Category Archives: Johnathan

On the Rocks

I need to start the day by wishing a couple people a happy birthday. I need to start with my nephew Brandon. Happy birthday Brandon!


Jealousy - Brandon Kahler

Brandon Kahler - Senior Night

August 31, 2019

Bennett Family Photo Shoot - 2017

Logan Graduation

I hope your birthday is as amazing as you want it to be!

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It is also Frank’s birthday. Frank was instrumental in getting this website up and going. Its first home was the webserver living in his basement. He helped get it set up originally and hosted it for free and helped with the domain registration. I don’t think I’ve seen Frank since the pandemic started, and that really sucks. Happy birthday Frank!


Frank

Arizona Vacation

2017 - Monstars

WEEK 181 - FACELESS PORTRAIT - CHRISTOPHER D. BENNETT

Computer Mine Holiday Card - 2012

I hope your birthday was as amazing as you want it to be!

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I started my freezing flowers in blocks of ice with your standard daisy. But I thought I would try some flowers with more color. So next I tried Brown-eyed Susans and Zinnias.


Radiation of Happiness - 2020

Radiation of Happiness - 2020

Radiation of Happiness - 2020

Radiation of Happiness - 2020

Radiation of Happiness - 2020

Radiation of Happiness - 2020

Unloved Flower - 2020

Digging for God - 2020

Digging for God - 2020

Digging for God - 2020

Digging for God - 2020

Digging for God - 2020

Digging for God - 2020

Digging for God - 2020

I wasn’t done playing with this idea still. So there are more ice block flower pictures yet to be curated.

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


WEEK 273 - FOOD
FOOD

A FOOD photo is any image of FOOD or people eating FOOD or ingredients to make FOOD or people preparing FOOD or people cleaning up after eating FOOD.

Happy photo harvesting!

Blessings 2020

Let’s face it. 2020 has been a terrible year. I could spend hours and hours polishing this turd, but a turd is still a turd.

I basically only see 2 other people on a regular basis right now. Willy and I haven’t held a Friday Night Supper Club since March 13. We went to Jimmy’s for their Friday the 13th sale. I can count on one hand the amount of times I’ve seen any of my nieces and nephews this year. I’ve been able to hold a couple of Union Street Theater Nights in the reconfigured Union Street Theater, but it isn’t really the same. The masks and the sound of the air purifiers makes conversation a little difficult and food is definitely a missing element. Since March, the only stores I have been inside are the Boone Wal-Mart and Boone Hardware. I go to Hy-Vee every other week. I’ve seen Bethany twice. Nate and Laura once. Becca, not at all. I haven’t seen the Lockners at all. I’ve seen the Gorshes thrice. I run into Willy around town now and again. Jay stops by here and there to work on his homework. I see Jesse now and again. I haven’t met Kalista’s baby. Baier, Russell, Andree? Distant memories. Since I left the Computer Mine with the belief that I would be working from home for a few weeks, the only co-workers of note that I’ve seen in person are Vest, Lowell, Kim, and Elizabeth. I haven’t met Jorge’s twins. My church has had maybe a dozen worship services and those are suspended again. The Mission Trip is cancelled. There will be no Mission Trip next year. Youth Group has been put on hold indefinitely. For the first time since September 18, 2004, they played football games at Jack Trice Stadium and I wasn’t in attendance. The Cyclones Women’s Basketball Season just tipped off. I wasn’t there. I will most likely, not be able to attend any Cyclones Men’s games this year.

All of that being said, 2020 has still been an embarrassment of blessings for me. In a time where the pandemic was horribly mismanaged by an inept and corrupt federal government, causing employment rates to go through the roof and food insecurity and evictions to sweep across the country like a second plague, I have not had to worry about my job. As these pandemic pounds can attest, I haven’t once had to worry about my next meal. I was in a solid enough financial position that when the $1200 dollar stimulus check hit my bank account I wasn’t sure what to do with it. We were supposed to put it where it would do the most good, so I donated some of it to Joe Biden’s campaign.

While the only people I see on a regular basis are Mom and Teresa. I am still blessed with a pretty incredible family:


Bennett Family Photo Shoot - 2017

Baby Tri-Force 1st Birthday Party

While I see them rarely, I still have a pretty incredible set of friends:


March 12, 2019

August 10, 2019

August 13, 2019

LOSER - BLACK & WHITE

Self Portrait Project - 2012

Photo Journal - Page 56 Reject

Honey Hollow

PORTRAIT - ALTERNATE

While we don’t get to worship an awesome God together right now, I still have a pretty incredible church family:


October 27, 2019

October 30, 2019

September 25, 2019

June 27, 2019

June 23, 2019

January 16, 2019

While I continue to work at home, I still talk to and try to stay in contact with my amazing work family:


August 30, 2019

December 27, 2019

PORTRAIT - ALTERNATE

And while Naima is becoming off the charts spoiled, I’m blessed to have her in my life as well:


Black and White Alternate

I hope to see so much more of all of you in 2021. In fact, I’ve started to compile a list of things that I look forward to doing when this pandemic subsides. It isn’t a glamorous list. But that is a sign of 2020.

Happy Birthday Kanoa!

Back in August there was a small birthday party for Kanoa. I took a few pictures, but mostly just pictures of Kanoa eating his cake. Which he apparently enjoyed very much.

Here are some pictures:


Kanoa's 1st Birthday Party

Kanoa's 1st Birthday Party

Kanoa's 1st Birthday Party

Kanoa's 1st Birthday Party

Kanoa's 1st Birthday Party

Kanoa's 1st Birthday Party

Kanoa's 1st Birthday Party

Kanoa's 1st Birthday Party

Kanoa's 1st Birthday Party

Kanoa's 1st Birthday Party

Kanoa's 1st Birthday Party

Kanoa's 1st Birthday Party

Kanoa's 1st Birthday Party

Kanoa's 1st Birthday Party

Kanoa's 1st Birthday Party

Kanoa's 1st Birthday Party

Kanoa's 1st Birthday Party

Kanoa's 1st Birthday Party

Kanoa's 1st Birthday Party

Kanoa's 1st Birthday Party

Kanoa's 1st Birthday Party

Kanoa's 1st Birthday Party

Kanoa's 1st Birthday Party

Kanoa's 1st Birthday Party

Kanoa's 1st Birthday Party

Kanoa's 1st Birthday Party

I did get to see Kanoa again on Saturday, but that is a topic for the future.

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


WEEK 270 - ART
ART

An ART image is any picture of a piece of ART or an ART supply or somebody making ART or a gas station attendant named ART.

Happy photo harvesting!

In the Cold October Snow

I need to begin today by wishing Elainie a happy birthday. Happy birthday Elainie!


Elainie & Sabas

06-22-08

Stensland Family Photo Shoot - 2016

Bennett Family Photo Shoot - 2017

9 Emotions Project - Elainie

I hope your birthday is as amazing as you want it to be.

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Back in late October, we got a bit of unexpected snow. I took a few flower pictures afterwards.


A Proud Assertion - 2020

Nature's Amen - 2020

Digging for God - 2020

Digging for God - 2020

Digging for God - 2020

Fortunately, fall weather wasn’t done with us yet. But that snow pretty much did in all of my flowers.

Walnut Woods Bird Blind

I need to start today by wishing my cousin Sarah a happy birthday. Happy birthday Sarah!


August 29, 2017

Solar Eclipse - 2017

Bennett Family Reunion

I hope it is as amazing as you want it to be!

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Back when I was on vacation, one of the State Parks I visited was Walnut Woods in the Des Moines area. I’ve driven by the sign for the turnoff to Walnut Woods hundreds of times. It seemed like I should finally make that turn and see what it is all about.

I didn’t get to spend much time exploring Walnut Woods, but by far my favorite thing I found there was the bird blind that overlooked about a hundred bird feeders. The bird blind is closed because of the badly mismanaged pandemic, but you could still stand near the bird blind and enjoy the birds. I probably didn’t have the exact lens I would have wanted, but I still took a plethora of bird photos. Even took some I liked.


Walnut Woods Bird Blind

Walnut Woods Bird Blind

Walnut Woods Bird Blind

Walnut Woods Bird Blind

Walnut Woods Bird Blind

Walnut Woods Bird Blind

Walnut Woods Bird Blind

Walnut Woods Bird Blind

Walnut Woods Bird Blind

Walnut Woods Bird Blind

Walnut Woods Bird Blind

Walnut Woods Bird Blind

Walnut Woods Bird Blind

Walnut Woods Bird Blind

Walnut Woods Bird Blind

This trip to Walnut Woods inspired me to want to buy my own portable bird blind. I’m going to get right on that after I buy a larger external hard drive, 3 new monitors, and a new projection screen. Maybe a retired Iowa State football locker. It is definitely on the list!

WPC – WEEK 264 – SIGNS

Sorry that this is several minutes late today. I went to cast my ballot for the 2020 election during my lunch break from the mine:


Early Votiong 2020

A reminder that if you live in Iowa, early voting starts today! It might be easier and safer than voting on November 3. But you have to make the choice that is best for you.

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I need to start today by wishing Johnathan a happy birthday. Happy birthday Johnathan!


Johnathan at 400mm

Photo of the Day 0009 - May 11, 2014

09-22-07

Stensland Family Photo Shoot - 2016

Bennett Family Photo Shoot - 2017

I hope your birthday is as amazing as you want it to be!

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WooHoo! 53 straight weeks of double digit submissions!! Once again, I didn’t even have to send out any reminder texts.

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


WEEK 264 - SIGNS - KIO DETTMAN
Kio Dettman

WEEK 264 - SIGNS - KIO DETTMAN
Kio Dettman

WEEK 264 - SIGNS - TAMARA PETERSON
Tamara Peterson

WEEK 264 - SIGNS - SHANNON BARDOLE-FOLEY
Shannon Bardole-Foley

WEEK 264 - SIGNS - JESSE HOWARD
Jesse Howard

WEEK 264 - SIGNS - JESSE HOWARD
Jesse Howard

WEEK 264 - SIGNS - JESSE HOWARD
Jesse Howard

WEEK 264 - SIGNS - CHRISTOPHER D. BENNETT
Christopher D. Bennett

WEEK 264 - SIGNS - TERESA KAHLER
Teresa Kahler

WEEK 264 - SIGNS - TERESA KAHLER
Teresa Kahler

WEEK 264 - SIGNS - TERESA KAHLER
Teresa Kahler

WEEK 264 - SIGNS - CATHIE RALEY
Cathie Raley

WEEK 264 - SIGNS - KIM BARKER
Kim Barker

WEEK 264 - SIGNS - ELIZABETH NORDEEN
Elizabeth Nordeen

WEEK 264 - SIGNS - CARLA STENSLAND
Carla Stensland

WEEK 264 - SIGNS - CARLA STENSLAND
Carla Stensland

WEEK 264 - SIGNS - CARLA STENSLAND
Carla Stensland

WEEK 264 - SIGNS - MIKE VEST
Mike Vest

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:


WEEL 265 - SELF-PORTRAIT
SELF-PORTRAIT

SELF-PORTAIT! What a great theme! But what is a SELF-PORTRAIT? This is simply a portrait where the subject and the photographer are one and the same. If you don’t like taking your own picture, you can always take a picture of somebody else taking a SELF-PORTRAIT. That is a pro tip for ya!

Here is a look back at the previous 7 times SELF-PORTRAIT was a theme:

RWPE #8 – SELF-PORTRAIT

RWPE Y2 #52 – SELF-PORTRAIT

WEEKLY PHOTO CHALLENGE – WEEK 25 – SELF-PORTRAIT

WEEKLY PHOTO CHALLENGE – WEEK 68 – SELF-PORTRAIT

WEEKLY PHOTO CHALLENGE – WEEK 144 & WEEK 145

WEEKLY PHOTO CHALLENGE – WEEK 179 – SELF-PORTRAIT

WPC – WEEK 245 – SELF-PORTRAIT

HOUSEKEEPINGA 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 selfish Monday!

Rodan139: Water Alternate

I need to start today off by wishing my Mom a happy birthday. Without here, none of this would be possible. Not only would I never exist, she also bought me my first camera. A Minolta Maxxum 450si.

Happy birthday Mom!


Mom and Grandma

WEEK 34 - PORTRAIT - CHRISTOPHER D. BENNETT

Photo of the Day 0036 - June 7, 2014

Custer State Park

Bennett Family Photo Shoot - 2017

December 25, 2019

Bennett Family Photo Shoot - 2017

Vacation 09/23/18 - 10/01/17

Mom

Mom

It hope is as amazing a birthday as you want it to be!

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I went to Ledges on Sunday morning to take my WATER picture for THE WEEKLY PHOTO CHALLENGE. I took several pictures. Here are some of the others I took that weren’t ready for the world on Monday.


WPC - WEEK 262 - WATER ALTERNATE

WPC - WEEK 262 - WATER ALTERNATE

WPC - WEEK 262 - WATER ALTERNATE

WPC - WEEK 262 - WATER ALTERNATE

WPC - WEEK 262 - WATER ALTERNATE

WPC - WEEK 262 - WATER ALTERNATE

WPC - WEEK 262 - WATER ALTERNATE

WPC - WEEK 262 - WATER ALTERNATE

WPC - WEEK 262 - WATER ALTERNATE

WPC - WEEK 262 - WATER ALTERNATE

WPC - WEEK 262 - WATER ALTERNATE

WPC - WEEK 262 - WATER ALTERNATE

WPC - WEEK 262 - WATER ALTERNATE

WPC - WEEK 262 - WATER ALTERNATE

WPC - WEEK 262 - WATER ALTERNATE

WPC - WEEK 262 - WATER ALTERNATE

I hope to take Rodan139 out again this weekend. On Tuesday I came off a self-quarantine from a potential exposure from a previous Sunday. As it turns out, I wasn’t exposed, so good news for the friendly skies!

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This is your reminder that STILL LIFE is this week’s theme for THE WEEKLY PHOTO CHALLENGE:


WEEK 263 - STILL LIFE

A STILL LIFE image is a picture of an inanimate object. Usually posed.

Happy photo harvesting!

WPC – WEEK 257 – MACRO

I need to start today by wishing my eldest sister Teresa a happy birthday. Happy birthday Teresa!


Kentucky Vacation - 2008

Bennett Family Photo Shoot - 2017

PORTRAIT - ALTERNATE

Teresa and Ernie

Teresa Birthday - 2008

I hope your birthday is as amazing as you want it to be!

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Can you believe it? 46 straight weeks of double digit submissions! I thought for sure the derecho would maybe put a hitch in THE WEEKLY PHOTO CHALLENGE’S giddy up this week. But it was barely even a bump in the road for most of you. The rest of you, I’m going to assume you still don’t have power and your roof is lying in your neighbor’s field.

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


WEEK 257 - MACRO - ANDY SHARP
Andy Sharp

WEEK 257 - MACRO - BECK PARMELEE
Becky Parmelee

WEEK 257 - MACRO - ANGIE DEWAARD
Angie DeWaard

WEEK 257 - MACRO - CARLA STENSLAND
Carla Stensland

WEEK 257 - MACRO - JODIE CUE
Jodie Cue

WEEK 257 - MACRO - CHRISTOPHER D. BENNETT
Christopher D. Bennett

WEEK 257 - MACRO - JODIE CUE
Jodie Cue

WEEK 257 - MACRO - JODIE CUE
Jodie Cue

WEEK 257 - MACRO - JODIE CUE
Jodie Cue

WEEK 257 - MACRO - JODIE CUE
Jodie Cue

WEEK 257 - MACRO - JODIE CUE
Jodie Cue

WEEK 257 - MACRO - SHANNON BARDOLE-FOLEY
Shannon Bardole-Foley

WEEK 257 - MACRO - TAMARA PETERSON
Tamara Peterson

WEEK 257 - MACRO - KIM BARKER
Kim Barker

WEEK 257 - MACRO - ELIZABETH NORDEEN
Elizabeth Nordeen

WEEK 257 - MACRO - ELIZABETH NORDEEN
Elizabeth Nordeen

WEEK 257 - MACRO - LOGAN KAHLER
Logan Kahler

WEEK 257 - MACRO - LOGAN KAHLER
Logan Kahler

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 258 - RELIGION
RELIGION

RELIGION! What a great theme! But what is a RELIGION photo? A RELIGION photo is a photo of anything that deals with the practice of a RELIGION. From a picture of a holy book or a place of worship or a worship service or a symbol of RELIGION.

I look forward to 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 religious Monday!

2010-03-01 & 2010-03-04

The pictures in the folders 2010-03-01 and 2010-03-04 are mostly from some pictures I took for the Computer Mine newsletter and for Personal Photo Project #10.

That PERSONAL PHOTO PROJECT was to take a picture of Jill’s foot and place it behind a window. Sadly, the resulting piece of work fell into disrepair. I threw it in the basement to store. During the recent basement workings I found it again. Not sure what to do with it. Probably time for the trash pile, but maybe great pieces of art should be burned like a flag. Or it will probably will just continue to take up space in my basement.


WEEK 8 - SELF-PORTRAIT - CHRISTOPHER D. BENNETT

COMPUTERMINETOGRAPHY

COMPUTERMINETOGRAPHY

COMPUTERMINETOGRAPHY

Personal Photo Project of the Week No. 10

Personal Photo Project of the Week No. 10

Personal Photo Project of the Week No. 10

Personal Photo Project of the Week No. 10

Personal Photo Project of the Week No. 10

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

RWPE #8 – SELF-PORTRAIT

COMPUTERMINETOGRAPHY

PERSONAL PHOTO PROJECT OF THE WEEK NO. 10

Next Saturday’s walk down memory lane will involve a dirty stache.

Bodega Bay

I need to start today by wishing Alexis a happy birthday. Happy birthday Alexis!


9 Emotions Project - Alexis

Alexis & Kupono Wedding

Stenslands- 2019

Bennett Family Photo Shoot - 2017

06-11-08

I hope your birthday is as amazing as you wanted it to be!

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I thought I would give you a break from flowers for a day and shows some pictures of some baby robins from my front yard. A pair of robins built a nest in my bush in my front yard for the second time this year. Here are some pictures:


Baby Robins

Baby Robins

Baby Robins

Baby Robins

Baby Robins

Baby Robins

Baby Robins

Baby Robins

Baby Robins

Baby Robins

Baby Robins

Baby Robins

Baby Robins

Baby Robins

Baby Robins

Baby Robins

Baby Robins

Baby Robins

Baby Robins

Baby Robins

Baby Robins

I recently added a birdhouse and a second bird feeder to my property. Well it is really a first bird feeder, because I keep the first bird feeder for the wasp nest that I nurture.

Actually the second bird feeder was a gift from my Mom and the birdhouse was a gift from Kio. The second bird feeder has proved to be popular thus far.

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This is your reminder that this week’s THE WEEKLY PHOTO CHALLENGE theme is NIGHT.


WEEK 253 - NIGHT
NIGHT

A NIGHT picture is simply any picture taken at NIGHT.

Happy photo harvesting!