Category Archives: Dawn

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

But enough dwelling on the past. Time to look to the future. We are all interested in the future, for that is where you and I are going to spend the rest of our lives. And remember my friend, future events such as these will affect you in the future! This week’s theme:

ABSTRACT!

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

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 ABSTRACT in this place that is little more than an abstraction of my thoughts next Monday.

Andree, Angie, Baier, Basketball, Becky, Bill, Brandon, Carla, Dawn, Derrick, Elizabeth, Faust, Jesse, Joe Duff, Jorge, Kio, Laura, Lowell, Mark, Michelle, Micky, Pastor Sarah, Robert, Russell, Sara, Shannon, Tim, Toby, Willy

Roundball Oracles – Year 17

March 13, 2022 Christopher D. Bennett

It is time once again for the greatest sporting event of year. It is that time known as March Madness. The NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament.

Once again, I will be sponsoring a pool. There is no cost to enter the pool, except for pride.

The winner gets a trophy. The dead last place person gets a trophy known as The Sara*.

By winning, you get your name etched on the list of immortals:

PAST ROUNDBALL ORACLE CHAMPIONS

2021 – Micky Augustin
2019 – Becky Parmelee
2018 – Paul Golden
2017 – Paul Golden
2016 – Michelle Haupt
2015 – Derek Dohrman
2014 – Brandon Kahler
2013 – William McAlpine
2012 – Lowell Davis
2011 – Carrie Baier
2010 – Mark Wolfram
2009 – Mark Wolfram
2008 – Mark Wolfram
2007 – Tim Peterson
2006 – William McAlpine
2005 – William McAlpine

But I said that there are 2 trophies. The 2nd trophy, The Sara, goes to the adult that finishes dead last, while trying. A person can not tank on purpose and win The Sara. The reason The Sara winner has to be an adult is that I don’t want to mock children, to their face. Does that mean I have no problem mocking children behind their back? Does it make me a bad person if I say yes? Probably a better rule would be that to “win” The Sara, you have to be at least a teenager. I have no problem mocking teenagers to their face. At least, back when there was a Youth Group.

Past “The Sara” Winners:

2021 – Rachel Gildersleeve
2019 – Russell Kennerly
2018 – Robert Henning
2017 – Shannon Bardole
2016 – Laura Priest
2015 – Derrick Gorshe
2014 – Sara Lockner

The Sara doesn’t have the long storied history of the championship trophy, but it will get there. I have no doubts.

These were the final standings from last year:

ROUNDBALL ORACLES – YEAR 16

1. Michael Augustin – 275 points
2. Jorge Rios – 252 points
3. Jordan Toot – 240 points
4. Corey Faust – 233 points
5. Tim Peterson – 229 points
6. Mike G – 228 points
7. Dawn Krause – 216 points
8. Joey Randazzo – 210 points
9. Elizabeth Nordeen – 204 points
10. Kio Dettman – 203 points
11. Humble Narrator – 202 points
12. Angie DeWaard – 202 points
13. Brandon Kahler – 199 points
14. Bill Wentworth – 194 points
15. Toby Sebring – 191 points
16. Carla Stensland – 188 points
17. Andree Jauhari – 187 points
18. Lowell Davis – 184 points
19. Dylan Groves – 179 points
20. Jesse Howard – 177 points
21. Derek Dohrman – 174 points
22. Joseph Duff – 170 points
23. Robert Henning – 168 points
24. Jackson Faust – 167 points
25. Sarah Karber – 151 points
26. Michelle Haupt – 143 points
27. Rachel Gildersleeve – 142 points

If you are a basketball fan, or are just interested in having fun, click on the link below to join my pool:

Roundball Oracles – Year 17

The rules are as follows:
Round 1 = 1 point + seed
Round 2 = 2 points + seed
Round 3 = 4 points + seed
Round 4 = 8 points + seed
Round 5 = 16 points + seed
Rounds 6 = 32 points + seed

The Play-in Games (AKA the First Four) don’t matter. You can wait for those games to complete before filling out your bracket. The deadline to fill out your bracket, is tip-off of the first game on Thursday. Roughly 11 AM. Yes, there are no Thursday games this year.

Under special circumstances, I will allow you to turn in a paper bracket to me. So, don’t be afraid to ask.

Yes, your child can fill out a bracket. Your dog, no.

There were 27 competitors in 2021. A 15 person drop from 2019. (There was no tournament in 2020.) Hopefully there is a slight rebound in participation this year, but it is possible I have 15 less friends than I did in 2019. It is possible I have lost even more friends since 2020. I might not be that great of a person.

*You have to be 14 years or older to win “The Sara”.

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, 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.

Andy, Becky, Bill, Carla, Cathie, Dad, Dawn, Elizabeth, Evie, Jesse, Joe Duff, Kim, Kio, Layla, Michelle, Micky, Mom, Shannon, Still Life, Tamara, Teresa, Vest, WPC - Submissions

WPC – WEEK 333 – #LOVE

January 31, 2022 Christopher D. Bennett

#LOVE has proven to be a popular theme. Which is good, I’m glad so many people have #LOVE in their lives.

Heading into the 4th week of Year 9 of THE WEEKLY PHOTO CHALLENGE, these were the current streaks:

+ Logan Kahler – 1 week
+ Layla Gorshe – 1 week
+ Carla Stensland – 1 week
+ Tamara Peterson – 1 week
+ Robyn Augustin – 1 week
+ Jen Ensley-Gorshe – 1 week
+ Joe Duff – 1 week
+ Teresa Kahler – 1 week
+ Michelle Haupt – 2 weeks
+ Jesse Howard – 3 weeks
+ Micky Augustin – 3 weeks
+ Monica Henning – 3 weeks
+ Evie Gorshe – 4 weeks
+ Andy Sharp – 4 weeks
+ Becky Parmelee – 4 weeks
+ Bill Wentworth – 5 weeks
+ Cathie Raley – 9 weeks
+ Elizabeth Nordeen – 10 weeks
+ Kim Barker – 12 weeks
+ Shannon Bardole-Foley – 12 weeks
+ Kio Dettman – 15 weeks

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

Bill Wentworth – 6 weeks

Carla Stensland – 2 weeks

Kio Dettman – 16 weeks

Kio Dettman

Michelle Haupt – 3 weeks

Tamara Peterson – 2 weeks

Christopher D. Bennett

Logan Kahler – 2 weeks

Logan Kahler

Kim Barker – 13 weeks

Evie Gorshe – 5 weeks

Andy Sharp – 5 weeks

Layla Gorshe – 2 weeks

Teresa Kahler – 2 weeks

Teresa Kahler

Micky Augustin – 4 weeks

Joe Duff – 2 weeks

Elizabeth Nordeen – 11 weeks

Jesse Howard – 4 weeks

Mike Vest – 1 week

Shannon Bardole-Foley – 13 weeks

Dawn Krause – 1 week

Becky Parmelee – 5 weeks

Cathie Raley – 10 weeks

Monica Henning – 4 weeks

27 submissions from 22 participants! 22 participants ties last week’s record! WooHoo!

Only 2 streaks were broken. Jen and Robyn could not extend that streak out to two.

The four longest streaks remained intact and Cathie joined the world of double digit streaks.

Here are the top streaks:

#1. Kio – 16 weeks
#2. Kim – 13 weeks
#2. Shannon – 13 weeks
#4. Elizabeth – 11 weeks
#5. Cathie – 10 weeks

JUNK

JUNK! What a great theme for Week 9 of THE WEEKLY PHOTO CHALLENGE!

But what is a JUNK image? Simply put, it is any picture that involves JUNK in the composition. It can be as simple as opening up your JUNK drawer and taking a picture. I have at least 5 JUNK drawers in my house and one more in the office. You could got to a local salvage yard. You could go to a local “antique” store. It could be simply a picture of something you don’t like. There are numerous definitions of JUNK and feel free to explore any of those definitions. I think you know the definition I’m talking about.

While considering your possible subjects for JUNK, consider the following quote from terrible human being Thomas Edison:

To invent, you need a good imagination and a pile of junk.
-Thomas Edison

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 JUNK in this place that is little more than a collection of all my leftovers next Monday.

Andy, Becky, Bill, Cathie, Dawn, Elizabeth, Evie, Jesse, Kim, Kio, Michelle, Micky, Monica, Shannon, Vest, WPC - Submissions

WPC – WEEK 331 – ROCK

January 17, 2022 Christopher D. Bennett

It appears that ROCK was a fairly popular theme. There were a decent amount of submissions.

Heading in to the second week of Year 9 of THE WEEKLY PHOTO CHALLENGE, these were the current streaks:

* Micky Augustin – 1 week
* Linda Bennett – 1 week
* Monica Henning – 1 week
* Jesse Howard – 1 week
* Logan Kahler – 1 week
* Carla Stensland – 1 week
* Evie Gorshe – 2 weeks
* Layla Gorshe – 2 weeks
* Teresa Kahler – 2 weeks
* Becky Parmelee – 2 weeks
* Andy Sharp – 2 weeks
* Bill Wentworth – 3 weeks
* Dawn Krause – 4 weeks
* Cathie Raley – 7 weeks
* Elizabeth Nordeen – 8 weeks
* Kim Barker – 10 weeks
* Shannon Bardole-Foley – 10 weeks
* Kio Dettman – 13 weeks
* Tamara Peterson – 13 weeks

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

Kio Dettman (14 weeks)

Kio Dettman

Bill Wentworth (4 weeks)

Christopher D. Bennett

Evie Gorshe (3 weeks)

Elizabeth Nordeen (9 weeks)

Andy Sharp (3 weeks)

Andy Sharp

Michelle Haupt (1 week)

Dawn Krause (5 weeks)

Dawn Krause

Jesse Howard (2 weeks)

Kim Barker (11 weeks)

Cathie Raley (8 weeks)

Micky Augustin (2 weeks)

Shannon Bardole-Foley (11 weeks)

Mike Vest (1 week)

Becky Parmelee – (3 weeks)

Monica Henning (2 weeks)

Monica Henning

20 submissions by 16 participants. Sadly, streaks ended for Linda Bennett, Logan Kahler, Carla Stensland, Layla Gorshe, Teresa Kahler, and Tamara Peterson. Tamara’s streak was all the way up to 13 weeks. That leaves Kio as the sole King of the Streaks at 14. With Shannon and Kim in second at 11 weeks a piece.

TRIANGLE

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

But what is a TRIANGLE image? It is simply a picture where the subject includes or is a TRIANGLE. Isosceles, equilateral, scalene, obtuse, acute, or right. Doesn’t matter. When you start to look for them, you will realize that TRIANGLE(s) are every where. Commonly used in construction and logos, for example. Heck, sometimes even love has a TRIANGLE.

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

If triangles had a god, he would have three sides.
-Baron de Montesquieu

I look forward to seeing all your three sided 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 TRIANGLE in this place that is little more than a love triangle amongst me, myself, and I next Monday.

Andy, Becky, Black & White, Carla, Cathie, Dawn, Elizabeth, Evie, Formal Portrait, Jesse, Kim, Kio, Layla, Linda, Logan, Micky, Monica, Shannon, Teresa, WPC - Submissions

WPC – WEEK 330 – BLACK + WHITE

January 10, 2022 Christopher D. Bennett

As we are about to kickoff the 9th Year of THE WEEKLY PHOTO CHALLENGE (birthed into this world kicking and screaming as the RANDOM WEEKLY PHOTO EXPERIMENT) I thought we could look at what we accomplished as a community in Year 8.

+ There were 866 total submissions by 35 different participants. Averaging 16.65 submissions a week.
+ The most popular themes were HOBBIES and FRIENDS. Both had 30 submissions.
+ SYMMETRY + PATTERNS had the most participants with 19.

Here are the individual statistics for the 35 different participants:
+ Christopher D. Bennett – 52 weeks, 52 photos.
+ Kio Dettman – 50 weeks, 119 photos.
+ Micky Augustin – 44 weeks, 53 photos.
+ Tamara Peterson – 44 weeks, 44 photos.
+ Shannon Bardole-Foley – 42 weeks, 42 photos.
+ Kim Barker – 36 weeks, 43 photos.
+ Carla Stensland – 32 weeks, 73 photos.
+ Elizabeth Nordeen – 32 weeks, 40 photos.
+ Michelle Haupt – 28 weeks, 28 photos.
+ Bill Wentworth – 28 weeks, 28 photos.
+ Cathie Raley – 26 weeks, 26 photos.
+ Andy Sharp – 26 weeks, 52 photos.
+ Teresa Kahler – 22 weeks, 42 photos.
+ Joe Duff – 19 weeks, 25 photos.
+ Mike Vest – 16 weeks, 16 photos.
+ Logan Kahler – 14 weeks, 32 photos.
+ Jesse Howard – 14 weeks, 17 photos.
+ Dawn Krause – 14 weeks, 17 photos.
+ Jen Ensley-Gorshe – 12 weeks, 20 photos.
+ Angie DeWaard – 12 weeks, 14 photos.
+ Monica Henning – 11 weeks, 24 photos.
+ Becky Parmelee – 11 weeks, 11 photos.
+ Linda Bennett – 5 weeks, 8 photos.
+ Sara Lockner – 5 weeks, 6 photos.
+ Amy Peterson – 4 weeks, 6 photos.
+ Susanna Funk – 3 weeks, 3 photos.
+ Aaron Barnett – 3 weeks, 3 photos.
+ Lori Backous – 2 weeks, 4 photos.
+ Steve White – 2 weeks, 4 photos.
+ Jodie Cue – 1 week, 3 photos.
+ Sarah Karber – 1 week, 1 photo.
+ Derrick Gorshe – 1 week, 1 photo.
+ Layla Gorshe – 1 week, 1 photo.
+ Evie Gorshe – 1 week, 1 photo.
+ Mike Parmelee – 1 week, 1 photo.

Thanks to everybody that participated on any level!

I’ve gotten slightly into Snapchat streaks in the last few weeks and I’m going to carry the idea of streaks over to THE WEEKLY PHOTO CHALLENGE.

Heading into this week, these are the people that have “streaks” of submitting photos for consecutive weeks:

+ Layla Gorshe – 1 week.
+ Evie Gorshe – 1 week.
+ Becky Parmelee – 1 week.
+ Mike Parmelee – 1 week.
+ Angie DeWaard – 1 week.
+ Andy Sharp – 1 week.
+ Teresa Kahler – 1 week.
+ Jen Ensley-Gorshe – 1 week.
+ Bill Wentworth – 2 weeks.
+ Joe Duff – 2 weeks.
+ Dawn Krause – 3 weeks.
+ Cathie Raley – 6 weeks.
+ Elizabeth Nordeen – 7 weeks.
+ Kim Barker – 9 weeks.
+ Tamara Peterson – 12 weeks.
+ Kio Dettman – 12 weeks.
+ Christopher D. Bennett – 431 weeks.

Okay, in fairness, I run this show and it does bend around my schedule, slightly, so my streak doesn’t really count for much. It will be interesting to see who is able to build on their streak this week and who has their streak snapped.

As we start up Year 9, just a reminder that the picture has to be taken the week of the theme. The picture needs to be taken somewhere between 12:01 PM on the Monday the theme is revealed and 11:00 AM the following Monday, when I click Schedule on this post and head to lunch. This is a get off your butt and TAKE photos challenge. It is NOT a curate your photos challenge.

Photos are not evaluated for quality (at least not by me) to be posted. This challenge is about doing the work. You put in the work, the quality will come. What I am saying is, don’t hold back a submission because you don’t think it is good enough.

There are two ways to submit your photos to me. You can email me at bennett@photography139.com OR you can text them to my phone. Either one is perfectly acceptable.

These are not rules, but I’d say fairplay guidelines:

+ Don’t send me multiple pictures of the same subject in the same week. Send me multiple pictures, sure, but make them unique.
+ Don’t send me multiple pictures and ask me to choose the best one. I won’t do it. Even on a theme that is coming up in a few weeks where there will be for the first time ever a limitation of 1 submission per participant, I still won’t do it.
+ Watch the resolution of the images you submit. The size should be at least 800 pixels for it to look decent on the website.
+ YOU should be the one taking the picture. If a friend of yours takes a picture and you want to submit it for them, that is fine, but they should get the credit for the picture and they should be cool with it being posted.

Enough of that noise. You didn’t come here to listen to me talk all tommyrot about participation rates and the best ways to participate, you came to see the submissions:

Evie Gorshe (2 weeks)

Layla Gorshe (2 weeks)

Kim Barker (10 weeks)

Kim Barker

Micky Augustin (1 week)

Carla Stensland (1 week)

Carla Stensland

Shannon Bardole-Foley (10 weeks)

Bill Wentworth (3 weeks)

Christopher D. Bennett

Tamara Peterson (13 weeks)

Cathie Raley (7 weeks)

Teresa Kahler (2 weeks)

Elizabeth Nordeen (8 weeks)

Elizabeth Nordeen

Linda Bennett (1 week)

Kio Dettman (13 weeks)

Kio Dettman

Dawn Krause (4 weeks)

Jesse Howard (1 week)

Jesse Howard

Logan Kahler (1 week)

Logan Kahler

Andy Sharp (2 weeks)

Andy Sharp

Monica Henning (1 week)

Monica Henning

Becky Parmelee (2 weeks)

29 submissions from 20 participants. That 20 participants is more than any theme had last year! I’m pumped now! That is a great week! Lots of streaks continued. Only the streaks of Mike Parmelee, Angie DeWaard, and Jen Ensley-Gorshe came to an end.

ROCK

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

But what is a ROCK photo? Well, there are several types of rocks. Igneous, metamorphic, and sedimentary. All you have to do is find a rock you like (I’m partial to igneous) and take a picture of it. And ROCKs have so many uses, they can hold historical markers, they are canvasses for artists, and people build things out of them. Just to name a few. Of course, ROCK can have multiple meanings. There is the type of ROCK that Twisted Sister wants to do. Which isn’t all that different from the kind of ROCK that AC/DC salutes those about to engage in or that Queen wants to do to you. Whatever definition of ROCK you use, it will be the right one for you.

I’d be remiss, if I didn’t point out that ROCK was a theme suggested by Angie. Thanks for the suggestion Angie.

While thinking on your possible subjects for your ROCK picture, think on this following quote from one of my old time favorite movies. INHERIT THE WIND. It is a highly dramatized telling of the infamous Scopes Monkey Trial. One of the lawyers that is prosecuting the teacher on trial for teaching evolution has taken the stand as an expert on The Bible. The lawyer defending the teacher is cross examining him.

Drummond: It’s sad that we don’t all have your positive knowledge of what is right and wrong, Mr. Brady. How old do you think this rock is?

Brady: I am more interested in the “Rock of Ages” than I am in the age of rocks.

Drummond: Dr. Paige of Oberlin College tells me this rock is at least 10 million years old.

Brady: Well, well, Colonel Drummond, you managed to speak here some of that scientific testimony, after all.

Drummond: Look, Mr. Brady. These are the fossil remains of a marine prehistoric creature found in this very county, and which lived here millions of years ago when these very mountain ranges were submerged in water.

Brady: I know. The Bible gives a fine account of the flood. But your Professor’s a little mixed up in his dates. That rock is not more than six thousand years old.

Drummond: How do ya know?

Brady: A fine biblical scholar, Bishop Usher, has determined for us the exact date and hour of the Creation. It occurred in the year 4004 B.C.

Drummond: Well, that’s Bishop Usher’s opinion.

Brady: It’s not an opinion. It’s a literal fact — which the good Bishop arrived at through careful computation of the ages of the prophets, as set down in the Old Testament. In fact, he determined that the Lord began the Creation on the 23rd of October, 4004 B.C. at, uh, 9:00am.

Drummond: [Is] that Eastern Standard Time? Or Rocky Mountain Time? It wasn’t Daylight Saving Time, was it, because the Lord didn’t make the sun until the fourth day.

Brady: That is correct.

Drummond: That first day, what do you think, it was 24 hours long?

Brady: [The] Bible says it was a day.

Drummond: Well, there was no sun out. How do you know how long it was?

Brady: The Bible says it was a day!

Drummond: Well, was it a normal day, a literal day, 24 hour day?

Brady: I don’t know.

Drummond: What do you think?

Brady: I do not think about things that I do not think about.

Now maybe that scene doesn’t have much to do with rocks, but any chance I can even tangentially reference that movie I will. I look forward to seeing your ROCK 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 ROCK in this place that records my metamorphic change next Monday.

Andy, Angie, Becky, Bill, Black & White, Carla, Cathie, Dad, Dawn, Elizabeth, Evie, Jen, Joe Duff, Kim, Kio, Layla, Mom, Naima, Shannon, Tamara, Teresa, WPC - Submissions

WPC – WEEK 329 – EDUCATION

January 3, 2022 Christopher D. Bennett

Here we are. The end of Year 8 of THE WEEKLY PHOTO CHALLENGE. There were 866 images submitted this year. Smashing the record set by Year 7, 807. Hopefully we break the record again in Year 9. To have a look at them, click on the link below:

WEEKLY PHOTO CHALLENGE – YEAR 8

EDUCATION has proven to be a very popular theme.

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

Elizabeth Nordeen

Layla Gorshe

Evie Gorshe

Bill Wentworth

Becky Parmelee

Tamara Peterson

Mike Parmelee

Christopher D. Bennett

Kim Barker

Angie DeWaard

Andy Sharp

Teresa Kahler

Joe Duff

Dawn Krause

Shannon Bardole-Foley

Kio Dettman

Cathie Raley

Jen Ensley-Gorshe

BLACK + WHITE

BLACK + WHITE! What a great theme to kick off Year 9 of THE WEEKLY PHOTO CHALLENGE!

To know me at all, is to know that my first love in photography is always been BLACK + WHITE. But what is BLACK + WHITE photo? Well, the obvious answer is that it simply a picture that is monochrome. Not color. But BLACK + WHITE. However, there are some things to know about taking a good BLACK + WHITE picture. Once you remove color from an image, you can’t rely on color to provide interest. Here are things to think about to make a good BLACK + WHITE image:

+ Shape and Form – The shapes of things will be more dominant.
+ Contrast – Without colors to separate your subjects, you will need the contrast between BLACK + WHITE to separate the objects in the picture.
+ Texture – A good subject in BLACK + WHITE photography will have texture. Texture really pops.

While considering possible subjects for your BLACK + WHITE picture, consider this quote by Ansel Adams:

“Our lives at times seem a study in contrast… love & hate, birth & death, right & wrong… everything seen in absolutes of black & white. Too often we are not aware that it is the shades of grey that add depth & meaning to the starkness of those extremes.”
-Ansel Adams

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 BLACK + WHITE in this place that is little more than my shades of gray next Monday.