Category Archives: Art

2010-08-23

The folder 2010-08-23 is absolutely stuffed to the gills. There are so many images in there I almost considered breaking it up into a couple posts, but decided against it. There are pictures in there from a trip to the Iowa State Fair and pictures of Jen and Derrick when Jen was preggers with Evie. Alexis competed in a cheerleading/tumbling competition this year.


Personal Photo Project #43 Alternate

Personal Photo Project #43 Alternate

Personal Photo Project #43 Alternate

Personal Photo Project #43 Alternate

Personal Photo Project #43 Alternate

Iowa State Fair - 2010

Iowa State Fair - 2010

Iowa State Fair - 2010

Iowa State Fair - 2010

Iowa State Fair - 2010

Iowa State Fair - 2010

Iowa State Fair - 2010

Iowa State Fair - 2010

Iowa State Fair - 2010

Iowa State Fair - 2010

Iowa State Fair - 2010

Iowa State Fair - 2010

Iowa State Fair - 2010

Iowa State Fair - 2010

Iowa State Fair - 2010

Iowa State Fair - 2010

Iowa State Fair - 2010

Iowa State Fair - 2010

4 of 6 Alternate

4 of 6 Alternate

4 of 6 Alternate

4 of 6 Alternate

4 of 6 Alternate

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

PERSONAL PHOTO PROJECT OF THE WEEK #32

PERSONAL PHOTO PROJECT OF THE WEEK #43

STATE FAIR TRIP 2 – COLLECTION 1

STATE FAIR TRIP 2 – COLLECTION 2

RWPE #33 – SILENCE

Next Saturday’s walk down memory lane will involve a full moon and possibly a baby shower.

Wide Angling

This is a collection of some more of the first pictures I took with the Tamron wide angle lens. some are at the courthouse. Some around the high bridges. Some around the Kate Shelley Museum:


Wide Angling

Wide Angling

Wide Angling

Wide Angling

Wide Angling

Wide Angling

Wide Angling

Wide Angling

Wide Angling

Wide Angling

Wide Angling

Wide Angling

Wide Angling

Wide Angling

Wide Angling

Wide Angling

Wide Angling

Wide Angling

Wide Angling

Wide Angling

Wide Angling

Wide Angling

Wide Angling

Wide Angling

Wide Angling

I do love that wide angle zoom lens!

+++++++

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


WEEK 296 - LIGHT
LIGHT

A LIGHT image is pretty simple. It is merely a picture where LIGHT plays a major compositional element. A wise person might argue that any picture they take is a LIGHT picture because all photography really is, is the capturing of LIGHT. But warning, when you take a picture of LIGHT, don’t face your camera straight towards a bright LIGHT.. You will surely damage it. The camera. The LIGHT will be just fine.

Think about the following song lyric when you are contemplating your LIGHT image:

I saw the light, I saw the light
No more darkness, no more night
Now I’m so happy no sorrow in sight
Praise the Lord, I saw the light
-Hank Williams

Happy photo harvesting!

Hardin County Auxiliary Images

Back in February I cruised around Hardin County harvesting town sign photos. This was a solo trip. These are some of the non-town sign pictures I took on the trip.


Hardin County
New Providence – This round gym was recently featured in a movie.

Hardin County

Hardin County

Hardin County
Gifford

Hardin County
Union

Hardin County

Hardin County

Hardin County
Whitten

Hardin County
Eldora

Hardin County

Hardin County

Hardin County

Hardin County

Hardin County

Hardin County

Hardin County

Hardin County

Hardin County

Hardin County

Hardin County

Hardin County
Steamboat Rock

Hardin County

Hardin County

Hardin County

Hardin County
Ackley

Hardin County

Hardin County

Hardin County

Hardin County

Hardin County

Hardin County

Hardin County

Hardin County

Hardin County

Hardin County

Hardin County

Hardin County

I really liked Hardin County. There is more than one thing there I would like to go back and photograph again in the future.

WPC – WEEK 295 – FACE

There was a decent amount of submissions for FACE this week. Apparently lots of you know a FACE or two that you like.

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


WEEK 295 - FACE - KIM BARKER
Kim Barker

WEEK 295 - FACE - KIM BARKER
Kim Barker

WEEK 295 - FACE - KIO DETTMAN
Kio Dettman

WEEK 295 - FACE - KIO DETTMAN
Kio Dettman

WEEK 295 - FACE - KIO DETTMAN
Kio Dettman

WEEK 295 - FACE - LINDA BENNETT
Linda Bennett

WEEK 295 - FACE - TAMARA PETERSON
Tamara Peterson

WEEK 295 - FACE - MICKY AUGUSTIN
Micky Augustin

WEEK 295 - FACE - TAMARA PETERSON
Tamara Peterson

WEEK 295 - FACE - BECKY PARMELEE
Becky Parmelee

WEEK 295 - FACE - JOE DUFF
Joe Duff

WEEK 295 - FACE - CHRISTOPHER D. BENNETT
Christopher D. Bennett

WEEK 295 - FACE - KIO DETTMAN
Kio Dettman

WEEK 295 - FACE - MICKY AUGUSTIN
Micky Augustin

WEEK 295 - FACE - CATHIE RALEY
Cathie Raley


Submitted by Andy Sharp by Caree Severson

WEEK 295 - FACE - SHANNON BARDOLE-FOLEY
Shannon Bardole-Foley

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 296 - LIGHT
LIGHT

LIGHT! Another great theme for Year 8 of THE WEEKLY PHOTO CHALLENGE.

A LIGHT image is pretty simple. It is merely a picture where LIGHT plays a major compositional element. A wise person might argue that any picture they take is a LIGHT picture because all photography really is, is the capturing of LIGHT. But warning, when you take a picture of LIGHT, don’t face your camera straight towards a bright LIGHT.. You will surely damage it. The camera. The LIGHT will be just fine.

Think about the following song lyric when you are contemplating your LIGHT image:

I saw the light, I saw the light
No more darkness, no more night
Now I’m so happy no sorrow in sight
Praise the Lord, I saw the light
-Hank Williams

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 LIGHT in this place that is a little bit more than scraps of LIGHT next Monday.

2010-08-13, 2010-08-14, & 2010-08-16

There aren’t many images in the folders 2010-08-13 and 2010-08-14 so I decided to combine them with the folder 2010-08-16 that contains many pictures from a trip I took to the Iowa State Fair.

There are also pictures of Jesse and two of his progeny and of a moonflower.


WEEK 32 - SILHOUETTE - CHRISTOPHER D. BENNETT

Iowa State Fair - 2010

Iowa State Fair - 2010

Iowa State Fair - 2010

Iowa State Fair - 2010

Iowa State Fair - 2010

Iowa State Fair - 2010

Iowa State Fair - 2010

Iowa State Fair - 2010

Iowa State Fair - 2010

Iowa State Fair - 2010

Iowa State Fair - 2010

Iowa State Fair - 2010

Iowa State Fair - 2010

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

RWPE #32 – SILHOUETTE

State Fair Koan

PERSONAL PHOTO PROJECT OF THE WEEK #38

Next Saturday’s walk down memory lane will involve more Iowa State Fair.

More of that Velvet 85

Here is another small collection of some of the first images I took with the Lensbaby Velvet 85 back in January:


Lensbaby Velvet 85

Lensbaby Velvet 85

Lensbaby Velvet 85

Lensbaby Velvet 85

Lensbaby Velvet 85

Lensbaby Velvet 85

Lensbaby Velvet 85

Lensbaby Velvet 85

I’m still going to go into some detail about what makes the Lensbaby Velvet 85 such a special unique lens at some point. Just not today.

+++++++

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


WEEK 295 - FACE
FACE

A FACE image is pretty simple. It is merely a picture where a FACE is a major compositional element. Everybody has access to a FACE. Almost everybody either has a FACE or knows somebody that has a FACE. But not just humans have a FACE. Animals have a FACE. Clocks have a FACE. Even cliffs have a FACE.

Think about the following quote when you are contemplating your FACE image:

Laughter is the sun that drives winter from the human face.
-Victor Hugo

Happy photo harvesting!

WPC – WEEK 294 – TRAVEL

There was a decent amount of submissions for TRAVEL. It looks like several people left their house this weekend and had TRAVEL adventures.

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


WEEK 294 - TRAVEL - MICKY AUGUSTIN
Micky Augustin

WEEK 294 - TRAVEL - ELIZABETH NORDEEN
Elizabeth Nordeen

WEEK 294 - TRAVEL - JODIE CUE
Jodie Cue

WEEK 294 - TRAVEL - JODIE CUE
Jodie Cue

WEEK 294 - TRAVEL - CHRISTOPHER D. BENNETT
Christopher D. Bennett

WEEK 294 - TRAVEL - JODIE CUE
Jodie Cue

WEEK 294 - TRAVEL - KIM BARKER
Kim Barker

WEEL 294 - TRAVEL - SHANNON BARDOLE-FOLEY
Shannon Bardole-Foley

WEEL 294 - TRAVEL - KIO DETTMAN
Kio Dettman

WEEL 294 - TRAVEL - KIO DETTMAN
Kio Dettman

WEEK 294 - TRAVEL - MIKE VEST
Mike Vest

WEEK 294 - TRAVEL - CARLA STENSLAND
Carla Stensland

WEEK 294 - TRAVEL - CARLA STENSLAND
Carla Stensland

WEEK 294 - TRAVEL - CARLA STENSLAND
Carla Stensland

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 295 - FACE
FACE

FACE! Another great theme for Year 8 of THE WEEKLY PHOTO CHALLENGE.

A FACE image is pretty simple. It is merely a picture where a FACE is a major compositional element. Everybody has access to a FACE. Almost everybody either has a FACE or knows somebody that has a FACE. But not just humans have a FACE. Animals have a FACE. Clocks have a FACE. Even cliffs have a FACE.

Think about the following quote when you are contemplating your FACE image:

Laughter is the sun that drives winter from the human face.
-Victor Hugo

Meditate on this quote and I have no doubt your submission will be one that is ready to FACE the world.

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 FACE in this place that sometimes doesn’t know which way to FACE next Monday.

Town Sign Project: Union County

Union County is the last county of I completed with my Mom. We went through a few counties on that road trip, so there are still a couple individual town signs from that trip to share, but Union County is the final county that we took to completion.

I had a certain degree of expectations for Union County, despite the fact that it is commonly held knowledge that the closer you get to Missouri the more wore down and ragged the towns in Iowa became. That being said, I am a fan of the Union. I live on Union Street. Whenever I watch a Civil War movie, I openly root for the Union. Not everybody does. Some people root for the Confederacy. Those people are known as racists.

I’m also very pro-union, as it applies to organized labor. Even though I don’t currently have the ability to join a union at my current day job. However, my Dad was very pro-union and because of the strength of the UAW while he was alive, my Mom continued to receive benefits from John Deere her entire life.

My key takeaway from our trip to Union County is that Creston is a hidden gem. I loved Creston and would like to visit again some day.

Here are some facts about Union County:
+ The population is 12,534.
+ The county seat and largest city is Creston.
+ The county was organized in 1853 and named for the union that people wanted to preserve.
+ Major highways in the county are: US 34, US 169, and IA 25.
+ Surrounding counties are Adair, Madison, Clarke, Ringgold, and Adams.
+ Population peaked in 1900 at 19,928.

Even though Creston has lots of great art and architecture, the Union County Courthouse isn’t great:


Union County Courthouse
Union County Courthouse in Creston

The Union County Freedom Rock is located in Creston, near an old-timey gas station:


Union County Freedom Rock

Union County Freedom Rock

Union County Freedom Rock

Union County Freedom Rock

Here is the Union County Photo Map:


Union County Photo Map
Union County Photo Map – Boundaries are not close.

With Union County conquered, here is the updated Photography 139 Conquest Map:



PURPLE=COMPLETED

18 counties completed. 18.2% of the Cyclone State conquered!

Here are the town signs of Union County:


Creston, Iowa
Creston, Iowa
Welcome to Creston
Population: 7,834

Afton, Iowa
Afton, Iowa
Welcome to Afton
Population: 845

Lorimor, Iowa
Lorimor, Iowa
Welcome to Lorimor – Est. 1887 – “Where The Mississippi & Missouri Divide!”
Population: 560

Cromwell, Iowa
Cromwell, Iowa
Cromwell Next 3 Exits
Population – 107

Arispe, Iowa
Arispe, Iowa
Welcome to Arispe, Iowa – Est. 1887
Population: 100

Shannon City, Iowa
Shannon City, Iowa
Shannon City
Population: 90

Thayer, Iowa
Thayer, Iowa
Thayer
Population: 59

Union County and Madison County really remind me of each other. They both have great towns for their county seats, but also some of the worst towns I’ve ever seen. That is probably the Missouri Proximity Factor. It is hard to pick a worse town sign between Shannon City and Thayer, since neither one really has one. I took the Shannon City sign before I stopped accepting DOT signs as town signs, although now I’m rethinking that policy. The Thayer town sign is a railroad sign. Not really a town sign at all. That bridge in the background in that picture. I wouldn’t ride over that thing on a bike. I would say tied for last.

I don’t think Union County has a strong batch of signs, but a couple are at least good. Afton, Lorimor, and Arispe all have good signs. But I’m going to give Union County Best in Show to Creston. Maybe because I just was surprised by how much I like Creston.


Creston, Iowa
Creston – Best in Show – Union County

A couple towns had alternate signs:


Creston, Iowa
Creston Alternate

Creston, Iowa
Creston Alternate

Afton, Iowa
Afton Alternate

Here is the current list of Best in Shows:


Audubon, Iowa
Best in Show – Audubon County

Moingona, Iowa
Best in Show – Boone County

Coon Rapids, Iowa
Best in Show – Carroll County

Ricketts, Iowa
Best in Show – Crawford County

Dexter, Iowa
Best in Show – Dallas County

Popejoy, Iowa
Best in Show – Franklin County

Scranton, Iowa
Best in Show – Greene County

Menlo, Iowa
Best in Show – Guthrie County

Stanhope, Iowa
Best in Show – Hamilton County

Ackley, Iowa
Best in Show – Hardin County

Lynnville, Iowa
Best in Show – Jasper County

East Peru, Iowa
Best in Show – Madison County

Haverhill, Iowa
Best in Show – Marshall County

Bondurant, Iowa
Best in Show – Polk County

Collins, Iowa
Best in Show – Story County

Creston, Iowa
Best in Show – Union County

Badger, Iowa
Best in Show – Webster County

Woolstock, Iowa
Best in Show – Wright County

I’m going to suspend the Bennett Power Rankings.

I have not completed any other counties at this time, so I don’t know what the next county I share will be.