Category Archives: Gretchen

But Don’t Tell Me You’re Sorry, Boy

Today is Veterans Day. A day that celebrates all those who served in the U.S. Military.


Buchanan County

Happy Veterans Day to all the veterans I know! And to the ones I don’t know too.

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Time to hit up the backlog again. These pictures are from March and they just didn’t fit into any previous post. Some are sunset pictures. Some are from Gretchen’s birthday party. Some are pictures of gas stations.

Have a look:


But Don't Tell Me You're Sorry, Boy

But Don't Tell Me You're Sorry, Boy

But Don't Tell Me You're Sorry, Boy

But Don't Tell Me You're Sorry, Boy

But Don't Tell Me You're Sorry, Boy

But Don't Tell Me You're Sorry, Boy

Gretchen's 2023 Birthday Party

Gretchen's 2023 Birthday Party

Gretchen's 2023 Birthday Party

Gretchen's 2023 Birthday Party

Gretchen's 2023 Birthday Party

Gretchen's 2023 Birthday Party

Gretchen's 2023 Birthday Party

Gretchen's 2023 Birthday Party

Gretchen's 2023 Birthday Party

Gretchen's 2023 Birthday Party

Gretchen's 2023 Birthday Party

Gretchen's 2023 Birthday Party

Gretchen's 2023 Birthday Party

Gretchen's 2023 Birthday Party

Gretchen's 2023 Birthday Party

Gretchen's 2023 Birthday Party

Unfortunately I didn’t get any pictures of Gretchen or Maven. I kinda suck.

There are still plenty more images in the March backlog to share.

You Found Someone More Exciting

A good time to clean up some of the backlog. These pictures were all taken in June and never really found there way into an “Artist’s Notebook” entry. Almost all of these are from Maven’s birthday party. The other image was taken as a theme reveal for THE WEEKLY PHOTO CHALLENGE theme SELF-PORTRAIT. That picture was actually taken by Jay.


Maven's Birthday Party - 2022

Maven's Birthday Party - 2022

Maven's Birthday Party - 2022

Maven's Birthday Party - 2022

Maven's Birthday Party - 2022

Maven's Birthday Party - 2022

Maven's Birthday Party - 2022

Maven's Birthday Party - 2022

Maven's Birthday Party - 2022

Maven's Birthday Party - 2022

Maven's Birthday Party - 2022

Maven's Birthday Party - 2022

Maven's Birthday Party - 2022

Maven's Birthday Party - 2022

Maven's Birthday Party - 2022

Maven's Birthday Party - 2022

Maven's Birthday Party - 2022

Maven's Birthday Party - 2022

Maven's Birthday Party - 2022

You Found Someone More Exciting

You Found Someone More Exciting

You Found Someone More Exciting

One of the things that Shawn and Sara excel in is throwing parties that are photogenic. More people should look into that.

Hello 2023.

It is the first day of 2023. I’m not really a “resolutions” person. Pastor Adam was on vacation today so we had a substitute seromizer in church this morning. He gave an impassioned, longwinded sermon on resolve. It took more than a bit of my resolve to stay awake during the longest sermon these ears have heard in quite sometime.

But if I were to take the words on resolve to heart, I would say that I’m not without goals. Last year my main goal was to complete THE TOWN SIGN PROJECT. I did that.

My main goal in 2023 is to complete Phase 2 of THE TOWN SIGN PROJECT and put the book together. I should be freeing up sometime to work on that buy dropping a couple of photo projects that I did in 2022.

My second goal in 2023 is to begin work and complete my new photo project. Details are still foggy, but it is to create Boone postcard. Not a bunch of Boone postcards. Not even to print up a bunch of one Boone postcard. But to make one big image of one Boone postcard. While the end goal is one image, it will involve taking at least several hundred (probably thousand) images. It will make more sense when I get going on it.

My third goal in 2023 is to keep the positive momentum that was achieved in 2022 in participation rates for THE WEEKLY PHOTO CHALLENGE. I’m not likely to go out and beat the drums looking for participants, but doesn’t mean you guys can’t. Right?

My fourth goal in 2023 is to consider and maybe take action on visiting and photographing every State Park in Iowa.
That seems more straight forward than it actually is because in addition to State Parks there are State Forests and State Preserves and State Recreation Areas. Boone County contains 3 Minor State Forests alone! We will see where this one goes, but we all know I could use the exercise.

I don’t have any goals related to the Iowa State Fair Photography Salon. That type of stuff is a considerable amount of luck. So best not to have goals that are out of one’s hands. Maybe my goal should just be to give my best effort.

Hopefully 2023 is a good year for all of us!

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Time to share the December images for the FatMumSlim Photo A Day Challenge. This is also the final collection of images as I will be dropping this pursuit in 2023. It doesn’t take a lot of time, but it still eats up a fair amount of time. Hopefully time freed up that I can use to pursue some of those 2023 goals.

Here are the December images:


December 1
December 1 – I Love This!

December 2
December 2 – I Bought This!

December 3
December 3 – Starts with T

December 4
December 4 – I Held This

December 5
December 5 – Something Red

December 6
December 6 – Peace

December 7
December 7 – Tree

December 8
December 8 – Looking Up

December 9
December 9 – Small

December 10
December 10 – Out + About

December 11
December 11 – Free Choice

December 12
December 12 – Lights

December 13
December 13 – Something Green

December 14
December 14 – Decoration

December 15
December 15 – A Star

December 16
December 16 – Candy Cane

December 17
December 17 – A Hat

December 18
December 18 – I Made This!

December 19
December 19 – Joy Is…

December 20
December 20 – Begins with S

December 21
December 21 – On the Floor

December 22
December 22 – A Gift

December 23
December 23 – A Tradition

December 24
December 24 – Someone I Love

December 25
December 25 – My Day

December 26
December 26 – This is Delish

December 27
December 27 – Colourful

December 28
December 28 – A Book

December 29
December 29 – Us

December 30
December 30 – How I Relax

December 31
December 31 – Best Part of 2022

Top 9
Top 9 Most Popular Images

I did enjoy this project and I’m not walking away from it because I didn’t enjoy it. I “met” numerous other people in this community that I will continue to follow, like @bea.photoaday, @sara.fms.photoaday, @outnbout, @gerkgirl, @pink_koffie, and @lostfate13.

But there were other things I didn’t like. Most people used the challenge to curate images, rather than take new images every day. The person that ran the challenge is Australian. That meant that a lot of the prompts were seasonal for Australia, meaning they weren’t seasonal for Iowa. Prompts repeated an awful lot. Not that they wouldn’t after 365 days, but I felt like they repeated more than necessary.

These minor complaints aside, I would consider doing it again in a future year. Just not this year. I’m sure many of you have minor complaints about how I run THE WEEKLY PHOTO CHALLENGE as well.

The Juncks 2021 – Volume 5

It is another Formal Portrait Sunday. This is the final collection of pictures from the Juncks Family Photo Shoot back in 2021. Most of these pictures are really candid shots taken after the formal photo shoot was over. So you probably already know that these are my favorites from the shoot.

Here is the final collection:


Junck Family Photo Shoot - 2021

Junck Family Photo Shoot - 2021

Junck Family Photo Shoot - 2021

Junck Family Photo Shoot - 2021

Junck Family Photo Shoot - 2021

Junck Family Photo Shoot - 2021

Junck Family Photo Shoot - 2021

Junck Family Photo Shoot - 2021

Junck Family Photo Shoot - 2021

Junck Family Photo Shoot - 2021

Junck Family Photo Shoot - 2021

Junck Family Photo Shoot - 2021

Junck Family Photo Shoot - 2021

Junck Family Photo Shoot - 2021

Junck Family Photo Shoot - 2021

Junck Family Photo Shoot - 2021

Junck Family Photo Shoot - 2021

Junck Family Photo Shoot - 2021

The pictures of me and Gretchen tooling around in the 1890 Morrison were taken by Sara. I had forgotten that Gretchen is such a big ham, but I’m loving it!

The next Formal Portrait Sunday will involve the Howard Family Photo Shoot again.

The Juncks 2021 – Volume 4

I need to start this post by wishing Naima a happy birthday. I know most of you are thinking, a day late and a dollar short Bennett, but the reason I didn’t wish Naima happy birthday is because we celebrated it today.

Here are some pictures of the 11 year old over the years:


Colorful - Alternate

Naima's Dickcissel Adventure

Naima at Dickcissel Park

Naima at Dickcissel

Naima

Naima at Dickcissel

Naima at Dickcissel

A Jazz Standard

Naima Orange Filter Test

Yellow Filter Test

Raggle-Taggle

A Spectacle Monopolized

East of Omaha

Naima at Dickcissel

Girl Don't Play the Fool Now

Dogs

WPC - ANIMAL ALTERNATE

You're So Good When You're Bad

Tamron 28-75mm f/2.8 Di III VXD Lens

Thanks to everybody that wished Naima a happy birthday. Jen and Alexander. She appreciated it and then probably went back to sleep.

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Time once again for a Formal Portrait Sunday. This week’s features Gretchen and Maven. I’m not sure when, but at some point, Gretchen turned into a complete ham, and I’m here for it.


Junk Family Photo Shoot - 2021

Junk Family Photo Shoot - 2021

Junk Family Photo Shoot - 2021

Junk Family Photo Shoot - 2021

Junk Family Photo Shoot - 2021

Junk Family Photo Shoot - 2021

Junk Family Photo Shoot - 2021

Junk Family Photo Shoot - 2021

Junk Family Photo Shoot - 2021

Junk Family Photo Shoot - 2021

Junk Family Photo Shoot - 2021

Junk Family Photo Shoot - 2021

Junk Family Photo Shoot - 2021

Junk Family Photo Shoot - 2021

Junk Family Photo Shoot - 2021

Junk Family Photo Shoot - 2021

Junk Family Photo Shoot - 2021

Junk Family Photo Shoot - 2021

Junk Family Photo Shoot - 2021

Junk Family Photo Shoot - 2021

Junk Family Photo Shoot - 2021

Junk Family Photo Shoot - 2021

There is still one more collection of pictures to come from the 2021 Junck Family Photo Shoot. Next Formal Portrait Sunday, we will check back in with the Howard Family Photo Shoot.

The Juncks 2021 – Volume 1

On this formal portrait Sunday, I’m going to share a collection of pictures from the Juncks 2021 Photo Shoot. Many of their pictures, are posed with an old time automobile that David build. It isn’t an original vehicle, but he built it based on the original. At least that is my understanding. It is an electric car. From 1890.


Junk Family Photo Shoot - 2021

Junk Family Photo Shoot - 2021

Junk Family Photo Shoot - 2021

Junk Family Photo Shoot - 2021

Junk Family Photo Shoot - 2021

Junk Family Photo Shoot - 2021

Junk Family Photo Shoot - 2021

Junk Family Photo Shoot - 2021

Junk Family Photo Shoot - 2021

Junk Family Photo Shoot - 2021

Junk Family Photo Shoot - 2021

Junk Family Photo Shoot - 2021

Junk Family Photo Shoot - 2021

Junk Family Photo Shoot - 2021

Junk Family Photo Shoot - 2021

Junk Family Photo Shoot - 2021

Junk Family Photo Shoot - 2021

Next Formal Portrait Sunday will involve the Howards.

Selfie Project – September 2021

Yesterday I completed another successful month of THE SELFIE PROJECT. I don’t know I did a lot in September, but I guess the pictures will tell the story.

Here are my favorites from September:


Day 246 - September 3, 2021
September 3

Day 247 - September 4, 2021
September 4

Day 248 - September 5, 2021
September 5

Day 249 - September 6, 2021
September 6

Day 250 - September 7, 2021
September 7

Day 253 - September 10, 2021
September 10

Day 254 - September 11, 2021
September 11

Day 255 - September 12, 2021
September 12

Day 256 - September 13, 2021
September 13

Day 258 - September 15, 2021
September 15

Day 260 - September 17, 2021
September 17

Day 261 - September 18, 2021
September 18

Day 262 - September 19, 2021
September 19

Day 265 - September 22, 2021
September 22

Day 268 - September 25, 2021
September 25

Day 269 - September 26, 2021
September 26

Day 270 - September 27, 2021
September 27

Day 271 - September 28, 2021
September 28

Day 272 - September 29, 2021
September 29

There can only be one Selfie per day, but here are some of my favorite alternate selfies from September:


SELFIE PROJECT ALTERNATE

SELFIE PROJECT ALTERNATE

SELFIE PROJECT ALTERNATE

SELFIE PROJECT ALTERNATE

SELFIE PROJECT ALTERNATE

SELFIE PROJECT ALTERNATE

If you want to peruse all of the 2021 selfies for THE SELFIE PROJECT, click on the link below:

THE SELFIE PROJECT – 2021

Hopefully October is a fruitful month as well.

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


WEEK 316 - FLOWER
FLOWER

A FLOWER image is simply a picture of a FLOWER. Doesn’t have to be a real FLOWER. But it could also be a real FLOWER.

Happy photo harvesting.

Organized Lightning

Way back in August I was invited out to the Junck farm to play with his drone. That was the moment I officially got drone fever.

I played with the drone for at least 45 minutes. I would share some pictures from that experience, but I have yet to see them. That is how the drone crashes.

Steve was in town helping his parents with an electric car tour. The tour culminated with a car show at the Junck farm.

Here are some pictures from that event:


Junck Electric Car Show

Junck Electric Car Show

Junck Electric Car Show

Junck Electric Car Show

Junck Electric Car Show

Junck Electric Car Show

Junck Electric Car Show

Junck Electric Car Show

Junck Electric Car Show

Junck Electric Car Show

Junck Electric Car Show

Junck Electric Car Show

Junck Electric Car Show

Junck Electric Car Show

Junck Electric Car Show

Junck Electric Car Show

Junck Electric Car Show

Junck Electric Car Show

Junck Electric Car Show

Junck Electric Car Show

Junck Electric Car Show

Speaking of Drone Fever, here is where I currently stand on the goals I need to accomplish to pulling the trigger on that drone:

1. Pay off car.
2. Bank fraud refund.
3. New rear brakes.
4. Big 12 Championship Game Trip
5. Remaining Self-Directed Training Budget – $355.20
6. 2019 Calendars
7. Iowa State Bowl Trip
8. Subscribe to Des Moines Register
9. Hope to not get screwed over by the GOP Tax Scam.
10. DJI Mavic Pro 2
11. Sony RX0
12. Sony Alpah a7II