Category Archives: Michelle

WPC – WEEK 320 – HERO

Reminder this is the last day to submit ideas for next year’s THE WEEKLY PHOTO CHALLENGE theme. Leave you suggestions in the comments section of today’s journal entry.

It looks like a few people have people they consider to be a HERO.

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


WEEK 320 - HERO - CARLA STENSLAND
Carla Stensland

WEEK 320 - HERO - CARLA STENSLAND
Carla Stensland

WEEK 320 - HERO - KIO DETTMAN
Kio Dettman

WEEK 320 - HERO - KIO DETTMAN
Kio Dettman

WEEK 320 - HERO - TAMARA PETERSON
Tamara Peterson

WEEK 320 - HERO - CHRISTOPHER D. BENNNETT
Christopher D. Bennett

WEEK 320 - HERO - BILL WENTWORTH
Bill Wentworth

WEEK 320 - HERO - MICHELLE HAUPT
Michelle Haupt

WEEK 320 - HERO - LOGAN KAHLER
Logan Kahler

WEEK 320 - HERO - LOGAN KAHLER
Logan Kahler

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 321 - BUSINESS
BUSINESS

BUSINESS! What a great theme for Year 8 of THE WEEKLY PHOTO CHALLENGE!

But what is a BUSINESS image? A BUSINESS image is any image that shows any aspect of a BUSINESS. From a storefront. To the employees working at the BUSINESS. To a BUSINESS card. Literally any aspect of a BUSINESS. And it can be any type of BUSINESS. From a mulit-million dollar corporation to somebody selling Pampered Chef out of the trunk of their car.

While thinking on your BUSINESS picture, think on the following quote:

Making money is art and working is art and good business is the best art.
-Andy Warhol

Good luck capturing a great BUSINESS image.

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 BUSINESS in this place that that vaguely resembles a business next Monday.

WPC – WEEK 319 – GREEN

REMINDER!!! This week and next week are you chance to help mold the next 52 weeks for THE WEEKLY PHOTO CHALLENGE. To do that leave suggestions for themes in the COMMENTS section of this here journal entry. There were some good suggestions last week and one truly terrible one. Terrible because it was overly specific about a certain species of animal and not because of my alleged feelings towards that specific species of animal.

GREEN is a pretty gosh dang easy theme, so hopefully there are lots of submissions.

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


WEEK 319 - GREEN - BILL WENTWORTH
Bill Wentworth

WEEK 319 - GREEN - CHRISTOPHER D. BENNETT
Christopher D. Bennett

WEEK 319 - GREEN - JOE DUFF
Joe Duff

WEEK 319 - GREEN - TAMARA PETERSON
Tamara Peterson

WEEK 319 - GREEN - MICHELLE HAUPT
Michelle Haupt

WEEK 319 - GREEN - ANGIE DEWAARD
Angie DeWaard

WEEK 319 - GREEN - TERESA KAHLER
Teresa Kahler

WEEK 319 - GREEN - ANDY SHARP
Andy Sharp

WEEK 319 - GREEN - LOGAN KAHLER
Logan Kahler

WEEK 319 - GREEN - LOGAN KAHLER
Logan Kahler

WEEK 319 - GREEN - TERESA KAHLER
Teresa Kahler

WEEK 319 - GREEN - TERESA KAHLER
Teresa Kahler

WEEK 319 - GREEN - MICKY AUGUSTIN
Micky Augustin

WEEK 319 - GREEN - ELIZABETH NORDEEN
Elizabeth Nordeen

WEEK 319 - GREEN - KIO DETTMAN
Kio Dettman

WEEK 319 - GREEN - KIO DETTMAN
Kio Dettman

WEEK 319 - GREEN - KIO DETTMAN
Kio Dettman

WEEK 319 - GREEN - SHANNON BARDOLE-FOLEY
Shannon Bardole-Foley

WEEK 319 - GREEN - JEN ENSLEY-GORSHE
Jen Ensley-Gorshe

WEEK 319 - VEST - ,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:


WEEL 320 - HERO
HERO

HERO! What a great theme for Year 8 of THE WEEKLY PHOTO CHALLENGE!

But what is a HERO photo? A HERO photo is a picture of somebody that is considered a HERO. Might be a personal HERO of yours. Don’t everybody ask to take my picture at once. Once at a time… Or it can be a picture of a fictional character. It can be somebody you know in everyday life or like in the theme reveal image it can be somebody you have never met. This week is Halloween. I bet you will see all sorts of people out and about dressed like HEROes. That is a happy coincidence, though. The order of the themes were selected randomly last November.

While considering your HERO image, consider the following quote:

You cannot be a hero without being a coward.
– George Bernard Shaw

Good luck capturing your HERO!

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 HERO in this place that that records many of my personal idols next Monday.

Journal Entry #4,250

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

So here is the first journal entry.

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

What was that first journal entry?

A set of goals:

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

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

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

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

Here are some damn lying statistics.

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

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

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

These are the 10 Most Used Not a Person Categories:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Most Popular Photography 139 Galleries of the last 365 days:


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

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

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

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


#6 Iowa 59,724 Views

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

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

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

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

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

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

Most Popular Photography 139 Images of the last 365 days:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

That leads us to my most popular individual posts.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

#2. LIPTON CUP OF ZINNIA – 32 Comments

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

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

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

Top Five Most Loyal Photography 139 Subscribers

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

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

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

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

WPC – WEEK 317 – TIME

Need to start today by wishing everybody a Happy Indigenous Peoples’ Day and remember F*CK Christopher Columbus. For raping 9 and 10 year old girls. For the murder of 8 million Arawahs, while enslaving them. For cannibalism. For feeding babies to dogs. For using biological weapons to kill 97 million people. Yeah, F*CK Christopher Columbus.

But this day isn’t about reminding people that Christopher Columbus was one of the most evil persons in history and isn’t worth of veneration and should be thought of in the way that people think of Hitler or Stalin or the Confederacy. It is to celebrate the people who first called this land home. To remember the struggles and tragedies they endured. To honor their place in and contributions to the shared story of America.

And for that reason, I share the amazing Navajo prayer Walking in Beauty:

In beauty I walk
With beauty before me I walk
With beauty behind me I walk
With beauty above me I walk
With beauty around me I walk
It has become beauty again
Today I will walk out, today everything negative will leave me
I will be as I was before, I will have a cool breeze over my body.
I will have a light body, I will be happy forever, nothing will hinder me.
I walk with beauty before me. I walk with beauty behind me.
I walk with beauty below me. I walk with beauty above me.
I walk with beauty around me. My words will be beautiful.
In beauty all day long may I walk.
Through the returning seasons, may I walk.
On the trail marked with pollen may I walk.
With dew about my feet, may I walk.
With beauty before me may I walk.
With beauty behind me may I walk.
With beauty below me may I walk.
With beauty above me may I walk.
With beauty all around me may I walk.
In old age wandering on a trail of beauty, lively, may I walk.
In old age wandering on a trail of beauty, living again, may I walk.
My words will be beautiful…

Happy Indigenous Peoples’ Day!

+++++++

It appears that a few people made TIME for TIME.

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


WEEK 317 - TIME - ANDY SHARP
Andy Sharp

WEEK 317 - TIME - BILL WENTWORTH
Bill Wentworth

WEEK 317 - TIME - CHRISTOPHER D. BENNETT
Christopher D. Bennett

WEEK 317 - TIME - TERESA KAHLER
Teresa Kahler

WEEK 317 - TIME - JEN ENSLEY-GORSHE
Jen Ensley-Gorshe

WEEK 317 - TIME - KIM BARKER
Kim Barker

WEEK 317 - TIME - MICHELLE HAUPT
Michelle Haupt

WEEK 317 - TIME - SHANNON BARDOLE-FOLEY
Shannon Bardole-Foley

WEEK 317 - TIME - ELIZABETH NORDEEN
Elizabeth Nordeen

WEEK 317 - TIME - CARLA STENSLAND
Carla Stensland

WEEK 317 - TIME - CARLA STENSLAND
Carla Stensland

WEEK 317 - TIME - CARLA STENSLAND
Carla Stensland

WEEK 317 - TIME - 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 318 - PASSION
PASSION

PASSION! What a great theme for Year 8 of THE WEEKLY PHOTO CHALLENGE!

But what is a PASSION picture? First we need to establish the difference between love and PASSION. What separates PASSION from love isn’t just a warm feeling about something or somebody. PASSION is what you are willing to suffer for. That is why the movie is called THE PASSION OF THE CHRIST. Because Jesus’ love for us was so intense that he was willing to suffer for us. In the theme reveal picture it shows the result of Jesus’ PASSION for us as he has been lowered from the cross into Mary’s arms. I’m sure there are many things in your life that you love. But this challenge asks you to take a picture of something you love so much that you are willing to suffer for it. Remember though the PASSION in your submission doesn’t have to be your own. It can be somebody else’s PASSION as well.

While considering your options for a PASSION submission, consider the following quote:

It is obvious that we can no more explain a passion to a person who has never experienced it than we can explain light to the blind.
-T.S. Eliot

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 PASSION in this place that has caused more than its fair share of suffering the next Monday.

WPC – WEEK 316 – FLOWER

Despite it being late in the year and FLOWERs not necessarily being in abundance this time of year, FLOWER ended up fueling the creative fires of quite a few people.

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


WEEK 316 - FLOWER - TERESA KAHLER
Teresa Kahler

WEEK 316 - FLOWER - ELIZABETH NORDEEN
Elizabeth Nordeen

WEEK 316 - FLOWER - KIM BARKER
Kim Barker

WEEK 316 - FLOWER - MICKY AUGUSTIN
Micky Augustin

WEEK 316 - FLOWER - CATHIE RALEY
Cathie Raley

WEEK 316 - FLOWER - MICHELLE HAUPT
Michelle Haupt

WEEK 316 - FLOWER - TAMARA PETERSON
Tamara Peterson

WEEK 316 - FLOWER - AMY PETERSON
Amy Peterson

WEEK 316 - FLOWER - BILL WENTWORTH
Bill Wentworth

WEEK 316 - FLOWER - CHRISTOPHER D. BENNETT
Christopher D. Bennett

WEEK 316 - FLOWER - ELIZABETH NORDEEN
Elizabeth Nordeen

WEEK 316 - FLOWER - ELIZABETH NORDEEN
Elizabeth Nordeen

WEEK 316 - FLOWER - CARLA STENSLAND
Carla Stensland

WEEK 316 - FLOWER - SHANNON BARDOLE-FOLEY
Shannon Bardole-Foley

WEEK 316 - FLOWER - CARLA STENSLAND
Carla Stensland

WEEK 316 - FLOWER - CARLA STENSLAND
Carla Stensland

WEEK 316 - FLOWER - LOGAN KAHLER
Logan Kahler

WEEK 316 - FLOWER - LOGAN KAHLER
Logan Kahler

WEEK 316 - FLOWER - ANDY SHARP
Andy Sharp

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 317 - TIME
TIME

TIME! What a great theme for Year 8 of THE WEEKLY PHOTO CHALLENGE!

But what is exactly a TIME photo? In a way, all images are a TIME photo because all pictures record a little slice of TIME that will never ever happen again. Your challenge is to figure out how to capture that slice of TIME. Will you use a quick shutter speed to freeze TIME? Will you use a slow shutter speed to make TIME seem more fluid? Will you be more literal and like the theme reveal image take a picture of a TIME recording device?

While thinking on making your TIME image, meditate on the following quote:

Time flies over us, but leaves its shadow behind.
-Nathaniel Hawthorne

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 TIME in this place that is little more than a shadow of my time next Monday.

WPC – WEEK 314 – WORK

WORK turned out to be a pretty popular theme. I knew many of you out there were hard WORKers!

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


WEEK 314 - WORK - JESSE HOWARD
Jesse Howard

WEEK 314 - WORK - MICKY AUGUSTIN
Micky Augustin

WEEK 314 - WORK - ANDY SHARP
Andy Sharp

WEEK 314 - WORK - BILL WENTWORTH
Bill Wentworth

WEEK 314 - WORK - CARLA STENSLAND
Carla Stensland

WEEK 314 - WORK - TAMARA PETERSON
Tamara Peterson

WEEK 314 - WORK - CHRISTOPHER D. BENNETT
Christopher D. Bennett

WEEK 314 - WORK - KIM BARKER
Kim Barker

WEEK 314 - WORK - ANGIE DEWAARD
Angie DeWaard

WEEK 314 - WORK - KIO DETTMAN
Kio Dettman

WEEK 314 - WORK - KIO DETTMAN
Kio Dettman

WEEK 314 - WORK - ELIZABETH NORDEEN
Elizabeth Nordeen

WEEK 314 - WORK - SHANNON BARDOLE-FOLEY
Shannon Bardole-Foley

WEEK 314 - WORK - JEN ENSLEY-GORSHE
Jen Ensley-Gorshe

WEEK 314 - WORK - MICHELLE HAUPT
Michelle Haupt

WEEK 314 - WORK - LOGAN KAHLER
Logan Kahler

WEEK 314 - WORK - LOGAN KAHLER
Logan Kahler

WEEK 314 - WORK - LOGAN KAHLER
Logan Kahler

WEEK 314 - WORK - LOGAN KAHLER
Logan Kahler

WEEK 314 - WORK - 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 315 - DREAM JOB
DREAM JOB

DREAM JOB! What a great theme for Year 8 of THE WEEKLY PHOTO CHALLENGE.

Seems like an apropos challenge as I have been thinking much on my own future lately.

But what is a DREAM JOB image? This was a theme suggested by Andy. The idea of this picture is to take an image of something that represents you (or somebody else’s) DREAM JOB. If you could get paid to do anything, what would it be. The picture can be of somebody doing that DREAM JOB or maybe just some of the equipment used in that DREAM JOB. It might be more of an abstract than most of the themes, but should still be plenty easy. Unless you don’t believe in dreams.

While thinking about your DREAM JOB image, think on this quote:

You are never too old to set another goal or to dream a new dream.
C.S. Lewis

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 DREAM JOB in this place that is little more than a dream within a dream next Monday.

WPC – WEEK 310 – FRIENDS

I’m pretty sure that this is the most popular theme in the history of THE WEEKLY PHOTO CHALLENGE. 30 submissions! Wow! I’m glad to see so many people have people they consider FRIENDS or could at least find a group of somebody else’s FRIENDS to photograph or found something that represented a FRIENDShip to them. Or maybe THE WEEKLY PHOTO CHALLENGE is hitting new heights in popularity. Maybe every week there will be nearly 30 submissions. A guy can dream, right?

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


WEEK 311 - FRIENDS - KIM BARKER
Kim Barker

WEEK 311 - FRIENDS - KIM BARKER
Kim Barker

WEEK 311 - FRIENDS - MICKY AUGUSTIN
Micky Augustin

WEEK 311 - FRIENDS - AMY PETERSON
Amy Peterson

WEEK 311 - FRIENDS - BECKY PARMELEE
Becky Parmelee

WEEK 311 - FRIENDS - CHRISTOPHER D. BENNETT
Christopher D. Bennett

WEEK 311 - FRIENDS - BILL WENTWORTH
Bill Wentworth

WEEK 311 - FRIENDS - TAMARA PETERSON
Tamara Peterson

WEEK 311 - FRIENDS - TAMARA PETERSON
Tamara Peterson

WEEK 311 - FRIENDS - TAMARA PETERSON
Tamara Peterson

WEEK 311 - FRIENDS - AMY PETERSON
Amy Peterson

WEEK 311 - FRIENDS - ANGIE DEWAARD
Angie DeWaard

WEEK 311 - FRIENDS - SHANNON BARDOLE-FOLEY
Shannon Bardole-Foley

WEEK 311 - FRIENDS - MICHELLE HAUPT
Michelle Haupt

WEEK 311 - FRIENDS - ANDY SHARP
Andy Sharp

WEEK 311 - FRIENDS - ANDY SHARP
Andy Sharp

WEEK 311 - FRIENDS - ANDY SHARP
Andy Sharp

WEEK 311 - FRIENDS - SARA LOCKNER
Sara Lockner

WEEK 311 - FRIENDS - TERESA KAHLER
Teresa Kahler

WEEK 311 - FRIENDS - KIO DETTMAN
Kio Dettman

WEEK 311 - FRIENDS - CARLA STENSLAND
Carla Stensland

WEEK 311 - FRIENDS - KIO DETTMAN
Kio Dettman

WEEK 311 - FRIENDS - KIO DETTMAN
Kio Dettman

WEEK 311 - FRIENDS - LOGAN KAHLER
Logan Kahler

WEEK 311 - FRIENDS - JEN ENSLEY-GORSHE
Jen Ensley-Gorshe

WEEK 311 - FRIENDS - JEN ENSLEY-GORSHE
Jen Ensley-Gorshe

WEEK 310 - FRIENDS - CATHIE RALEY
Cathie Raley

WEEK 310 - FRIENDS - JESSE HOWARD
Jesse Howard

WEEK 310 - FRIENDS - ELIZABETH NORDEEN
Elizabeth Nordeen

WEEK 310 - FRIENDS - MIKE VEST
Mike Vest

A great week of submissions!

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 311 - PEOPLE
PEOPLE

PEOPLE! What a great theme! But what is a PEOPLE photo? Fortunately for you, people infest nearly every corner of this planet, so they are easy to find. All you have to do is find some PEOPLE or remnants or proof that PEOPLE were once there. This group of PEOPLE doesn’t have to have any connection. They don’t have to be friends or family. They just have to be homo sapiens. I suppose Neanderthals would work as well.

When you are thinking about the picture you want to make, you can consider this quote and I have no doubt you will make a great PEOPLE photo:

I love mankind… it’s people I can’t stand!!
-Charles M. Schulz

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 PEOPLE in this place that is little more than my ineffective people trap next Monday.

WPC – WEEK 309 – MOVEMENT

I want to start today by announcing that there will be some kind Estate/Garage/Tag/Rummage Sale at my Mom’s house on Friday evening and Saturday morning. I’m not really 100% sure of the hours, but the location is in the garage on the alley. The alley is a dead end, so don’t pull down there looking for a place to park. The address is 111 South Benton Street. It is hard to tell what is going to be for sale, but I’m sure it will involve lots of glassware and holiday decorations. When I have an idea of times, I will let you know.

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The theme MOVEMENT did cause many people to spring into action and capture an object displaying MOVEMENT of one kind or another.

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


WEEK 309 - MOVEMENT - ANDY SHARP
Andy Sharp

WEEK 309 - MOVEMENT - KIM BARKER
Kim Barker

WEEK 309 - MOVEMENT - MICHELLE HAUPT
Michelle Haupt

WEEK 309 - MOVEMENT - SHANNON BARDOLE-FOLEY
Shannon Bardole-Foley

WEEK 309 - MOVEMENT - TAMARA PETERSON
Tamara Peterson

WEEK 309 - MOVEMENT - BILL WENTWORTH
Bill Wentworth

WEEK 309 - MOVEMENT - CHRISTOPHER D. BENNETT
Christopher D. Bennett

WEEK 309 - MOVEMENT - ELIZABETH NORDEEN
Elizabeth Nordeen

WEEK 309 - MOVEMENT - ANDY SHARP
Andy Sharp

WEEK 309 - MOVEMENT - ANDY SHARP
Andy Sharp

WEEK 309 - MOVEMENT - ANDY SHARP
Andy Sharp

WEEK 309 - MOVEMENT - LOGAN KAHLER
Logan Kahler

WEEK 309 - MOVEMENT - LOGAN KAHLER
Logan Kahler

WEEK 309 - MOVEMENT - JESSE HOWARD
Jesse Howard

WEEK 309 - MOVEMENT - KIM BARKER
Kim Barker

WEEK 309 - MOVEMENT - MICKY AUGUSTIN
Micky Augustin

WEEK 309 - MOVEMENT - CARLA STENSLAND
Carla Stensland

WEEK 309 - MOVEMENT - CARLA STENSLAND
Carla Stensland

WEEK 309 - MOVEMENT - CARLA STENSLAND
Carla Stensland

WEEK 309 - MOVEMENT - KIO DETTMAN
Kio Dettman

WEEK 309 - MOVEMENT - KIO DETTMAN
Kio Dettman

A great week of submissions!

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 310 - FRIENDS
FRIENDS

FRIENDS! What a great theme! But what is a FRIENDS photo? It is simply a picture of a group of FRIENDS or even just a picture of one of your FRIEND(S). Maybe it could even be a picture of an object that represents a FRIENDShip to you. The theme reveal picture shows Jen, Layla, and Evie. They are a family, but they are also my FRIENDS. They are also in many ways, my family. However, the lines between FRIENDS and FAMILY can blur in multiple directions. So don’t get too hung up on is this person FAMILY or a FRIEND(S)? If you have to ask the question, the answer is that they are both.

While you are thinking about your FRIENDS photo, think on this quote and you will no doubt create a photo as rare as the FRIENDShip you are trying to capture:

The only way to have a friend is to be one.
-Ralph Waldo Emerson

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 FRIENDS in this place that is little more than a record of my FRIENDS next Monday.

Pufferbilly Days Photo Contest – 2021

It seems like a good time to review my first time as the Chair of the Pufferbilly Days Photo Contest. I don’t know I can say it was an extreme success, but enough of a success to build on. Participation was way down this year, but I think that was to be expected as participation seems to be down across the board and there were lots of things working against the Photo Contest.

I was able to fix a few of the things that have bothered me about the Pufferbilly Days Photo Contest in the past:

#1. The pictures were up for display on time, in fact, a day early.
#2. All the pictures were labelled with the name of the photographer, what class they were in, and the name of image.
#3. There was a display that named the winners that you could easily look at to see who placed in each class.
#4. Some small organizational things here and there, like putting stickers on the back of the entries, having a system for dividing and then combining the entries by photographer, and putting all the entries into bags with the judging forms, so they are easy to pick up.

There are plenty of changes I want to make next year, but I’ll get into that at the end.

I need to thank everybody that helped with the contest this year:

+ Michelle – Thanks for helping with adjusting the entry form and saved the life of at least one tree.
+ Kim – Thanks for the use of your Dymo for printing labels and the box.
+ Vest – Thanks for help with working with the OTHER Dymo.
+ Teresa – Thanks for all the help with the clerical/organizational side and creating the awards sign.
+ Carla – Thanks for all the help with the clerical/organization side, including labeling the ribbons.
+ Logan – Thanks for being a judge and smoking the meat for supper on the night of the judging.
+ Nathanial – Thanks for being a judge and bringing the sides for supper on the night of judging.
+ Lisa – Thanks for being a judge and bringing some experience and wisdom to this process.
+ Elainie – Thanks for being inside the window and setting up and taking down the display.
+ Kio – Thanks for getting me this gig and being the outside window helper when setting up the display.
+ Jesse – Thanks for putting up the banner and writing the thank you notes with your good penmanship. Also for distributing the flyers.
+ Megan – Thanks for your brilliant sidewalk chalk art.
+ Jorge – Thanks for the LaserJet printer that we used to print the labels.
+ The Staff of KWBG – For being supper supportive and always going the extra mile.
+ Boone First United Methodist Church – For providing a place to judge the images with an elevator.

I’m sure I’m forgetting somebody that helped during the process. This is not an intentional error. I thank whomever I forgot.

Here are some pictures from the judging process:


Pufferbilly Days

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We did the judging in Fellowship Hall at the Boone First United Methodist Church. I selected three judges because I didn’t want ties (although that was still a possibility) and I want a diversity of opinions and photographic skills.

The judges were:

Logan Kahler – Runs his own photography business. Former editor of the Boone News-Republican. Does wedding and event photography. Also does quite a bit of real estate photography.

Nathanial Brown – Proprietor of Nathanial Brown Productions. The leading force in Abandoned Iowa Photography and does a town of concert and event photography. Plus all sorts of photography for musicians in general.

Lisa Person – Half of Person Photography with her husband Bob. One of the best photographers I’ve ever known and it was particularly meaningful to me on a personal level to have her as part of the team for my first go as chair of this event. Their family and my family have always been intertwined in the world of photography. They did Senior Pictures for me and my sisters. They did the photography for all of our weddings. My Dad took a photography class (probably several) from Bob.

The story I’ve always heard about how Bob and my Dad met goes back to a 4-H display at the Boone County Fair. One of my sisters had entered a picture and Bob was a judge. Bob had given one of the pictures not a very good score. My Dad (who was over 6 foot and had a full manly beard) approached Bob who is more like 5 foot 6 (maybe) about why he gave this picture such a low score. (The picture used a technique called “soft focus”, but Bob considered that to just be out of focus.) Bob was terrified (or at least scared and intimidated) because he thought he had this big guy (that could surely squash him) pissed at him for giving his daughter’s picture low marks. But he soon found out that my Dad was only looking for information. Pointers. Advice. From that one conversation, they soon became great friends.

While Lisa was not a sentimental pick by any stretch of the imagination, it was very sentimental for me to have her in the room.

I got Megan Osborn to put down some sidewalk chalk art in front of the Photo Contest display to try to draw some more attention to it.

Here are some pictures of Megan:


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Pufferbilly Days

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Unfortunately, it rained that very night and washed most of it away. But then Jennifer from KWBG and her daughter traced over it and brought it back to life. Then it rained again. So the sidewalk chalk art didn’t draw people in, but now I know how to get it to rain.

Here are picture of the photo display being put up and taken down:


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Pufferbilly Days

Pufferbilly Days

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Pufferbilly Days

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Here are some statistics from the Pufferbilly Days Photo Contest:

+ 24 total entries
+ 20 Adult entries
+ 4 Youth entries
+ 5 Photoshop Enhanced (Adult) entries
+ 3 Hidden Treasures of Boone County (Adult) entries
+ 1 Photojournalism (Adult) entry
+ 11 Nature (Adult) entry
+ 5 Adult photographers
+ 2 Youth photographers

The Award Winners:

Adult – Hidden Treasures of Boone County
1. John Roberts – Last Train of the Season
2. John Roberts – Slowly Sinking
3. Tyler Alber – Boone County IA Sunset

Adult – Nature
1. Angie DeWaard – Golden Glow of Summer
2. Ava Stevens – Floral Summer Sun of My Heart
3. Angie DeWaard – Dragonfire

Adult – Photoshop Enhanced
1. Beatrice Upah – Are those donkeys?
2. Beatrice Upah – Rest Time
3. Beatrice Upah – Middle of Nowhere

Adult – Photojournalism
1. Angie DeWaard – Pandemic Chicken

Youth – Hidden Treasures of Boone County
1. Kayelee Burns – train turn about

Youth – Photojournalism
1. Daphne Harris – Fun in the Park

Youth – Photoshop Enhanced
1. Daphne Harris – Reflextion of Pinkie Pie
2. Kayelee Burns – My dog at ledges

My two main concerns for next year are that I need to figure out a way to get participation up. The other thing I need to come up with is a plan for getting the window display cooled. It gets extremely hot in that display and that causes many of the pictures to curl and I swear almost melt. I have a few ideas in mind for this problem. One of them includes replacing a window (or windows) with peg board. If anybody comes across some free or very cheap peg board that I can cut down… well I’m your huckleberry.

I’m also researching air conditioner options.

Here is a list of ideas I may bring to the 2022 Pufferbilly Days Photo Contest. Not all ideas are mine, but all of them are being considered.

+ Change the classes. In particular, I’m not a fan of the Photoshop Enhanced and Photojournalism category. I’m not sure what the new classes would be, but I’ve received more than one suggestion that there should be a railroad class for a festival that celebrates railroad heritage.
+ Move the deadline back to the Friday before Pufferbilly Days.
+ Add a Best in Show winner.
+ Customized Ribbons.
+ A People’s Choice Winner where people can vote online for their favorite. (This will take some work.)
+ Get the rules and entry form out as soon as possible. Get the flyer out as soon as possible. I plan on sending a reminder postcard out to all of this year’s entries when the Chamber is ready to start taking in entries.
+ Split the age divisions into Youth, Teen, and Adult. Get rid of classes for Youth. One of the Youth entries I got simply listed their class as “Photo”. I made the command decision on what category to enter it into. I don’t think kids should get wrapped up in categories. The important thing is just that they take pictures.
+ I also want to get somebody with actual graphic design skills to design the flyer next year. Also, somebody with artistic skills to design a logo for the contest. I already have an idea of what I want it to look like.
+ I also want to tweak the rules. I don’t know that I will require foam board, but it might be strongly encouraged. Also dry mounting. I’m not joking when I say that some of the photos practically melted in there. I think I will also include some tips for entering photo contests. That sounds arrogant, because I definitely don’t want to claim that I have anything figured out on that front, but little things like don’t enter more than one picture that looks similar or has the same subject. Those are just going to compete against each other in the judges’ eyes and a picture of a different subject will scoot right by it and earn a ribbon.

Those are just the ideas off the top of my head. I know that there are more percolating around my head and heads of others. But I have plenty of time to work on it.

+++++++

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


WEEK 309 - MOVEMENT
MOVEMENT

MOVEMENT! What a great theme! But what is a MOVEMENT photo? Simply put, a MOVEMENT photo is a picture of something that is in motion. There are two different ways to capture movement. Use a quick shutter speed to freeze movement. Use a longer shutter speed to blur motion.

And if you can’t control shutter speed, don’t worry about it too much. Just get a picture of something in motion and the photography gods will take care of the rest.

Happy photo harvesting!

WPC – WEEK 308 – TOY

The theme TOY really spoke to a ton of people this week. There were a bunch of submissions and I didn’t even send out any reminder texts this morning because I was dealing with wrapping up the Pufferbilly Days Photo Contest. My first one as a chair was some mixed and melty, but I’m already flush with ideas (mine and others) on how to make improvements for next year. But I’ll get into a Pufferbilly Days recap at a later date.

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


WEEK 308 - TOY - KIM BARKER
Kim Barker

WEEK 308 - TOY -  Micky Augustin
Micky Augustin

WEEK 308 - TOY - TERESA KAHLER
Teresa Kahler

WEEK 308 - TOY - ELIZABETH NORDEEN
Elizabeth Nordeen

WEEK 308 - TOY - JESSE HOWARD
Jesse Howard

WEEK 308 - TOY - LINDA BENNETT
Linda Bennett

WEEK 308 - TOY - CHRISTOPHER D. BENNETT
Christopher D. Bennett

WEEK 308 - TOY - BILL WENTWORTH
Bill Wentworth

WEEK 308 - TOY - JOE DUFF
Joe Duff

WEEK 308 - TOY - CATHIE RALEY
Cathie Raley

WEEK 308 - TOY - KIO DETTMAN
Kio Dettman

WEEK 308 - TOY - LORI BACKOUS
Lori Backous

WEEK 308 - TOY - KIO DETTMAN
Kio Dettman

WEEK 308 - TOY - LORI BACKOUS
Lori Backous

WEEK 308 - TOY - SHANNON BARDOLE-FOLEY
Shannon Bardole-Foley

WEEK 308 - TOY - MICHELLE HAUPT
Michelle Haupt

WEEK 308 - TOY - AMY PETERSON
Amy Peterson

WEEK 308 - TOY - TAMARA PETERSON
Tamara Peterson

WEEK 308 - TOY - AMY PETERSON
Amy Peterson

WEEK 308 - TOY - MIKE VEST
Mike Vest

A great week of submissions!

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 309 - MOVEMENT
MOVEMENT

MOVEMENT! What a great theme! But what is a MOVEMENT photo? Simply put, a MOVEMENT photo is a picture of something that is in motion. There are two different ways to capture movement. Use a quick shutter speed to freeze movement. Use a longer shutter speed to blur motion.

When you are thinking about creating your MOVEMENT image, think on the following quote:

Light in nature creates the movement of colors.
-Robert Delaunay

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 MOVEMENT in this place that is little more than my motions next Monday.