Category Archives: Andy

Andy, Becky, Bill, Cathie, Christianity, Elizabeth, Evie, Jesse, Kim, Kio, Layla, Linda, Logan, Michelle, Micky, Monica, Sara, Shannon, Still Life, Suzie, Tamara, Teresa, WPC - Submissions

WPC – WEEK 341 – SHADOW

March 28, 2022 Christopher D. Bennett

SHADOW seems to be a pretty popular theme.

As of 10:59 AM on Monday, March 28, this was the current list of ACTIVE streaks:

+ Harrison Gorshe – 1 week
+ Monica Henning – 1 week
+ Logan Kahler – 1 week
+ Stephanie Kim – 1 week
+ Becky Parmelee – 1 week
+ Mike Vest – 1 week
+ Dawn Krause – 5 weeks
+ Joe Duff – 9 weeks
+ Teresa Kahler – 9 weeks
+ Tamara Peterson – 9 weeks
+ Carla Stensland – 9 weeks
+ Michelle Haupt – 10 weeks
+ Micky Augustin – 11 weeks
+ Andy Sharp – 12 weeks
+ Bill Wentworth – 13 weeks
+ Cathie Raley – 17 weeks
+ Elizabeth Nordeen – 18 weeks
+ Shannon Bardole-Foley – 20 weeks
+ Kio Dettman – 23 weeks

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:

Jesse Howard – 1 week

Micky Augustin – 12 weeks

Layla Gorshe – 1 week

Evie Gorshe – 1 week

Teresa Kahler – 10 weeks

Teresa Kahler

Michelle Haupt – 11 weeks

Kio Dettman – 24 weeks

Kio Dettman

Tamara Peterson – 10 weeks

Shannon Bardole-Foley – 21 weeks

Becky Parmelee – 2 weeks

Bill Wentworth – 14 weeks

Linda Bennett – 1 week

Christopher D. Bennett

Elizabeth Nordeen – 19 weeks

Carla Stensland – 10 weeks

Carla Stensland

Sara Lockner – 1 week

Cathie Raley – 18 weeks

Kim Barker – 1 week

Andy Sharp – 13 weeks

Monica Henning – 2 weeks

Monica Henning

Suzie Brannen – 1 week

Logan Kahler – 2 weeks

28 submissions from 22 participants. That is a great week.

Congratulations to Teresa, Tamara, and Carla for being the latest people to join the double digit club!

Unfortunately a few streaks were snapped. Harrison, Stephanie, and Vest could not build on their submission from last week. Dawn had a 5 week streak snapped. And Joe… a 9 week streak gone! Hopefully they can start building that streak back up starting next week!

Here are the current top streaks:

1. Kio – 24 weeks
2. Shannon – 21 weeks
3. Elizabeth – 19 weeks
4. Cathie – 18 weeks
5. Bill – 14 weeks

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:

FRAMED

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

But what exactly is a FRAMED picture? It is simply a picture where the subject is FRAMED in by something else. In the theme reveal, the edge of the garbage can makes a frame for the subject of the refuse. A doorway makes a good frame. So does a hall way. A window Any thing that creates negative space makes a great frame for your subject. Or you could even do something as easy as taking a picture of something that is in a literal picture frame.

While thinking on possible subjects for your FRAMED image, meditate on the following quote:

You can frame a moment. But you can’t frame life.
-Armin Houman

I look forward to seeing your interpretations.

RULES

The picture has to be taken between 12:01 PM today and 11 AM next Monday. This isn’t a curate your photos project. This is a get your butt off the couch (unless you are taking your picture from the couch) and take pictures challenge.

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

That is all I got, so if the good Lord’s willin’ and the creek don’t rise, we will all be sharing our idea of FRAMED in this place that tries to put a frame around my existence next Monday.

Andy, Becca, Becky, Bill, Carla, Cathie, Dawn, Elizabeth, Joe Duff, Kio, Logan, Michelle, Micky, Monica, Steph, Tamara, Teresa, Underwater, Vest, WPC - Submissions

WPC – WEEK 340 – ABSTRACT

March 21, 2022 Christopher D. Bennett 3 Comments

I want to start today by giving congratulations to Rebecca Peterson. She has become the latest person to show extreme good taste, class, and sophistication by becoming the latest Photography 139 email subscriber! Thank you Rebecca!

If you want to become such a subscriber you can either fill out the form that can be found a couple of different places on this website, or you can just let me know and I will add you manually.

+++++++

A quick PSA. A reminder, if you will. The deadline to submit your pictures is 11 AM Central. I leave for lunch then and often don’t have access to my computer until I return. Sometimes if you submit after 11 AM but before 12:01 PM, you might get lucky and I will have time to get your submissions added to the “An Artist’s Notebook” entry, but usually I won’t.

Thanks!

The theme of ABSTRACT is tough one. It is very conceptual. I’m pleased that so many people gave it a shot.

As of 10:59 AM on Monday, March 21, this was the current list of ACTIVE streaks:

+ Jodie Cue – 1 week
+ Jesse Howard – 3 weeks
+ Suzie Brannen – 4 weeks
+ Dawn Krause – 4 weeks
+ Joe Duff – 8 weeks
+ Teresa Kahler – 8 weeks
+ Tamara Peterson – 8 weeks
+ Carla Stensland – 8 weeks
+ Michelle Haupt – 9 weeks
+ Micky Augustin – 10 weeks
+ Andy Sharp – 11 weeks
+ Bill Wentworth – 12 weeks
+ Cathie Raley – 16 weeks
+ Elizabeth Nordeen – 17 weeks
+ Shannon Bardole-Foley – 19 weeks
+ Kio Dettman – 22 weeks

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

Andy Sharp – 12 weeks

Joe Duff – 9 weeks

Joe Duff

Carla Stensland – 9 weeks

Carla Stensland

Kio Dettman – 23 weeks

Kio Dettman

Michelle Haupt – 10 weeks

Shannon Bardole-Foley – 20 weeks

Stephanie Kim – 1 week

Tamara Peterson – 9 weeks

Becky Parmelee – 1 week

Bill Wentworth – 13 weeks

Christopher D. Bennett

Teresa Kahler – 9 weeks

Teresa Kahler

Dawn Krause – 5 weeks

Dawn Krause

Harrison Gorshe – 1 week

Micky Augustin – 11 weeks

Cathie Raley – 17 weeks

Elizabeth Nordeen – 18 weeks

Elizabeth Nordeen

Logan Kahler – 1 week

Logan Kahler

Mike Vest – 1 week

Monica Henning – 1 week

Monica Henning

29 submissions from 20 participants. That is a great week!

Congratulations to Michelle who joined the double digit streak club! WooHoo!

There were only 3 streaks snapped. Jodie couldn’t make it to two weeks. Jesse’s streak of 3 weeks is history. Suzie’s streak of 4 weeks is also now something that only exists in legends.

Stephanie submitted for the first time in a long time. I’m super excited to have her back. It might be a one time thing. I guess time will tell. But I don’t have any other friends that globetrot going to trendy art gallery openings. At least not yet.

Harrison Gorshe is a first time submitter and probably the youngest ever. Kid is like 2 years old. But he knows ABSTRACT when he sees it.

Here are the current top streaks:

1. Kio – 22 weeks
2. Shannon – 19 weeks
3. Elizabeth – 17 weeks
4. Cathie – 16 weeks
5. Bill – 12 weeks

I don’t know that Kio will ever give up that top spot, but if he slips up just once, there is a group on heels waiting to take it over.

SHADOW

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

But what exactly is a SHADOW picture? A SHADOW picture is simply a picture where one of the major compositional elements of the image is a SHADOW. The SHADOW can be on the ground. It can be on a wall. It can be across somebody’s face. A silhouette picture is a SHADOW picture, for example. And of course, there are other types of less literal SHADOWs out there too.

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

Beware that you do not lose the substance by grasping at the shadow.
-Aesop

I look forward to seeing your interpretations!

RULES

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

That is all I got, so if the good Lord’s willin’ and the creek don’t rise, we will all be sharing our idea of SHADOW in this place that is definitely one of my cyber shadows next Monday.

Andy, Art, Bill, Black & White, Carla, Cathie, Dawn, Elizabeth, Jesse, Jodie Cue, Joe Duff, Kio, Michelle, Micky, Shannon, Suzie, Teresa, WPC - Submissions

WPC – WEEK 339 – GOVERNMENT

March 14, 2022 Christopher D. Bennett

The theme of GOVERNMENT was not nearly as popular as HOBBIES.

As of 10:59 AM on Monday, March 14, this was the current list of ACTIVE streaks:

+ Becky Parmelee – 1 week
+ Kim Barker – 1 week
+ Monica Henning – 1 week
+ Evie Gorshe – 2 weeks
+ Layla Gorshe – 2 weeks
+ Jesse Howard – 2 weeks
+ Linda Bennett – 3 weeks
+ Suzie Brannen – 3 weeks
+ Logan Kahler – 3 weeks
+ Dawn Krause – 3 weeks
+ Mike Vest – 3 weeks
+ Joe Duff – 7 weeks
+ Teresa Kahler – 7 weeks
+ Tamara Peterson – 7 weeks
+ Carla Stensland – 7 weeks
+ Michelle Haupt – 8 weeks
+ Micky Augustin – 9 weeks
+ Andy Sharp – 10 weeks
+ Bill Wentworth – 11 weeks
+ Cathie Raley – 15 weeks
+ Elizabeth Nordeen – 16 weeks
+ Shannon Bardole-Foley – 18 weeks
+ Kio Dettman – 21 weeks

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:

Micky Augustin – 10 weeks

Micky Augustin

Andy Sharp – 11 weeks

Andy Sharp

Teresa Kahler – 8 weeks

Suzie Brannen – 4 weeks

Elizabeth Nordeen – 17 weeks

Kio Dettman – 22 weeks

Kio Dettman

Michelle Haupt – 9 weeks

Shannon Bardole-Foley – 19 weeks

Tamara Peterson – 8 weeks

Bill Wentworth – 12 weeks

Carla Stensland – 8 weeks

Cathie Raley – 16 weeks

Christopher D. Bennett

Dawn Krause – 4 weeks

Joe Duff – 8 weeks

Jesse Howard – 3 weeks

Jodie Cue – 1 week

Jodie Cue

23 submissions from 17 participants. A pretty good week, but not like the last couple of weeks. That is okay, a regression to the norm is to be expected.

All sorts of streaks dropped this week. Becky, Kim, and Monica could not extend their streaks to two weeks. Evie and Layla’s streaks ended at two, although that might be my fault. Linda’s streak was snapped at 3, as was Logan’s and Vest’s.

Congrats to Micky for becoming the latest person to have a double digit streak! WooHoo!

Here are the current top streaks:

1. Kio – 21 weeks
2. Shannon – 18 weeks
3. Elizabeth – 16 weeks
4. Cathie – 15 weeks
5. Bill – 11 weeks

ABSTRACT!

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

But what exactly is an ABSTRACT image?

Here is a definition from the Wiki:

Abstract photography, sometimes called non-objective, experimental or conceptual photography, is a means of depicting a visual image that does not have an immediate association with the object world and that has been created through the use of photographic equipment, processes or materials. An abstract photograph may isolate a fragment of a natural scene in order to remove its inherent context from the viewer, it may be purposely staged to create a seemingly unreal appearance from real objects, or it may involve the use of color, light, shadow, texture, shape and/or form to convey a feeling, sensation or impression.

In a nutshell, an ABSTRACT image would be an image that doesn’t necessarily look like the object that is being photographed. Or at least it concentrates on shapes and forms. It isn’t a picture of a flower that looks like a flower. There are several ways to do this:

+ Move the camera while taking the picture.
+ If you are using a camera with a zoom lens. Zoom the lens while taking the picture.
+ Move a light in a dark room.
+ Take a picture of smoke or steam.
+ Take a picture that is out of focus. Lights work as great subjects here.
+ Reflections in water.

The theme reveal image is a picture of the sun, taken in my alley. With a wide open aperture and completely out of focus.

Another option is to find a piece of ABSTRACT art and take a picture of that.

When thinking about possible ways to make your ABSTRACT image, meditate on the following quote:

Abstraction allows man to see with his mind what he cannot see physically with his eyes….Abstract art enables the artist to perceive beyond the tangible, to extract the infinite out of the finite. It is the emancipation of the mind. It is an exploration into unknown areas.
– Arshile Gorky

RULES

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

That is all I got, so if the good Lord’s willin’ and the creek don’t rise, we will all be sharing our idea of ABSTRACT in this place that is little more than an abstraction of my thoughts next Monday.

Andy, Becky, Bill, Blogging, Carla, Cathie, Dawn, Elizabeth, Evie, Jesse, Joe Duff, Kim, Kio, Layla, Linda, Logan, Michelle, Micky, Monica, Shannon, Still Life, Suzie, Tamara, Teresa, Vest, WPC - Submissions

WPC – WEEK 338 – HOBBIES

March 7, 2022 Christopher D. Bennett

As many of you know, I was having difficulties with the email subscription service last week. In particular, it wasn’t working with Gmail email accounts. That should be fixed, but another question I get, is how do I prevent the emails from going to “Promotions” instead of my primary Inbox in Gmail. Here are the instructions for preventing that from happening:

One of the simplest ways to move an email is to left-click and hold on the email and drag it from the promotions tab over to the Primary tab. Releasing the mouse will drop the email into the primary tab. After it is dropped, Gmail will ask if you wish to make the change permanent.

Hope that helps some of you!

+++++++

HOBBIES has proven to be a very popular theme.

As of 10:59 AM on Monday, March 7, this was the current list of ACTIVE streaks:

+ Lori Backous – 1 week
+ Jen Ensley-Gorshe – 1 week
+ Evie Gorshe – 1 week
+ Layla Gorshe – 1 week
+ Jesse Howard – 1 week
+ Linda Bennett – 2 weeks
+ Suzie Brannen – 2 weeks
+ Logan Kahler – 2 weeks
+ Dawn Krause – 2 weeks
+ Mike Vest – 2 weeks
+ Joe Duff – 6 weeks
+ Teresa Kahler – 6 weeks
+ Tamara Peterson – 6 weeks
+ Carla Stensland – 6 weeks
+ Michelle Haupt – 7 weeks
+ Micky Augustin – 8 weeks
+ Andy Sharp – 9 weeks
+ Bill Wentworth – 10 weeks
+ Cathie Raley – 14 weeks
+ Elizabeth Nordeen – 15 weeks
+ Shannon Bardole-Foley – 17 weeks
+ Kio Dettman – 20 weeks

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:

Kim Barker – 1 week

Monica Henning – 1 week

Becky Parmelee – 1 week

Becky Parmelee

Evie Gorshe – 2 weeks

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Layla Gorshe – 2 weeks

Jesse Howard – 2 weeks

Linda Bennett – 3 weeks

Linda Bennett

Suzie Brannen – 3 weeks

Logan Kahler – 3 weeks

Logan Kahler

Dawn Krause – 3 weeks

Mike Vest – 3 weeks

Joe Duff – 7 weeks

Teresa Kahler – 7 weeks

Teresa Kahler

Tamara Peterson – 7 weeks

Carla Stensland – 7 weeks

Carla Stensland

Michelle Haupt – 8 weeks

Micky Augustin – 9 weeks

Andy Sharp – 10 weeks

Andy Sharp

Bill Wentworth – 11 weeks

Cathie Raley – 15 weeks

Elizabeth Nordeen – 16 weeks

Shannon Bardole-Foley – 18 weeks

Kio Dettman – 21 weeks

Kio Dettman

Christopher D. Bennett – 440 weeks

38 submissions from 24 participants! The 38 is a new record for this year and 24 participants is also a new high for the year! Both are certainly all-time records as well.

Only 2 streaks were snapped. Lori and Jen both couldn’t extend their streaks to two. Maybe next week?

Congrats to Andy for extending his streak to double digits! WooHoo!

Here are the current top streaks:

1. Kio – 21 weeks
2. Shannon – 18 weeks
3. Elizabeth – 16 weeks
4. Cathie – 15 weeks
5. Bill – 11 weeks

GOVERNMENT

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

But what exactly is a GOVERNMENT image? A GOVERNMENT image is anything that involves a GOVERNMENT. There are all types of GOVERNMENT. There is the federal GOVERNMENT. A state GOVERNMENT. A county GOVERNMENT. A local GOVERNMENT. Churches have GOVERNMENT bodies. Every business has some kind of GOVERNMENT. A GOVERNMENT image could be anything that deals with a GOVERNMENT. A public park. GOVERNMENT. The road you drove on to get to that public park. GOVERNMENT. Public school. GOVERNMENT. If you work for the GOVERNMENT, you are the GOVERNMENT. The military, the police, fire department. All GOVERNMENT. Public library. GOVERNMENT. There are so many possibilities!

When considering subjects for your GOVERNMENT image, meditate on the following quote:

“Many forms of Government have been tried, and will be tried in this world of sin and woe. No one pretends that democracy is perfect or all-wise. Indeed, it has been said that democracy is the worst form of Government except for all those other forms that have been tried from time to time.”
-Winston Churchill

RULES

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

That is all I got, so if the good Lord’s willin’ and the creek don’t rise, we will all be sharing our idea of GOVERNMENT in this place that is ruled with an iron fist by me next Monday.

Andy, Art, Basketball, Bill, Carla, Cathie, Dawn, Elizabeth, Evie, Iowa State, Jen, Jesse, Joe Duff, Kio, Layla, Linda, Logan, Michelle, Micky, Shannon, Suzie, Tamara, Teresa, Vest, WPC - Submissions

WPC – WEEK 337 – HARMONY

February 28, 2022 Christopher D. Bennett

For a somewhat abstract concept, quite a few people have found HARMONY in their lives somewhere. In fact, it was a record breaking week!

As of 10:59 AM on Monday, February 28, this was the current list of ACTIVE streaks:

+ Linda Bennett – 1 week
+ Suzie Brannen – 1 week
+ Logan Kahler – 1 week
+ Dawn Krause – 1 week
+ Mike Vest – 1 week
+ Joe Duff – 5 weeks
+ Teresa Kahler – 5 weeks
+ Tamara Peterson – 5 weeks
+ Carla Stensland – 5 weeks
+ Michelle Haupt – 6 weeks
+ Micky Augustin – 7 weeks
+ Monica Henning – 7 weeks
+ Becky Parmelee – 8 weeks
+ Andy Sharp – 8 weeks
+ Bill Wentworth – 9 weeks
+ Cathie Raley – 13 weeks
+ Elizabeth Nordeen – 14 weeks
+ Shannon Bardole-Foley – 16 weeks
+ Kim Barker – 16 weeks
+ Kio Dettman – 19 weeks

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

Carla Stensland – 6 weeks

Carla Stensland

Kio Dettman – 20 weeks

Kio Dettman

Christopher D. Bennett

Linda Bennett – 2 weeks

Linda Bennett

Michelle Haupt – 7 weeks

Lori Backous – 1 week

Tamara Peterson – 6 weeks

Shannon Bardole-Foley – 17 weeks

Bill Wentworth – 10 weeks

Bill Wentworth

Teresa Kahler – 6 weeks

Teresa Kahler

Evie Gorshe – 1 week

Layla Gorshe – 1 week

Micky Augustin – 8 weeks

Andy Sharp – 9 weeks

Logan Kahler – 2 weeks

Logan Kahler

Joe Duff – 6 weeks

Dawn Krause – 2 weeks

Jesse Howard – 1 week

Jesse Howard

Suzie Brannen – 2 weeks

Suzie Brannen

Cathie Raley – 14 weeks

Elizabeth Nordeen – 15 weeks

Jen Ensley-Gorshe – 1 week

Mike Vest – 2 weeks

33 submissions from 22 participants. I do believe both of those are records! WooHoo!

Only 3 streaks were snapped. But they were significant steaks. Kim’s 16 week streak went kaput. So did Becky’s 8 week streak and Monica’s 7 week streaks.

But it wasn’t all bad new on the streak front. Bill extended his streak into double digits! Congratulations to him!

Here are the current top streaks:

1. Kio – 20 weeks
2. Shannon – 17 weeks
3. Elizabeth – 15 weeks
4. Cathie – 14 weeks
5. Bill – 10 weeks

HOBBIES

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

But what is a HOBBIES image? A HOBBY image is simply a picture of anything related to a HOBBY. There are all sorts of HOBBIES out there. People collect things. People make things. People sew. They make art. They make music. They play games. You picture doesn’t have to be of your HOBBIES. But can be of somebody else’s HOBBIES. It can be of something they have finished. Or it can be of the tools used in their HOBBIES. Or it can be a picture of somebody in mid-HOBBIES. There are just so many possibilities!

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

I don’t have hobbies; hobbies cost money. Interests are quite free.
-George Carlin

I look forward to seeing your interpretations!

RULES

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

That is all I got, so if the good Lord’s willin’ and the creek don’t rise, we will all be sharing our idea of HOBBIES in this place that is little more than where my various interests merge next Monday.

Andy, Becky, Bill, Carla, Cathie, Dawn, Elizabeth, Joe Duff, Kim, Kio, Linda, Logan, Michelle, Micky, Monica, Shannon, Still Life, Suzie, Tamara, Teresa, Vest, WPC - Submissions

WPC – WEEK 336 – STILL LIFE

February 21, 2022 Christopher D. Bennett

STILL LIFE has proven to be a moderately successful theme.

As of 10:59 AM on Monday, February 21, this was the current list of ACTIVE streaks:

+ Evie Gorshe – 1 week
+ Joe Duff – 4 weeks
+ Teresa Kahler – 4 weeks
+ Tamara Peterson – 4 weeks
+ Carla Stensland – 4 weeks
+ Michelle Haupt – 5 weeks
+ Monica Henning – 6 weeks
+ Jesse Howard – 6 weeks
+ Micky Augustin – 6 weeks
+ Becky Parmelee – 7 weeks
+ Andy Sharp – 7 weeks
+ Bill Wentworth – 8 weeks
+ Cathie Raley – 12 weeks
+ Elizabeth Nordeen – 13 weeks
+ Shannon Bardole-Foley – 15 weeks
+ Kim Barker – 15 weeks
+ Kio Dettman – 18 weeks

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

Linda Bennett – 1 week

Linda Bennett

Kio Dettman – 19 weeks

Michelle Haupt – 6 weeks

Shannon Bardole-Foley – 16 weeks

Tamara Peterson – 5 weeks

Joe Duff – 5 weeks

Christopher D. Bennett

Andy Sharp – 8 weeks

Elizabeth Nordeen – 14 weeks

Bill Wentworth – 9 weeks

Becky Parmelee – 8 weeks

Becky Parmelee

Teresa Kahler – 5 weeks

Teresa Kahler

Kim Barker – 16 weeks

Dawn Krause – 1 week

Suzie Brannen – 1 week

Micky Augustin – 7 weeks

Carla Stensland – 5 weeks

Carla Stensland

Logan Kahler – 1 week

Logan Kahler

Cathie Raley – 13 weeks

Monica Henning – 7 weeks

Mike Vest – 1 week

29 submissions from 20 participants! That is a great week! 5 people hopefully started new streaks this week and only Evie and Jesse had their steaks stopped. Evie’s streak stopped at 1 week and Jesse’s streak stopped at 6 weeks. Linda and Suzie were first time participants in this year’s set of 52 themes.

Here are the current top streaks:

1. Kio – 19 weeks
2. Shannon – 16 weeks
2. Kim – 16 weeks
4. Elizabeth – 14 weeks
5. Cathie – 13 weeks

HARMONY

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

But what exactly is a HARMONY image? A HARMONY image is simply a picture of at least two things that team up together perfectly. Like peanut butter and jelly. Cardinal and gold. Laurel and Hardy. Colors can also harmonize. I’m not going to go deep into color theory, but here are a few examples of colors that HARMONYze: Orange-Blue, Pink-Green, Orange-Green, Red-Green, Yellow-Purple, Blue-Yellow, Green-Magenta, Red-Cyan. Also, a HARMONY image could also relate to music as HARMONY is a very important part of music.

When considering possible HARMONY subjects, think on the following quote:

Be in harmony, yet be different.
-Confucius

I look forward to seeing the interpretations!

RULES

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

That is all I got, so if the good Lord’s willin’ and the creek don’t rise, we will all be sharing our idea of HARMONY in this place that is little more than where my differences try to align on Monday.

Andy, Becky, Bill, Carla, Cathie, Elizabeth, Evie, Jesse, Joe Duff, Kim, Kio, Michelle, Micky, Monica, Shannon, Still Life, Tamara, Teresa, WPC - Submissions

WPC – WEEK 335 – BELIEVE

February 19, 2022 Christopher D. Bennett

I’m back in the Cyclone State from a whirlwind Computer Mine trip to Pittsburgh. I mostly sat on my couch on Friday night petting Naima, not wanting to move, and catching up on THE PEACEMAKER and THE GILDED AGE. I also watched the new TEXAS CHAINSAW MASSACRE. That is an experience that I do not recommend.

Now it is Saturday morning and it is time to share the submissions for BELIEVE. I thought that BELIEVE would be a streak busting abstract concept, but while it wasn’t super popular, many stalwarts had quite a few photographic examples of BELIEVE. I can’t say that I’m pleasantly surprised at how many submissions I got for such an abstract concept. Maybe BELIEVE made me BELIEVE in the rogue group of misfits just a little bit more.

As of 10:59 AM on Monday, February 14, this was the current list of ACTIVE streaks: (IF they did not submit a picture by one more tick of the minute hand, then their streak went poof, like my belief in southern hospitality did in a North Carolina airport on Friday. POOF!)

+ Jen Ensley-Gorshe – 1 week
+ Dawn Krause – 2 weeks
+ Mike Vest – 2 weeks
+ Joe Duff – 3 weeks
+ Logan Kahler – 3 weeks
+ Teresa Kahler – 3 weeks
+ Tamara Peterson – 3 weeks
+ Carla Stensland – 3 weeks
+ Michelle Haupt – 4 weeks
+ Micky Augustin – 5 weeks
+ Monica Henning – 5 weeks
+ Jesse Howard – 5 weeks
+ Becky Parmelee – 6 weeks
+ Andy Sharp – 6 weeks
+ Bill Wentworth – 7 weeks
+ Cathie Raley – 11 weeks
+ Elizabeth Nordeen – 12 weeks
+ Shannon Bardole-Foley – 14 weeks
+ Kim Barker – 14 weeks
+ Kio Dettman – 17 weeks

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

Evie Gorshe – 1 Week

Andy Sharp – 7 weeks

Joe Duff – 4 weeks

Micky Augustin – 6 weeks

Teresa Kahler – 4 weeks

Teresa Kahler

Jesse Howard – 6 weeks

Carla Stensland – 4 weeks

Elizabeth Nordeen – 13 weeks

Kim Barker – 15 weeks

Becky Parmelee – 7 weeks

Becky Parmelee

Becky Paremelee

Bill Wentworth – 8 weeks

Cathie Raley – 12 weeks

Kio Dettman – 18 weeks

Michelle Haupt – 5 weeks

Shannon Bardole-Foley – 15 weeks

Tamara Peterson – 4 weeks

Christopher D. Bennett

Monica Henning – 6 weeks

21 submissions from 17 participants, that is a solid week. Only 4 streaks went poof. Jen could build her streak to two. Dawn and Vest both saw 2 week streaks snapped. Logan had a 3 week streak go the way of the dodo bird.

Here is the current top streaks:

1. Kio – 18 weeks
2. Shannon – 15 weeks
2. Kim – 15 weeks
4. Elizabeth – 13 weeks
5. Cathie – 12 weeks.

Also, if you can’t tell from Cathie’s image, she got engaged last weekend. So CONGRATULATIONS CATHIE!!!

STILL LIFE

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

But what exactly is a STILL LIFE image? A STILL LIFE image is simply a picture of an inanimate object or objects. The object can be manmade or it can be from nature. A flower or a plant is a subject for a STILL LIFE image. A dog or a human being is not a subject for a STILL LIFE image. Food is a popular STILL LIFE subject. The great thing about STILL LIFE photography is it allows the photographer to manipulate his subject.

Meditate on the following quote while considering your inanimate subject for you submission from one of the greatest photographers of all-time, Diane Arbus:

I really believe there are things nobody would see if I didn’t photograph them.”

I look forward to seeing your interpretations!

RULES

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

That is all I got, so if the good Lord’s willin’ and the creek don’t rise, we will all be sharing our idea of STILL LIFE in this place that is little more than my life held still on Monday.

Andy, Olympic Sports

Kyle vs. Urbandale

February 16, 2022 Christopher D. Bennett 1 Comment

A few weeks back I cruised down to Urbandale to watch Kyle wrestle. When I got there they told me that Boone was in the “small gym on the right”. So I went to a pretty small gym, but well lit gym on the right. But Boone wasn’t in there. Finally I had to call Andy and found out Boone was in an even smaller super dark gym on the left. It seems I can’t catch a break with lighting these days.

I still took several pictures of Kyle wrestling.

Kyle won this match 5-4 and now has more than 80 career varsity wins.

Andy, Automobiles, Becky, Bill, Carla, Cathie, Dawn, Elizabeth, Jen, Joe Duff, Kim, Kio, Logan, Michelle, Micky, Monica, Shannon, Tamara, Teresa, WPC - Submissions

WPC – WEEK 334 – JUNK

February 7, 2022 Christopher D. Bennett 2 Comments

JUNK has not proved to be a fairly popular theme.

Heading into the 5th week of Year 9 of THE WEEKLY PHOTO CHALLENGE, the following streaks were active:

+ Mike Vest – 1 week
+ Dawn Krause – 1 week
+ Joe Duff – 2 weeks
+ Layla Gorshe – 2 weeks
+ Logan Kahler – 2 weeks
+ Teresa Kahler – 2 weeks
+ Tamara Peterson – 2 weeks
+ Carla Stensland – 2 weeks
+ Michelle Haupt – 3 weeks
+ Micky Augustin – 4 weeks
+ Monica Henning – 4 weeks
+ Jesse Howard – 4 weeks
+ Evie Gorshe – 5 weeks
+ Becky Parmelee – 5 weeks
+ Andy Sharp – 5 weeks
+ Bill Wentworth – 6 weeks
+ Cathie Raley – 10 weeks
+ Elizabeth Nordeen – 11 weeks
+ Kim Barker – 13 weeks
+ Shannon Bardole-Foley – 13 weeks
+ Kio Dettman – 16 weeks

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

Elizabeth Nordeen – 12 weeks

Andy Sharp – 6 weeks

Joe Duff – 3 weeks

Kio Dettman – 17 weeks

Kio Dettman

Bill Wentworth – 7 weeks

Christopher D. Bennett

Teresa Kahler – 3 weeks

Tamara Peterson – 3 weeks

Michelle Haupt – 4 weeks

Shannon Bardole-Foley – 14 weeks

Dawn Krause – 2 weeks

Becky Parmelee – 6 weeks

Micky Augustin – 5 weeks

Jen Ensley-Gorshe – 1 week (Assist by Beck)

Logan Kahler – 3 weeks

Carla Stensland – 3 weeks

Cathie Raley – 11 weeks

Mike Vest – 2 weeks

Jesse Howard – 5 weeks

Monica Henning – 5 weeks

Kim Barker – 14 weeks

22 submissions from 21 participants! That is a good week!

Only 2 streaks were broke this week. Layla had a streak of 2 weeks snapped and Evie had a streak of 5 weeks snapped. Their Mom picked up the slack though by hopefully starting out a new streak this week.

The current top streaks:

#1. Kio – 17 weeks
#2. Kim – 14 weeks
#2. Shannon – 14 weeks
#4. Elizabeth – 12 weeks
#5. Cathie – 11 weeks

BELIEVE

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

I’m going to be 100% transparent on this theme. It is 100% inspired by TED LASSO. Let’s face it, if you aren’t watching TED LASSO, then you are watching television wrong! You better do something about it. Like start watching TED LASSO!

All of that being said, what is a BELIEVE image. While on the surface, this seems like a very abstract, conceptual streak killing theme, it is really quite simple. All you have to do is take a picture of something you BELIEVE in. BELIEVE in Jesus? Take a picture that reflects your Christian faith. Or whatever religion you practice. BELIEVE in your favorite sports team. Take a picture that reflects your rooting interests. BELIEVE that education is the foundation of a successful life, take a picture of that. BELIEVE in your children? BELIEVE in gravity? BELIEVE the world is flat? If you think about it, you BELIEVE in a lot of things.

While considering the possible subjects for your BELIEVE image, meditate on the following quote from a speech my man Ted Lasso gave in Season 1 Episode 10:

I’ve been hearing this phrase y’all got over here that I ain’t too crazy about. “It’s the hope that kills you.” Y’all know that? I disagree, you know? I think it’s the lack of hope that comes and gets you. See, I believe in hope. I believe in belief. Now, where I’m from, we got a saying too. A question, actually. “Do you believe in miracles?”
– Ted Lasso

RULES

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

That is all I got, so if the good Lord’s willin’ and the creek don’t rise, we will all be sharing our idea of BELIEF in this place that is little more than a collection of my beliefs next Monday.

Anders, Andy, Jay, Jesse, Nader, Naima, Photoshop, Scottie D., Self-Portrait, Self-Portrait Project, Teresa

Selfie Project – January 2022

February 2, 2022 Christopher D. Bennett

I don’t usually run THE SELFIE PROJECT in back to back years, but since I took a break from it for a bit in 2021, I decided to make an exception and bring it back in 2022.

Before getting into my favorite images from January of 2022, I want to put a bow on 2021.

Here is a photomosaic made out of THE SELFIE PROJECT images of 2021.

The base image was taken on January 1, 2022. All the images that make it up were taken in 2021. I don’t think I need to point out the symbolism of the image, but I will. The image was created because because the person standing there on January 1, 2022 was created by all the experiences (bad and terrible and godawful and a few that were good) that I went through in 2021. As with all mosaics, the further away you get, the easier it is to see the base image. You can also click on the image to see it larger.

Here are my favorite THE SELFIE PROJECT images from January 2022:

January 1

January 2

January 4

January 5

January 6

January 9

January 10

January 12

January 14

January 15

January 16

January 17

January 18

January 20

January 22

January 23

January 24

January 25

January 26

January 28

January 29

January 30

Another reason I decided to run it back again this year is because Sara gave me a kind of a “selfie kit” for Christmas. So I can’t let that go to waste!

Here are some SELFIE PROJECT bonus images:

It doesn’t appear I did a tremendous lot in January. Maybe I will do more in February.