Category Archives: Brandon

Amanda, Brandon, Christianity, Dahlia, Greyson, Holidays, Lensbaby, Logan, Russ, Still Life, Teresa

On Balance – 2021

October 30, 2022 Christopher D. Bennett

I’m kicking the decision about Formal Portrait Sunday down the road another week. This collection is the last of the pictures I took in 2021 to share.

A couple are from Halloween night. I don’t get many trick-or-treaters I know these days. So there are only two pictures of people I know from last year.

The rest are from Christmas. Many of them are taking with a Lensbaby, which was my Christmas present to myself last year. Another one will probably be my Christmas present to myself again this year.

Andy, Angie, Art, Becky, Bill, Brandon, Carla, Cathie, Dawn, Drone, Elizabeth, Jen, Jesse, Joe Duff, Kim, Kio, Linda, Logan, Mary, Michelle, Micky, Monica, Sabas, Sara, Sarah Toot, Shannon, Suzie, Tamara, Teresa, Vest, Willy, WPC - Submissions

WPC – WEEK 371 – LINES

October 24, 2022 Christopher D. Bennett

LINES. A quick and easy theme. But did it trigger the creative juices of a ton of people? You’ll have to keep scrolling to find out.

As of 12:01 PM on Monday, October 17, this was the current list of ACTIVE streaks (ignore the numbers in parentheses):

1-Harrison Gorshe – 1 week
2-Sabas Hernandez – 1 week
3-Willy McAlpine – 1 week
4-Mike Vest – 1 week
5-Jesse Howard – 2 weeks
6-Sara Lockner – 4 weeks
7-Suzie Brannen – 8 weeks
8-Brandon Kahler – 9 weeks
9-Linda Bennett – 12 weeks (3)
10-Sarah Toot – 13 weeks
11-Monica Jennings – 14 weeks
12-Angie DeWaard – 17 weeks
13-Dawn Krause – 21 weeks
14-Kim Barker – 27 weeks
15-Joe Duff – 29 weeks (2)
16-Logan Kahler – 30 weeks (4)
17-Teresa Kahler – 39 weeks (2)
18-Tamara Peterson – 39 weeks
19-Carla Stensland – 39 weeks (3)
20-Michelle Haupt – 40 weeks
21-Micky Augustin – 41 weeks
22-Andy Sharp – 42 weeks
23-Bill Wentworth – 43 weeks
24-Cathie Morton – 47 weeks
25-Elizabeth Nordeen – 48 weeks
26-Shannon Bardole-Foley – 50 weeks
27-Kio Dettman – 53 weeks (4)

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:

Carla Stensland – 40 weeks

Carla Stensland

Joe Duff – 30 weeks

Joe Duff

Kio Dettman – 54 weeks

Kio Dettman

Linda Bennett – 13 weeks

Linda Bennett

Michelle Haupt – 41 weeks

Shannon Bardole-Foley – 51 weeks

Tamara Peterson – 40 weeks

Bill Wentworth – 44 weeks

Christopher D. Bennett

Micky Augustin – 42 weeks

Angie DeWaard – 18 weeks

Kim Barker – 28 weeks

Elizabeth Nordeen – 49 weeks

Elizabeth Nordeen

Teresa Kahler – 40 weeks

Teresa Kahler

Andy Sharp – 43 weeks

Suzie Brannen – 9 weeks

Sara Lockner – 5 weeks

Willy McAlpine – 2 weeks

Logan Kahler – 31 weeks

Logan Kahler

Dawn Krause – 22 weeks

Dawn Krause

Brandon Kahler – 10 weeks

Monica Jennings – 15 weeks

Monica Jennings

Sabas Hernandez – 2 weeks

Jen Ensley-Gorshe – 1 week

Jen Ensley-Gorshe

Becky Parmelee – 1 week

Cathie Morton – 48 weeks

Cathie Morton

Sarah Toot – 14 weeks

Sarah Toot

Jesse Howard – 3 weeks

Mike Vest – 2 weeks

Mary Green – 1 week

Mary Green

30 participants! That is a great week. Possibly 30!

Pictures this weeks from Madrid, Spain for the international flavor. Those were Joe’s pictures. From the States, I got pictures submitted that were taken in Florida, Pennsylvania, Iowa, Nebraska, Arkansas, Kansas, and California. The California submission will probably be the last from California for a bit. Sabas has moved to Iowa and is becoming an Iowan. A welcome addition to the Cyclone State!

I took my picture about 4 miles from my house.

The big accomplishment this week was Brandon. He joined the double digit streak club!

It wasn’t all good news though. Harrison’s couldn’t extend his streak to two weeks. But submitting at all is a pretty big accomplishment from a toddler.

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:

ART

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

But what is an ART image? It is simply a picture of something that is a piece of ART. I would urge you to not just take a standard straight on picture of a piece of ART. Try to see it from a different angle than it might be normally viewed. While your subject might be ART, your interpretation of your subject should be ARTistic. Now a truly arrogant photographer could just claim that every picture they take is ART.

While considering possible subjects for your submission, meditate on the following quote:

The aim of art is to represent not the outward appearance of things, but their inward significance.
-Aristotle

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.

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 your idea of ART in this place where I record the art of my life next Monday.

Andy, Angie, Bill, Brandon, Carla, Cathie, Dawn, Elizabeth, Jesse, Joe Duff, Kim, Kio, Linda, Logan, Macro, Michelle, Micky, Monica, Sabas, Sara, Sarah Toot, Shannon, Suzie, Tamara, Teresa, Vest, Willy, WPC - Submissions

WPC – WEEK 370 – MACRO

October 17, 2022 Christopher D. Bennett

MACRO. Close-up photography. One of my favorite types of photography, but was it popular on the aggregate level? You will have to keep scrolling to find out.

As of 12:01 PM on Monday, October 10, this was the current list of ACTIVE streaks (ignore the numbers in parentheses):

1-Jen Ensley-Gorshe – 1 week
2-Evie Gorshe – 1 week
3-Jesse Howard – 1 week (2)
4-Sarah Karber – 1 week
5-Sara Lockner – 3 weeks
6-Suzie Brannen – 7 weeks
7-Brandon Kahler – 8 weeks
8-Linda Bennett – 11 weeks (3)
9-Sarah Toot – 12 weeks (2)
10-Monica Jennings – 14 weeks
11-Angie DeWaard – 16 weeks
12-Mary Green – 16 weeks (2)
13-Dawn Krause – 20 weeks (2)
14-Kim Barker – 26 weeks
15-Joe Duff – 28 weeks
16-Logan Kahler – 29 weeks
17-Teresa Kahler – 38 weeks (2)
18-Tamara Peterson – 38 weeks
19-Carla Stensland – 38 weeks
20-Michelle Haupt – 39 weeks
21-Micky Augustin – 40 weeks
22-Andy Sharp – 41 weeks (3)
23-Bill Wentworth – 42 weeks
24-Cathie Morton – 46 weeks (2)
25-Elizabeth Nordeen – 47 weeks
26-Shannon Bardole-Foley – 49 weeks
27-Kio Dettman – 52 weeks (2)

As of that same time and same morning, this is a look at states I’ve received submissions from (this calendar year):

I have not created a world map, but I did get a submission for the Bahamas last week and I bet there is a submission from a European country this year. Sorry for the spoiler.

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:

Andy Sharp – 42 weeks

Teresa Kahler – 39 weeks

Teresa Kahler

Bill Wentworth – 43 weeks

Angie DeWaard – 17 weeks

Joe Duff – 29 weeks

Joe Duff

Kio Dettman – 53 weeks

Kio Dettman

Linda Bennett – 12 weeks

Linda Bennett

Shannon Bardole-Foley – 50 weeks

Tamara Peterson – 39 weeks

Christopher D. Bennett

Kim Barker – 27 weeks

Suzie Brannen – 8 weeks

Jesse Howard – 2 weeks

Elizabeth Nordeen – 48 weeks

Elizabeth Nordeen

Willy McAlpine – 1 week

Carla Stensland – 39 weeks

Carla Stensland

Cathie Morton – 47 weeks

Brandon Kahler – 9 weeks

Harrison Gorshe – 1 week

Micky Augustin – 41 weeks

Monica Jennings – 15 weeks

Sara Lockner – 4 weeks

Sabas Hernandez – 1 week

Sarah Toot – 13 weeks

Michelle Haupt – 40 weeks

Dawn Krause – 21 weeks

Mike Vest – 1 week

Logan Kahler – 30 weeks

Logan Kahler

28 participants! That is a good week.

Had submissions from (assumptions mostly) Pennsylvania, Iowa, Texas, Nebraska, Kansas, and California. And… Spain.
Which picture was from Spain? Joe’s hot dog picture.

Last week I forgot to point out that Kio I had a year straight of submissions! Very impressive.

But it isn’t all good news and Spanish hot dogs…

4 streaks were snapped. Jen and Evie and Sarah Karber couldn’t add a second week to their streak. Most tragically, Mary’s 16 week streak has gone down in flames!

LINES

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

But what is LINES photo? Lines are a very powerful compositional element. The eye will naturally follow lines through the image. This is why they use of leading LINES is a very popular tool. That would be placing your subject at the end of a line in the picture. But you don’t have to just use leading LINES. Just any picture of a LINE(S) would work. Whether they lead somewhere or nowhere. Of course there are all sorts of different types of LINES. There are LINES to the bathroom (or so I’m told, I’m a man, I’ve never experienced such a thing) or LINES at a cash register. Traffic LINES. Some of us that are a little more aged even have LINES on our face. In some ways, it is practically impossible to take an in-focus picture that doesn’t include LINES.

While considering possible subjects for your submission, meditate on the following quote:

A line is a dot that went for a walk.
– Paul Klee

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 all I got, so if the good Lord’s willin’ and the creek don’t rise, we will all be sharing your idea of LINES in this place that is nothing more than a few million lines of code next Monday.

Andy, Angie, Brandon, Carla, Cathie, Dawn, Elizabeth, Evie, Flowers, Jen, Jesse, Joe Duff, Kim, Kio, Linda, Logan, Macro, Mary, Michelle, Micky, Monica, Pastor Sarah, Sara, Sarah Toot, Shannon, Suzie, Tamara, Teresa, WPC - Submissions

WPC – WEEK 369 – VIOLET

October 10, 2022 Christopher D. Bennett

VIOLET. Purple. Lavender. I got submission sent under all those headings. But did I get a lot of them? Was VIOLET a popular theme? You’ll have to keep scrolling to find out.

As of 12:01 PM on Monday, October 3, this was the current list of ACTIVE streaks (ignore the numbers in parentheses):

1Becky Parmelee – 1 week
2Sara Lockner – 2 weeks
3Suzie Brannen – 6 weeks
4Brandon Kahler – 7 weeks
5Linda Bennett – 10 weeks (2)
6Sarah Toot – 11 weeks
7Sabas Hernandez – 13 weeks
8Monica Jennings – 13 weeks
9Angie DeWaard – 15 weeks
10Mary Green – 15 weeks (4)
11Dawn Krause – 19 weeks
12Kim Barker – 25 weeks
13Joe Duff – 27 weeks
14Logan Kahler – 28 weeks (2)
15Teresa Kahler – 37 weeks (2)
16Tamara Peterson – 37 weeks
17Carla Stensland – 37 weeks (3)
18Michelle Haupt – 38 weeks
19Micky Augustin – 39 weeks
20Andy Sharp – 40 weeks
21Bill Wentworth – 41 weeks
22Cathie Morton – 45 weeks
23Elizabeth Nordeen – 46 weeks
24Shannon Bardole-Foley – 48 weeks
25Kio Dettman – 51 weeks (3)

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:

Teresa Kahler – 38 weeks

Teresa Kahler

Angie DeWaard – 16 weeks

Andy Sharp – 41 weeks

Andy Sharp

Micky Augustin – 40 weeks

Kim Barker – 26 weeks

Joe Duff – 28 weeks

Carla Stensland – 38 weeks

Kio Dettman – 52 weeks

Kio Dettman

Logan Kahler – 29 weeks

Mary Green – 16 weeks

Mary Green

Sarah Karber – 1 week

Shannon Bardole-Foley – 49 weeks

Tamara Peterson – 38 weeks

Bill Wentworth – 42 weeks

Cathie Morton – 46 weeks

Cathie Morton

Christopher D. Bennett

Jesse Howard – 1 week

Jesse Howard

Suzie Brannen – 7 weeks

Sarah Toot – 12 weeks

Sarah Toot

Michelle Haupt – 39 weeks

Linda Bennett – 11 weeks

Linda Bennett

Elizabeth Nordeen – 47 weeks

Sara Lockner – 3 weeks

Monica Jennings – 14 weeks

Dawn Krause – 20 weeks

Dawn Krause

Evie Gorshe – 1 week

Jen Ensley-Gorshe – 1 week

Brandon Kahler – 8 weeks

28 participants! That is a good week.

We had submissions from (assumptions on my part mostly) Pennsylvania, Minnesota, Iowa, Nebraska, Kansas, and Texas. My pictures was taken approximately 16 steps from my front door.

Also, Cathie’s pictures were taken in the Bahamas!

Another fun fact! 3 Sara(h)s is once again the record for most participants of one first name.

Another fun fact! On Sunday I learned that October is Pastor Appreciation Month. There were submissions from 2 former pastors of my church. I do appreciate their contributions into making me the person that I am. Hopefully who I am is appreciated by somebody, cause they definitely tried!

Also, congratulations to Kim who joined the Half Year Club! Way to go Kim!

But it wasn’t all good times. Becky couldn’t extend her streak to 2 weeks. Tragically, Sabas’ epic 13 streak ends at unlucky number 13.

MACRO

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

But what exactly is a MACRO photo? There is a long technical definition of MACRO photography that involves being a 1:1 ratio on 35 mm film, but for our purposes, just think of MACRO photography as getting close to your subject. On this theme you should figure out what the closest focusing distance of your camera is and be awful close to that in your closeness to your subject.

While considering possible subjects for you submission, meditate on the following quote:

If your pictures aren’t good enough, you aren’t close enough.
-Robert Capa

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 all I got, so if the good Lord’s willin’ and the creek don’t rise, we will all be sharing your idea of MACRO in this place that is both a macro and a micro look at my life next Monday.

Art, Automobiles, Black & White, Brandon, Flowers, Football, Iowa State, Naima, Nature, Photo of the Day, Politics, Railroad, Road Trip, Ruins, Self-Portrait, Still Life

Fat Mum Slim – September 2022

October 5, 2022 Christopher D. Bennett

Another month done in the Fat Mum Slim Photo A Day Challenge. I have to confess that I spent some time on the struggle bus this month. I don’t know if I lost some steam or if I just want feeling some of the themes. Being sick for a few days in September didn’t help either. With that being said, I think there is still some good work in there.

Here are the September images:

September 1 – Something I Saw

September 2 – Plastic

September 3 – Paper

September 4 – Somewhere I Went

September 5 – Hobby

September 6 – Green + Blue

September 7 – Before Bed

September 8 – An Emotion

September 9 – Opposites

September 10 – I Can Hear…

September 11 – Paint

September 12 – Symmetry

September 13 – Tasty

September 14 – Odd One Out

September 15 – A Food Shop

September 16 – 12:34

September 17 – Lucky

September 18 – Car Park

September 19 – What’s on TV

September 20 – Texture

September 21 – Nature

September 22 – Tree Trunk

September 23 – Crunchy

September 24 – I Can Smell…

September 25 – Laneway

September 26 – The Moon

September 27 – Open Door

September 28 – My Culture

September 29 – Not My Style

September 30 – Sentimental

As you can tell, the woman who runs this challenge is Australian and there were some terms in there I had to look up, cause I had no clue what a laneway is.

Remember, you can follow on for my daily posts on the dedicated Instagram Account.

@fmsbennett

These are the themes for October:

1. White
2. Black
3. Green
4. Red
5. Orange
6. Blue
7. Yellow
8. Purple
9. Aqua
10. Pink
11. Grey
12. Brown
13. Pop of Colour
14. Stripes
15. Floral
16. One Colour
17. Two Colours
18. Pattern
19. Black and White
20. Rainbow
21. My Fave Colour
22. Matching
23. Natural
24. Dark
25. Light
26. Pastel
27. Bright
28. Gold
29. Fresh
30. Mellow
31. Dots

Some good ones in there. Should be a good month!

Andy, Angie, Becky, Bill, Brandon, Carla, Cathie, Dawn, Elizabeth, Joe Duff, Kim, Kio, Logan, Mary, Michelle, Monica, Ruins, Sabas, Sara, Sarah Toot, Shannon, Suzie, Tamara, Teresa, WPC - Submissions

WPC – WEEK 368 – RUINS

October 3, 2022 Christopher D. Bennett

The old. The forgotten. The abandoned. The falling apart. The rusty. The dilapidated. I love that stuff, but were RUINS a popular theme? You will have to keep scrolling to find out.

As of 12:01 PM on Monday, September 26, this was the current list of ACTIVE streaks (ignore the numbers in parentheses):

1+ Sara Lockner – 1 week
2+ Willy McAlpine – 1 week
3+ Suzie Brannen – 5 weeks
4+ Jesse Howard – 6 weeks
5+ Brandon Kahler – 6 weeks
6+ Linda Bennett – 9 weeks
7+ Sarah Toot – 10 weeks
8+ Sabas Hernandez – 12 weeks
9+ Monica Jennings – 12 weeks
10+ Angie DeWaard – 14 weeks
11+ Mary Green – 14 weeks (2)
12+ Dawn Krause – 18 weeks
13+ Kim Barker – 24 weeks
14+ Joe Duff – 26 weeks
15+ Logan Kahler – 27 weeks
16+ Teresa Kahler – 36 weeks (3)
17+ Tamara Peterson – 36 weeks
18+ Carla Stensland – 36 weeks (2)
19+ Michelle Haupt – 37 weeks
20+ Micky Augustin – 38 weeks
21+ Andy Sharp – 39 weeks
22+ Bill Wentworth – 40 weeks
23+ Cathie Morton – 44 weeks
24+ Elizabeth Nordeen – 45 weeks
25+ Shannon Bardole-Foley – 47 weeks
26+ Kio Dettman – 49 weeks (6)

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:

Becky Parmelee – 1 week

Sara Lockner – 2 weeks

Suzie Brannen – 6 weeks

Brandon Kahler – 7 weeks

Linda Bennett – 10 weeks

Linda Bennett

Sarah Toot – 11 weeks

Sarah Toot

Sabas Hernandez – 13 weeks

Monica Jennings – 13 weeks

Angie DeWaard – 15 weeks

Mary Green – 15 weeks

Mary Green

Dawn Krause – 19 weeks

Dawn Krause

Kim Barker – 25 weeks

Joe Duff 27 weeks

Logan Kahler – 28 weeks

Logan Kahler

Teresa Kahler – 37 weeks

Teresa Kahler

Tamara Peterson – 37 weeks

Carla Stensland – 37 weeks

Carla Stensland

Michelle Haupt – 38 weeks

Micky Augustin – 39 weeks

Andy Sharp – 40 weeks

Bill Wentworth – 41 weeks

Cathie Morton – 46 weeks

Elizabeth Nordeen – 46 weeks

Shannon Bardole-Foley – 48 weeks

Kio Dettman – 50 weeks

Kio Dettman

Christopher D. Bennett – 472 weeks

26 participants this week! A good, but not great week. But I’ll take it.

Submissions from (most of these are assumptions) Pennsylvania, Texas, Arkansas, Kansas, Nebraska, California, and Iowa this week. My picture was taken about 30 miles from my front door.

Congrats to Linda who joined the double digit streak club!

It wasn’t all fun and games this week though. Willy couldn’t extend his streak to two weeks. Jesse’s 6 week streak is a pile of rubble. Ruins, one might say.

VIOLET

VIOLET! What a great theme for year 9 of THE WEEKLY PHOTO CHALLENGE!

But what exactly is a VIOLET photo. It is simply any picture where the color VIOLET (or purple if you will) plays an important part of the composition. It can be a picture of something that is VIOLET. Or it can be surrounded by VIOLET. Heck, you can crack out a VIOLET filter and make everything VIOLET.

While considering possible subjects for your VIOLET submission, meditate on the following quote:

I think it pisses God off if you walk by the color purple in a field somewhere and don’t notice it.
-Alice Walker

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 all I got, so if the good Lord’s willin’ and the creek don’t rise, we will all be sharing your idea of VIOLET in this place that is very purple next Monday.

Art, Bill, Boone FUMC, Brandon, Derrick, Evie, Flat Earth Joe, Football, Iowa State, Jay, Jesse, Jorge, K.J., Kio, Nader, Naima, Self-Portrait, Self-Portrait Project, Teresa

Selfie Project – September 2022

October 1, 2022 Christopher D. Bennett

I knew September was not going to be as busy as August, but looking at these pictures it is hard not to wonder if I ever left my house. Being sick for about 4 or 5 days didn’t help, but really… I’ll try to do better in October.

Here are some of my favorite selfies from THE SELFIE PROJECT in October:

September 1

September 2

September 3

September 4

September 5

September 7

September 8

September 9

September 10

September 11

September 13

September 14

September 15

September 17

September 18

September 19

September 23

September 24

September 25

September 28

September 29

While there can only be one picture to represent every day, thought I would share some of my favorite alternates from September.

SELFIE PROJECT - ALTERNATE - SEPTEMBER 2022

I will try to be more active again in October, but I make no promises. Maybe the slacker lifestyle agrees with me?

Bill, Brandon, Derrick, Flat Earth Joe, Iowa State, Jesse, Jorge, K.J., WPC - Reminder

Taco Tailgate – 2022

September 30, 2022 Christopher D. Bennett

Last Saturday before the Iowa State-Baylor football game we rekindled the old tradition known as Taco Tailgate. It was in the new lot (D1), but it was still as great as ever. Here are some Taco Tailgate pictures:

We don’t have the most elaborate setup, but we get to tailgate so rarely. However, we might tailgate again later this year and there will be more things added to the setup. More and more.

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This is your reminder that this week’s WEEKLY PHOTO PROJECT theme is RUINS:

RUINS

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

But what is a RUINS photo? It is simply a picture of something that has been abandoned, forgotten. Something that is rusting. Dilapidated. No longer being properly maintained. Or improperly maintained. This is one of my Top 5 favorite themes! It can be an old building. An old car. Just for examples. But there are a lot of things out there that have been abandoned. Forgotten. That are wasting away. Waiting for you to immortalize them through the art of photography.

Happy photo harvesting!

Andy, Angie, Bill, Brandon, Carla, Cathie, Christianity, Dawn, Elizabeth, Jesse, Joe Duff, Kim, Kio, Linda, Logan, Michelle, Micky, Monica, Sabas, Sara, Sarah Toot, Shannon, Still Life, Suzie, Tamara, Teresa, Willy, WPC - Submissions

WPC – WEEK 367 – SIGNS

September 26, 2022 Christopher D. Bennett

It is our monthly time to look at the WPC FAQ:

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Is there a limit to the number of submissions I can have each week?

The short answer is, “no”. Some people think that there is a limit of one submission per person because I only present one submission a week, personally. I have the other 6 days to post my photography. So one is more than enough image from me.

However, the longer answer is, 3 would be a good guide to limit yourself to submit. It isn’t a rule, but much over 3 begins to start to overwhelm the submissions of the others in the community. Also, if you are submitting multiple submissions, think about your submissions. Are they unique? Are they of wholly different subjects? Is each submission saying something unique?

The long answer is, there isn’t a limit, but 3 is a good rule of thumb. If I start to average about 30 participants a week, I will consider putting a limit of 1 per participant, to help manage my workload, but we are a long ways from averaging 30 participants a week.

Can I send you several pictures and have you pick the best one?

No! No! NO! If those words come out of your mouth or your keyboard, I consider that to be a non-submission.

Do you ever question whether somebody’s submission fits the theme?

Meh. Only if I think somebody is clearly confusing this week’s theme with last week or next week’s theme. Otherwise, if the submission makes sense in your head, that is good enough to me. However, I would urge you to not try to fit your favorite subject into the theme. This isn’t a challenge to share a picture every week of your kid or your business or your pet. It is a challenge to take pictures of different things every week. Which isn’t to say subjects can’t be repeated, but you shouldn’t become reliant on the same ones.

Why can’t I submit after 11 AM on Mondays if the post doesn’t publish until 12:01 PM?

I go to lunch at 11 AM. I leave my office. I’m not near a computer. At 11 AM I hit “Schedule” and then I go throw food down my throat. 167 hours is more than enough time to send a submission. Okay, 166 hours and 59 minutes. You got me.

Are there resolution requirements for submissions?

I won’t turn down submissions that are too small. I will probably ask you for a picture of greater resolution if it is really small. The typical 4 x 6 image posted to my website has a resolution of 1280 pixels x 853 pixels. While a 400 x 300 image might look okay on your phone, it looks like trash on a computer monitor. I prefer images that are at least 1000 pixels at their largest point, but don’t ban smaller pictures at this point.

What format should my submission be?

.JPG but .PNG also works.

If I write a description of my image will you include that in your post?

No. Photography is art that should stand on its own. Only exception is the SLICE OF LIFE theme.

When will you start accepting suggestions for next year’s THE WEEKLY PHOTO CHALLENGE themes?

I will accept those the last Monday of October and the first Monday of November. I only accept suggestions in the “Comments” section of the journal entries on those days. Don’t text me or email me them or call me or Snapchat me. Put them in the Comments section of the journal entries on those days. I have my reasons.

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Was SIGNS a popular theme? You’ll have to scroll down to find out.

As of 12:01 PM on Monday, September 19, this was the current list of ACTIVE streaks (ignore the numbers in parentheses):

+ Suzie Brannen – 4 weeks
+ Jesse Howard – 5 weeks
+ Brandon Kahler – 5 weeks
+ Linda Bennett – 8 weeks
+ Sarah Toot – 9 weeks
+ Sabas Hernandez – 11 weeks
+ Monica Jennings – 11 weeks
+ Angie DeWaard – 13 weeks
+ Mary Green – 13 weeks (2)
+ Dawn Krause – 17 weeks
+ Kim Barker – 23 weeks
+ Joe Duff – 25 weeks
+ Logan Kahler – 26 weeks
+ Teresa Kahler – 35 weeks (3)
+ Tamara Peterson – 35 weeks
+ Carla Stensland – 35 weeks (3)
+ Michelle Haupt – 36 weeks
+ Micky Augustin – 37 weeks
+ Andy Sharp – 38 weeks
+ Bill Wentworth – 39 weeks
+ Cathie Morton – 43 weeks
+ Elizabeth Nordeen – 44 weeks
+ Shannon Bardole-Foley – 46 weeks
+ Kio Dettman – 49 weeks (4)

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:

Carla Stensland – 36 weeks

Carla Stensland

Linda Bennett – 9 weeks

Linda Bennett

Mary Green – 14 weeks

Mary Green

Shannon Bardole-Foley – 47 weeks

Bill Wentworth – 40 weeks

Tamara Peterson – 36 weeks

Joe Duff – 26 weeks

Angie DeWaard – 14 weeks

Kim Barker – 24 weeks

Dawn Krause – 18 weeks

Dawn Krause

Elizabeth Nordeen – 45 weeks

Micky Augustin – 38 weeks

Christopher D. Bennett

Kio Dettman – 50 weeks

Kio Dettman

Michelle Haupt – 37 weeks

Teresa Kahler – 36 weeks

Teresa Kahler

Andy Sharp – 39 weeks

Sabas Hernandez – 12 weeks

Jesse Howard – 6 weeks

Jesse Howard

Suzie Brannen – 5 weeks

Willy McAlpine – 1 week

Monica Jennings – 12 weeks

Sara Lockner – 1 week

Brandon Kahler – 6 weeks

Cathie Morton – 44 weeks

Sarah Toot – 10 weeks

Logan Kahler – 27 weeks

Logan Kahler

27 participants this week! That is a good week!

Recently I’ve become curious where pictures were taken that have been submitted and decided to put together a little map of what states submissions have been taken from. It might not be 100% accurate, but I think it is pretty darn accurate. It doesn’t include submissions from foreign countries like France and Spain and Mexico, off the top of my head. That would be another project. Here is that map:

Obviously a heavy cluster around the midwest. But in a way, it does stretch from coast to coast. If you look closely, even D.C. is represented.

This week, I believe the states of Iowa, Alaska, California, Texas, Kansas, Illinois, and Pennsylvania are represented.

My picture was taken about 55 miles east of my front door, as the crow flies. Down US-30.

You might notice that Monica’s streak is back and magically intact. Maybe. I have no comment on the matter at this time.

There were not streaks broken, but there were a few milestones reached. Sarah reached double digits on her streak. Joe reached the Half-a-Year Club with his streak! Congratulations to you both!

RUINS

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

While considering what you want to immortalize, meditate on the following quote:

Ruin is when man-made has become a part of nature.
-Marco Casagrande

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 all I got, so if the good Lord’s willin’ and the creek don’t rise, we will all be sharing your idea of RUINS in this place that will someday become a part of nature next Monday.

Andy, Bill, Brandon, Carla, Cathie, Dawn, Elizabeth, Jesse, Joe Duff, Kim, Kio, Linda, Logan, Mary, Michelle, Micky, Monica, Naima, Sabas, Sarah Toot, Shannon, Suzie, Tamara, Teresa, WPC - Submissions

WPC – WEEK 366 – PATHS

September 19, 2022 Christopher D. Bennett

It was a long and a great day. Hopefully, PATHS was worth waiting for. You’ll have to keep scrolling to find out.

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

+ Sara Lockner – 1 week
+ Becky Parmelee – 1 week
+ Suzie Brannen – 3 weeks
+ Jesse Howard – 4 weeks
+ Willy McAlpine – 4 weeks
+ Brandon Kahler – 5 weeks
+ Linda Bennett – 7 weeks (2)
+ Sarah Toot – 8 weeks (2)
+ Sabas Hernandez – 10 weeks
+ Monica Jennings – 10 weeks
+ Angie DeWaard – 12 weeks (2)
+ Mary Green – 12 weeks (3)
+ Dawn Krause – 16 weeks
+ Kim Barker – 22 weeks
+ Joe Duff – 24 weeks
+ Logan Kahler – 25 weeks
+ Teresa Kahler – 34 weeks (3)
+ Tamara Peterson – 34 weeks
+ Carla Stensland – 34 weeks (2)
+ Michelle Haupt – 35 weeks
+ Micky Augustin – 36 weeks
+ Andy Sharp – 37 weeks
+ Bill Wentworth – 38 weeks
+ Cathie Morton – 42 weeks
+ Elizabeth Nordeen – 43 weeks
+ Shannon Bardole-Foley – 45 weeks
+ Kio Dettman – 48 weeks (3)

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:

Andy Sharp – 38 weeks

Andy Sharp

Sabas Hernandez – 11 weeks

Dawn Krause – 17 weeks

Joe Duff – 25 weeks

Kim Barker – 23 weeks

Teresa Kahler – 35 weeks

Teresa Kahler

Bill Wentworth – 39 weeks

Cathie Morton – 43 weeks

Carla Stensland – 35 weeks

Carla Stensland

Kio Dettman – 49 weeks

Kio Dettman

Linda Bennett

Mary Green – 13 weeks

Mary Green

Michelle Haupt – 36 weeks

Shannon Bardole-Foley – 46 weeks

Shannon Bardole-Foley

Tamara Peterson- 35 weeks

Sarah Toot – 9 weeks

Brandon Kahler – 6 weeks

Christopher D. Bennett

Micky Augustin – 37 weeks

Angie DeWaard – 13 weeks

Logan Kahler – 26 weeks

Jesse Howard – 5 weeks

Elizabeth Nordeen – 44 weeks

Suzie Brannen – 4 weeks

Monica Jennings – 11 weeks

25 participants. Not a great week. But not a bad week.

A couple things to note. Logan hit the half a year club with his streak. Shannon set a new record for the picture submitted that was taken the farthest north. Her pictures were taken north of the Arctic Circle! I received pictures from Alaska, California, Texas, Pennsylvania, Nebraska, and Kansas. Many of those are assumptions.

It wasn’t all good news. Sara and Becky’s steaks went kaput at 1 week. Willy’s was shot down after 4 weeks.

SIGNS

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

But what is a SIGNS photo? Quite simply is is a photo of a SIGN(s) or of SIGNS. SIGNS. SIGNS. There are SIGNS everywhere. Messing up the scenery. Breaking my mind. Do this, don’t do that. Can’t you read the SIGN(s)?

But one thing you should definitely do is find an interesting SIGN(s) and photograph it in an interesting manner. Of course there is more than one definition of the term SIGNS.

While considering your possible subjects for your picture, meditate on the following quote:

The very contradictions in my life are in some ways signs of God’s mercy to me.
-Thomas Merton

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 all I got, so if the good Lord’s willin’ and the creek don’t rise, we will all be sharing your idea of SIGNS in this place where I show many alarming signs next Monday.