CA, NV, AR, MO, MEX, TX) – 7
+ Christopher D. Bennett (IA, MO, NE, IL, IN, LA) – 6
+ Adam Gordon (IA, MS, MO, KS, MI, CAN) – 6
+ Angie DeWaard (IA, IL, SCT, ENG, MN, FL) – 6
+ Linda Bennett (KS, IA, MI, NY, MO) – 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
+ Becky Parmelee (AR, IA, OK, NY) – 4
+ Micky Augustin (IA, IL, FL, AK) – 4
+ Sara Lockner (IA, BHS, MN, FL) – 4
+ Lowell Davis (IA, MO, KS) – 3
+ Logan Kahler (IA, MN, MO) – 3
+ Bill Wentworth (NE, MO, FL) – 3
+ Kim Barker (IA, CO, LA) – 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
+ Evie Gorshe (IA, IN) – 2
+ Layla Gorshe (IA, OH) -2
+ Deb Powers (MT, IA) – 2
+ Kyle Sharp (IA, MO) – 2
Nathanial is clinging lead to be crowned “The Most Travelled THE WEEKLY PHOTO CHALLENGE Photographer!”
There were a couple of milestones reached this week. Jesse joined the Double Digit Streak Club. WooHoo! Deanna joined the Half Year Streak Club. WooHoo! Sheri joined the Year and a Half Steak Club. Year and a Half Club! WooHoo! Woo!
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:
REFLECTION
REFLECTION! What a great theme for Year 11 of THE WEEKLY PHOTO CHALLENGE!
I look forward to seeing your interpretation!
That is all I got, so if the good Lord’s willin’ and the creek don’t rise, we will see your idea of REFLECTION in this place that in many ways is my mirror next Monday.