Time to share the last collection of glorious BLACK AND WHITE images I took but didn’t use for THE WEEKLY PHOTO CHALLENGE. These were also all taken at Logan’s birthday party.
The ink has barely dried on this post and I’m already sad our trip through all the glorious BLACK & WHITE pictures is over. I can’t wait until BLACK & WHITE is a theme again!
Today is Dahlia’s birthday. So I need to wish her a happy birthday.
I hope your birthday is filled with plenty of play time!
Time for another collection of glorious BLACK AND WHITE images. These were all taken at Logan’s birthday party. I hope you like pictures of kids playing in water!
I still have one more collection of glorious BLACK AND WHITE images to share! I’m post black and white, animal triste.
WINDOW VIEW! A great theme! But did enough people get a view to make it a popular theme? You’ll have to keep scrolling to find out!
As of 12:01 PM on Monday, July 15, this was the current list of ACTIVE streaks (ignore everything in parentheses):
1-Willy McAlpine – 1 week (IA)
2-Elainie Hernandez – 2 weeks (IA)
3-Monica Jennings – 2 weeks (IA)
4-Deanna McClain – 5 weeks (IA, MN)
5-Sara Lockner – 6 weeks (IA, BHS, MN)
6-Suzie Brannen – 10 weeks (IA, MD)
7-Mike Vest – 9 weeks (IA, MO) <2>
8-Alexis Stensland – 12 weeks (IA)
9-Sabas Hernandez – 14 weeks (IA, OH)
10-Adam Gordon – 21 weeks (IA, MS, MO) <2>
11-Lowell Davis – 28 weeks (IA, MO)
12-Michelle Haupt – 28 weeks (IA, MO, KS, LA)
13-Brandon Kahler – 29 weeks (IA, MN)
14-Scott Degeneffe – 47 weeks (IA, FL, UT, CO, KY, IN, IL)
15-Sheri Fakhouri – 57 weeks (IA, NE)
16-Logan Kahler – 57 weeks (IA, MN)
17-Nathanial Brown – 59 weeks (IA, SD, GA, TN, IRL, UK, FL)
18-Tamara Peterson – 70 weeks (IA, MN)
19-Mindi Terrell – 74 weeks (IA) <2>
20-Linda Bennett – 103 weeks (KS, IA)
21-Sarah Toot – 104 weeks (PA, NY, VT, NV, NJ)
22-Angie DeWaard – 108 weeks (IA, IL) <2>
23-Dawn Krause – 112 weeks (IA, IL)
24-Kim Barker – 118 weeks (IA, CO, LA)
25-Joe Duff – 119 weeks (TX, NY)
26-Teresa Kahler – 130 weeks (IA, NE)
27-Carla Stensland – 130 weeks (IA, MO, SD, WY, CO) <2>
28-Micky Augustin – 132 weeks (IA, IL, FL)
29-Andy Sharp – 133 weeks (IA, NE, AR, MS, MO, TN, LA, IL, MN, WI) <2>
30-Bill Wentworth – 134 weeks (NE, MO)
31-Cathie Morton – 136 weeks (IA, FL, BHS, MO, LA)
32-Elizabeth Nordeen – 139 weeks (IA, OH)
33-Shannon Bardole-Foley – 141 weeks (IA, CA, NV)
34-Kio Dettman – 143 weeks (IA)
strong>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:
Mindi Terrell (Iowa) – 75 weeks
Mindi Terrell (Iowa)
Deanna McClain (Iowa) – 6 weeks
Micky Augustin (North Grand Mall – Ames, Iowa) – 133 weeks
Carla Stensland (Ames, Iowa) – 131 weeks
Carla Stensland (Ogden, Iowa)
Elizabeth Nordeen (Ames, Iowa) – 140 weeks
Angie DeWaard (Ames, Iowa) – 109 weeks
Jesse Howard (Ames, Iowa) – 1 week
Sheri Fakhouri (Ankeny, Iowa) – 58 weeks
Sabas Hernandez (Ankeny, Iowa) 15 weeks
Elainie Hernandez (Ankeny, Iowa) – 3 weeks
Elainie Hernandez (Ankeny, Iowa)
Michelle Haupt (Ankeny, Iowa) – 29 weeks
Alexis Stensland (Senbon Tattoo – Boone, Iowa) – 13 weeks
Alexis Stensland (Boone, Iowa)
Kio Dettman (Boone, Iowa) – 144 weeks
Andy Sharp (Boone, Iowa) – 134 weeks
Dawn Krause (Boone County Fair – Boone, Iowa) – 113 weeks
Dawn Krause (Boone County Fair – Boone, Iowa)
Adam Gordon (Boone County Fair Parade – Boone, Iowa) – 22 weeks
Adam Gordon (Boone County Fair Parade)
Lowell Davis (Boone, Iowa) – 29 weeks
Teresa Kahler (Boone, Iowa) – 131 weeks
Willy McAlpine (Boone, Iowa) – 2 weeks
Logan Kahler (Boone, Iowa) – 58 weeks
Monica Jennings (Boone, Iowa) – 3 weeks
Christopher D. Bennett (Boone County Fair – Boone, Iowa)
Mike Vest (Boone County, Iowa) – 10 weeks
Scott Degeneffe (Boone County, Iowa) – 48 weeks
Suzie Brannen (Clive, Iowa) – 11 weeks
Nathanial Brown (Early, Iowa) – 60 weeks
Amy Peterson (Childserve – Johnston, Iowa) – 1 week
Kim Barker (Nevada, Iowa) – 119 weeks
Cathie Morton (Norwalk, Iowa) – 137 weeks
Johnathan Stensland (Ogden, Iowa) – 1 week
Brandon Kahler (Story City, Iowa) – 30 weeks
Shannon Bardole-Foley (Summerset, Iowa) – 142 weeks
Sara Lockner (West Des Moines, Iowa) – 7 weeks
Linda Bennett (Kansas) – 104 weeks
Bill Wentworth (Omaha, Nebraska) – 1355 weeks
Sarah Toot (E. Stroudsburg, Pennsylvania) – 105 weeks
Joe Duff (Texas) – 120 weeks
Jen Ensley-Gorshe (Texas) – 1 week
39 participants this week! This is a big number! Best we’ve done for several weeks!
There were submissions this week taken in the following places:
+ Iowa (41)
+ Kansas (1)
+ Nebraska (1)
+ Pennsylvania (1)
+ Texas (2)
Here is the Year 11 list of places where submissions have been taken (submissions taken in each places):
+ Arkansas (16.5)
+ Aruba (1)
+ Bahamas (2)
+ California (3)
+ Curacao (1)
+ Colorado (7)
+ Florida (13)
+ Georgia (1)
+ Hawaii (2)
+ Illinois (11)
+ Indiana (4)
+ Iowa (1041)
+ Ireland (3)
+ Kansas (40)
+ Kentucky (1)
+ Louisiana (8)
+ Maryland (1)
+ Michigan (5)
+ Minnesota (10)
+ Mississippi (2.5)
+ Missouri (18.5)
+ Nebraska (35)
+ Nevada (4)
+ New Jersey (1)
+ New York (17)
+ North Ireland (1)
+ Ohio (2)
+ Oklahoma (2)
+ Pennsylvania (21)
+ Puerto Rico (4)
+ South Dakota (4)
+ Tennessee (2.5)
+ Texas (41)
+ Utah (1)
+ Vermont (1)
+ Virginia (1)
+ Wisconsin (2)
+ Wyoming (1)
32 states so far! 1 U.S. Territory! 5 foreign countries! Not bad! So far, the following people have submitted from multiple places:
+ Andy Sharp (IA, NE, MO, AR, TN, MS, LA, IL, MN, WI) – 10
+ Jen Ensley-Gorshe (IA, CO, MO, TX, TN, VA, IL, FL) – 8
+ Scott Degeneffe (IA, FL, UT, CO, IN, KY, IL) – 7
+ Nathanial Brown (IA, SD, TN, GA, IRL, NIR, FL) – 7
+ Jesse Howard (IA, MO, NE, FL, ABW, CUW, MN) – 7
+ Christopher D. Bennett (IA, MO, NE, IL, IN, LA) – 6
+ Cathie Morton (IA, FL, BHS, MO, LA) – 5
+ Carla Stensland (IA, MO, SD, WY, CO) -5
+ Mary Green (MI, IA, IN, IL, RP) – 5
+ Sarah Toot (PA, NY, VT, NV, NJ) – 5
+ Michelle Haupt (IA, MO, KS, LA) – 4
+ Mike Vest (IA, MO, AR, OK) – 4
+ Kim Barker (IA, CO, LA) – 3
+ Shannon Bardole-Foley (IA, CA, NV) – 3
+ Adam Gordon (IA, MS, MO) – 3
+ Becky Parmelee (AR, IA, OK) – 3
+ Sara Lockner (IA, BHS, MN) – 3
+ Micky Augustin (IA, IL, FL) – 3
+ Susanna Funk (IA, CO) – 2
+ Brandon Kahler (IA, MN) – 2
+ Logan Kahler (IA, MN) – 2
+ Tamara Peterson (IA, MN) – 2
+ Teresa Kahler (IA, NE) – 2
+ Sheri Fakhouri (IA, NE) – 2
+ Angie DeWaard (IA, IL) – 2
+ Sabas Hernandez (IA, OH) – 2
+ Suzie Brannen (IA, MD) – 2
+ Elizabeth Nordeen (IA, OH) – 2
+ Linda Bennett (KS, IA) – 2
+ Bill Wentworth (NE, MO) – 2
+ Deanna McClain (IA, MN) – 2
+ Dawn Krause – (IA, IL) – 2
+ Joe Duff (TX, NY) – 2
+ Lowell Davis (IA, MO) – 2
Andy now has a commanding lead to be crowned “The Most Travelled THE WEEKLY PHOTO CHALLENGE Photographer!” Jen, Jesse, Scott, and Nathanial remain in striking distance though.
The big milestones this week were Vest joining the Double Digit Streak Club! WooHoo! Linda joined the 2 Year Streak Club! WooHoo! WooHoo! There were also no steaks snapped this week! WooHoo!
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:
ABSTRACT! What a great theme for Year 11 of THE WEEKLY PHOTO CHALLENGE!
If you are confused by what an ABSTRACT image, think about ABSTRACT art:
Abstract photography is a style of art that uses photographic equipment to create images that are not immediately associated with the physical world. Abstract photographers use techniques like perspective, movement, and light to transform the world into unexpected and often unrecognizable images.
Basically, you are taking a picture where it doesn’t look like what you are taking a picture of. You can do this with the focus or the length of the exposure. That is just a couple of examples.
Here is a good quote from John Suler that might help:
“An abstract photograph draws away from that which is realistic or literal. It draws away from natural appearances and recognizable subjects in the actual world. Some people even say it departs from true meaning, existence, and reality itself. It stands apart from the concrete whole with its purpose instead depending on conceptual meaning and intrinsic form….Here’s the acid test: If you look at a photo and there’s a voice inside you that says ‘What is it?’….Well, there you go. It’s an abstract photograph.”
I look forward to 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 ABSTRACT in this place that loves the obtuse next Monday.
FACELESS PORTRAIT! A great theme! But did enough people face a camera to make it a popular theme! You’ll have to keep scrolling to find out!
As of 12:01 PM on Monday, July 8, this was the current list of ACTIVE streaks (ignore everything in parentheses):
1-Elainie Hernandez – 1 week (IA)
2-Johnathan Stensland – 1 week (IA)
3-Monica Jennings – 1 week (IA) <2>
4-Jen Ensley-Gorshe – 2 weeks (IA, CO, MO, TX, TN, VA, IL, FL)
5-Deanna McClain – 4 weeks (IA, MN)
6-Mary Green – 5 weeks (MI, IA, IN, IL, PR) <2>
7-Sara Lockner – 5 weeks (IA, BHS, MN)
8-Suzie Brannen – 9 weeks (IA, MD) <2>
9-Mike Vest – 8 weeks (IA, MO) <2>
10-Alexis Stensland – 11 weeks (IA) <2>
11-Sabas Hernandez – 13 weeks (IA, OH)
12-Adam Gordon – 20 weeks (IA, MS, MO) <2>
13-Lowell Davis – 27 weeks (IA, MO) <2>
14-Michelle Haupt – 27 weeks (IA, MO, KS, LA)
15-Brandon Kahler – 28 weeks (IA, MN)
16-Scott Degeneffe – 46 weeks (IA, FL, UT, CO, KY, IN, IL)
17-Sheri Fakhouri – 56 weeks (IA, NE) <2>
18-Logan Kahler – 56 weeks (IA, MN) <2>
19-Nathanial Brown – 58 weeks (IA, SD, GA, TN, IRL, UK, FL)
20-Tamara Peterson – 69 weeks (IA, MN)
21-Mindi Terrell – 73 weeks (IA) <2>
22-Linda Bennett – 102 weeks (KS, IA)
23-Sarah Toot – 103 weeks (PA, NY, VT, NV, NJ)
24-Angie DeWaard – 107 weeks (IA, IL)
25-Dawn Krause – 111 weeks (IA, IL) <2>
26-Kim Barker – 117 weeks (IA, CO, LA)
27-Joe Duff – 118 weeks (TX, NY) <2>
28-Teresa Kahler – 129 weeks (IA, NE) <2>
29-Carla Stensland – 129 weeks (IA, MO, SD, WY, CO) <2>
30-Micky Augustin – 131 weeks (IA, IL, FL)
31-Andy Sharp – 132 weeks (IA, NE, AR, MS, MO, TN, LA, IL, MN, WI) <2>
32-Bill Wentworth – 133 weeks (NE, MO)
33-Cathie Morton – 135 weeks (IA, FL, BHS, MO, LA)
34-Elizabeth Nordeen – 138 weeks (IA, OH) <2>
35-Shannon Bardole-Foley – 140 weeks (IA, CA, NV)
36-Kio Dettman – 142 weeks (IA) <2>
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.
It is the third week of the month and on the third week of the month I like to share a map of all the states where people have submitted from heading into today. Here is that map:
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:
Shannon Bardole-Foley (Summerset, Iowa) – 141 weeks
Kim Barker (Chariton, Iowa) – 118 weeks
Christopher D. Bennett (Ankeny, Iowa)
Linda Bennett (Kansas) – 103 weeks
Suzie Brannen (Iowa) – 10 weeks
Nathanial Brown (Jefferson, Iowa) – 59 weeks
Lowell Davis (Iowa) – 28 weeks
Scott Degeneffe (Boone County, Iowa) – 47 weeks
Kio Dettman (Iowa) – 143 weeks
Angie DeWaard (Ames, Iowa) – 108 weeks
Angie DeWaard (Ames, Iowa)
Joe Duff (Texas) – 119 weeks
Sheri Fakhouri (Cool Basil – Clive, Iowa) – 57 weeks
Adam Gordon (Ames, Iowa) – 21 weeks
Michelle Haupt (Ankeny, Iowa) – 28 weeks
Elainie Hernandez (Iowa Speedway – Newton, Iowa) – 2 weeks
Sabas Hernandez (Ankeny, Iowa) 14 weeks
Monica Jennings (Boone, Iowa) – 2 weeks
Brandon Kahler (Iowa) – 29 weeks
Logan Kahler (Iowa) – 56 weeks
Teresa Kahler (Iowa) – 129 weeks
Dawn Krause (Iowa) – 112 weeks
Sara Lockner (Iowa) – 6 weeks
Willy McAlpine (Iowa) – 1 week
Deanna McClain (Iowa) – 5 weeks
Cathie Morton (Norwalk, Iowa) – 136 weeks
Elizabeth Nordeen (Iowa) – 139 weeks
Tamara Peterson (Perry, Iowa) – 70 weeks
Andy Sharp (Brushy Creek – Iowa) – 133 weeks
Andy Sharp (Brushy Creek – Iowa)
Alexis Stensland (Iowa) – 12 weeks
Carla Stensland (Iowa Speedway – Newton, Iowa) – 130 weeks
Carla Stensland (Ogden, Iowa)
Mindi Terrell (Iowa) – 74 weeks
Mindi Terrell (Iowa)
Sarah Toot (Pennsylvania) – 104 weeks
Mike Vest (Madrid, Iowa) – 9 weeks
Bill Wentworth (Omaha, Nebraska) – 134 weks
35 participants this week! Not great, but not bad.
here were submissions this week taken in the following places:
+ Iowa (35)
+ Kansas (1)
+ Nebraska (1)
+ Pennsylvania (1)
+ Texas (1)
Here is the Year 11 list of places where submissions have been taken (submissions taken in each places):
+ Arkansas (16.5)
+ Aruba (1)
+ Bahamas (2)
+ California (3)
+ Curacao (1)
+ Colorado (7)
+ Florida (13)
+ Georgia (1)
+ Hawaii (2)
+ Illinois (11)
+ Indiana (4)
+ Iowa (1000)
+ Ireland (3)
+ Kansas (39)
+ Kentucky (1)
+ Louisiana (8)
+ Maryland (1)
+ Michigan (5)
+ Minnesota (10)
+ Mississippi (2.5)
+ Missouri (18.5)
+ Nebraska (34)
+ Nevada (4)
+ New Jersey (1)
+ New York (17)
+ North Ireland (1)
+ Ohio (2)
+ Oklahoma (2)
+ Pennsylvania (20)
+ Puerto Rico (4)
+ South Dakota (4)
+ Tennessee (2.5)
+ Texas (39)
+ Utah (1)
+ Vermont (1)
+ Virginia (1)
+ Wisconsin (2)
+ Wyoming (1)
32 states so far! 1 U.S. Territory! 5 foreign countries! Not bad! So far, the following people have submitted from multiple places:
+ Andy Sharp (IA, NE, MO, AR, TN, MS, LA, IL, MN, WI) – 10
+ Jen Ensley-Gorshe (IA, CO, MO, TX, TN, VA, IL, FL) – 8
+ Scott Degeneffe (IA, FL, UT, CO, IN, KY, IL) – 7
+ Nathanial Brown (IA, SD, TN, GA, IRL, NIR, FL) – 7
+ Jesse Howard (IA, MO, NE, FL, ABW, CUW, MN) – 7
+ Christopher D. Bennett (IA, MO, NE, IL, IN, LA) – 6
+ Cathie Morton (IA, FL, BHS, MO, LA) – 5
+ Carla Stensland (IA, MO, SD, WY, CO) -5
+ Mary Green (MI, IA, IN, IL, RP) – 5
+ Sarah Toot (PA, NY, VT, NV, NJ) – 5
+ Michelle Haupt (IA, MO, KS, LA) – 4
+ Mike Vest (IA, MO, AR, OK) – 4
+ Kim Barker (IA, CO, LA) – 3
+ Shannon Bardole-Foley (IA, CA, NV) – 3
+ Adam Gordon (IA, MS, MO) – 3
+ Becky Parmelee (AR, IA, OK) – 3
+ Sara Lockner (IA, BHS, MN) – 3
+ Micky Augustin (IA, IL, FL) – 3
+ Susanna Funk (IA, CO) – 2
+ Brandon Kahler (IA, MN) – 2
+ Logan Kahler (IA, MN) – 2
+ Tamara Peterson (IA, MN) – 2
+ Teresa Kahler (IA, NE) – 2
+ Sheri Fakhouri (IA, NE) – 2
+ Angie DeWaard (IA, IL) – 2
+ Sabas Hernandez (IA, OH) – 2
+ Suzie Brannen (IA, MD) – 2
+ Elizabeth Nordeen (IA, OH) – 2
+ Linda Bennett (KS, IA) – 2
+ Bill Wentworth (NE, MO) – 2
+ Deanna McClain (IA, MN) – 2
+ Dawn Krause – (IA, IL) – 2
+ Joe Duff (TX, NY) – 2
+ Lowell Davis (IA, MO) – 2
Andy now has a commanding lead to be crowned “The Most Travelled THE WEEKLY PHOTO CHALLENGE Photographer!” Jen, Jesse, Scott, and Nathanial remain in striking distance though.
The big milestones this were Suzie joining the Double Digit Streak Club! WooHoo! Sarah Toot joining the 2 Year Streak Club! WooHoo! WooHoo! Teresa and Carla joining the 2.5 Year Streak Club! WooHoo! WooHoo! Woo!
But it wasn’t all unicorns and rainbows! Johnathan couldn’t build on his submission last week, and his streak is over before it begins. Jen’s streak comes to an end at 2. Mary’s streak is over at 5.
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:
WINDOW VIEW! What a great theme for Year 11 of THE WEEKLY PHOTO CHALLENGE! It can be a picture looking out a window. It can be a picture looking in to a window. The window possibilities are endless!
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 WINDOW VIEW in this place that is a view of the world of some kind next Monday.
Today is going to be a long one, so buckle up and get your popcorn ready!
Today is Jay’s birthday, so I need to start by wishing him a happy birthday.
I hope your birthday is magical in the nothingness you attempt to do!
It is that time of year when a little yellow card shows up in the mailboxes of many a photographer in the state of Iowa. The yellow card that tells you if you had any pictures accepted into one of the hardest photo contests in the country. The Iowa State Fair Photography Salon. A contest that only displays 25% of the pictures submitted. It is the only photo contest that I enter (for a wide variety of reasons) and as such I did get my yellow card in the mail last week. It looked a little something like this:
You might be wondering what pictures I entered this year. I’m the only person that currently knows what pictures I entered. But, you can go down to the Iowa State Fair and see them for yourself. I will reveal what pictures I entered and what pictures got in on the last day of the Fair. As is my custom.
But I wasn’t the only regular contributor to THE WEEKLY PHOTO CHALLENGE that got pictures accepted to the Iowa State Fair Photography Salon. Angie, Logan, and Nathanial all got pictures accepted! WooHoo! Which makes sense, because when THE WEEKLY PHOTO CHALLENGE was birthed into existence as THE RANDOM WEEKLY PHOTO EXPERIMENT all those years ago by me and Mike Vest, the idea was (to be honest more his idea than mine) that at the end of the year, you would have 52 photos you could consider for entering in photo contests. Maybe in 2025 there will be MORE than 4 people from THE WEEKLY PHOTO CHALLENGE displayed at the Iowa State Fair. I have an eye on a few of you.
Must be time to see the submission for BLACK & WHITE, right? Not yet. As you may know, it is about 10 weeks out from the Pufferbilly Days Photo Contest. So it is past time that I published the rules for this year’s contest. They are identical as last year.
Have a look:
I hope many of you enter again this year! Now I need to get to work!
BLACK & WHITE! A great theme! But did enough people see the world in monochrome to make it a popular theme? You’ll have to keep scrolling to find out!
As of 12:01 PM on Monday, July 1, this was the current list of ACTIVE streaks (ignore everything in parentheses):
1-Jen Ensley-Gorshe – 1 week (IA, CO, MO, TX, TN, VA, IL, FL)
2-Willy McAlpine – 1 week (IA)
3-Amy Peterson – 1 week (IA)
4-Deanna McClain – 3 weeks (IA, MN)
5-Mary Green – 4 weeks (MI, IA, IN, IL, PR) <2>
6-Sara Lockner – 4 weeks (IA, BHS, MN)
7-Suzie Brannen – 8 weeks (IA, MD) <2>
8-Mike Vest – 7 weeks (IA, MO)
9-Alexis Stensland – 10 weeks (IA) <2>
10-Sabas Hernandez – 12 weeks (IA, OH) <2>
11-Adam Gordon – 19 weeks (IA, MS, MO) <2>
12-Lowell Davis – 26 weeks (IA)
13-Michelle Haupt – 26 weeks (IA, MO, KS, LA)
14-Brandon Kahler – 27 weeks (IA, MN)
15-Scott Degeneffe – 45 weeks (IA, FL, UT, CO, KY, IN, IL) <2>
16-Sheri Fakhouri – 55 weeks (IA, NE)
17-Logan Kahler – 55 weeks (IA, MN) <2>
18-Nathanial Brown – 57 weeks (IA, SD, GA, TN, IRL, UK, FL)
19-Jesse Howard – 56 weeks (IA, MO, NE, FL, ABW, CUW, MN)
20-Tamara Peterson – 68 weeks (IA, MN)
21-Mindi Terrell – 72 weeks (IA) <2>
22-Linda Bennett – 101 weeks (KS, IA)
23-Sarah Toot – 102 weeks (PA, NY, VT, NV, NJ)
24-Angie DeWaard – 106 weeks (IA, IL) <2>
25-Dawn Krause – 110 weeks (IA, IL) <2>
26-Kim Barker – 116 weeks (IA, CO, LA) <2>
27-Joe Duff – 117 weeks (TX, NY)
28-Teresa Kahler – 128 weeks (IA, NE) <2>
29-Carla Stensland – 128 weeks (IA, MO, SD)
30-Micky Augustin – 130 weeks (IA, IL, FL)
31-Andy Sharp – 131 weeks (IA, NE, AR, MS, MO, TN, LA, IL) <2>
32-Bill Wentworth – 132 weeks (NE, MO)
33-Cathie Morton – 135 weeks (IA, FL, BHS, MO, LA) <2>
34-Elizabeth Nordeen – 137 weeks (IA, OH)
35-Shannon Bardole-Foley – 139 weeks (IA, CA, NV)
36-Kio Dettman – 141 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:
Adam Gordon (Madrid, Iowa)
Alexis Stensland (Boone, Iowa) – 11 weeks
Alexis Stensland (Boone, Iowa)
Andy Sharp (Prescott, Wisconsin) – 132 weeks
Andy Sharp (Plymouth, Minnesota)
Angie DeWaard (Iowa) – 107 weeks
Bill Wentworth (Omaha, Nebraska) – 133 weeks
Brandon Kahler (Story City, Iowa) – 28 weeks
Carla Stensland (Devil’s Tower National Monument – Wyoming) – 129 weeks
Carla Stensland (Arkansas River – Salida, Colorado)
Cathie Morton (Ankeny, Iowa) – 136 weeks
Christopher D. Bennett (Boone, Iowa)
Dawn Krause (Boone, Iowa) – 111 weeks
Dawn Krause (Boone, Iowa)
Deanna McClain (Iowa) – 4 weeks
Elainie Hernandez (Boone, Iowa) – 1 week
Elizabeth Nordeen (Iowa) – 138 weeks
Elizabeth Nordeen (Iowa)
Jen Ensley-Gorshe (Ames, Iowa) – 2 weeks
Joe Duff (New York) – 118 weeks
Joe Duff (New York)
Johnathan Stensland (Iowa) – 1 week
Kim Barker (Nevada, Iowa) – 117 weeks
Kio Dettman (Boone, Iowa) – 142 weeks
Kio Dettman (Boone, Iowa)
Linda Bennett (Boone, Iowa) – 102 weeks
Logan Kahler (Boone, Iowa) – 56 weeks
Logan Kahler (Bone, Iowa)
Lowell Davis (Kansas City, Missouri) – 27 weeks
Lowell Davis (Kansas City, Missouri)
Mary Green (Iowa) – 5 weeks
Mary Green (Iowa)
Michelle Haupt (Iowa) – 27 weeks
Micky Augustin (Colo, Iowa) – 131 weeks
Mike Vest (Grove, Oklahoma) – 8 weeks
Mike Vest (Bentonsville, Arkansas)
Mindi Terrell (Mitchellville, Iowa) – 73 weeks
Mindi Terrell (Johnston, Iowa)
Monica Jennings (Boone, Iowa) – 1 week
Monica Jennings (Boone, Iowa)
Nathanial Brown (Tampa, Florida) – 58 weeks
Sabas Hernandez (Ankeny, Iowa) – 13 weeks
Sara Lockner (Iowa) – 5 weeks
Sarah Toot (Pennsylvania) – 103 weeks
Scott Degeneffe (Boone County, Iowa) – 46 weeks
Shannon Bardole-Foley (Honey Hollow – Summerset, Iowa) – 140 weeks
Sheri Fakhouri (Ankeny, Iowa) – 56 weeks
Sheri Fakhouri (Ankeny, Iowa)
Suzie Brannen (Iowa) – 9 weeks
Suzie Brannen (Iowa)
Tamara Peterson (Perry, Iowa) – 103 weeks
Teresa Kahler (Boone, Iowa) – 129 weeks
Teresa Kahler (Boone, Iowa)
37 participants this week! A pretty good week!
There were submissions this week taken in the following places:
+ Arkansas (1)
+ Colorado (1)
+ Florida (1)
+ Iowa (41)
+ Minnesota (1)
+ Missouri (2)
+ Nebraska (1)
+ New York (2)
+ Oklahoma (1)
+ Pennsylvania (1)
+ Wisconsin (1)
+ Wyoming (1)
Thanks to Carla’s travels, we were able to add Wyoming to the map!
Here is the Year 11 list of places where submissions have been taken (submissions taken in each places):
+ Arkansas (16.5)
+ Aruba (1)
+ Bahamas (2)
+ California (3)
+ Curacao (1)
+ Colorado (7)
+ Florida (13)
+ Georgia (1)
+ Hawaii (2)
+ Illinois (11)
+ Indiana (4)
+ Iowa (943)
+ Ireland (3)
+ Kansas (36)
+ Kentucky (1)
+ Louisiana (8)
+ Maryland (1)
+ Michigan (5)
+ Minnesota (10)
+ Mississippi (2.5)
+ Missouri (18.5)
+ Nebraska (34)
+ Nevada (4)
+ New Jersey (1)
+ New York (17)
+ North Ireland (1)
+ Ohio (2)
+ Oklahoma (2)
+ Pennsylvania (19)
+ Puerto Rico (4)
+ South Dakota (4)
+ Tennessee (2.5)
+ Texas (38)
+ Utah (1)
+ Vermont (1)
+ Virginia (1)
+ Wisconsin (2)
+ Wyoming (1)
31 states so far! 1 U.S. Terriorty! 5 foreign countries! Not bad! So far, the following people have submitted from multiple places:
+ Andy Sharp (IA, NE, MO, AR, TN, MS, LA, IL, MN, WI) – 10
+ Jen Ensley-Gorshe (IA, CO, MO, TX, TN, VA, IL, FL) – 8
+ Scott Degeneffe (IA, FL, UT, CO, IN, KY, IL) – 7
+ Nathanial Brown (IA, SD, TN, GA, IRL, NIR, FL) – 7
+ Jesse Howard (IA, MO, NE, FL, ABW, CUW, MN) – 7
+ Christopher D. Bennett (IA, MO, NE, IL, IN, LA) – 6
+ Cathie Morton (IA, FL, BHS, MO, LA) – 5
+ Carla Stensland (IA, MO, SD, WY, CO) -5
+ Mary Green (MI, IA, IN, IL, RP) – 5
+ Sarah Toot (PA, NY, VT, NV, NJ) – 5
+ Michelle Haupt (IA, MO, KS, LA) – 4
+ Mike Vest (IA, MO, AR, OK) – 4
+ Kim Barker (IA, CO, LA) – 3
+ Shannon Bardole-Foley (IA, CA, NV) – 3
+ Adam Gordon (IA, MS, MO) – 3
+ Becky Parmelee (AR, IA, OK) – 3
+ Sara Lockner (IA, BHS, MN) – 3
+ Micky Augustin (IA, IL, FL) – 3
+ Susanna Funk (IA, CO) – 2
+ Brandon Kahler (IA, MN) – 2
+ Logan Kahler (IA, MN) – 2
+ Tamara Peterson (IA, MN) – 2
+ Teresa Kahler (IA, NE) – 2
+ Sheri Fakhouri (IA, NE) – 2
+ Angie DeWaard (IA, IL) – 2
+ Sabas Hernandez (IA, OH) – 2
+ Suzie Brannen (IA, MD) – 2
+ Elizabeth Nordeen (IA, OH) – 2
+ Linda Bennett (KS, IA) – 2
+ Bill Wentworth (NE, MO) – 2
+ Deanna McClain (IA, MN) – 2
+ Dawn Krause – (IA, IL) – 2
+ Joe Duff (TX, NY) – 2
+ Lowell Davis (IA, MO) – 2
Andy now has a commanding lead to be crowned “The Most Travelled THE WEEKLY PHOTO CHALLENGE Photographer!” Jen, Jesse, Scott, and Nathanial remain in striking distance though.
There were no major milestones reached this week. And unfortunately a few streaks bit it. Willy and Amy couldn’t build on their submissions from last week. Their streaks are over before they began. Then worst of all, Jesse’s 56 week streak is over! It lasted over a year, but now it is over. 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:
FACELESS PORTRAI! 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 FACELESS PORTRAIT in this place that isn’t afraid to show its face next Monday.
SLICE OF LIFE! A great theme, but did enough people dabble in the theme that is an homage to my Dad to make it a popular theme? You’ll have to keep scrolling to find out!
As of 12:01 PM on Monday, June 3, this was the current list of ACTIVE streaks (ignore everything in parentheses):
1-Jen Ensley-Gorshe – 1 week (IA, CO, MO, TX, TN, VA, IL, FL)
2-Beckham Gorshe – 1 week (IA)
3-Mary Green – 1 week (MI, IA, IN, IL, PR) <2>
4-Eliainie Hernandez – 1 week (IA)
5-Sara Lockner – 1 week (IA, BHS, MN)
6-Nader Parsaei – 1 week (IA) <2>
7-Kyle Sharp – 1 week (IA)
8-Monica Jennings – 2 weeks (IA)
9-Willy McAlpine – 3 weeks (IA)
10-Johnathan Stensland – 4 weeks (IA)
11-Suzie Brannen – 5 weeks (IA, MD) <2>
12-Mike Vest – 5 weeks (IA, MO)
13-Alexis Stensland – 7 weeks (IA) <2>
14-Sabas Hernandez – 9 weeks (IA, OH) <2>
15-Adam Gordon – 15 weeks (IA, MS, MO) <2>
16-Becky Parmelee – 16 weeks (AR, IA, OK)
17-Lowell Davis – 23 weeks (IA) <2>
18-Michelle Haupt – 23 weeks (IA, MO, KS, LA)
19-Brandon Kahler – 24 weeks (IA, MN)
20-Scott Degeneffe – 42 weeks (IA, FL, UT, CO, KY, IN, IL52)
21-Sheri Fakhouri – 52 weeks (IA, NE)
22-Logan Kahler – 52 weeks (IA, MN) <2>
23-Nathanial Brown – 54 weeks (IA, SD, GA, TN, IRL) <2>
24-Jesse Howard – 54 weeks (IA, MO, NE, FL, ABW, CUW)
25-Tamara Peterson – 66 weeks (IA, MN)
26-Mindi Terrell – 69 weeks (IA) <2>
27-Linda Bennett – 98 weeks (KS) <2>
28-Sarah Toot – 99 weeks (PA, NY, VT, NV) <2>
29-Angie DeWaard – 103 weeks (IA, IL) <2>
30-Dawn Krause – 107 weeks (IA)
31-Kim Barker – 113 weeks (IA, CO, LA)
32-Joe Duff – 114 weeks (TX) <2>
33-Teresa Kahler – 125 weeks (IA, NE) <2>
34-Carla Stensland – 125 weeks (IA, MO)
35-Micky Augustin – 127weeks (IA, IL)
36-Andy Sharp – 128 weeks (IA, NE, AR, MS, MO, TN, LA) <2>
37-Bill Wentworth – 129 weeks (NE, MO)
38-Cathie Morton – 132 weeks (IA, FL, BHS, MO, LA)
39-Elizabeth Nordeen – 134 weeks (IA, OH) <2>
40-Shannon Bardole-Foley – 136 weeks (IA, CA, NV)
41-Kio Dettman – 138 weeks (IA)
It is the third week of the month and on the third week of the month I like to share a map of all the states where people have submitted from heading into today. Here is that map:
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:
Shannon Bardole-Foley (Wild black raspberries picked at Honey Hollow, rural Warren County, IA) – 137 weeks
Kim Barker (Nevada, Iowa) – 114 weeks
Christopher D. Bennett (Boone County, Iowa)
Linda Bennett (Linwood Cemetery – Boone, Iowa) – 99 weeks
Linda Bennett (Linwood Cemetery – Boone, Iowa)
Suzie Brannen (Iowa) – 6 weeks
Suzie Brannen (Iowa)
Nathanial Brown (Named after a 200 year old secret society, The Muddlers Club serves meticulously prepared dishes. The restaurant has held a Micehlin Star since 2020.) – 55 weeks
Nathanial Brown (This narrow road weaving through sharp cliff faces is one of the highest mountain pass roads in Ireland.)
Lowell Davis (Iowa) – 24 weeks
Scott Degeneffe (Boone County, Iowa) – 43 weeks
Kio Dettman (Boone County, Iowa) – 139 weeks
Kio Dettman (Monigona, Iowa)
Angie DeWaard (Iowa) – 104 weeks
Joe Duff (Seabrook’s hidden gem for live music, hot food, and cold drinks. Barge 295 on Clear Lake.) – 115 weeks
Jen Ensley-Gorshe (Iowa) – 2 weeks
Sheri Fakhouri (North Ankeny, Iowa) – 53 weeks
Adam Gordon (Kansas City, Missouri) – 16 weeks
Adam Gordon (Kansas City Missouri)
Mary Green (Iglesias Methodista, Old San Juan, Puerto Rico) – 2 weeks
Mary Green (Gate to the city, Old San Juan Puerto Rico)
Michelle Haupt (Wellsburg, Iowa) – 24 weeks
Elainie Hernandez (Iowa) – 2 weeks
Sabas Hernandez (McHose Park – Boone, Iowa) – 10 weeks
Sabas Hernandez (McHose Park – Boone, Iowa)
Jesse Howard (We will do all we can to not only help you leave this life in peace, but also help you live until you die.) – 55 weeks
Monica Jennings (Iowa) – 3 weeks
Brandon Kahler (Iowa) – 25 weeks
Logan Kahler (Boone, Iowa) – 53 weeks
Teresa Kahler (Boone, Iowa) – 126 weeks
Teresa Kahler (Boone, Iowa)
Dawn Krause (Ogden Bulldog #33 hists a pop fly.) – 108 weeks
Sara Lockner (Iowa) – 2 weeks
Willy McAlpine (Ledges State Park – Boone County, Iowa)- 4 weeks
Deanna McClain (Iowa) – 1 week
Cathie Morton (Norwalk, Iowa) – 133 weeks
Elizabeth Nordeen (Iowa) – 135 weeks
Becky Parmelee (Bentonville AR – Corn on a table) – 17 weeks
Tamara Peterson (Iowa) – 67 weeks
Andy Sharp (Council Bluffs, Iowa) – 129 weeks
Andy Sharp (Council Bluffs, Iowa)
Alexis Stensland (Ames, Iowa) – 8 weeks
Carla Stensland (Iowa) – 126 weeks
Mindi Terrell (Johnston, Iowa) – 70 weeks
Mindi Terrell (Johnston, Iowa)
Sarah Toot (New Jersey) – 100 weeks
Sarah Toot (New York City, New York)
Mike Vest (Madrid, Iowa) – 6 weeks
Bill Wentworth (Omaha, Nebraska) – 130 weeks
There were 39 participants this week! That is a great number for what is a somewhat abstract theme! It is always interesting to see what people think would be on a postcard.
There were submissions this week taken in the following places:
+ Iowa (40)
+ Ireland (1)
+ Missouri (2)
+ Nebraska (1)
+ New Jersey (1)
+ New York (1)
+ Puerto Rico (2)
+ Texas (1)
+ North Ireland (1)
Thanks to Sarah’s travels, we’ve added New Jersey to the map WooHoo! Thanks to Nathanial’s travels we’ve added North Ireland to the map WooHoo!
Here is the Year 11 list of places where submissions have been taken (submissions taken in each places):
+ Arkansas (15.5)
+ Aruba (1)
+ Bahamas (2)
+ California (3)
+ Curacao (1)
+ Colorado (5)
+ Florida (85)
+ Georgia (1)
+ Hawaii (2)
+ Illinois (7)
+ Indiana (4)
+ Iowa (870)
+ Ireland (3)
+ Kansas (34)
+ Kentucky (1)
+ Louisiana (8)
+ Maryland (1)
+ Michigan (5)
+ Minnesota (8)
+ Mississippi (1.5)
+ Missouri (15.5)
+ Nebraska (31)
+ Nevada (4)
+ New Jersey (1)
+ New York (14)
+ North Ireland (1)
+ Ohio (2)
+ Oklahoma (1)
+ Pennsylvania (16)
+ Puerto Rico (4)
+ South Dakota (3)
+ Tennessee (2.5)
+ Texas (36)
+ Utah (1)
+ Vermont (1)
+ Virginia (1)
+ Wisconsin (1)
30 states so far! 1 U.S. Terriorty! 5 foreign countries! Not bad! So far, the following people have submitted from multiple places:
+ Jen Ensley-Gorshe (IA, CO, MO, TX, TN, VA, IL, FL) – 8
+ Andy Sharp (IA, NE, MO, AR, TN, MS, LA) – 7
+ Scott Degeneffe (IA, FL, UT, CO, IN, KY, IL) – 7
+ Jesse Howard (IA, MO, NE, FL, ABW, CUW) – 6
+ Christopher D. Bennett (IA, MO, NE, IL, IN, LA) – 6
+ Nathanial Brown (IA, SD, TN, GA, IRL, NIR) – 6
+ Cathie Morton (IA, FL, BHS, MO, LA) – 5
+ Mary Green (MI, IA, IN, IL, RP) – 5
+ Sarah Toot (PA, NY, VT, NV, NJ) – 5
+ Michelle Haupt (IA, MO, KS, LA) – 4
+ Kim Barker (IA, CO, LA) – 3
+ Shannon Bardole-Foley (IA, CA, NV) – 3
+ Adam Gordon (IA, MS, MO) – 3
+ Becky Parmelee (AR, IA, OK) – 3
+ Sara Lockner (IA, BHS, MN) – 3
+ Micky Augustin (IA, IL) – 2
+ Susanna Funk (IA, CO) – 2
+ Brandon Kahler (IA, MN) – 2
+ Logan Kahler (IA, MN) – 2
+ Tamara Peterson (IA, MN) – 2
+ Carla Stensland (IA, MO) -2
+ Mike Vest (IA, MO) – 2
+ Teresa Kahler (IA, NE) – 2
+ Sheri Fakhouri (IA, NE) – 2
+ Angie DeWaard (IA, IL) – 2
+ Sabas Hernandez (IA, OH) – 2
+ Suzie Brannen (IA, MD) – 2
+ Elizabeth Nordeen (IA, OH) – 2
+ Linda Bennett (KS, IA) – 2
+ Bill Wentworth (NE, MO) – 2
+ Deanna McClain (IA, MN) – 2
Jen is currently in the lead to be crowned “The Most Travelled THE WEEKLY PHOTO CHALLENGE Photographer!” Jesse and Andy and Scott and Nathanial are in striking distance though!
There were several big milestones this week! Sabas joined the Double Digit Streak Club! WooHoo! WooHoo! Sarah joined the Triple Digit Streak Club! WooHoo! WooHoo! WooHoo! Angie joined the 2 Year Streak Club! WooHoo! WooHoo! Bill joined the 2.5 Year Streak Club! WooHoo! WooHoo! Woo! All of them amazing accomplishments!
But it wasn’t all unicorns and rainbows! Beckham, Nader, and Kyle couldn’t build on their submissions from last week. Their streaks are over before they even began! Johnathan’s streak is over at 4!
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:
CAMERA! 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 CAMERA in this place that relies on one heavily next Monday.
READ THE THEME DESCRIPTION THIS WEEK. THERE ARE SPECIAL RULES!
ANYTHING BUT A CAT! A great theme, but did enough people get pumped to not take a picture of a cat to make it a popular theme? You’ll have to keep scrolling to find out!
As of 12:01 PM on Monday, June 3, this was the current list of ACTIVE streaks (ignore everything in parentheses):
1-Monica Jennings – 1 week (IA) <2>
2-Willy McAlpine – 2 weeks (IA)
3-Johnathan Stensland – 3 weeks (IA)
4-Suzie Brannen – 4 weeks (IA, MD) <2>
5-Mike Vest – 4 weeks (IA, MO)
6-Alexis Stensland – 6 weeks (IA) <2>
7-Sabas Hernandez – 8 weeks (IA, OH) <2>
8-Adam Gordon – 14 weeks (IA, MS, MO) <2>
9-Becky Parmelee – 15 weeks (AR, IA, OK)
10-Lowell Davis – 22 weeks (IA) <2>
11-Michelle Haupt – 22 weeks (IA, MO, KS, LA)
12-Brandon Kahler – 23 weeks (IA, MN)
13-Scott Degeneffe – 41 weeks (IA, FL, UT, CO, KY, IN)
14-Sheri Fakhouri – 51 weeks (IA, NE)
15-Logan Kahler – 51 weeks (IA, MN) <2>
16-Nathanial Brown – 53 weeks (IA, SD, GA, TN)
17-Jesse Howard – 53 weeks (IA, MO, NE, FL, ABW, CUW) <2>
18-Tamara Peterson – 65 weeks (IA, MN)
19-Mindi Terrell – 68 weeks (IA) <2>
20-Linda Bennett – 97 weeks (KS) <2>
21-Sarah Toot – 98 weeks (PA, NY, VT, NV)
22-Angie DeWaard – 102 weeks (IA, IL) <2>
23-Dawn Krause – 106 weeks (IA) <2>
24-Kim Barker – 112 weeks (IA, CO, LA)
25-Joe Duff – 113 weeks (TX)
26-Teresa Kahler – 124 weeks (IA, NE) <2>
27-Carla Stensland – 124 weeks (IA, MO) <2>
28-Micky Augustin – 126 weeks (IA, IL)
29-Andy Sharp – 127 weeks (IA, NE, AR, MS, MO, TN, LA) <2>
30-Bill Wentworth – 128 weeks (NE, MO) <2>
31-Cathie Morton – 131 weeks (IA, FL, BHS, MO, LA)
32-Elizabeth Nordeen – 133 weeks (IA, OH)
33-Shannon Bardole-Foley – 135 weeks (IA, CA, NV)
34-Kio Dettman – 137 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:
Adam Gordon (Iowa)
Alexis Stensland (Iowa) – 7 weeks
Alexis Stensland (Iowa)
Andy Sharp (Boone, Iowa) – 128 weeks
Andy Sharp (Boone, Iowa)
Angie DeWaard (Iowa)
Angie DeWaard (Iowa)
Beckham Gorshe (Iowa) – 1 week
Becky Parmelee (Bella Vista, Arkansas) – 16 weeks
Bill Wentworth (Omaha, Nebraska) – 129 weeks
Brandon Kahler (Iowa) – 24 weeks
Carla Stensland (Ogden, Iowa) – 125 weeks
Cathie Morton (West Des Moines, Iowa) – 132 weeks
Christopher D. Bennett (Boone, Iowa)
Dawn Krause (Boone, Iowa) – 107 weeks
Elainie Hernandez (Ankeny, Iowa) – 1 week
Elizabeth Nordeen (Iowa) – 134 weeks
Elizabeth Nordeen (Iowa)
Jen Ensley-Gorshe (Iowa) – 1 week
Jesse Howard (Waukee, Iowa) – 54 weeks
Joe Duff (Texas) – 114 weeks
Joe Duff (Texas)
Johnathan Stensland (Iowa) – 4 weeks
Kim Barker (Nevada, Iowa) – 113 weeks
Kio Dettman (Boone, Iowa) – 138 weeks
Kyle Sharp (Boone, Iowa) – 1 week
Linda Bennett (Kansas) – 98 weeks
Linda Bennett (Kansas)
Logan Kahler (Boone, Iowa) – 52 weeks
Logan Kahler (Iowa)
Lowell Davis (Iowa) – 23 weeks
Lowell Davis (Iowa)
Mary Green (Vieques, Puerto Rico) – 1 week
Mary Green (Vieques, Puerto Rico)
Michelle Haupt (Iowa) – 23 weeks
Micky Augustin (Colo, Iowa) – 127 weeks
Mike Vest (Madrid, Iowa) – 5 weeks
Mindi Terrell (Iowa) – 69 weeks
Mindi Terrell (Iowa)
Monica Jennings (McHose Park – Boone, Iowa) – 2 weeks
Nader Parsaei (Iowa) – 1 week
Nader Parsaei (Iowa)
Nathanial Brown (Guinness Storehouse – Dublin, Ireland) – 54 weeks
Nathanial Brown (Teeling Distillery – Dublin, Ireland)
Sabas Hernandez (Marshalltown, Iowa) – 9 weeks
Sabas Hernandez (State Center, Iowa)
Sara Lockner (Iowa) – 1 week
Sarah Toot (New York City, New York) – 99 weeks
Sarah Toot (Las Vegas, Nevada)
Scott Degeneffe (Boone County, Iowa) – 42 weeks
Scott Degeneffe (Illinois)
Shannon Bardole-Foley (Honey Hollow – Summerset, Iowa) – 136 weeks
Sheri Fakhouri (Ankeny, Iowa) – 52 weeks
Suzie Brannen (Clive, Iowa) – 5 weeks
Suzie Brannen (Clive, Iowa)
Tamara Peterson (Iowa) – 66 weeks
Teresa Kahler (McHose Park – Boone, Iowa) – 125 weeks
Teresa Kahler (Boone, Iowa)
Willy McAlpine (Lost Lake – Ledges State Park – Boone County, Iowa) – 2 weeks
NOTE: A surly person that might have sent me hate mail over this theme may have noticed that there is one picture that does in fact include a cat. You might be wondering why that picture was NOT rejected. It isn’t cause I like Scott more than the rest of you. Although he does feed me. (But the list of people that have cooked me or given me some kind of food is pretty extensive. – See Michelle’s submission.) It is for 2 reasons. That cat is Fred. And Fred, I’m told, identifies as a dog. And on this website we believe that Love is Love. Black Lives Matter. Women’s Rights are Human Rights. No Human is Illegal. Science is Real. Kindness is Everything. In Religious Freedom. Hate Has No Home Here. But secondly and sadly, sometime between when that picture was taken and this post published, Fred may have crossed over the rainbow bridge. Fred was not expected to make it through the night. And I would not deny Fred, who has the outwards appearance of being a cat, but is in fact a dog, one final appearance on this website. And if this makes you mad, ask yourself, why you hate cats so much?
42 participants this week! Man, people were so thirsty for pictures that don’t have cats in them. I guess that Andy Sharp knows how to come up with the theme ideas!
There were submissions this week taken in the following places:
+ Arkansas (1)
+ Illinois (1)
+ Iowa (47)
+ Ireland (2)
+ Kansas (2)
+ Nebraska (1)
+ Nevada (1)
+ New York (1)
+ Puerto Rico (2)
+ Texas (2)
Thanks to the travels of Nathanial we added Ireland to the list. And thanks to the travels of Mary we added Puerto Rico to the list! WooHoo!
Here is the Year 11 list of places where submissions have been taken (submissions taken in each places):
+ Arkansas (15.5)
+ Aruba (1)
+ Bahamas (2)
+ California (3)
+ Curacao (1)
+ Colorado (5)
+ Florida (85)
+ Georgia (1)
+ Hawaii (2)
+ Illinois (7)
+ Indiana (4)
+ Iowa (830)
+ Ireland (2)
+ Kansas (34)
+ Kentucky (1)
+ Louisiana (8)
+ Maryland (1)
+ Michigan (5)
+ Minnesota (8)
+ Mississippi (1.5)
+ Missouri (13.5)
+ Nebraska (30)
+ Nevada (4)
+ New York (13)
+ Ohio (2)
+ Oklahoma (1)
+ Pennsylvania (16)
+ Puerto Rico (2)
+ South Dakota (3)
+ Tennessee (2.5)
+ Texas (35)
+ Utah (1)
+ Vermont (1)
+ Virginia (1)
+ Wisconsin (1)
29 states so far! 1 U.S. Terriorty! 4 foreign countries! Not bad! So far, the following people have submitted from multiple places:
+ Jen Ensley-Gorshe (IA, CO, MO, TX, TN, VA, IL, FL) – 8
+ Andy Sharp (IA, NE, MO, AR, TN, MS, LA) – 7
+ Scott Degeneffe (IA, FL, UT, CO, IN, KY, IL) – 7
+ Jesse Howard (IA, MO, NE, FL, ABW, CUW) – 6
+ Christopher D. Bennett (IA, MO, NE, IL, IN, LA) – 6
+ Cathie Morton (IA, FL, BHS, MO, LA) – 5
+ Mary Green (MI, IA, IN, IL, RP) – 5
+ Nathanial Brown (IA, SD, TN, GA, IRL) – 5
+ Michelle Haupt (IA, MO, KS, LA) – 4
+ Sarah Toot (PA, NY, VT, NV) – 4
+ Kim Barker (IA, CO, LA) – 3
+ Shannon Bardole-Foley (IA, CA, NV) – 3
+ Adam Gordon (IA, MS, MO) – 3
+ Becky Parmelee (AR, IA, OK) – 3
+ Sara Lockner (IA, BHS, MN) – 3
+ Micky Augustin (IA, IL) – 2
+ Susanna Funk (IA, CO) – 2
+ Brandon Kahler (IA, MN) – 2
+ Logan Kahler (IA, MN) – 2
+ Tamara Peterson (IA, MN) – 2
+ Carla Stensland (IA, MO) -2
+ Mike Vest (IA, MO) – 2
+ Teresa Kahler (IA, NE) – 2
+ Sheri Fakhouri (IA, NE) – 2
+ Angie DeWaard (IA, IL) – 2
+ Sabas Hernandez (IA, OH) – 2
+ Suzie Brannen (IA, MD) – 2
+ Elizabeth Nordeen (IA, OH) – 2
+ Linda Bennett (KS, IA) – 2
+ Bill Wentworth (NE, MO) – 2
+ Deanna McClain (IA, MN) – 2
Jen is currently in the lead to be crowned “The Most Travelled THE WEEKLY PHOTO CHALLENGE Photographer!” Jesse and Andy and Scott are in striking distance though!
There were a couple of big milestones this week! Sheri and Logan both reached the 1 Year Streak Club! WooHoo! WooHoo!
No streaks were killed this week! WooHoo!
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:
SLICE OF LIFE! What a great theme for Year 11 of THE WEEKLY PHOTO CHALLENGE!
But what exactly is a SLICE OF LIFE image? This is where I normally give you kind of a broad definition of the theme, but not this week. For those that don’t know SLICE OF LIFE is the name of the postcard company that my Dad started and ran out of the basement darkroom in our house.
He specialized in black & white postcards of local interest. Here is this week’s assignment. It is to take a picture that you could see being used on a postcard. Now back in the day, they used to take pictures of all sorts of things and put them on postcards. So don’t think that there is nothing in your area that would make it on a postcard. It could be a building that is interesting looking or has a historical significance. It could simply be a pretty scene. Back when I was doing THE POSTCARD RECREATION PROJECT, sometimes they took pictures of downtown intersections and put those on postcards.
While I will require your submission to be a postcard like image, meaning don’t try to “interpret” Slice of Life to mean something different, I will only strongly encourage you to submit the picture in black & white and also only slightly encourage you to throw some text on the image, if you have the editing skills or software. You know, design a postcard!
There is one more thing. This is the one and only theme where if you write a SHORT description of your image (like you would see on the backside of a postcard) that I will include it along with your submission.
I don’t manipulate the order of themes for THE WEEKLY PHOTO CHALLENGE. I put the 52 themes in a random generator and then I have it generate the the order of the themes EXCEPT for this theme. This theme I put this week specifically. This week is my Dad’s birthday. In fact, it is tomorrow. He would have turned 81. So it seemed apropos to put the theme that is an homage to him during this week.
And if you don’t know, he is the person in the theme reveal image.
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 SLICE OF LIFE in this place that is a continuation in many ways next Monday.
We are officially a week from my birthday, so I am no longer accepting happy birthday wishes. If you failed to meet the deadline, better luck wishing next year.
I did have a pretty great birthday though. Mostly it was just hanging out with Bokeh and the chaos she brings. But at night, there was a Movie Night in the Union Street Theater. As it was my birthday month, I got to select the movies. I chose 1975 for the “theme” of the movies. For the B movie I selected LISZTOMANIA. Which deliver on everything that a MOVIE NIGHT movie should. For the feature, I selected SHAMPOO. Which was a bit of a dud. Maybe it was funnier or more revolutionary in its day. It was worth watching and a disappointment at the same time.
My favorite birthday present I received was Nora planting a flower in my honor at her school. My favorite birthday wish came from Elainie as it combined wishing me a happy birthday with my disdain and hatred for Facebook:
Happy Birthday Uncle Chris!! Sabas & I posted on fb earlier, but I know you don’t get on often. We hope you have had a wonderful day!
It wasn’t perfect. Shouldn’t have posted birthday wishes on Facebook at all, but it is good enough for me.
I also got an amazing letter in the mail wishing me a happy birthday from Harrison Gorshe. It 100% made my day! It basically wished me a happy birthday and let me know he was glad I got a dog. I need to take Bokeh over there to meet the Gorshes at some point. I haven’t taken her to meet a lot of people. Really I haven’t taken her to meet many people yet. Elizabeth, Kim, and Ron at the Computer Mine. She has met plenty of people that have come to the house to meet her though. Andy, Anders, Alexis, Kanoa, Anela, Logan, Jonah, Greyson, Dahlia, Amanda, Jesse, Willy, Jay, Jason, Monica, Graham, and Teresa. Plus several neighbors have come over to meet her. Her dance card has been pretty full. She might be the Diamond of the Season. (Reference for my BRIDGERTON peeps out there. I’m still pretty sad that my 2 favorite characters (Eloise and Penelope) aren’t friends any longer. I’m sure it will work out.)
But I digress. Thanks again for all the birthday wishes that came through in person visits, text messages, phone calls, Snapchat… Teams, yeah I guess we will count Teams. It was a good enough birthday!
I spent the night at Bill’s swanky bachelor pad after going to see Brandi Carlile. It was so amazingly hot those days. The heat index was well into triple digits. Before I headed back to the Cyclone State Bill and I did some minor exploring of Omaha. We went to Union Station, which is now a museum.
Here are some pictures:
Still a couple more collection of images from my day with Bill left to share!
So this is the final collection of images from my third trip to the Iowa State Fair. This might be my favorite collection as while I love taking pictures at any part of the Iowa State Fair, taking pictures at night is maybe my favorite. Although taking pictures before dawn is also pretty great. Even though I went to the Iowa State Fair 4 times last year, this was the only time I was there after the sun went down. That seems like an oversight I should remedy this year. Maybe I’ll take in a concert at the State Fair this year. I do have my eye on one anyways.
I want one of these shirts really bad.
Sabas even asked if he could buy one, but that is strictly against company policy. Boo!!
And you know I only boo for important things! Like turning the lights on.
Never been a fan of poutine.
Although this is the end of the images from my third trip to the Fair, next Friday will begin the collection of images from my final trip to the Fair. Although that collection will be smaller. It was the final day of the Fair and the temperature was close to 100. It wasn’t pleasant, to say the least.
With UCONN mercilessly smashing Purdue (and every other team they played in the Tournament) on Monday night, another smashing round of the Roundball Oracles came to a close.
This year’s champion was… drumroll please… Micky! He adds himself to the list of Immortals!
ROUNDBALL ORACLE CHAMPTIONS – LIST OF IMMORTALS
2024 – Micky Augustin
2023 – Will Baier
2022 – Ben Baier
2021 – Micky Augustin
2019 – Becky Parmelee
2018 – Paul Golden
2017 – Paul Golden
2016 – Michelle Haupt
2015 – Derek Dohrman
2014 – Brandon Kahler
2013 – William McAlpine
2012 – Lowell Davis
2011 – Carrie Baier
2010 – Mark Wolfram
2009 – Mark Wolfram
2008 – Mark Wolfram
2007 – Tim Peterson
2006 – William McAlpine
2005 – William McAlpine
But I hand out 2 trophies for the Roundball Oracles. Micky will take home the Championship trophy for the 2nd time ever. But who gets “The Sara” for last place?
Do you have another drumroll in you? It goes to Oracles newcomer Aaron Sader!
“The Sara” Winners:
2024 – Aaron Sader
2023 – Ben Baier
2022 – Joey Randazzo
2021 – Rachel Gildersleeve
2019 – Russell Kennerly
2018 – Robert Henning
2017 – Shannon Bardole
2016 – Laura Priest
2015 – Derrick Gorshe
2014 – Sara Lockner
Here are the Final Standings:
1. Micky Augustin – 287
2. Toby Sebring – 262
3. Sara Lockner – 258
4. Michelle Haupt – 257
5. Jesse Howard – 244
6. Jason Baier – 232 points
7. Jordan Toot – 225
8. Sean Gildersleeve – 220
9. Russell Kennerly – 220
10. Linda Bennett – 220
11. Adam Gordon – 208
12. Derek Dohrman – 204
13. Andy Sharp – 202
14. Angie DeWaard – 201
15. Elainie Stensland – 198
16. Sarah Karber – 192
17. Rachel Gildersleeve – 188
18. Tim Peterson – 184
19. Robert Henning – 184
20. Derrick Gorshe – 183
21. JJ Baier – 182
22. Corey Faust – 174
23. Elizabeth Nordeen – 170
24. Lowell Davis – 169
25. Humble Narrator – 163
26. Shawn Lockner – 160
27. Ben Baier – 159
28. Carrie Baier – 146
29. Olivia Baier – 145
30. Joseph Duff – 145
31. Andree Jauhari – 140
32. Will Baier – 140
33. Jackson Faust – 139
34. Teresa Kahler – 136
35. Aaron Sader – 129
I’ll have to get the trophies ordered and delivered soon.
Basketball season is barely over and I already miss it!
