Category Archives: Kim

WPC – WEEK 297 – GOVERNMENT

Once again, there was a healthy amount of submissions for GOVERNMENT. Apparently many of you decided that GOVERNMENT wasn’t all that bad. Or at least better than anarchy.

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


WEEK 297 - GOVERNMENT - ANDY SHARP
Andy Sharp

WEEK 297 - GOVERNMENT - ANDY SHARP
Andy Sharp

WEEK 297 - GOVERNMENT - ANDY SHARP
Andy Sharp

WEEK 297 - GOVERNMENT - BECKY PARMELEE
Becky Parmelee

WEEK 297 - GOVERNMENT - BILL WENTWORTH
Bill Wentworth

WEEK 297 - GOVERNMENT - KIO DETTMAN
Kio Dettman

WEEK 297 - GOVERNMENT - KIO DETTMAN
Kio Dettman

WEEK 297 - GOVERNMENT - KIO DETTMAN
Kio Dettman

WEEK 297 - GOVERNMENT - KIO DETTMAN
Kio Dettman

WEEK 297 - GOVERNMENT - TAMARA PETERSON
Tamara Peterson

WEEK 297 - GOVERNMENT - CHRISTOPHER D. BENNETT
Christopher D. Bennett

WEEK 297 - GOVERNMENT - KIM BARKER
Kim Barker

WEEK 297 - GOVERNMENT - MICKY AUGUSTIN
Micky Augustin

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 298 - UP IN THE AIR
UP IN THE AIR

First thing to note is that next Monday is Memorial Day. While the GOVERNMENT, banks, and possibly your job takes the day off, there are no holidays on the Photography 139 Calendar (not literally). If you are going to be going to the cemetery or to a service or camping or grilling out, plan when you submit accordingly.

UP IN THE AIR! Another great theme for Year 8 of THE WEEKLY PHOTO CHALLENGE.

But what is a UP IN THE AIR photo? It is simply a photo of something that is UP IN THE AIR. A bird. A plane. Superman? Well, if Superman isn’t standing on the ground. A good idea is to just throw something into the air and photograph it. Or a good candid portrait is to throw something in the air and have them try to catch it. This is a great candid portrait technique.

But whatever you do, do not think about this quote from the movie UP IN THE AIR while composing your image:

How much does your life weigh? Imagine for a second that you’re carrying a backpack. I want you to feel the straps on your shoulders. Feel ’em? Now I want you to pack it with all the stuff that you have in your life. You start with the little things. The things on shelves and in drawers, the knick-knacks, the collectibles. Feel the weight as that adds up. Then you start adding larger stuff, clothes, table-top appliances, lamps, linens, your TV. The backpack should be getting pretty heavy now. And you go bigger. Your couch, bed, your kitchen table. Stuff it all in there. Your car, get it in there. Your home, whether it’s a studio apartment or a two bedroom house. I want you to stuff it all into that backpack. Now try to walk. It’s kind of hard, isn’t it? This is what we do to ourselves on a daily basis. We weigh ourselves down until we can’t even move. And make no mistake, moving is living. Now, I’m gonna set that backpack on fire. What do you want to take out of it? What do you want to take out of it? Photos? Photos are for people who can’t remember. Drink some ginkgo and let the photos burn. In fact, let everything burn and imagine waking up tomorrow with nothing. It’s kind of exhilarating, isn’t it? Now, this is gonna be a little difficult, so stay with me. You have a new backpack. Only this time, I want you to fill it with people. Start with casual acquaintances, friends of friends, folks around the office, and then you move into the people that you trust with your most intimate secrets. Your cousins, your aunts, your uncles, your brothers, your sisters, your parents and finally your husband, your wife, your boyfriend or your girlfriend. You get them into that backpack. And don’t worry. I’m not gonna ask you to light it on fire. Feel the weight of that bag. Make no mistake – your relationships are the heaviest components in your life. Do you feel the straps cutting into your shoulders? All those negotiations and arguments, and secrets and compromises. You don’t need to carry all that weight. Why don’t you set that bag down? Some animals were meant to carry each other, to live symbiotically for a lifetime – star crossed lovers, monogamous swans. We are not those animals. The slower we move, the faster we die. We are not swans. We’re sharks.

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 UP IN THE AIR in this place that travels from my server to your computational device through the air next Monday.

WPC – WEEK 295 – FACE

There was a decent amount of submissions for FACE this week. Apparently lots of you know a FACE or two that you like.

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


WEEK 295 - FACE - KIM BARKER
Kim Barker

WEEK 295 - FACE - KIM BARKER
Kim Barker

WEEK 295 - FACE - KIO DETTMAN
Kio Dettman

WEEK 295 - FACE - KIO DETTMAN
Kio Dettman

WEEK 295 - FACE - KIO DETTMAN
Kio Dettman

WEEK 295 - FACE - LINDA BENNETT
Linda Bennett

WEEK 295 - FACE - TAMARA PETERSON
Tamara Peterson

WEEK 295 - FACE - MICKY AUGUSTIN
Micky Augustin

WEEK 295 - FACE - TAMARA PETERSON
Tamara Peterson

WEEK 295 - FACE - BECKY PARMELEE
Becky Parmelee

WEEK 295 - FACE - JOE DUFF
Joe Duff

WEEK 295 - FACE - CHRISTOPHER D. BENNETT
Christopher D. Bennett

WEEK 295 - FACE - KIO DETTMAN
Kio Dettman

WEEK 295 - FACE - MICKY AUGUSTIN
Micky Augustin

WEEK 295 - FACE - CATHIE RALEY
Cathie Raley


Submitted by Andy Sharp by Caree Severson

WEEK 295 - FACE - SHANNON BARDOLE-FOLEY
Shannon Bardole-Foley

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 296 - LIGHT
LIGHT

LIGHT! Another great theme for Year 8 of THE WEEKLY PHOTO CHALLENGE.

A LIGHT image is pretty simple. It is merely a picture where LIGHT plays a major compositional element. A wise person might argue that any picture they take is a LIGHT picture because all photography really is, is the capturing of LIGHT. But warning, when you take a picture of LIGHT, don’t face your camera straight towards a bright LIGHT.. You will surely damage it. The camera. The LIGHT will be just fine.

Think about the following song lyric when you are contemplating your LIGHT image:

I saw the light, I saw the light
No more darkness, no more night
Now I’m so happy no sorrow in sight
Praise the Lord, I saw the light
-Hank Williams

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 LIGHT in this place that is a little bit more than scraps of LIGHT next Monday.

WPC – WEEK 294 – TRAVEL

There was a decent amount of submissions for TRAVEL. It looks like several people left their house this weekend and had TRAVEL adventures.

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


WEEK 294 - TRAVEL - MICKY AUGUSTIN
Micky Augustin

WEEK 294 - TRAVEL - ELIZABETH NORDEEN
Elizabeth Nordeen

WEEK 294 - TRAVEL - JODIE CUE
Jodie Cue

WEEK 294 - TRAVEL - JODIE CUE
Jodie Cue

WEEK 294 - TRAVEL - CHRISTOPHER D. BENNETT
Christopher D. Bennett

WEEK 294 - TRAVEL - JODIE CUE
Jodie Cue

WEEK 294 - TRAVEL - KIM BARKER
Kim Barker

WEEL 294 - TRAVEL - SHANNON BARDOLE-FOLEY
Shannon Bardole-Foley

WEEL 294 - TRAVEL - KIO DETTMAN
Kio Dettman

WEEL 294 - TRAVEL - KIO DETTMAN
Kio Dettman

WEEK 294 - TRAVEL - MIKE VEST
Mike Vest

WEEK 294 - TRAVEL - CARLA STENSLAND
Carla Stensland

WEEK 294 - TRAVEL - CARLA STENSLAND
Carla Stensland

WEEK 294 - TRAVEL - CARLA STENSLAND
Carla Stensland

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 295 - FACE
FACE

FACE! Another great theme for Year 8 of THE WEEKLY PHOTO CHALLENGE.

A FACE image is pretty simple. It is merely a picture where a FACE is a major compositional element. Everybody has access to a FACE. Almost everybody either has a FACE or knows somebody that has a FACE. But not just humans have a FACE. Animals have a FACE. Clocks have a FACE. Even cliffs have a FACE.

Think about the following quote when you are contemplating your FACE image:

Laughter is the sun that drives winter from the human face.
-Victor Hugo

Meditate on this quote and I have no doubt your submission will be one that is ready to FACE the world.

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 FACE in this place that sometimes doesn’t know which way to FACE next Monday.

WPC – WEEK 293 – HANDS

There was a decent amount of submissions for HANDS. Including, what I believe to be the first ever submission by Amy Peterson. Very excited to have Amy as a future contributor and I expect big things from here in the future.

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


WEEK 293 - HANDS - MICKY AUGUSTIN
Micky Augustin

WEEK 293 - HANDS - KIO DETTMAN
Kio Dettman

WEEK 293 - HANDS - KIO DETTMAN
Kio Dettman

WEEK 293 - HANDS - TAMARA PETERSON
Tamara Peterson

WEEK 293 - HANDS - AMY PETERSON
Amy Peterson

WEEK 293 - HANDS - KIO DETTMAN
Kio Dettman

WEEK 293 - HANDS - CHRISTOPHER D. BENNETT
Christopher D. Bennett

WEEK 293 - HANDS - KIM BARKER
Kim Barker

WEEK 293 - HANDS - MIKE VEST
Mike Vest

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


WEEK 294 - TRAVEL
TRAVEL

TRAVEL! Another great theme for Year 8 of THE WEEKLY PHOTO CHALLENGE.

A TRAVEL image is pretty simple. It is merely a picture that involves TRAVEL. It could be the result of TRAVEL. You could TRAVEL somewhere and then take a picture of something. You could take a picture of things that are involved in TRAVEL. You could take a picture of things that are involved in preparing for TRAVEL. The possibilities are endless.

Think about the following quote while you are contemplating your TRAVEL image:

The real voyage of discovery consists not in seeking new landscapes, but in having new eyes.
-Marcel Proust

Meditate on this quote and I have no doubt your submission will help others see the world with new eyes.

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 TRAVEL in this place that only needs you to travel through cyberspace next Monday.

WEEK 290 – SLICE OF LIFE AND WEEK 291 – DRINKS

There were two themes for last week, so might as well just get at them.

First up is SLICE OF LIFE:


WEEK 290 - SLICE OF LIFE - JOE DUFF
JOE DUFF

WEEK 290 - SLICE OF LIFE - TAMARA PETERSON
TAMARA PETERSON

WEEK 290 - SLICE OF LIFE - KIO DETTMAN
KIO DETTMAN

WEEK 290 - SLICE OF LIFE - CHRISTOPHER D. BENNETT
CHRISTOPHER D. BENNETT

WEEK 290 - SLICE OF LIFE - KIM BARKER
Kim Barker

The second theme was DRINKS:


WEEK 291 - DRINKS - BILL WENTWORTH
Bill Wentworth

WEEK 291 - DRINKS - CHRISTOPHER D. BENNETT
Christopher D. Bennett

WEEK 291 - DRINKS - KIO DETTMAN
Kio Dettman

WEEK 291 - DRINKS - ANGIE DEWAARD
Angie DeWaard

WEEK 291 - DRINKS - ANGIE DEWAARD
Angie DeWaard

WEEK 291 - DRINKS - KIM BARKER
Kim Barker

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:



SHADOWS

A SHADOWS picture is pretty simple. It is a picture that includes a SHADOW(S) as part of the composition.

THE WEEKLY PHOTO CHALLENGE RULES:

The picture has to be taken the week of the theme. This isn’t a curate your pictures challenge. This is a get your butt off the couch (my personal experience) and put your camera in your hands challenge. Don’t send me a picture of you next to the Eiffel Tower, when I know you were in Iowa all week. I will point out that I have let that slide some in the past. I will not in the future. Since it is literally about the only rule.

Your submission needs to be emailed to bennett@photography139.com by 11 AM on the Monday of the challenge due date.

OR

I now allow people to text me their submissions. In the past, I had made exceptions for a couple people that aren’t real computer savvy, even though it was an inconvenience for me and required at least 3 extra steps for me. I am now lifting that embargo because I have a streamline way of uploading photos. I’m not giving out my phone number, but if you have it, you can text me.

It should be pointed out that this blog auto-publishes at 12:01 on Mondays. So it wouldn’t hurt to get your picture in earlier.

That is it, them’s the rules.

Good luck!

WPC – WEEK 289 – LOVE

For those of you that haven’t heard, my Mom passed away about 10 days ago. Because of that, I have not been in a state to reveal the submissions for LOVE on time or reveal the new theme for last week. Because of that, I don’t know how steady my posts are going to be in the next few weeks, but this site might just turn into a fan page for my Mom for a little while. However, I will do my best to get back on track with THE WEEKLY PHOTO CHALLENGE. Because of that, there will be two themes for this week to get back on track with the Photography 139 Calendar.

Sara’s submission was not exactly an intended submission, but its message was a perfect encapsulation of what I needed to see when it came through. Thank you Sara!

Here are the submissions for LOVE:


WEEK 289 - LOVE - KIM BARKER
Kim Barker

WEEK 289 - LOVE - DAWN KRAUSE
Dawn Krause

WEEK 289 - LOVE - DAWN KRAUSE
Dawn Krause

WEEK 289 - LOVE - MICKY AUGUSTIN
Micky Augustin

WEEK 289 - LOVE - MICHELLE HAUPT
Michelle Haupt

WEEK 289 - LOVE - ANDY SHARP
Andy Sharp

WEEK 289 - LOVE - STEVE WHITE
Steve White

WEEK 289 - LOVE - STEVE WHITE
Steve White

WEEK 289 - LOVE - STEVE WHITE
Steve White

WEEK 289 - LOVE - TAMARA PETERSON
Tamara Peterson

WEEK 289 - LOVE - SHANNON BARDOLE-FOLEY
Shannon Bardole-Foley

WEEK 289 - LOVE - BILL WENTWORTH
Bill Wentworth

WEEK 289 - LOVE - CATHIE RALEY
Cathie Raley

WEEK 289 - LOVE - KIO DETTMAN
Kio Dettman

WEEK 289 - LOVE - KIO DETTMAN
Kio Dettman

WEEK 289 - LOVE - SARA LOCKNER
Sara Lockner

WEEK 289 - LOVE - CHRISTOPHER D. BENNETT
Christopher D. Bennett

Here is the first of two themes to work on this week:


WEEK 290 - SLICE OF LIFE
SLICE OF LIFE

It was apropos that the theme was LOVE the week that we had to say goodbye to Mom. I don’t know anybody that embodied the various definitions of LOVE than my Mom. It is strange that the very next theme is SLICE OF LIFE. SLICE OF LIFE is a theme that was designed to honor my Dad. For those of you that don’t know, my Dad passed away when I was 9 years old. His legacy is a large part of the reason as to why I got into photography. He had started a postcard company called Slice of Life.

Therefore, a SLICE OF LIFE image is an image that looks at your local town and capture an image that could be used as a postcard. His postcards were black and white, if you want to go the extra mile.

The second theme to work on this week:


WEEK 291 - DRINKS
DRINKS

This theme isn’t very complicated. It is merely a picture of a DRINK or DRINK(S).

THE WEEKLY PHOTO CHALLENGE RULES:

The picture has to be taken the week of the theme. This isn’t a curate your pictures challenge. This is a get your butt off the couch (my personal experience) and put your camera in your hands challenge. Don’t send me a picture of you next to the Eiffel Tower, when I know you were in Iowa all week. I will point out that I have let that slide some in the past. I will not in the future. Since it is literally about the only rule.

Your submission needs to be emailed to bennett@photography139.com by 11 AM on the Monday of the challenge due date.

OR

I now allow people to text me their submissions. In the past, I had made exceptions for a couple people that aren’t real computer savvy, even though it was an inconvenience for me and required at least 3 extra steps for me. I am now lifting that embargo because I have a streamline way of uploading photos. I’m not giving out my phone number, but if you have it, you can text me.

It should be pointed out that this blog auto-publishes at 12:01 on Mondays. So it wouldn’t hurt to get your picture in earlier.

That is it, them’s the rules.

Good luck!

WPC – WEEK 287 – PICTURE IN PICTURE

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


05-12-08

Slice of Life Volume 1

Stensland Family Photo Shoot - 2016

Stenslands- 2020

Canvas No. 10

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

+++++++

I also need to wish Monica a happy birthday. Happy birthday Monica!


Monica

04-10-08

Roland VFW Fundraiser

Cheaper than Therapy

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

+++++++

We did it! 76 straight weeks of double digit submissions! I was worried about PICTURE IN PICTURE for a bit, but we came through!

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


WEEK 287 - PICTURE IN PICTURE - JOE DUFF
Joe Duff

WEEK 287 - PICTURE IN PICTURE - JOE DUFF
Joe Duff

WEEK 287 - PICTURE IN PICTURE - TAMARA PETERSON
Tamara Peterson

WEEK 287 - PICTURE IN PICTURE - AARON BARNETT
Aaron Barnett

WEEK 287 - PICTURE IN PICTURE - CHRISTOPHER D. BENNETT
Christopher D. Bennett

WEEK 287 - PICTURE IN PICTURE - ELIZABETH NORDEEN
Elizabeth Nordeen

WEEK 287 - PICTURE IN PICTURE - KIM BARKER
Kim Barker

WEEK 287 - PICTURE IN PICTURE - SHANNON BARDOLE-FOLEY
Shannon Bardole-Foley

WEEK 287 - PICTURE IN PICTURE - JEN ENSLEY-GORSHE
Jen Ensley-Gorshe

WEEK 287 - PICTURE IN PICTURE - KIO DETTMAN
Kio Dettman

WEEK 287 - PICTURE IN PICTURE - MONICA HENNING
Monica Henning

WEEK 287 - PICTURE IN PICTURE - DAWN KRAUSE
Dawn Krause

WEEK 287 - PICTURE IN PICTURE - MICHELLE HAUPT
Michelle Haupt

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 288 - STREET PHOTOGRAPHY
STREET PHOTOGRAPHY

It is here. Judgement Day. The last theme that didn’t get double digit submissions. STREET PHOTOGRAPHY. 76 weeks ago. September 23, 2019.

There were only 7 submissions from 7 people:

+ Jen Ensley-Gorshe
+ Andy Sharp
+ Kim Barker
+ Humble Narrator
+ Stephanie Kim
+ Tamara Peterson
+ Jesse Howard

But what is STREET PHOTOGRAPHY? Why is it so scary and intimidating?

Sorry, Chris from 5 seconds ago. I reject your premise. STREET PHOTOGRAPHY isn’t scary or intimidating. It is awesome!

Some of the best and most famous photographers in history were STREET PHOTOGRAPHYers.

+ Dorothea Lange
+ Helen Levitt
+ Diane Arbus
+ Robert Frank
+ Fan Ho
+ Vivian Maier
+ Robert Doisneau
+ Henri Cartier-Bresson

Okay, great, you are thinking, but you still haven’t defined STREET PHOTOGRAPHY. Is it pictures of a street? No, but it is photography that often takes place on the streets.

Here is the best definition: “conducted for art or enquiry that features unmediated chance encounters and random incidents within public places.”

The 2 most important things. RANDOM and PUBLIC. STREET PHOTOGRAPHY is often mistaken for CANDID PORTRAITS. STREET PHOTOGRAPHY has to be done in a public place. It doesn’t necessarily have to be a portrait. It can be a piece of art. It can be a building. It can be a sign. It doesn’t have to be on a street. It can be at a sporting event. It can be at an art festival. A farmer’s market. The most common place would be a business district. It only has to meet those 2 criteria: public and random.

What is public? I mean that is pretty obvious. It can’t be in your house or in your friend’s house. It has to be somewhere in the public. Where other people can be.

What is random? That simply means that you didn’t go to wherever you went with the intent of taking that picture. Something about the place you went to compelled you to take that picture. You may have went there to take a picture, but not a pre-planned picture.

Some people think of STREET PHOTOGRAPHY as candid portraits. It isn’t, but it certainly can be. However, the picture can be of street art like the example. Egene Atget, was the first STREET PHOTOGRAPHYer. He took pictures of buildings.

I’ll make one last comparison. STREET PHOTOGRAPHY is to photography what jazz is to music. It is all about improvisation. This is perhaps why I love it so much.

Okay, one last thing. Most of the great STREET PHOTOGRAPHYers worked in black & white. I’m not saying your submission should be in black & white, but it is something to think about.

Also, think about this quote before thinking about your STREET PHOTOGRAPHY creation:

“The marvels of daily life are exciting; no movie director can arrange the unexpected you find in the street.”
-Robert Doisneau

Meditate on this before you go out looking for some STREET PHOTOGRAPHY images.

Then send me your submission(s) by 11 AM CST next Monday. 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 PICTURE IN PICTURE in this place that was born on the streets next Monday.

WPC – WEEK 283 – WIND

Well, we did it! Andy said it couldn’t be done, but we hit double digits with WIND like it ain’t no thing, but a chicken wing on a string. A phrase, that while I enjoy typing, don’t understand in the slightest. 72 weeks in a row of double digit submissions!

An exciting development this week was that I received the first ever submission from Susanna Funk. For those of you that don’t know Susanna, she is one of the most badass people I know. In addition to be under the stress of being a health care professional in a state (Iowa) with a completely inept governor, she spends her spare time climbing mountains. Her WIND picture comes from Rocky Mountains National Park.

But you didn’t come here to listen to me talk all tommyrot about submission rates to shove it in Andy’s face, you came to see the submissions:


WEEK 283 - WIND - SUSANNA FUNK
Susanna Funk

WEEK 283 - WIND - SHANNON BARDOLE-FOLEY
Shannon Bardole-Foley

WEEK 283 - WIND - TAMARA PETERSON
Tamara Peterson

WEEK 283 - WIND - CHRISTOPHER D. BENNETT
Christopher D. Bennett

WEEK 283 - WIND - KIO DETTMAN
Kio Dettman

WEEK 283 - WIND - KIO DETTMAN
Kio Dettman

WEEK 283 - WIND - KIO DETTMAN
Kio Dettman

WEEK 283 - WIND - KIO DETTMAN
Kio Dettman

WEEK 283 - WIND - JOE DUFF
Joe Duff

WEEK 283 - WIND - MICKY AUGUSTIN
Micky Augustin

WEEK 283 - WIND - MICKY AUGUSTIN
Micky Augustin

WEEK 283 - WIND - MICKY AUGUSTIN
Micky Augustin

WEEK 283 - WIND - KIM BARKER
Kim Barker

WEEK 283 - WIND - JEN ENSLEY-GORSHE
Jen Ensley-Gorshe

WEEK 283 - WIND - LOGAN KAHLER
WEEK 283 - WIND - LOGAN KAHLER
WEEK 283 - WIND - LOGAN KAHLER
Logan Kahler

WEEK 283 - WIND - MONICA HENNING
Monica Henning

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 284 - SYMMETRY & PATTERNS
SYMMETRY & PATTERNS

SYMMETRY & PATTERNS! Another great theme for Year 8 of THE WEEKLY PHOTO CHALLENGE.

I can’t help but think of Shannon when I think of the theme of SYMMETRY & PATTERNS. Back in the day, we would occasionally go to art shows and fairs together. It often ended up being a painful and frustrating experience because the art booths that she would like to stop and look at were the art that actually hurt my soul (at least a little bit) to look at. It was all symmetrical lines and shapes. I always thought, “if this is the kind of art she likes and she likes my photography, what does that say about my photography? Is it this awful and boring?”

On the other side of the coin, she also hated most of the art I liked. Considered it to be derivative of the illustrations one sees in children’s books. Whatever.

I’m not saying you should tap into your inner Shannon when making your SYMMETRY & PATTERNS picture, but it might not hurt. I’m not saying your picture should be boring and uninteresting. I borderline enjoy the theme reveal picture of the bathroom floor in front of my toilet*. I am saying that you should find a pattern and/or a subject that has symmetry. While this isn’t my favorite theme, I do look forward to seeing your interpretations. I bet Shannon will be counting down the days.

When thinking about creating your SYMMETRY & PATTERNS image, think on the following quote from noted Japanese author Junichiro Tanizaki:

Find beauty not only in the thing itself but in the pattern of the shadows, the light and dark which that thing provides.

Meditate on these words and you will no doubt, make a completely almost interesting SYMMETRY & PATTERNS image.

Then send me your submission(s) by 11 AM CST next Monday. 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 SYMMETRY & PATTERNS in this place that admittedly has some symmetry and patterns of its own next Monday.

*Admit it. You are impressed with how clean it is.

WPC – WEEK 282 – USE OF SPACE

I have to confess, I had my doubts about USE OF SPACE. It is a little more technical theme and the technical themes scare many people away. But we did it! 71 weeks in a row of double digits!

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


WEEK 282 - USE OF SPACE - CARLA STENSLAND
Carla Stensland

WEEK 282 - USE OF SPACE - CHRISTOPHER D. BENNETT
Christopher D. Bennett

WEEK 282 - USE OF SPACE - CARLA STENSLAND
Carla Stensland

WEEK 282 - USE OF SPACE - TAMARA PETERSON
Tamara Peterson

WEEK 282 - USE OF SPACE - BECKY PARMELEE
Becky Parmelee

WEEK 282 - USE OF SPACE - TERESA KAHLER
Teresa Kahler

WEEK 282 - USE OF SPACE - KIM BARKER
Kim Barker

WEEK 282 - USE OF SPACE - MICKY AUGUSTIN
Micky Augustin

WEEK 282 - USE OF SPACE - DAWN KRAUSE
Dawn Krause

WEEK 282 - USE OF SPACE - KIO DETTMAN
Kio Dettman

WEEK 282 - USE OF SPACE - KIO DETTMAN
Kio Dettman

WEEK 282 - USE OF SPACE - KIO DETTMAN
Kio Dettman

WEEK 282 - CATHIE RALEY - USE OF SPACE
Cathie Raley

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 283 - WIND
WIND

WIND! Another great theme for Year 8 of THE WEEKLY PHOTO CHALLENGE.

WIND was a theme that was suggested by Andy. He practically dared me to use it as a theme because he said it would break the double digit streak. Well, challenge accepted!

But what is a WIND picture? You can’t see the WIND after all. While WIND might be invisible, you can see the effects of WIND on many, many things. In the photo reveal/example image, it is WIND that is blowing snow across the road. Tamara’s submission for USE OF SPACE could just as easily be WIND submission. At least here in central Iowa, WIND will be a major factor in our lives this week. WIND chill temperatures could get lower than -30. Andy says we can’t do double digit submissions for WIND. I say that it is almost too easy!

But while thinking of how you are going to compose your wind image, think on the song (one of my favorite songs of all-time) lyrics to this song by Yusuf Islam:

I listen to the wind, to the wind of my soul
Where I’ll end up, well, I think only God really knows
I’ve sat upon the setting sun
But never, never, never, never
I never wanted water once
No never, never, never
I listen to my words but they fall far below
I let my music take me where my heart wants to go
I swam upon the Devil’s lake
But never, never, never, never
I’ll never make the same mistake
No, never, never, never

Meditate on those words while you make your WIND interpretation.

Then send me you submission(s) by 11 AM CST next Monday. Remember, while I might consider you FAMILY, 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 WIND in this place that can be windy when its CDO gets talking next Monday.

WPC – WEEK 281 – BLACK

BLACK! Another theme. Another Monday. Another week of double digit submissions! 70 weeks in a row to be exact! WooHoo!

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


WEEK 282 - BLACK - JESSE HOWARD
Jesse Howard

WEEK 282 - BLACK - KIM BARKER
Kim Barker

WEEK 282 - BLACK - JESSE HOWARD
Jesse Howard

WEEK 282 - BLACK - KIO DETTMAN
Kio Dettman

WEEK 282 - BLACK - CARLA STENSLAND
Carla Stensland

WEEK 282 - BLACK - KIO DETTMAN
Kio Dettman

WEEK 282 - BLACK - MICHELLE HAUPT
Michelle Haupt

WEEK 282 - BLACK - KIO DETTMAN
Kio Dettman

WEEK 282 - BLACK - SHANNON BARDOLE-FOLEY
Shannon Bardole-Foley

WEEK 282 - BLACK - TAMARA PETERSON
Tamara Peterson

WEEK 281 - BLACK - CHRISTOPHER D. BENNETT
Christopher D. Bennett

WEEK 281 - BLACK - ANDY SHARP
Andy Sharp

WEEK 281 - BLACK - ANDY SHARP
Andy Sharp

WEEK 281 - BLACK - DAWN KRAUSE
Dawn Krause

WEEK 281 - BLACK - ELIZABETH NORDEEN
Elizabeth Nordeen

WEEK 281 - BLACK - BECKY PARMELEE
Becky Parmelee

WEEK 281 - BLACK - MONICA HENNING
Monica Henning

WEEK 281 - BLACK - MONICA HENNING
Monica Henning

WEEK 281 - BLACK - MONICA HENNING
Monica Henning

WEEK 281 - BLACK - MICKY AUGUSTIN
Micky Augustin

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 282 - USE OF SPACE
USE OF SPACE

USE OF SPACE! Another great theme for Year 8 of THE WEEKLY PHOTO CHALLENGE.

USE OF SPACE is an important theme historically for THE WEEKLY PHOTO CHALLENGE. It was the very first theme ever for THE WEEKY PHOTO CHALLLENGE. All the way back when Vest and I invented THE WEEKLY PHOTO CHALLENGE in the build area of the Computer Mine. Back then it was called THE RANDOM WEEKLY PHOTO EXPERIMENT and the theme was determined each week by a program that Vest wrote. Back then we both received submissions and he also published submissions on his website.
Much has changed back then, and not just the name. While that little bit of history is fascinating, it doesn’t answer the question, what is a USE OF SPACE picture?

It is possibly a confusing theme on the surface, but couldn’t be simpler in reality. All you have to understand is that in an image, there are two types of “space”. Positive space and negative space.

Positive space is the area in the photo that attracts the viewer’s eye. It’s the main subject that commands attention in the composition.

Negative space is the space in the composition that is typically the background. It usually doesn’t attract very much attention. It is used to define or contour the positive space.

In the example, my hand is the positive space. The brick wall is the negative space. In a USE OF SPACE (or negative space) photo, the photographer uses the space that is usually not the primary focus and uses it to fill in most of the composition. The negative space commands more attention than the positive space and creates a unique perspective. It also adds definition and can create strong emotions.

The challenge of this week is to make an image that is mostly negative space.

It is a counterintuitive way to compose an image. The natural instinct is to fill most of the frame with positive space. But you can really ratchet up the emotional impact by putting more negative space in an image than you normally would.

Of course, there are other ways to define USE OF SPACE. You can meditate on this quote by Bob Dylan, while you think about how to compose your USE OF SPACE picture:

Gates appeal to me because of the negative space they allow. They can be closed but at the same time they allow the seasons and breezes to enter and flow. They can shut you out or shut you in. And in some ways there is no difference.

Meditate on these words while you thinking about how you are going to create your USE OF SPACE photo.

Then send me you submission(s) by 11 AM CST next Monday. Remember, while I might consider you FAMILY, 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 USE OF SPACE in this place that is tries to make wise USE OF SPACE next Monday.