Category Archives: Elainie

An Artist’s Notebook Post #3751

We have hit another milestone in the history of “An Artist’s Notebook”. Post #3751. I would normally make these statistical look back at the past type posts on even numbers, but I felt you guys were probably chomping at the bit to see the entries for RULE OF THIRDS.

This blog/online journal burst onto the world on August 9, 2006. Nearly 14 years later, it is somehow still around. That is success of some kind. At least it is perseverance.

As you know, I like meaningless statistics. That is what these posts are usually about. That and to take stock as to how I’m doing with my original mission to:

#1. Write in it.
#2. To be truthful as possible towards my true thoughts and feelings.
#3. Produce something that makes me worthy of having a pretentious sounding journal title like: “An Artist’s Notebook”.

I’m going to say that I continue to manage all 3. You probably wouldn’t know if I was being honest with you on my thoughts and feelings anyways. You’ll just have to take my work for it.

The last time we looked at these stats in Post #3500 on October 4, 2019 these were the 10 most popular categories on “An Artist’s Notebook”:

10. Photography – 311 Posts
9. Teresa – 312 Posts
8. Carla – 314 Posts
7. Shannon -351 Posts
6. Black & White – 390 Posts
5. Weekly Photo Challenge – 394 Posts
4. Jesse – 404 Posts
3. Animals – 477 Posts
2. Portrait – 516 Posts
1. Flowers – 537 Posts

Here are the current “standings”:

MOST POPULAR CATEGORIES

10. Mom – 332 Posts
9. Teresa – 338 Posts
8. WPC – Submissions – 342 Posts
7. Carla – 354 Posts
6. Shannon – 384 Posts
5. Jesse – 455 Posts
4. Portrait – 491 Posts
3. Animals – 554 Posts
2. Black & White – 568 Posts
1. Flowers – 594 Posts

Back in October, these were the 10 Most Popular Not People Categories:

10. Art – 243 Posts
9. Nature – 260 Posts
8. Personal Photo Project – 261 Posts
7. Road Trip – 288 Posts
6. Photography – 311 Posts
5. Black & White – 390 Posts
4. Weekly Photo Challenge – 390 Posts
3. Animals – 477 Posts
2. Portrait – 516 Posts
1. Flowers – 537 Posts

Here are the current “standings”:

MOST POPULAR NOT PEOPLE CATEGORIES

10. Naima – 263 Posts
9. Photoshop – 285 Posts
8. Art – 287 Posts
7. Nature – 303 Posts
6. Road Trip – 308 Posts
5. WPC – Submissions – 342 Posts
4. Portrait – 491 Posts
3. Animals – 559 Posts
2. Black & White – 568 Posts
1. Flowers – 594 Posts

I anticipate by the time we get to post 4,000 Black & White will surpass Flowers. Especially considering I’m giving some consideration into breaking Flowers down by flower type. All that would be one beast of a job.

Back in October, these were the 10 Most Tagged Humans:

10. Jen – 222 Posts
9. Vest – 234 Posts
8. Willy – 238 Posts
7. Derrick – 267 Posts
6. Jay – 294 Posts
5. Mom – 300 Posts
4. Teresa – 312 Posts
3. Carla – 314 Posts
2. Shannon – 351 Posts
1. Jesse – 403 Posts

These are the current standings:

10 MOST TAGGED HUMANS:

10. Jen – 243 Posts
9. Vest – 247 Posts
8. Willy – 258 Posts
7. Derrick – 284 Posts
6. Jay – 312 Posts
5. Mom – 332 Posts
4. Teresa – 338 Posts
3. Carla – 353 Posts
2. Shannon – 384 Posts
1. Jesse – 455 Posts

It is strange that the Top 10 Humans is almost identical. Except Carla has passed Teresa.

You may be wondering, what does it take to improve my Photography 139 Score? How do I get on the big board by the time Post 3750 comes around next August-ish?

1. Submit pictures for the WEEKLY PHOTO CHALLENGE.
2. Assist or pose for photo projects.
3. Be related to me.

If you are wondering who is just outside of the top ten? The 3 people just outside of the Top Ten are Kim, Sara, and Logan.

But what are the most popular pictures and galleries of this website?

Currently, there 74,942 files in the Photography 139 Gallery. That takes up 450.88 GB of storage space on the SmugMug servers.

Over time, it is historically difficult to determine what is the most popular photos and galleries. I can only track statistics for the last 365 days. But for the last 365 days, these are the most popular albums:

TOP 10 PHOTOGRAPHY 139 ALBUMS (POPULARITY BY VIEWS)


Baby Tri-Force 1st Birthday Party

#10 Miller Triplet 1st Birthday Party – 13751 Views

Miller-Peterson Christmas - 2019

#9 Family Happenings – 14222 Views

Iowa State vs. Iowa

#8 Iowa State Cyclones Football – 2019 – 15711 Views

#7Naima– 16108 Views

Taylan Howard

#6 Taylan Howard -2020– 21320 Views

Autumn Sharp

#5 Autumn Sharp – 2020– 21852 Views

WEEK 158 - BOREDOM - CHRISTOPHER D. BENNETT

#4 Weekly Photo Challenge – Year 6– 29218 Views

July 14, 2019

#3 Selfie Project – 2019 – 40726 Views

9 Emotions - Bill

#2 9 Emotions Project – 43867 Views

WEEK 222 - SPORTS/GAMES - CHRISTOPHER D. BENNETT

#1 Weekly Photo Challenge – Year 7 – 48433 Views

These are the 10 Most Popular Images (by Views):

10. 973 Views

Camping World Bowl Road Trip - Day 3

9. 1056 Views

Minnesota State Fair - 2019

8. 1063 Views

Rapid City Mission Trip - 2019

7.1082 Views

Thanksgiving - 2019

6. 1116 Views

Howards - 2019

5. 1141 Views

Autumn Sharp

4. 1635 Views

Garrett Larson

3. 1261 Views

Stenslands- 2019

1283 Views

July 15, 2017

1. 2283 Views

January 14, 2019

I’m surprised that THE 9 EMOTIONS PROJECT is still so popular, since I haven’t touched it in over a year. But I do hope to get back to it. In fact, I have purchased a few things to make it possible to get back to THE 9 EMOTIONS PROJECT while safely physically distancing. So if you are interesting in being a victim… err… a subject. You know where to find me.

WPC – WEEK 244 – RULE OF THIRDS

33 straight weeks of double digit submissions! There won’t be an easier theme than RULE OF THIRDS, so I’m not surprised!

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


WEEK 244 - RULE OF THIRDS - ANDY SHARP
Andy Sharp

WEEK 244 - RULE OF THIRDS - TERESA KAHLER
Teresa Kahler

WEEK 244 - RULE OF THIRDS - KIM BARKER
Kim Barker

WEEK 244 - RULE OF THIRDS - ELIZABETH NORDEEN
Elizabeth Nordeen

WEEK 244 - RULE OF THIRDS - ELIZABETH NORDEEN
Elizabeth Nordeen

WEEK 244 - RULE OF THIRDS - TAMARA PETERSON
Tamara Peterson

WEEK 244 - RULE OF THIRDS - BECKY PARMELEE
Becky Parmelee

WEEK 244 - RULE OF THIRDS - MICKY AUGUSTIN
Micky Augustin

WEEK 244 - RULE OF THIRDS - MONICA HENNING
Monica Henning

WEEK 244 - RULE OF THIRDS - JEN ENSLEY-GORSHE
Jen Ensley-Gorshe

WEEK 244 - RULE OF THIRDS - JEN ENSLEY-GORSHE
Jen Ensley-Gorshe

WEEK 244 - RULE OF THIRDS - CARLA STENSLAND
Carla Stensland

WEEK 244 - RULE OF THIRDS - CARLA STENSLAND
Carla Stensland

WEEK 244 - RULE OF THIRDS - CARLA STENSLAND
Carla Stensland

WEEK 244 - RULE OF THIRDS - CARLA STENSLAND
Carla Stensland

WEEK 244 - RULE OF THIRDS - MICHELLE HAUPT
Michelle Haupt

WEEK 244 - RULE OF THIRDS - CHRISTOPHER D. BENNETT
Christopher D. Bennett

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 245 - SELF-PORTRAIT
SELF-PORTRAIT

SELF-PORTRAIT! What a great theme! A SELF-PORTRAIT is simply when the photographer is taking a picture of themselves!

I can’t wait to see your interpretations!

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HOUSEKEEPING


A MESSAGE FROM THE PHOTOGRAPHY 139 RULES DIVISION

The picture has to be taken the week of the theme. This isn’t a curate your pictures challenge. This is a get your butt off the couch (my personal experience) and put your camera in your hands challenge. Don’t send me a picture of you next to the Eiffel Tower, when I know you were in Iowa all week. I will point out that I have let that slide some in the past. I will not in the future. Since it is literally about the only rule.

Your submission needs to be emailed to bennett@photography139.com by 11 AM on the Monday of the challenge due date.

OR

I now allow people to text me their submissions. In the past, I had made exceptions for a couple people that aren’t real computer savvy, even though it was an inconvenience for me and required at least 3 extra steps for me. I am now lifting that embargo because I have a streamline way of uploading photos. I’m not giving out my phone number, but if you have it, you can text me.

It should be pointed out that this blog auto-publishes at 12:01 on Mondays. So it wouldn’t hurt to get your picture in earlier.

That is it, them’s the rules.

A MESSAGE FROM THE PHOTOGRAPHY 139 SHAMELESS SELF-PROMOTION DIVISION

Elainie Hernandez is the latest person to show taste, class, and sophistication by signing for a Photography 139 email subscription. She has extended the geographic reach of the Photography 139 empire all the way to San Diego! I was hoping to visit her and Sabas this summer, but I guess we’ll have to wait to see how this pandemic plays out. I’m guessing it just won’t happen. But welcome aboard Elainie!

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That’s all I got for today, so if the good Lord’s willin’ and the creek don’t rise, we will commune right here again next Monday. Hopefully it will be a very self involved Monday!

Elainie Homecoming Ch. 6

This is normally the time when I reflect on how my work from home week went this week. But I don’t really have anything to share this week. The main bonus I got from working from home this week is that I had a couple customers I had to work with outside of normal work hours. I didn’t have to hang around the office and wait to work with them. I just took a nap and did some yardwork, then I came back in and dealt with them.

I will get into details of the Master Playlist next Friday. I’m sure.

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Time once again to check in with pictures that were triggered by Elainie coming home last September. It is possible that I might be almost done with the 2019 backlog next week. More realistically, it will be the week after.

Here are some more pictures to enjoy:


Elainie & Sabas

Elainie & Sabas

Elainie & Sabas

Elainie & Sabas

Elainie & Sabas

Elainie & Sabas

Elainie & Sabas

Elainie & Sabas

Elainie & Sabas

Elainie & Sabas

Elainie & Sabas

Elainie & Sabas

Elainie & Sabas

Elainie & Sabas

Elainie & Sabas

Elainie & Sabas

Elainie & Sabas

Elainie & Sabas

Elainie & Sabas

Elainie & Sabas

Elainie & Sabas

Elainie & Sabas

Elainie & Sabas

Elainie & Sabas

Elainie & Sabas

Elainie & Sabas

Elainie & Sabas

Elainie & Sabas

Elainie & Sabas

Elainie & Sabas

Yep, there is even more Stenslands in the hopper. So many Stenslands.

Elainie Homecoming Ch. 5

Here in the 5th set of pictures triggered into existence by Elainie’s homecoming last September, Elainie makes a reappearance.

But there are also quite a few pictures of Alexis, Kupono, and Kanoa.

Of course, plenty of Sabas in this collection as well!


Stenslands- 2019

Stenslands- 2019

Stenslands- 2019

Stenslands- 2019

Stenslands- 2019

Stenslands- 2019

Stenslands- 2019

Stenslands- 2019

Stenslands- 2019

Stenslands- 2019

Stenslands- 2019

Stenslands- 2019

Elainie & Sabas

Elainie & Sabas

Elainie & Sabas

Elainie & Sabas

Elainie & Sabas

Elainie & Sabas

Elainie & Sabas

Elainie & Sabas

Elainie & Sabas

Elainie & Sabas

Elainie & Sabas

Elainie & Sabas

Elainie & Sabas

You’d think that we were halfway through all the Stensland photos, but we’re just warmed up now. So much more Stensland in our future!

WPC – WEEK 243 – EMOTIONS

32 straight weeks of double digit submissions! The fourth straight week that I didn’t send any reminder text messages this morning and still made double digit submissions, easy.

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


WEEK 243 - EMOTIONS - JODIE CUE
Jodie Cue

WEEK 243 - EMOTIONS - JODIE CUE
Jodie Cue

WEEK 243 - EMOTIONS - JODIE CUE
Jodie Cue

WEEK 243 - EMOTIONS - KIM BARKER
Kim Barker

WEEK 243 - EMOTIONS - TAMARA PETERSON
Tamara Peterson

WEEK 243 - EMOTIONS - SHANNON BARDOLE-FOLEY
Shannon Bardole-Foley

WEEK 243 - EMOTIONS - BECKY PARMELEE
Becky Parmelee

WEEK 243 - EMOTIONS - AARON BARNETT
Aaron Barnett

WEEK 243 - EMOTIONS - CHRISTOPHER D. BENNETT
Christopher D. Bennett

WEEK 243 - EMOTIONS - MONICA HENNING
Monica Henning

WEEK 243 - EMOTIONS - MONICA HENNING
Monica Henning

WEEK 243 - EMOTIONS - ELIZABETH NORDEEN
Elizabeth Nordeen

WEEK 243 - EMOTIONS - ANDY SHARP
Andy Sharp

WEEK 243 - EMOTIONS - ANDY SHARP
Andy Sharp

WEEK 243 - EMOTIONS - ANDY SHARP
Andy Sharp

WEEK 243 - EMOTIONS - MICHELLE HAUPT
Michelle Haupt

WEEK 243 - EMOTIONS - CARLA STENSLAND
Carla Stensland

WEEK 243 - EMOTIONS - CARLA STENSLAND
Carla Stensland

WEEK 243 - EMOTIONS - CARLA STENSLAND
Carla Stensland

WEEK 243 - EMOTIONS - CARLA STENSLAND
Elainie Stensland

WEEK 243 - EMOTIONS - CARLA STENSLAND
Carla Stensland

WEEK 243 - EMOTIONS - CATHIE RALEY
Cathie Raley

WEEK 243 - EMOTIONS - MICKY AUGUSTIN
Micky Augustin

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 244 - RULE OF THIRDS
RULE OF THIRDS

RULE OF THIRDS! What a great theme! But what is a RULE OF THIRDS picture. First you need to understand the RULE OF THIRDS:

“The guideline proposes that an image should be imagined as divided into nine equal parts by two equally spaced horizontal lines and two equally spaced vertical lines, and that important compositional elements should be placed along these lines or their intersections.[2] Proponents of the technique claim that aligning a subject with these points creates more tension, energy and interest in the composition than simply centering the subject.”

Most cameras by default have a default grid of the RULE OF THIRDS on the viewfinder. So RULE OF THIRDS should be one of the easiest themes yet!

If you are still struggling with the concept, look at the theme reveal picture. The goal here is to get the subject out of the center of the frame.

I look forward to seeing your interpretations!

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HOUSEKEEPING


A MESSAGE FROM THE PHOTOGRAPHY 139 RULES DIVISION

The picture has to be taken the week of the theme. This isn’t a curate your pictures challenge. This is a get your butt off the couch (my personal experience) and put your camera in your hands challenge. Don’t send me a picture of you next to the Eiffel Tower, when I know you were in Iowa all week. I will point out that I have let that slide some in the past. I will not in the future. Since it is literally about the only rule.

Your submission needs to be emailed to bennett@photography139.com by 11 AM on the Monday of the challenge due date.

OR

I now allow people to text me their submissions. In the past, I had made exceptions for a couple people that aren’t real computer savvy, even though it was an inconvenience for me and required at least 3 extra steps for me. I am now lifting that embargo because I have a streamline way of uploading photos. I’m not giving out my phone number, but if you have it, you can text me.

It should be pointed out that this blog auto-publishes at 12:01 on Mondays. So it wouldn’t hurt to get your picture in earlier.

That is it, them’s the rules.

A MESSAGE FROM THE PHOTOGRAPHY 139 SHAMELESS SELF-PROMOTION DIVISION

Nobody showed class, taste, and sophistication this week by signing up for a Photography 139 email subscription. I’ll try and do better next week.

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That’s all I got for today, so if the good Lord’s willin’ and the creek don’t rise, we will commune right here again next Monday. Hopefully it will be a very off-center Monday!

Elainie Homecoming Ch. 2

I need to start this post by announcing that the Sharp family is making laundry detergent like crazy and donating it to area food banks like IMPACT and the Toreador Pantry.

However, they need more laundry detergent jugs, so they have set up a garbage can at the end of their driveway where people can donate jugs for them to fill. No jug is too small or too big.

You can find the donation dropoff spot at the end of their driveway.

The live at 1005 South Division Street in Boone. Basically keep going south on Division Street until you can’t go any farther. There will be some photos of their work shared at a later point.

Thanks to anybody that donates!

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Happy birthday to Kelly! She doesn’t subscribe to this blog, so she will never see this, but happy birthday anyways:


Howard Family Photo Shoot - 2017

Howards - 2019


I hope it is a great birthday!

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Time for another collection of Stensland pictures I took when Elainie came home last fall:


Stenslands- 2019

Stenslands- 2019

Stenslands- 2019

Stenslands- 2019

Stenslands- 2019

Stenslands- 2019

Stenslands- 2019

Stenslands- 2019

Stenslands- 2019

Stenslands- 2019

Stenslands- 2019

Stenslands- 2019

Stenslands- 2019

Stenslands- 2019

Stenslands- 2019

Stenslands- 2019

Stenslands- 2019

Stenslands- 2019

Stenslands- 2019

Stenslands- 2019

Stenslands- 2019

Stenslands- 2019

Stenslands- 2019

Stenslands- 2019

A reminder that I love the candid pictures that I take between the posed pictures so much more than I do the posed pictures. But that is maybe just me.

So much more coming from Elainie’s homecoming.

Elainie Homecoming Ch. 1

25 days working from home down. No clue how many are left, but I’m guessing it at least 2 more weeks. This week with my extra stay at home time, I mopped my floors. All of them. Not counting the basement. We don’t talk about the basement! I also cleaned all my blinds. Which was scarier that I thought it would be. But as it turns out, only the bathroom blinds were that scary. The kitchen blinds a little bit. I hope to do a wardrobe downsizing soon. Hopefully this weekend. We’ll see. Maybe, I’ll even start working on the basement. Maybe get a little more yard work done.

My work listening schedule didn’t change much. Streamed Life 107.1 FM from 7-9 in the morning. I had what I’m gong to consider a God Moment on Wednesday morning. I know that listening to a Christian radio station might always be a God Moment, but there is one in particular. After the Coronacat post on Tuesday night, I got my normal heat from “cat people”.

Then on Wednesday morning, Taylor and Jen (the morning hosts on Life 107.1) were interviewing the lead singer of Casting Crowns. He is was well studied theologian. For what may have seemed like no reason, he announced that “cats don’t have souls”. Then he went on to praise golden retrievers. Sorry, Alisa, them’s the facts.

I went to Amazon and immediately ordered “Thrive”, “Until the Whole World Hears”, “The Very Next Thing” and “Only Jesus”.(They will arrive promptly on May 15) I’m not a new Casting Crowns fan. “Nobody” is a flat out banger that I sometimes listen to on a loop.

Of course, this will be used to support the false narrative that I hate cats. Not true. I just report facts.

It is like Harry Truman said:

“I never did give them hell. I just told the truth, and they thought it was hell.”

Then from 9 to 2 I listen to the Master Playlist. This week I made it all the way to track #1002 – “I Don’t Want to Be” by Gavin DeGraw. Probably a good song for quarantine living:

“I don’t want to be anything
Other than what I’ve been trying to be lately
All I have to do is of me and I have peace of mind
I’m tired of looking around rooms wondering what I gotta do
Or who I’m supposed to be
I don’t want to be anything other than me”

I didn’t eliminate any songs from the Master Playlist this week.

From 2-4 I still listen to Murph & Andy. Although this week I sprinkled in a podcast breaking down Iowa State’s 2020 football roster.

I don’t know if I’ve discovered any more positives with the work from home life. I recently purchased two air purifiers. I’m not sure it has kept the dust homes as much as I wanted, but I can definitely tell the air is cleaner because I could tell that Naima was really starting to get ripe. She got a bath on Wednesday night. She wasn’t a fan, but she is crazy soft right now.

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Pastor Dave reached out to me on Wednesday and wanted me to write up (or make a video) of how I’ve seen God working recently. I’m not sure how he is going to use it, but I think he will using during our church service on Sunday. Which you can hear live on KWBG at 9 AM. We still aren’t having worship services in person, obviously.

You can also stream KWBG from their website.

I went the written route because if I started making a video, it would take forever. Absolutely forever. I get too deep into those things.

+++++++

Time to start curating a collection of pictures that I’m just going to lump under the category of Elainie Homecoming. These were taken back in September when Elainie was home from San Diego. Some are family portrait type pictures. Some are more like Elainie-Sabas engagement photos.

Here is the first collection:


Stenslands- 2019

Stenslands- 2019

Stenslands- 2019

Stenslands- 2019

Stenslands- 2019

Stenslands- 2019

Stenslands- 2019

Stenslands- 2019

Stenslands- 2019

Stenslands- 2019

Stenslands- 2019

Stenslands- 2019

Stenslands- 2019

Stenslands- 2019

Elainie & Sabas

Elainie & Sabas

Elainie & Sabas

Elainie & Sabas

Elainie & Sabas

Elainie & Sabas

Elainie & Sabas

Elainie & Sabas

Elainie & Sabas

There is a ton more photos from Elainie’s homecoming on the way. A veritable ton!

Fly Iowa: A New Beginning

I should start today by wising my Aunt Linda a happy birthday!


09-21-08

Bennett Family Reunion

Bennett Family Reunion

April 9, 2019

August 29, 2017

Recently I shared a collection of pictures I took of the old Boone Dump sliding into McHose Park. Aunt Linda sent me a story that I thought I would share, so you would know what kind of people I come from:

I really liked this history of the junk yard. I have fond memories of going to the junk yard as a family….my dad, mom, David, Gerald and me. Dad would take a gun in case we were attacked by rats. We often found treasures to take home for one reason or another.

I want you to think about this story the next time you even remotely think of trying to mistakenly labeling me as an elitist. I’m the guy that comes from a family that used to go to the town dump, with my Grandpa packing heat to fend off the junkyard rats! These are my people!

Happy birthday Aunt Linda!

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Time for yet another collection of images from Fly Iowa:


Fly Iowa - 2019

Fly Iowa - 2019

Fly Iowa - 2019

Fly Iowa - 2019

Fly Iowa - 2019

Fly Iowa - 2019

Fly Iowa - 2019

Fly Iowa - 2019

Fly Iowa - 2019

Fly Iowa - 2019

Fly Iowa - 2019

Fly Iowa - 2019

Fly Iowa - 2019

Fly Iowa - 2019

Fly Iowa - 2019

Fly Iowa - 2019

Fly Iowa - 2019

Fly Iowa - 2019

Fly Iowa - 2019

Fly Iowa - 2019

Only 700 more images from Fly Iowa to curate!