Category Archives: Russ

Calendar Favorites

Today is Lowell’s birthday so I need to wish him a happy birthday!


Day 138 - May 18, 2022
HAPPY BIRTHDAY LOWELL!

If you don’t know, Lowell is not Kim and is not the tall guy.

It is one of my most profoundest birthday wishes that today is a good day.

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This is one of my favorite posts of the year. To share what people said was their favorite calendar image from the 2024 Photography 139 Calendar. There is still 1 calendar left to distribute, but I don’t know when that will happen. I got a response back from most people I gave a calendar to. Some people must have just immediately thrown it in the garbage and never given it a second thought. But that’s okay. Maybe opens up new calendar recipients for 2025…*

Some of these picture below are of different people in the same family that got one calendar, in case you are wondering if I gave, say 6 calendars to the Baiers.

Here we go:

FRONT COVER
2024 Calendar Favorites
Brandon Kahler

2024 Calendar Favorites
Nora Yoon

JANUARY
2024 Calendar Favorites
Jay Janson

2024 Calendar Favorites
Jen Ensley-Gorshe

2024 Calendar Favorites
Sabas Hernandez

2024 Calendar Favorites
Sara Lockner

FEBRUARY
2024 Calendar Favorites
Jesse Howard

2024 Calendar Favorites
Kevin Krause

2024 Calendar Favorites
Layla Gorshe

2024 Calendar Favorites
Olivia Baier

MARCH
2024 Calendar Favorites
Andree Jauhari

2024 Calendar Favorites
Andy Sharp

2024 Calendar Favorites
Bill Wentworth

2024 Calendar Favorites
J.J. Baier

2024 Calendar Favorites
Kim Barker

2024 Calendar Favorites
Russ Kahler

2024 Calendar Favorites
Scott Degeneffe

2024 Calendar Favorites
Will Baier

2024 Calendar Favorites
Willy McAlpine

APRIL
2024 Calendar Favorites
Colleen Hobe

2024 Calendar Favorites
Joe Duff

2024 Calendar Favorites
Michelle Haupt

2024 Calendar Favorites
Monica Jennings

2024 Calendar Favorites
Teresa Kahler

MAY

2024 Calendar Favorites
Ben Baier

2024 Calendar Favorites
Fran Duncan

2024 Calendar Favorites
Beck Gorshe

2024 Calendar Favorites
Jason Carpenter

JUNE

2024 Calendar Favorites
Carrie Baier

2024 Calendar Favorites
Logan Kahler

2024 Calendar Favorites
Mike Vest

JULY

2024 Calendar Favorites
Jason Baier

2024 Calendar Favorites
Russell Kennerly

AUGUST WAS UNIVERSALLY UNLOVED

SEPTEMBER

2024 Calendar Favorites
Becky Parmelee

2024 Calendar Favorites
Elizabeth Nordeen

OCTOBER

2024 Calendar Favorites
Alexis Stensland

2024 Calendar Favorites
Derrick Gorshe

2024 Calendar Favorites
Jorge Rios

NOVEMBER

2024 Calendar Favorites
Carla Stensland

2024 Calendar Favorites
Elainie Hernandez

2024 Calendar Favorites
Jeanette Duff

2024 Calendar Favorites
Johnathan Stensland

2024 Calendar Favorites
Kio Dettman

2024 Calendar Favorites
Melissa Degeneffe

2024 Calendar Favorites
Nader Parsaei

DECEMBER

2024 Calendar Favorites
Anders Runestad

2024 Calendar Favorites
Dawn Krause

That is it. I’m done writing about the calendar until the next one comes out!

*This is facetious.

WPC – WEEK 413 – NEGATIVE

WARNING! NEXT MONDAY I WILL BE ON THE ROAD, SO NEXT WEEK’S POST WILL PUBLISH LATE AND THERE MIGHT NOT BE ANY REMINDERS. PLAN ACCORDINGLY!

I need to start this post by wishing Russ a happy birthday. Happy birthday Russ!


Mother's Day - 2009

I hope you have lots of visitors today!

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I did have a late submission for SELF-PORTRAIT that I do need to share. A couple actually:


WEEK 412 - SELF-PORTRAIT - SUSANNA FUNK
Susanna Funk (Vallunareju Norte – Peru)

WEEK 412 - SELF-PORTRAIT - SUSANNA FUNK
Susanna Funk (Vallunareju Norte – Peru)

You might be asking yourself why Funk gets special privileges and can blow past the deadline and nobody else can? Because she is climbing a mountain in Peru! If you go climb a mountain in Peru, I will also let you miss the deadline. Maybe.

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NEGATIVE! An abstract and maybe demanding theme. But were there many people that could find some NEGATIVE in their life to make NEGATIVE into a positive theme? You’ll have to keep scrolling to find out!

As of 12:01 PM on Monday, August 7, this was the current list of ACTIVE streaks (ignore the numbers in parentheses):

1-Mary Green – 1 week
2-Sara Lockner – 1 week (3)
3-Becky Parmelee – 3 weeks
4-Willy McAlpine – 4 weeks
5-Mike Vest – 5 weeks
6-Suzie Brannen – 6 weeks
7-Sabas Hernandez – 6 weeks
8-Sheri Fakhouri – 8 weeks
9-Monica Jennings – 9 weeks
10-Logan Kahler – 9 weeks
11-Nathanial Brown – 10 weeks
12-Jesse Howard – 10 weeks (2)
13-Tamara Peterson – 13 weeks
14-Alexis Stensland – 18 weeks
15-Mindi Terrell – 25 weeks (3)
16-Brandon Kahler – 49 weeks
17-Linda Bennett – 54 weeks
18-Sarah Toot – 55 weeks (3)
19-Angie DeWaard – 59 weeks
20-Dawn Krause – 63 weeks (2)
21-Kim Barker – 69 weeks
22-Joe Duff – 70 weeks
23-Teresa Kahler – 81 weeks (3)
24-Carla Stensland – 81 weeks
25-Micky Augustin – 83 weeks
26-Andy Sharp – 84 weeks
27-Bill Wentworth – 85 weeks
28-Cathie Morton – 89 weeks
29-Elizabeth Nordeen – 90 weeks
30-Shannon Bardole-Foley – 92 weeks
31-Kio Dettman – 94 weeks
* Susanna Funk – 1 week

But you didn’t come here to listen to me talk all tommyrot about participation rates or streaks. You came to see the submissions and what streaks continued and what streaks flamed out:


WEEK 413 - NEGATIVE - MICKY AUGUSTIN
Micky Augustin (Hickory Grove Park – Story County, Iowa) – 84 weeks

WEEK 413 - NEGATIVE - SHANNON BARDOLE-FOLEY
Shannon Bardole-Foley (High Trestle Trail – Boone County, Iowa) – 93 weeks

WEEK 413 - NEGATIVE - KIM BARKER
Kim Barker (Nevada, Iowa) – 70 weeks

WEEK 413 - NEGATIVE - LINDA BENNETT
Linda Bennett (Ann Arbor, Michigan) – 55 weeks

WEEK 413 - NEGATIVE - LINDA BENNETT
Linda Bennett (Kansas)

WEEK 413 - NEGATIVE - SUZIE BRANNEN
Suzie Brannen (Iowa) – 7 weeks

WEEK 413 - NEGATIVE - NATHANIAL BROWN
Nathanial Brown (Iowa State Fair – Des Moines, Iowa) – 11 weeks

WEEK 413 - NEGATIVE - KIO DETTMAN
Kio Dettman (Iowa) – 95 weeks

WEEK 413 - NEGATIVE - KIO DETTMAN
Kio Dettman (Iowa)

WEEK 413 - NEGATIVE - ANGIE DEWAARD
Angie DeWaard (Iowa) – 60 weeks

WEEK 413 - NEGATIVE - JOE DUFF
Joe Duff (Dallas, Texas) – 71 weeks

WEEK 413 - NEGATIVE - SHERI FAKHOURI
Sheri Fakhouri (Ankeny, Iowa) – 9 weeks

WEEK 413 - NEGATIVE - SHERI FAKHOURI
Sheri Fakhouri (Ankeny, Iowa)

WEEK 413 - NEGATIVE - MARY GREEN
Mary Green (Iowa) – 2 weeks

WEEK 413 - NEGATIVE - MARY GREEN
Mary Green (Iowa)

WEEK 413 - NEGATIVE - JESSE HOWARD
Jesse Howard (Iowa) – 11 weeks

WEEK 413 - NEGATIVE - MONICA JENNINGS
Monica Jennings (Des Moines, Iowa) – 10 weeks

WEEK 413 - NEGATIVE - BRANDON KAHLER
Brandon Kahler (Iowa) – 50 weeks

WEEK 413 - NEGATIVE - LOGAN KAHLER
Logan Kahler (Iowa) – 10 weeks

WEEK 413 - NEGATIVE - TERESA KAHLER
Teresa Kahler (Iowa) – 82 weeks

WEEK 413 - NEGATIVE - TERESA KAHLER
Teresa Kahler (Iowa)

WEEK 413 - NEGATIVE - TERESA KAHLER
Teresa Kahler (Iowa)

WEEK 413 - NEGATIVE - DAWN KRAUSE
Dawn Krause (Iowa) – 64 weeks

WEEK 413 - NEGATIVE - SARA LOCKNER
Sara Lockner (Iowa) – 2 weeks

WEEK 413 - NEGATIVE - CATHIE MORTON
Cathie Morton (Norwalk, Iowa) – 90 weeks

WEEK 413 - NEGATIVE - ELIZABETH NORDEEN
Elizabeth Nordeen (Iowa) – 91 weeks

WEEK 413 - NEGATIVE - ELIZABETH NORDEEN
Elizabeth Nordeen (Iowa)

WEEK 413 - NEGATIVE - TAMARA PTERSON
Tamara Peterson (Iowa) – 14 weeks

WEEK 413 - NEGATIVE - ANDY SHARP
Andy Sharp (Iowa) – 85 weeks

WEEK 413 - NEGATIVE - ALEXIS STENSLAND
Alexis Stensland (Ames, Iowa) – 19 weeks

WEEK 413 - NEGATIVE - CARLA STENSLAND
Carla Stensland (Iowa) – 82 weeks

WEEK 413 - NEGATIVE - MINDI TERRELL
Mindi Terrell (Iowa) – 26 weeks

WEEK 413 - NEGATIVE - MINDI TERRELL
Mindi Terrell (Iowa)

WEEK 413 - NEGATIVE - MINDI TERRELL
Mindi Terrell (Iowa)

WEEK 413 - NEGATIVE - SARAH TOOT
Sarah Toot (Pennsylvania) – 56 weeks

WEEK 413 - NEGATIVE -
Mike Vest (Iowa) – 6 weeks

WEEK 413 - NEGATIVE - BILL WENTWORTH
Bill Wentworth (Omaha, Nebraska) – 86 weeks

WEEK 413 - NEGATIVE - CHRISTOPHER D. BENNETT
Christopher D. Bennett (Orpheum Theater – Minneapolis, Minnesota)

29 participants! Subtracting last week’s 33 participants, creates a negative 4. But 29 is still pretty good considering it is somewhat of an abstract theme.

There were submissions this week taken in the following places:
+ Iowa
+ Kansas
+ Michigan
+ Minnesota
+ Nebraska
+ Pennsylvania
+ Texas

Here is the current calendar year list for states:

+ Arizona
+ Arkansas
+ California
+ Colorado
+ Florida
+ Georgia
+ Illinois
+ Iowa
+ Kansas
+ Louisiana
+ Maryland
+ Michigan
+ Minnesota
+ Missouri
+ Montana
+ Nebraska
+ New Jersey
+ New York
+ Nevada
+ North Carolina
+ North Dakota
+ Ohio
+ Oklahoma
+ Oregon
+ Pennsylvania
+ South Carolina
+ South Dakota
+ Tennessee
+ Texas
+ Utah
+ Washington
+ Washington D.C.
+ Wisconsin
+ Wyoming

33 states and 1 district! That is pretty impressive! Over 60% of the way there!

The Outside of the United States map is currently:

+ British Virgin Islands
+ Mexico (General)
+ Isla Mujeres, Mexico
+ Riviera Maya, Mexico
+ Nassau Bahamas
+ Vallunareju Norte – Peru
+ Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada

I took my picture 226 miles from my front door. But in a state that has already been marked. I continue to not contribute.

The big milestones this week were Monica and Logan reaching The Double Digit Streak Club. WooHoo! Mindi reached The Half Year Streak Club! WooHoo!

But it wasn’t all good news. Becky’s 3 week streak ended. Willy’s 4 week streak is gone. Sabas’ 6 week streak is no more.

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 414 - ART
ART

ART! What a great theme for Year 10 of THE WEEKLY PHOTO CHALLENGE!

But what exactly is an ART photo? Simply put, it is a picture of an existing piece of ART. You could simply find a piece of ART and stand back and take a picture of it. But I would urge you to take an ARTistic look at a piece of an ART. Take a picture of it from a different angle. Take a picture of only part of the picture. Take a picture of it in its environment. Other possibilities are to take pictures of an ARTist making a piece of ART or tools made in the creation of ART. There are just so many possibilities.

While considering possible subject for your submission, meditate on the following quote and I have no doubt your ART submission will be a new piece of ART all its own:

Life beats down and crushes the soul and art reminds you that you have one.
-Stella Adler

I look forward to seeing your interpretation!

RULES

The picture has to be taken between 12:01 PM today and 11 AM next Monday. This isn’t a curate your photos project. This is a get your butt off the couch (unless you are taking your picture from the couch) and take pictures challenge. There is a limit of 3 submissions per participant. To be considered the photographer, you have to be the one that takes the picture. Don’t be stealing the work of other artists. You can submit pictures for other photographers that took pictures with your camera or phone, but give credit where credit is due.

You can send your images to either bennett@photography139.com OR you may text them to my Pixel 5.

That is it. Thems the rules!

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 NEGATIVE in this place that started with a pile of negatives next Monday.

The Next Second You Were Gone

Seems like a good time to clean up the July backlog. This collection of images was taken in July of last year, but never really found a spot in a previous “An Artist’s Notebook” entry. Some pictures are of a storm. Some are from the Boone County Fair. Some are of a baby bird, or an immature bird. Some are from Dahlia’s birthday party.


The Next Second You Were Gone

The Next Second You Were Gone

The Next Second You Were Gone

The Next Second You Were Gone

The Next Second You Were Gone

The Next Second You Were Gone

The Next Second You Were Gone

The Next Second You Were Gone

The Next Second You Were Gone

The Next Second You Were Gone

Boone County Fair - 2023

Boone County Fair - 2023

Boone County Fair - 2023

Boone County Fair - 2023

Boone County Fair - 2023

Boone County Fair - 2023

Boone County Fair - 2023

Dahlia Birthday Party

Dahlia Birthday Party

Dahlia Birthday Party

Dahlia Birthday Party

Dahlia Birthday Party

Dahlia Birthday Party

Dahlia Birthday Party

Dahlia Birthday Party

Always feels good to get a little bit of that backlog cleared out.

On Balance – 2021

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

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

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


Halloween - 2021

Halloween - 2021

Christmas - 2021

Christmas - 2021

Christmas - 2021

Christmas - 2021

Christmas - 2021

Christmas - 2021

Christmas - 2021

Christmas - 2021

Christmas - 2021

Christmas - 2021

Christmas - 2021

Christmas - 2021

Christmas - 2021

Christmas - 2021

Selfie Project – July 2022

This is a reminder that tomorrow there is a dog and exotic animal pet show for Pufferbilly Days. A person could also enter a cat, but people don’t, cause… cat. I mean, it explains itself.

However, I give this reminder with the caveat that it is possible that the Dog and Exotic Animal Pet Show could possibly be cancelled due to heat.

Here is the information you need if you are interested:


Pufferbilly Days Pet Show Flyer - 2022

If it goes down, I will be there to photograph it. If it doesn’t go down, I’ll probably be eating ice cream, in the air conditioning.

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It is time once again to check in with THE SELFIE PROJECT. One of the things I like about THE SELFIE PROJECT I get to take a quick look back at everything I did last month and be like, “that was last month? I thought that was forever ago!”

I think I had a pretty busy July, but you can be the judge of that.

Here are some of my favorite images:


Day 182 - July 1, 2022
July 1

Day 183 - July 2, 2022
July 2

Day 184 - July 3, 2022
July 3

Day 186 - July 5, 2022
July 5

Day 187 - July 6, 2022
July 6

Day 188 - July 7, 2022
July 7

Day 189 - July 8, 2022
July 8
Day 190 - July 9, 2022
July 9

Day 191 - July 10, 2022
July 10

Day 193 - July 12, 2022
July 12

Day 194 - July 13, 2022
July 13

Day 195 - July 14, 2022
July 14

Day 196 - July 15, 2022
July 15

Day 197 - July 16, 2022
July 16

Day 198 - July 17, 2022
July 17

Day 199 - July 18, 2022
July 18

Day 200 - July 19, 2022
July 19

Day 201 - July 20, 2022
July 20

Day 202 - July 21, 2022
July 21

Day 204 - July 23, 2022
July 23

Day 208 - July 27, 2022
July 27

Day 209 - July 28, 2022
July 28

Day 210 - July 29, 2022
July 29

Day 211 - July 30, 2022
July 30

Day 212 - July 31, 2022
July 31

Obviously there were lots of selfies that couldn’t make the cut for this month’s THE SELFIE PROJECT. Here are some of my favorite alternates:


SELFIE PROJECT - ALTERNATE - JULY 2022

SELFIE PROJECT - ALTERNATE - JULY 2022

SELFIE PROJECT - ALTERNATE - JULY 2022

SELFIE PROJECT - ALTERNATE - JULY 2022

SELFIE PROJECT - ALTERNATE - JULY 2022

SELFIE PROJECT - ALTERNATE - JULY 2022

SELFIE PROJECT - ALTERNATE - JULY 2022

SELFIE PROJECT - ALTERNATE - JULY 2022

SELFIE PROJECT - ALTERNATE - JULY 2022

SELFIE PROJECT - ALTERNATE - JULY 2022

SELFIE PROJECT - ALTERNATE - JULY 2022

SELFIE PROJECT - ALTERNATE - JULY 2022

SELFIE PROJECT - ALTERNATE - JULY 2022

SELFIE PROJECT - ALTERNATE - JULY 2022

SELFIE PROJECT - ALTERNATE - JULY 2022

SELFIE PROJECT - ALTERNATE - JULY 2022

SELFIE PROJECT - ALTERNATE - JULY 2022

SELFIE PROJECT - ALTERNATE - JULY 2022

SELFIE PROJECT - ALTERNATE - JULY 2022

SELFIE PROJECT - ALTERNATE - JULY 2022

SELFIE PROJECT - ALTERNATE - JULY 2022

My August calendar is pretty loaded up with Pufferbilly Days, the Iowa State Fair, and numerous TOWN SIGN PROJECT road trips all planned for the month. I’m even going to take some time off work. I’m not going anywhere. I’m just not going to work for a few days. I’m looking forward to it. I hope when we reconvene to look at my August pictures that there are some great new memories in there as well.

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


WEEK 360 - PEOPLE
PEOPLE

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

But what is a PEOPLE picture? Well, it is simply a picture that has a PEOPLE or multiple PEOPLE in it. (Somewhere an English teacher is hanging their head so low right now.) I know. PEOPLE are vile and disgusting subjects. They are a failed species that are responsible for 99.999999999999999999999999999999999999% of the evil on this planet. Completely susceptible to propaganda. Responsible for the complete and utter raping of our planet. Avarice. Greed. War. Genocide. Racism. Homophobia. Transphobia. Misogyny. All unique products of PEOPLE. What I’m trying to say is that in the coming war between monkeys and humans, I am hard core #TeamMonkey*. I’d like to say we’ve had a good run, but all the evidence is to the contrary.

I have to admit that after some of the events of the past week, I’m still 100% #TeamMonkey in the coming Human vs. Monkey War (where do you think Monkey Pox comes from), but I think slightly better of our doomed and failed species than I did on Monday.

While thinking on possible subjects for your PEOPLE picture think on the words of the Law Giver:

“Beware the beast man, for he is the devil’s pawn.”
“Alone among God’s primates, he kills for sport or lust or greed. ”
“Yea, he will murder his brother to possess his brother’s land. ”
“Let him not breed in great numbers for he will make a desert of his home and yours. ”
“Shun him. ”
“Drive him back into his jungle lair. ”
“For he is the harbinger of death. “

Happy photo harvesting!

Journal Entry #4,250

Can you believe that this is the 4,250th post in this crazy little thing called “An Artist’s Notebook’. 4,250 posts! It has been 5,549 days since I took keyboard in hand on August 9, 2006 and typed these words:

So here is the first journal entry.

The name of that first journal entry was “First Journal Entry”. I really started out with a bang!

What was that first journal entry?

A set of goals:

+ To write in this journal. Mission accomplished.
+ To be truthful. I’m sure there are some that would disagree, but I’m calling that mission accomplished.
+ To record my achievements and failures in the world of art. Mission accomplished.
+ To produce something that makes me “worthy” of having a pretentious sounding journal title like: “An Artist’s Notebook. Jury might still be out on that one.

In that first entry I also wrote about attending the Photography Salon Reception with Sara. I go on to complain about the Pufferbilly Days Photo Contest and tell a tale about how Jay convinced me to enter the Pufferbilly Days Photo Contest that year.

That was it. A simple beginning for a simple man. 5,549 days ago.

When I hit these milestones, I like to check in on a few statistics, to see how things are trending. I like statistics cause they seem to bring order to chaos. It is like the saying goes: “There are three types of lies: lies, damn lies and statistics.”

Here are some damn lying statistics.

I use “Categories” to help organize this blog. There are 194 of them and the 100 most used Categories can be found on the sidebar of every page on this website. The 100th most used Category is a 3 way tie amongst “Jaycees”, “Vacation”, and “DaeHee”. I’ve use those 3 Categories 65 times each. The 2 Categories that have the greatest shot at breaking into the Top 100 are “Kelly” at 61 current uses and “Town Sign Project” at 59 current uses.

These are the 10 Most Used Categories (Post 4000 Rank and entries):

10. Art – 408 (NR)
9. WPC – Submissions – 417 (8 – 381)
8. Mom – 422 (10 – 363)
7. Carla – 435 (7 – 391)
6. Portrait – 450 (5 -472)
5. Shannon – 458 (6 – 421)
4. Jesse – 529 (4 – 495)
3. Animals – 665 (3 – 620)
2. Flowers – 754 (2 – 693)
1. Black and White – 819 (1 – 698)

These are the 10 Most Used Not a Person Categories:

10. Photoshop – 368 (8 – 327)
9. Nature – 379 (6 – 349)
8. Macro – 390 (7 – 332)
7. Road Trip – 394 (9 – 326)
6. Art – 408 (10 – 314)
5. WPC – Submissions – 417 (5 – 381)
4. Portrait – 450 – (4 – 472)
3. Animals – 665 – (3 – 620_
2. Flowers – 754 – (2 – 693)
1. Black and White – 819 (1 – 698)

There are the 10 Most Used Person Categories (Post 4000 Rank and entries):

10. Vest – 274 (9 – 258)
9. Jen – 277 (10 – 254)
8. Willy – 278 (8 – 268)
7. Derrick – 311 (7 – 295)
6. Jay – 329 (6 – 320)
5. Teresa – 405 (4 – 364)
4. Mom – 422 (5 – 363)
3. Carla – 435 (3 – 391)
2. Shannon – 458 (2 – 421)
1. Jesse – 529 (1 – 495)

The Non Person Categories most likely to break into the Top Ten are “Naima” at 323, “Formal Portrait” at 320, and “Candid Portrait” at 303.

The Person Categories that are most likely to break into the Top Ten are “Kim” at 263, “Logan” at 248, “Sara” and “Micky” both at 239.

After 750 posts, “Photography”, “Friends”, and “Life” were my three most used Categories. I’ve since tried to de-centralize those Categories and they have fallen. I’m trying to do the same with “Portrait”, so It should eventually fall out of the Top Ten as well.

After 1,000 posts, “Jay”, Jesse”, and “Shannon” were the most used Person Categories.

After 1,500 posts, “Jesse”, “Jay”, and “Shannon” were the most used Person Categories”.

After 2,500 posts, “Jesse, “Teresa”, and “Shannon” were the most used Person Categories. It was the same after 3000 posts.

After 4,000 posts, Top 3 had changed to “Jesse”, “Shannon”, and “Carla”. I’ll be curious to see where these number are in another 250 posts.

If you are wondering how to increase your Category usage, it is simple. Submit to THE WEEKLY PHOTO CHALLENGE. Be a photo assistant. Show up in THE SELFIE PROJECT. Go on road trips with me. It doesn’t hurt to be related to me either.

But this is a photography online journal, so let’s look at what are the most popular images and galleries on my website?

Most Popular Photography 139 Galleries of the last 365 days:


#10 Weekly Photo Challenge – HOF – 25,192 Views

Girl in the Blue Skirt - 2013
#9 Daisies 26,286 Views

Punch Myself in the Face
#8 Christopher D. Bennett 31,665 Views

9 Emotions - Bill
#7 9 Emotions Project 49,215 Views


#6 Iowa 59,724 Views

Soccer with Evie and Layla
#5 Gorshe Family 60,179 Views

Xenia, Iowa
#4 Town Sign Project 72,850 Views

WEEK 293 - HANDS - CHRISTOPHER D. BENNETT
#3 Weekly Photo Challenge – Year 8 82,681 Views

Day 162 - June 11, 2021
#2 Selfie Project – 2021 128,029 Views

Alexis Pregnant with Anela
#1 Alexis Pregnancy Photo Shoot – 2020 236,976 Views

At post 4,000 The most popular album was “WEEKLY PHOTO CHALLENGE – YEAR 7”. #2. Was “Christopher D. Bennett”. #3. was “9 Emotions Project”. I’m impressed with the sustained popularity of THE 9 EMOTIONS PROJECT. I haven’t taken a new picture for it in years. Although I do want to fire it up again.

Most Popular Photography 139 Images of the last 365 days:

Maven's 2021 Birthday Party
#10. Maven’s Gift Table – 2,013 Views

Moingona, Iowa
#9. Moingona Town Sign – 2,029 Views

Iowa State Fair - 2010
#8. Alexis Cheering at the 2010 Iowa State Fair – 2,177 Views

Mom's Retirement Party
#7. Mom’s Retirement Party – 2,669 Views

Day 73 - March 13, 2021
#6. Mom and I at John Wayne Birthplace Museum – 3,716 Views

Youth Group Family Portrait Fundraiser - 2010
#5. Andrea, Josh, and Kids at Youth Group Fundraiser – 2010 – 4,221 Views

Alexis Pregnant with Anela
#4. Alexis Pregnant with Anela – 5,485 Views

Day 51 - February 20, 2021
#3. Selfie in Ackley – 6,369 Views

Day 0 - December 31, 2020
#2. Selfie in Front Yard – 6,587 Views

Alexis Pregnant with Anela
#1. Alexis Pregnant with Anela – 10.355 Views

That picture of Alexis was also #1 at the 4,000 Post Mark, but the other 9 Pictures are completely different. Last time #2 was a picture of Taylan and #3 was a picture of me and Scottie D. at the Pufferbilly Days Parade.

That leads us to my most popular individual posts.

Most Popular An Artist’s Notebook Entries (by Comments)

#10. TOWN SIGN PROJECT: HAMILTON COUNTY – 21 Comments

#10. POSTCARD RECREATION PROJECT – MAMIE DOUD EISENHOWER BIRTHPLACE – 21 Comments

#10. TOWN SIGN PROJECT: DALLAS COUNTY – 21 Comments

#7. WEEKLY PHOTO CHALLENGE – WEEK 43 – SUNRISE/SUNSET 22 Comments

#7. WEEKLY PHOTO CHALLENGE – WEEK 9 – FOOD – 22 Comments

#7. POSTCARD RECREATION PROJECT – SOME CHURCHES – 22 Comments

#3. THE PEOPLE’S CHOICE – ROUND TWO – 24 Comments

#3. TENDERLOIN APPRECIATION SOCIETY – WORKING AT HOME – 24 Comments

#3. CARROLL COUNTY AND CRAWFORD COUNTY AUXILIARY IMAGES – 24 Comments

#3.WPC – WEEK 283 – WIND – 24 Comments

#2. LIPTON CUP OF ZINNIA – 32 Comments

#1. TOWN SIGN PROJECT: JASPER COUNTY – 37 Comments

I have to confess that I haven’t been very good about responding to comments left on my blog lately. I swear that I will get better at this again.

The final statistic I want to share are who my most loyal email subscribers. Loyalty isn’t probably the most accurate term, but it is all I have.

Top Five Most Loyal Photography 139 Subscribers

5. Jeanette Duff – 96.4%
4. Angie DeWaard – 98.5%
2. Michelle Haupt – 99.7%
2. Joe Duff – 99.7%
1. Kio Dettman – 100%

Jeanette, Angie, and Kio are new to the Top 5. They replaced Corey, Sara, and Shannon.

Linda and Tamara are the two most likely to break into the Top 5 in the next 250 posts.

We’ll have to check in on these statistics again in another 250 posts!

2010-08-01

EDITOR’S NOTE: I WROTE THIS POST BEFORE MY MOM PASSED AWAY, BUT I DON’T HAVE THE HEART TO CHANGE THE TEXT.

The grand majority of pictures from the album are from my Mom’s Retirement Party. The other one if from Dickcissel.

I haven’t looked at the pictures from the Retirement Party in years and while it is sad that a few of the people in the pictures aren’t with us any longer, it still gives me a sense of joy to look through them again.


WEEK 30 - REFLECTIONS - CHRISTOPHER D. BENNETT

Mom's Retirement Party

Mom's Retirement Party

Mom's Retirement Party

Mom's Retirement Party

Mom's Retirement Party

Mom's Retirement Party

Mom's Retirement Party

Mom's Retirement Party

Mom's Retirement Party

Mom's Retirement Party

Mom's Retirement Party

Mom's Retirement Party

Mom's Retirement Party

Mom's Retirement Party

Mom's Retirement Party

Mom's Retirement Party

Mom's Retirement Party

Mom's Retirement Party

Mom's Retirement Party

Mom's Retirement Party

Mom's Retirement Party

Mom's Retirement Party

Mom's Retirement Party

Mom's Retirement Party

Mom's Retirement Party

Mom's Retirement Party

Mom's Retirement Party

Mom's Retirement Party

Mom's Retirement Party

Mom's Retirement Party

Mom's Retirement Party

Mom's Retirement Party

Mom's Retirement Party

My Mom will turn 80 next year. I hope we are able to have as large of a party for her then as we did when she retired.

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:

Retired

RWPE #30 – REFLECTIONS

Next Saturday’s walk down memory lane will involve flowers.

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!

+++++++
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!

+++++++

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.

+++++++

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!

2010-05-03

The pictures from the folder 2010-05-03 are from a Mother’s Day celebration at Carla and Jason’s old house. We celebrated a week early because Teresa was going to Kentucky for Mother’s Day.

A few of the pictures in this collection were taken by Alexis:


Mother's Day - 2010

Mother's Day - 2010

Mother's Day - 2010

Mother's Day - 2010

Mother's Day - 2010

Mother's Day - 2010

Mother's Day - 2010

Mother's Day - 2010

Mother's Day - 2010

Mother's Day - 2010

Mother's Day - 2010

Mother's Day - 2010

Mother's Day - 2010

Mother's Day - 2010

Mother's Day - 2010

Mother's Day - 2010

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

VACATION DAY 9B – MOTHER’S DAY EARLY

Next Saturday’s walk down memory lane will involve a trip to Brookside Park among other things.