Category Archives: Monica

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WPC – WEEK 438 – CIRCLE

February 5, 2024 Christopher D. Bennett Leave a comment

EDITOR’S NOTE: It is possible that this will publish late this week. I am getting my taxes done at 11 this morning and when this publishes is dependent on how long that takes. BIG BUCKS! NO WHAMMIES!*

CIRCLE! 360 degrees of fury! But is there enough fury in a CIRCLE to make it a popular theme? You will have to keep scrolling to find out!

As of 12:01 PM on Monday, January 22, this was the current list of ACTIVE streaks (ignore the numbers in parentheses):

1-Myriah Sharp – 1 (2)
2-Elainie Hernandez – 2 weeks
3-Sara Lockner – 2 weeks
4-Monica Jennings – 3 weeks
5-Suzie Brannen – 4 weeks
6-Lowell Davis – 4 weeks (2)
7-Michelle Haupt – 4 weeks
8-Alexis Stensland – 4 weeks (2)
9-Brandon Kahler – 5 weeks
10-Mary Green – 6 weeks (2)
11-Scott Degeneffe – 23 weeks (2)
12-Sabas Hernandez – 24 weeks
13-Mike Vest – 29 weeks
14-Sheri Fakhouri – 33 weeks (2)
15-Logan Kahler – 34 weeks (2)
16-Nathanial Brown – 35 weeks
17-Jesse Howard – 35 weeks (2)
18-Tamara Peterson – 38 weeks
19-Mindi Terrell – 50 weeks (2)
20-Linda Bennett – 79 weeks (2)
21-Sarah Toot – 80 weeks
22-Angie DeWaard – 84 weeks
23-Dawn Krause – 88 weeks
24-Kim Barker – 94 weeks
25-Joe Duff – 95 weeks (2)
26-Teresa Kahler – 106 weeks
27-Carla Stensland – 106 weeks (2)
28-Micky Augustin – 108 weeks
29-Andy Sharp – 109 weeks
30-Bill Wentworth – 110 weeks
31-Cathie Morton – 114 weeks
32-Elizabeth Nordeen – 115 weeks
33-Shannon Bardole-Foley – 117 weeks
34-Kio Dettman – 119 weeks (2)

Here is the list of rules for Year 11 of THE WEEKLY PHOTO CHALLENGE:

1. The picture must 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 and take pictures challenge!
2. There is a limit of 2 submissions per person per theme. If you send me more than 2, I will use the first 2 that you submit.
3. Deadline to submit your submission is 11 AM next Monday.
4. To be considered the photographer of an image, you have to be the one that clicks the shutter. If you hand your camera over to somebody else to take a picture of you, you are NOT the photographer of that image.
5. No screen captures. This is a photography challenge. Not a “look at what I found on the internet” challenge.

There are still 2 ways to submit:
1. Email your submission to bennett@photography139.com.
2. Text your submission to my Google Pixel 8 Pro.
3. Sometimes, for special people, for special circumstances, we can negotiate something.

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

Adam Gordon (Boone, Iowa) – 1 week

Adam Gordon (Boone, Iowa)

Evie Gorshe (Iowa) – 1 week

Willy McAlpine (Boone, Iowa) – 1 week

Jason Stensland (Lake Waubay, South Dakota) – 1 week

Jason Stensland (Lake Waubay, South Dakota)

Elainie Hernandez (Ankeny, Iowa) – 3 weeks

Sara Lockner (Johnston, Iowa) – 3 weeks

Monica Jennings (Iowa) – 4 weeks

Suzie Brannen (Clive, Iowa)- 5 weeks

Lowell Davis (Ames, Iowa) – 5 weeks

Michelle Haupt (Iowa) – 5 weeks

Alexis Stensland (Ogden, Iowa) – 5 weeks

Alexis Stensland (Ogden, Iowa)

Brandon Kahler (Ames, Iowa) – 6 weeks

Mary Green (Iowa) – 7 weeks

Mary Green (Iowa)

Scott Degeneffe (Boone County, Iowa) – 24 weeks

Sabas Hernandez (Ankeny, Iowa) – 25 weeks

Mike Vest (Madrid, Iowa) – 30 weeks

Sheri Fakhouri (Iowa) – 34 weeks

Logan Kahler (Boone, Iowa) – 35 weeks

Logan Kahler (Boone, Iowa)

Nathanial Brown (Jefferson, Iowa) – 36 weeks

Jesse Howard (Ames, Iowa) – 36 weeks

Tamara Peterson (Iowa) – 39 weeks

Mindi Terrell (Iowa) – 51 weeks

Mindi Terrell (Iowa)

Linda Bennett (Kansas) – 80 weeks

Sarah Toot (New York City, New York) – 81 weeks

Angie DeWaard (Des Moines, Iowa) – 85 weeks

Angie DeWaard (Ames, Iowa)

Dawn Krause (Boone, Iowa) – 89 weeks

Dawn Krause (Boone, Iowa)

Kim Barker (Nevada, Iowa) – 95 weeks

Joe Duff (League City, Texas) – 96 weeks

Joe Duff (League City, Texas)

Teresa Kahler (Ankeny, Iowa) – 107 weeks

Teresa Kahler (Iowa State University – Ames, Iowa)

Carla Stensland (Ogden, Iowa) – 107 weeks

Carla Stensland (Ames, Iowa)

Micky Augustin (Iowa) – 109 weeks

Andy Sharp (Mason City, Iowa) – 110 weeks

Bill Wentworth (Omaha, Nebraska)- 111 weeks

Cathie Morton (Norwalk, Iowa) – 115 weeks

Elizabeth Nordeen (Iowa) – 116 weeks

Shannon Bardole-Foley (Iowa) – 118 weeks

Kio Dettman (Boone, Iowa) 120 weeks

Kio Dettman (Boone, Iowa)

Christopher D. Bennett (McHose Park – Boone, Iowa) – 542 weeks

38 participants! That is a new high for this year!

There were submissions this week taken in the following places:

+ Iowa
+ Kansas
+ Nebraska
+ New York
+ South Dakota
+ Texas

Thanks to Jason’s trip to South Dakota and Sarah’s trip to New York, we can add those to this year’s list!

Here is the Year 11 list of states where submissions have been taken (submissions taken in each state):

+ Hawaii (2)
+ Iowa (195)
+ Kansas (8)
+ Michigan (2)
+ Nebraska (6)
+ New York (1)
+ Pennsylvania (5)
+ South Dakota (2)
+ Texas (9)

The big milestone this week was the first ever submission from Jason! WooHoo!

But it wasn’t all good news. Myriah couldn’t build on last week’s submission and her streak was over before it even began!

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 439 - TRAINS, PLANES, & AUTOMOBILES

TRAINS, PLANES, & AUTOMOBILES – POTENTIAL PUFFERBILLY DAYS CLASS

TRAINS, PLANES, & AUTOMOBILES! What a great theme for Year 11 of THE WEEKLY PHOTO CHALLENGE!

I look forward to your interpretation!

That is all I got, so if the good Lord’s willin’ and the creek don’t rise, we will all be sharing your idea of TRAINS, PLANES, & AUTOMOBILES in this place in this place that was heavily influenced by a book on trains next Monday.

*There were no BIG BUCKS! But there were also NO WHAMMIES! But at least I didn’t owe any money.

Alexis, Andy, Angie, Bill, Brandon, Carla, Cathie, Dawn, Elainie, Elizabeth, Jesse, Joe Duff, Kim, Kio, Linda, Logan, Lowell, Mary, Michelle, Micky, Mindi, Monica, Nathanial, Olympic Sports, Sabas, Sara, Sarah Toot, Scottie D., Shannon, Sheri, Still Life, Suzie, Tamara, Teresa, Vest, WPC - Submissions

WEEK 437 – RULE OF THIRDS

January 29, 2024 Christopher D. Bennett 1 Comment

It is the last Monday of the month and on the last Monday of the month I like to revisit our Frequently Asked Questions. Who asks these questions? I mostly ask them of myself. But that isn’t a Frequently Asked Question. These are:

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS – WEEKLY PHOTO CHALLENGE

What skill level photographer can participate?

THE WEEKLY PHOTO CHALLENGE is open to photographers of all skill levels. From award winning photographers to professionals to the highly ranked amateurs to those that are just beginning to those who don’t even know how to focus a camera. All skill levels are encouraged and welcome. You can’t be too bad and you can’t be too good! Everyone has room to learn and be challenged!

Award winning photographers? Really?

Yes. I can think of at least 10 photographers that participate regularly that have won a photography award of some kind.

Is this a competition?
NO. It is a challenge. There are no winners and losers. Well the people that don’t participate are losers.

Is there a limit to the number of submissions I can have each week?

Yes. That limit is 2. If you send me more than 2, I will post the first 2 that you send. I’m not trying to harsh your photography buzz, but any more than that starts to overwhelm the other submissions and it takes me about 5 minutes to take a picture from my inbox to code it on the website. So I have to manage my workload.

If you are going to submit more than one picture, I strongly urge you to choose completely different subjects for each submission. If you are submitting multiple pictures of the same subject, make sure that each picture is saying something unique.

If I start to average like 45 participants a week, I will lower the limit to 1.

Can I send you several pictures and have you pick the best one?

No! No! NO! If those words come out of your mouth or your keyboard, I consider that to be a non-submission.

Do you ever question whether somebody’s submission fits the theme?

Meh. Only if I think somebody is clearly confusing this week’s theme with last week or next week’s theme. Otherwise, if the submission makes sense in your head, that is good enough for me. However, I would urge you to not try to fit your favorite subject into the theme every week. This isn’t a challenge to share a picture every week of your kid or your business or your pet. It is a challenge to take pictures of different things every week. Which isn’t to say subjects can’t be repeated, but you shouldn’t become reliant on the same ones.

Why can’t I submit after 11 AM on Mondays if the post doesn’t publish until 12:01 PM?

I go to lunch at 11 AM. I leave my office. I’m not near a computer. At 11 AM I hit “Schedule” and then I go throw food down my throat. 167 hours is more than enough time to send a submission. Okay, 166 hours and 59 minutes. You got me.

Do I have to wait until Monday morning to submit?

Absolutely not! In fact (AND CAN’T EMPATHIZE THIS ENOUGH) I appreciate the submissions that make it to me by Sunday evening. Makes the job of putting this together on Monday morning much easier!

Are there resolution requirements for submissions?

I won’t turn down submissions that are too small. I will probably ask you for a picture of greater resolution if it is really small. The typical 4 x 6 image posted to my website has a resolution of 1280 pixels x 853 pixels. While a 400 x 300 image might look okay on your phone, it looks like trash on a computer monitor. I prefer images that are at least 1000 pixels at their widest point, but don’t ban smaller pictures at this point. But don’t tempt me!

What format should my submission be?

.JPG but .PNG also works.

If I write a description of my image will you include that in your post?

No. Photography is art that should stand on its own. Only exception is the SLICE OF LIFE theme. But if you let me know where the picture was taken, I will include that. In fact, I appreciate you letting me know where a picture was taken. If you don’t let me know, I will assume the picture was taken in the state you live in.

When will you start accepting suggestions for next year’s THE WEEKLY PHOTO CHALLENGE themes?

I will take suggestions only and ONLY in the comments sections of the THE WEEKLY PHOTO CHALLENGE posts the last week of October and the 1st week of November.

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RULE OF THIRDS! The first technical (and we’re not talking very technical here) theme we’ve had for THE WEEKLY PHOTO CHALLENGE in quite some time. Was it technically a popular theme our did a third of our participants last week throw in the towel at this theme? You will have to keep scrolling to find out!

As of 12:01 PM on Monday, January 22, this was the current list of ACTIVE streaks (ignore the numbers in parentheses):

1-Elainie Hernandez – 1 week
2-Sara Lockner – 1 week
3-Willy McAlpine – 1 week
4-Johnathan Stensland – 1 week
5-Jen Ensley-Gorshe – 2 weeks
6-Monica Jennings – 2 weeks
7-Suzie Brannen – 3 weeks
8-Lowell Davis – 3 weeks
9-Michelle Haupt – 3 weeks
10-Alexis Stensland – 3 weeks
11-Brandon Kahler – 4 weeks
12-Mary Green – 5 weeks (2)
13-Scott Degeneffe – 22 weeks
14-Sabas Hernandez – 23 weeks
15-Mike Vest – 28 weeks
16-Sheri Fakhouri – 32 weeks (2)
17-Logan Kahler – 33 weeks (2)
18-Nathanial Brown – 34 weeks
19-Jesse Howard – 34 weeks
20-Tamara Peterson – 37 weeks
21-Mindi Terrell – 49 weeks (2)
22-Linda Bennett – 78 weeks
23-Sarah Toot – 79 weeks (2)
24-Angie DeWaard – 83 weeks
25-Dawn Krause – 87 weeks
26-Kim Barker – 93 weeks
27-Joe Duff – 94 weeks (2)
28-Teresa Kahler – 105 weeks
29-Carla Stensland – 105 weeks
30-Micky Augustin – 107 weeks
31-Andy Sharp – 108 weeks
32-Bill Wentworth – 109 weeks (2)
33-Cathie Morton – 113 weeks
34-Elizabeth Nordeen – 114 weeks (2)
35-Shannon Bardole-Foley – 116 weeks
36-Kio Dettman – 118 weeks

Here is the updated list of rules for Year 11 of THE WEEKLY PHOTO CHALLENGE:

Kio Dettman (Boone, Iowa) – 119 weeks

Kio Dettman (Boone, Iowa)

Shannon Bardole-Foley (Iowa) – 117 weeks

Elizabeth Nordeen (Iowa) – 115 weeks

Cathie Morton (Norwalk, Iowa) – 114 weeks

Bill Wentworth (Omaha, Nebraska) – 110 weeks

Andy Sharp (Council Bluffs, Iowa) – 109 weeks

Micky Augustin (Hickory Grove Park – Story County, Iowa) – 108 weeks

Carla Stensland (West Lake Okoboji – Arnolds Park, Iowa) – 106 weeks

Carla Stensland (Lower Gar Lake – Arnold’s Park, Iowa)

Teresa Kahler (Boone, Iowa) – 106 weeks

Joe Duff (Texas) – 95 weeks

Joe Duff (Texas)

Kim Barker (Ames, Iowa) – 94 weeks

Dawn Krause (Rooster’s – Boone, Iowa) – 88 weeks

Angie DeWaard (Iowa) – 84 weeks

Sarah Toot (Pennsylvania) – 80 weeks

Linda Bennett (Kansas) – 79 weeks

Linda Bennett (Kansas)

Mindi Terrell (Iowa) – 50 weeks

Mindi Terrell (Iowa)

Tamara Peterson (Iowa) – 38 weeks

Jesse Howard (Boone, Iowa) – 35 weeks

Jesse Howard (Boone, Iowa)

Nathanial Brown (Jefferson, Iowa) – 35 weeks

Logan Kahler (Boone, Iowa) – 34 weeks

Logan Kahler (Boone, Iowa)

Sheri Fakhouri (6th Avenue – Des Moines, Iowa) – 33 weeks

Sheri Fakhouri (Mercy Hospital – Des Moines, Iowa)

Mike Vest (Madrid, Iowa) – 29 weeks

Sabas Hernandez (Ankeny, Iowa) – 24 weeks

Scott Degeneffe (Boone County, Iowa) – 23 weeks

Scott Degeneffe (Boone County, Iowa)

Mary Green (Iowa) – 6 weeks

Mary Green (Iowa)

Brandon Kahler (Story County, Iowa) – 5 weeks

Lowell Davis (Copa Classico at TBK – Bettendorf, Iowa) – 4 weeks

Lowell Davis (Copa Classico at TBK – Bettendorf, Iowa)

Michelle Haupt (Iowa) – 4 weeks

Suzie Brannen (Clive, Iowa)- 4 weeks

Alexis Stensland (Linwood Cemetery – Boone, Iowa) – 4 weeks

Alexis Stensland (Boone County, Iowa)

Monica Jennings (Boone, Iowa) – 3 weeks

Sara Lockner (Woodward, Iowa) – 2 weeks

Elainie Hernandez (Ankeny, Iowa) – 2 weeks

Myriah Sharp (Hawaii) – 1 week

Myriah Sharp (Hawaii)

Christopher D. Bennett (Memorial Park – Boone, Iowa)

35 participants! That is a great week!

There were submissions this week taken in the following places:

+ Kansas
+ Hawaii
+ Iowa
+ Pennsylvania
+ Texas

Thanks to Myriah’s trip, Hawaii was added!

Here is the Year 11 list of states where submissions have been taken:

+ Kansas (7)
+ Hawaii (2)
+ Iowa (153)
+ Michigan (2)
+ Nebraska (5)
+ Pennsylvania (5)
+ Texas (7)

There weren’t any major milestones this week, but there are some on the horizon! There were a few streaks that bit the dust. Willy and Johnathan couldn’t build on last week’s submission and their streaks are over before they began. Jen’s streak is gone after 2 weeks.

CIRCLE

CIRCLE! What a great theme for Year 11 of THE WEEKLY PHOTO CHALLENGE!

I look forward to your interpretation!

That is all I got, so if the good Lord’s willin’ and the creek don’t rise, we will all be sharing your idea of CIRCLE in this place in this place that has a pretty large circle of trust next Monday.

Alexis, Andy, Angie, Bill, Black & White, Brandon, Carla, Cathie, Dawn, Elizabeth, Funk, History, Holidays, Jen, Jesse, Joe Duff, Kim, Kio, Linda, Logan, Lowell, Mary, Michelle, Micky, Mindi, Monica, Nathanial, Photoshop, Sabas, Sarah Toot, Scottie D., Self-Portrait, Shannon, Sheri, Suzie, Tamara, Vest, WPC - Submissions

WPC – WEEK 435 – UGLY

January 15, 2024 Christopher D. Bennett

Today is Martin Luther King Jr. Day! I forgot to mention this last Monday cause it had slipped my RADAR. The Computer Mine doesn’t care about civil rights all that much, so while government employees, schools, and bankers get the day off, I’ll be working it to the bone all day.

I don’t know if it the type of holiday where you say “Happy (insert holiday here)!” While it is definitely good to honor the man and all of the civil rights accomplishments this country has made over the years, there are large swaths of this country where basic human rights are not only being threatened, they are being walked backwards by regressionist political policies.

I mean, they are banning books! You want to know who the bad people are. Every single time in history, the bad people were the ones banning books! Always!

As always, I like to share a photo when celebrating a holiday. Here is a picture of the Civil Rights Museum in Memphis, Tennessee.

The Civil Rights Museum was built on the same property where Martin Luther King, Jr. was assassinated. One of those rare times where a place that was the scene of tragedy was turned into a place of veneration and education.

As you celebrate Martin Luther King Jr. today don’t act like the battle for basic human rights is over. The fight is as alive today as it was in King’s day.

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UGLY! This was a theme I thought I might struggle with. After all, I’m a person that doesn’t find much to be UGLY. I mean, more than a few of you have had me text you pictures of public bathrooms. I love old. I love rusty. I love the unusual. I love the weird. It is hard for me to find something that is UGLY. Besides racism, sexism, homophobia, transphobia, islamophobia, antisemitism, xenophobia, jingoism, misogyny… you know… the basic tenets of hatred. But to find out if other people took camera in hand to photography something UGLY, you will have to keep scrolling to find out.

As of 12:01 PM on Monday, January 8, this was the current list of ACTIVE streaks (ignore the numbers in parentheses):

1-Suzie Brannen – 1 week
2-Lowell Davis – 1 week
3-Susanna Funk – 1 week
4-Michelle Haupt – 1 week
5-Willy McAlpine – 1 week
6-Alexis Stensland – 1 week
7-Brandon Kahler – 2 weeks
8-Mary Green – 3 weeks (2)
9-Scott Degeneffe – 20 weeks
10-Sabas Hernandez – 21 weeks
11-Mike Vest – 26 weeks
12-Sheri Fakhouri – 30 weeks (2)
13-Logan Kahler – 31 weeks
14-Nathanial Brown – 32 weeks
15-Jesse Howard – 32 weeks
16-Tamara Peterson – 35 weeks (2)
17-Mindi Terrell – 47 weeks (2)
18-Linda Bennett – 76 weeks (2)
19-Sarah Toot – 77 weeks
20-Angie DeWaard – 81 weeks
21-Dawn Krause – 85 weeks (2)
22-Kim Barker – 91 weeks
23-Joe Duff – 92 weeks
24-Teresa Kahler – 103 weeks (2)
25-Carla Stensland – 103 weeks (2)
26-Micky Augustin – 105 weeks
27-Andy Sharp – 106 weeks (2)
28-Bill Wentworth – 107 weeks
29-Cathie Morton – 111 weeks
30-Elizabeth Nordeen – 112 weeks (2)
31-Shannon Bardole-Foley – 114 weeks
32-Kio Dettman – 116 weeks

Heading into this week, this is the 2024 THE WEEKLY PHOTO CHALLENGE SUBMISSION MAP:

Maybe the map will get more filled in today!

Reminder. Here is the updated list of rules for Year 11 of THE WEEKLY PHOTO CHALLENGE:

There are still 2 ways to submit:
1. Email your submission to bennett@photography139.com.
2. Text your submission to my Google Pixel 5.
3. Sometimes, for special people, for special circumstances, we can negotiate something.

Micky Augustin (Iowa) – 106 weeks

Shannon Bardole-Foley (Sommerset, Iowa) – 115 weeks

Kim Barker (Iowa) – 92 weeks

Christopher D. Bennett (Boone, Iowa)

Linda Bennett (Kansas) – 77 weeks

Linda Bennett (Kansas)

Suzie Brannen (Iowa) – 2 weeks

Nathanial Brown (Boone, Iowa) – 33 weeks

Nathanial Brown (Boone, Iowa)

Lowell Davis (Iowa) – 2 weeks

Scott Degeneffe (Rural Boone County, Iowa) – 21 weeks

Angie DeWaard (Iowa) – 82 weeks

Angie DeWaard (Iowa)

Joe Duff (League City, Texas) – 93 weeks

Joe Duff (League City, Texas)

Kio Dettman (Boone, Iowa) – 117 weeks

Kio Dettman (Boone, Iowa)

Jen Ensley-Gorshe (Rieman Music – Ames, Iowa) – 1 week

Sheri Fakhouri (Mercy Hospital – Des Moines, Iowa) – 31 weeks

Sheri Fakhouri (Mercy Hospital – Des Moines, Iowa)

Susanna Funk (Iowa) – 2 weeks

Mary Green (Iowa) – 4 weeks

Mary Green (Iowa)

Michelle Haupt (Iowa) – 2 weeks

Sabas Hernandez (Ankeny, Iowa) – 22 weeks

Jesse Howard (Iowa) – 33 weeks

Monica Jennings (Boone, Iowa) – 1 week

Brandon Kahler (Ames, Iowa) – 3 weeks

Logan Kahler (Boone, Iowa) – 32 weeks

Teresa Kahler (Boone, Iowa) – 104 weeks

Teresa Kahler (Boone, Iowa)

Dawn Krause (Iowa) – 86 weeks

Cathie Morton (Norwalk, Iowa) – 112 weeks

Elizabeth Nordeen (Iowa) – 113 weeks

Tamara Peterson (Iowa) – 36 weeks

Andy Sharp (Boone, Iowa) – 107 weeks

Alexis Stensland (Iowa) – 2 weeks

Carla Stensland (Boone County, IA – 216th Dr. Near Ogden) 104 weeks

Carla Stensland (Boone County, Iowa)

Mindi Terrell (Iowa) – 48 weeks

Mindi Terrell (Iowa)

Sarah Toot (E. Stroudsburg, Pennsylvania) – 78 weeks

Mike Vest (Madrid, Iowa) – 27 weeks

Bill Wentworth (Omaha, Nebraska) – 108 weeks

34 participants! That is a pretty great week!

There were submissions this week were taken in the following places:

+ Kansas
+ Iowa
+ Nebraska
+ Pennsylvania
+ Texas

No new states added this week.

Here is the Year 11 list of states where submissions have been taken:

+ Kansas
+ Iowa
+ Michigan
+ Nebraska
+ Pennsylvania
+ Texas

There were some big milestones this week. Sarah joined the Year and Half Streak Club! WooHoo! Both Carla and Teresa both joined the 2 Year Streak Club! WooHoo!

But it wasn’t all happiness and rainbows. Willy couldn’t build on last week’s submission. His streak is over before it even began.

BREAKFAST

BREAKFAST! What a great theme for Year 11 of THE WEEEKLY PHOTO CHALLENGE!

I look forward to seeing your interpretation!

That is all I got, so if the good Lord’s willin’ and the creek don’t rise, we will all be sharing your idea of BREAKFAST in this place that like a little #wafflelife next Monday.

Alexis, Anders, Andree, Andy, Baier, Becky, Bill, Birthdays, Brandon, Calendar, Carla, Colleen, Dawn, Derrick, Elainie, Elizabeth, Fran, Jay, Jen, Jesse, Joe Duff, Johnathan, Jorge, Kim, Kio, Layla, Logan, Lowell, Michelle, Monica, Nader, Nora, Russ, Russell, Sabas, Sara, Scottie D., Teresa, Vest, Willy

Calendar Favorites

January 10, 2024 Christopher D. Bennett

Today is Lowell’s birthday so I need to wish him a happy birthday!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY LOWELL!

If you don’t know, Lowell is not Kim and is not the tall guy.

It is one of my most profoundest birthday wishes that today is a good day.

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This is one of my favorite posts of the year. To share what people said was their favorite calendar image from the 2024 Photography 139 Calendar. There is still 1 calendar left to distribute, but I don’t know when that will happen. I got a response back from most people I gave a calendar to. Some people must have just immediately thrown it in the garbage and never given it a second thought. But that’s okay. Maybe opens up new calendar recipients for 2025…*

Some of these picture below are of different people in the same family that got one calendar, in case you are wondering if I gave, say 6 calendars to the Baiers.

Here we go:

FRONT COVER

Brandon Kahler

Nora Yoon

JANUARY

Jay Janson

Jen Ensley-Gorshe

Sabas Hernandez

Sara Lockner

FEBRUARY

Jesse Howard

Kevin Krause

Layla Gorshe

Olivia Baier

MARCH

Andree Jauhari

Andy Sharp

Bill Wentworth

J.J. Baier

Kim Barker

Russ Kahler

Scott Degeneffe

Will Baier

Willy McAlpine

APRIL

Colleen Hobe

Joe Duff

Michelle Haupt

Monica Jennings

Teresa Kahler

MAY

Ben Baier

Fran Duncan

Beck Gorshe

Jason Carpenter

JUNE

Carrie Baier

Logan Kahler

Mike Vest

JULY

Jason Baier

Russell Kennerly

AUGUST WAS UNIVERSALLY UNLOVED

SEPTEMBER

Becky Parmelee

Elizabeth Nordeen

OCTOBER

Alexis Stensland

Derrick Gorshe

Jorge Rios

NOVEMBER

Carla Stensland

Elainie Hernandez

Jeanette Duff

Johnathan Stensland

Kio Dettman

Melissa Degeneffe

Nader Parsaei

DECEMBER

Anders Runestad

Dawn Krause

That is it. I’m done writing about the calendar until the next one comes out!

*This is facetious.

Alexis, Amy, Andy, Angie, Becky, Blogging, Brandon, Carla, Cathie, Dawn, Derrick, Elainie, Elizabeth, Ernie, Evie, Faust, Fran, Funk, Jen, Jesse, Joe Duff, Johnathan, Kim, Layla, Linda, Logan, Mary, Melissa, Michelle, Mindi, Monica, Nader, Naima, Nathanial, Pastor Sarah, Sabas, Sara, Sarah Toot, Scottie D., Shannon, Sheri, Steph, Suzie, Tamara, Teresa, Vest, Willy

The Weekly Photo Challenge Year in Review

January 2, 2024 Christopher D. Bennett 1 Comment

As yesterday closed the book on Year 10 of THE WEEKLY PHOTO CHALLENGE, now seems like a good time to review all that happened.

There were 59 different people that submitted photos. Ranging from submitting 1 picture to 124 pictures.

There were 2,311 photos submitted.

The average week was 31.1 participants.

The average week had 44.4 submissions.

The most popular week was Week 422. The theme was #INSTAGOOD. There were 41 participants.

The most popular week by submissions was Week 405. The theme was FLOWER. There were 62 submissions.

3 themes tied for least popular theme by participants. TRAINS, PLANES, & AUTOMOBILES; REFLECTION; and SUNRISE, SUNSET each has only 25 participants.

TRAINS, PLANES, & AUTOMOBILES was the least popular theme by submissions. It received only 30 submissions.

Here is my favorite submission from all 59 different people that submitted and some statistics about each participant.

Heather Courtney
1 week – 2%
1 submission
No current streak

Pepper Duncan
1 week – 2%
1 submission
No current streak

Corey Faust
1 week – 2%
1 submission
No current streak

Adam Gordon
1 week – 2%
3 submissions
No current streak

Harrison Gorshe
1 week – 2%
1 submission
No current streak

Michelle Haupt
1 week – 2%
1 submission
No current streak

Stephanie Kim
1 week – 2%
1 submission
No current streak

Carrie Moellers
1 week – 2%
1 submission
Current Streak: 1 week

Mike Parmelee
1 week – 2%
1 submission
Current Streak: 1 week

Ernie Redd
1 week – 2%
1 submission
No current streak

Diane Sharp
1 week – 2%
1 submission
No current streak

Julie Sharp
1 week – 2%
1 submission
No current streak

Lori Backous
2 weeks – 4%
3 submissions
No current streak

Melissa Degeneffe
2 weeks – 4%
3 submissions
No current streak

Derrick Gorshe
2 weeks – 4%
2 submissions
No current streak

Layla Gorshe
2 weeks – 4%
2 submissions
No current streak

Sarah Karber
2 weeks – 4%
2 submissions
No current streak

Johnathan Stensland
2 weeks – 4%
2 submissions
No current streak

Nader Parsaei
3 weeks – 6%
3 submissions
No current streak

Myriah Sharp
3 weeks – 6%
5 submissions
No current streaks

Porter Degeneffe
4 weeks – 8%
4 submissions
No current streaks

Evie Gorshe
6 weeks – 12%
6 submissions
No current streak

Amy Peterson
10 weeks – 19%
14 submissions
Current Streak: 1 week

Elainie Stensland
12 weeks – 23%
15 submissions
No current streak

Susanna Funk
14 weeks – 27%
19 submissions
No current streak

Jen Ensley-Gorshe
19 weeks – 37%
22 submissions
No current streak

Becky Parmelee
23 weeks – 44.2%
26 submissions
No current streak

Sheri Fakhouri
29 weeks – 56%
53 submissions
Current streak: 29 weeks

Scott Degeneffe
32 weeks – 62%
46 submissions
Current streak: 19 weeks

Mary Green
32 weeks – 62%
68 submissions
Current streak: 2 weeks

Sara Lockner
33 weeks – 63%
39 submissions
Current streak: 1 week

Willy McAlpine
34 weeks – 65%
37 submissions
No current streak

Suzie Brannen
35 weeks – 67%
50 submissions
No current streak

Alexis Stensland
35 weeks – 67%
72 submissions
No current streak

Sabas Hernandez
43 weeks – 83%
43 submissions
Current streak: 20 weeks

Monica Jennings
43 weeks – 83%
60 submissions
No current streak

Mindi Terrell
46 weeks – 88%
124 submissions
Current streak: 46 weeks

Nathanial Brown
47 weeks – 90%
77 submissions
Current streak: 31 weeks

Jesse Howard
49 weeks – 94%
62 submissions
Current streaks: 31 weeks

Mike Vest
50 weeks – 96%
50 submissions
Current streaks: 25 weeks

Brandon Kahler
51 weeks – 98%
55 submissions
Current streak: 1 week

Logan Kahler
51 weeks – 98%
81 submissions
Current streak: 30 weeks

Tamara Peterson
51 weeks – 98%
56 submissions
Current streak: 34 weeks

Micky Augustin
52 weeks – 100%
55 submissions
Current streak: 104 weeks

Shannon Bardole-Foley
52 weeks – 100%
55 submissions
Current streak: 113 weeks

Kim Barker
52 weeks – 100%
60 submissions
Current streak: 90 weeks

Christopher D. Bennett
52 weeks – 100%
52 submissions
Current streak: 537 weeks

Linda Bennett
52 weeks – 100%
91 submissions
Current streak: 75 weeks

Kio Dettman
52 weeks – 100%
107 submissions
Current streak: 115 weeks

Angie DeWaard
52 weeks – 100%
59 submissions
Current streak: 80 weeks

Joe Duff
52 weeks – 100%
71 submissions
Current streak: 91 weeks

Teresa Kahler
52 weeks – 100%
111 submissions
Current streak: 102 weeks

Dawn Krause
52 weeks – 100%
89 submissions
Current streak: 84 weeks

Cathie Morton
52 weeks – 100%
58 submissions
Current streak: 110 weeks

Elizabeth Nordeen
52 weeks – 100%
72 submissions
Current streak: 111 weeks

Andy Sharp
52 weeks – 100%
72 submissions
Current streak: 105 weeks

Carla Stensland
52 weeks – 100%
90 submissions
Current streak: 102 weeks

Sarah Toot
52 weeks – 100%
96 submissions
Current streak: 76 weeks

Bill Wentworth
52 weeks – 100%
54 submissions
Current streak: 106 weeks

Here are a few quick stats from last year:

+ 44 different participants
+ 1811 photos submitted
+ Least popular theme for participation was ROCK with 16 participants
+ Most popular theme for participation was SELF-PORTRAIT with 31 participants
+ Least popular theme for submissions was ROCK with 20 submissions
+ Most popular theme for submission was LINES with 51 submissions
+ The average week had 24.6 participants
+ The average week had 34.8 submissions

To put in perspective compared to last year:

+ 15 more different participants.
+ 500 more submissions.
+ The most popular theme had 10 more participants.
+ The most popular theme by submissions has 11 more submissions.
+ The average participation was up almost 7 participants per week.
+ The average submissions was up nearly 10 per week.

Hopefully Year 11 has a similar amount of growth!

Alexis, Andy, Angie, Bill, Brandon, Candid Portrait, Carla, Dawn, Elizabeth, Funk, Jen, Jesse, Joe Duff, Kim, Kio, Linda, Logan, Michelle, Micky, Mindi, Monica, Nathanial, Sabas, Sara, Sarah Toot, Scottie D., Shannon, Sheri, Street Photography, Teresa, Vest, Willy, WPC - Submissions

WPC – WEEK 430 – LINES

December 11, 2023 Christopher D. Bennett

LINES! They are literally everywhere you look. But did enough people see them to make it a popular theme? You will have to keep scrolling to find out!

As of 12:01 PM on Monday, December 4, this was the current list of ACTIVE streaks (ignore the numbers in parentheses):

1-Sara Lockner – 2 weeks
2-Willy McAlpine – 2 weeks
3–Mary Green – 3 weeks (2)
4-Susanna Funk – 4 weeks
5-Elainie Hernandez – 5 weeks
6-Scott Degeneffe – 15 weeks (2)
7-Sabas Hernandez – 16 weeks
8-Mike Vest – 21 weeks
9-Sheri Fakhouri – 25 weeks
10-Logan Kahler – 26 weeks
11-Nathanial Brown – 27 weeks
12-Jesse Howard – 27 weeks
13-Tamara Peterson – 30 weeks
14-Mindi Terrell – 42 weeks (2)
15-Brandon Kahler – 65 weeks
16-Linda Bennett – 70 weeks (2)
17-Sarah Toot – 72 weeks
18-Angie DeWaard – 76 weeks
19-Dawn Krause – 80 weeks
20-Kim Barker – 86 weeks (2)
21-Joe Duff – 87 weeks
22-Teresa Kahler – 98 weeks (2)
23-Carla Stensland – 98 weeks (2)
24-Micky Augustin – 100 weeks
25-Andy Sharp – 101 weeks
26-Bill Wentworth – 102 weeks
27-Cathie Morton – 106 weeks
28-Elizabeth Nordeen – 107 weeks
29-Shannon Bardole-Foley – 109 weeks
30-Kio Dettman – 111 weeks

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

Alexis Stensland (Iowa) – 1 week

Andy Sharp (Iowa) – 102 weeks

Angie DeWaard (Iowa) – 77 weeks

Bill Wentworth (Omaha, Nebraska) – 103 weeks

Brandon Kahler (Boone, Iowa) – 66 weeks

Carla Stensland (Hilton Coliseum – Ames, Iowa) – 99 weeks

Carla Stensland (Hilton Coliseum – Ames, Iowa)

Cathie Morton (San Antonio, Texas) – 107 weeks

Cathie Morton (San Antonio, Texas)

Christopher D. Bennett (Ankeny, Iowa)

Dawn Krause (Iowa) – 81 weeks

Elizabeth Nordeen (Iowa) – 108 weeks

Jen Ensley-Gorshe (Washington D.C.) – 1 week

Jen Ensley-Gorshe (Washington D.C.)

Jesse Howard (Iowa) – 28 weeks

Joe Duff (Houston, Texas) – 88 weeks

Kim Barker (Nevada, Iowa) – 87 weeks

Kio Dettman (Iowa) – 112 weeks

Kio Dettman (Iowa)

Linda Bennett (Kansas) – 71 weeks

Linda Bennett (Kansas)

Logan Kahler (Iowa) – 27 weeks

Logan Kahler (Iowa)

Micky Augustin (Iowa) – 101 weeks

Mike Vest (Madrid, Iowa) – 22 weeks

Mindi Terrell (Iowa) – 43 weeks

Mindi Terrell (Iowa)

Monica Jennings (Iowa) – 1 week

Nathanial Brown (Hollywood, Florida) – 28 weeks

Sabas Hernandez (Iowa) – 17 weeks

Sara Lockner (Iowa) – 3 weeks

Sarah Toot (U.S. Virgin Islands) – 73 weeks

Sarah Toot (U.S. Virgin Islands)

Sarah Toot (Fashion Institute of Technology – New York City, New York)

Scott Degeneffe (Iowa) – 16 weeks

Shannon Bardole-Foley (Iowa) – 110 weeks

Sheri Fakhouri (30hop – Ankeny, Iowa) – 26 weeks

Sheri Fakhouri (30hop – Ankeny, Iowa)

Susanna Funk (Torreys Peak, Colorado) – 5 weeks

Tamara Peterson (Iowa) – 31 weeks

Teresa Kahler (Iowa) – 99 weeks

Teresa Kahler (Iowa)

Willy McAlpine (Iowa) – 3 weeks

32 participants! That is a pretty good week!

There were submissions this week taken in the following places:

+ Colorado
+ Florida
+ Iowa
+ Nebraska
+ New York
+ Texas
+ U.S. Virgin Islands
+ Washington D.C.

Here is the current calendar year list for states:

+ Arizona
+ Arkansas
+ California
+ Colorado
+ Florida
+ Georgia
+ Hawaii
+ Idaho
+ Illinois
+ Indiana
+ Iowa
+ Kansas
+ Kentucky
+ Louisiana
+ Maryland
+ Michigan
+ Minnesota
+ Mississippi
+ Missouri
+ Montana
+ Nebraska
+ New Hampshire
+ New Jersey
+ New Mexico
+ New York
+ Nevada
+ North Carolina
+ North Dakota
+ Ohio
+ Oklahoma
+ Oregon
+ Pennsylvania
+ South Carolina
+ South Dakota
+ Tennessee
+ Texas
+ Utah
+ Vermont
+ Virgin Islands
+ Washington
+ Washington D.C.
+ Wisconsin
+ Wyoming

41 states and 1 district and 1 territory! That is pretty impressive! Over 80% of the way there! Every continental state west of the Mississippi is now accounted for.

The Outside of the United States map is currently:

+ Spain
+ British Virgin Islands
+ Mexico
+ Nassau Bahamas
+ Canada
+ Peru
+ France
+ Austria
+ Germany
+ Italy
+ Slovenia
+ Belize

The major milestone this week was Sheri joining the Half Year Club! WooHoo!

But it wasn’t all sunshine and roses! Mary’s streak ends at 3. Elainie’s is gone at 5.

STREET PHOTOGRAPHY

STREET PHOTOGRAPHY! What a great theme for Year 10 of THE WEEKLY PHOTO CHALLENGE!

But what exactly is STREET PHOTOGRAPHY… besides one of my favorite forms of photography?

Here is a definition from the Nashville Film Institute:

Street photography is a genre of photography that captures the day-to-day life of people in a public setting. However, street photography may also be devoid of people and be filled with objects or an environment associated with human presence. For example, capturing the shadow or a discarded object leaves an intriguing effect on the viewer, as they signify an unfinished story. To excel in street photography, you have to be a reasonable observer. With observation, you can convey hints, feelings, ideas, stories, or questions that prompt your viewer.

The most important thing to take is that STREET PHOTOGRAPHY takes place in a public place. It is NOT posed. It does NOT have to include a street. It does NOT have to include a person.

Got it? Cool. I look forward to seeing your interpretation!

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. There is a limit of 3 submissions per participant. To be considered the photographer, you have to be the one that takes the picture. Don’t be stealing the work of other artists. You can submit pictures for other photographers that took pictures with your camera or phone, but give credit where credit is due.

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

That is it. Thems the rules!

That is all I got, so if the good Lord’s willin’ and the creek don’t rise, we will all be sharing your idea of STREET PHOTOGRAPHY in this place that is from the streets next Monday.

Art, Candid Portrait, Carla, Iowa State, Monica, Still Life, Teresa

Painting with Fire

November 21, 2023 Christopher D. Bennett

Back in April I went to The Workspace at the Memorial Union on Iowa State University’s campus with Teresa, Carla, Monica, and Graham and did some painting with fire. I took some pictures of course:

It was a good time! I should go to more activities there than I do!

Alexis, Andy, Angie, Bill, Brandon, Carla, Cathie, Dawn, Elainie, Elizabeth, Formal Portrait, Funk, Jesse, Joe Duff, Kim, Kio, Linda, Logan, Micky, Mindi, Monica, Nathanial, Sabas, Sara, Sarah Toot, Scottie D., Shannon, Sheri, Still Life, Suzie, Tamara, Teresa, Vest, Willy, WPC - Submissions

WPC – WEEK 426 – FOOD

November 13, 2023 Christopher D. Bennett 2 Comments

FOOD! Everybody needs it! But did enough people photograph it to make it a popular theme? You will have to keep scrolling to find out.

As of 12:01 PM on Monday, November 6, this was the current list of ACTIVE streaks (ignore the numbers in parentheses):

1-Suzie Brannen – 1 week
2-Elainie Hernandez – 1 week
3-Monica Jennings – 1 week
4-Sara Lockner – 1 week
5-Becky Parmelee – 1 week
6-Julie Sharp – 1 week
7-Mary Green – 4 weeks (2)
8-Alexis Stensland – 4 weeks
9-Scott Degeneffe – 11 weeks
10-Sabas Hernandez – 12 weeks
11-Willy McAlpine – 12 weeks
12-Mike Vest – 18 weeks
13-Sheri Fakhouri – 21 weeks (2)
14-Logan Kahler – 22 weeks
15-Nathanial Brown – 23 weeks
16-Jesse Howard – 23 weeks
17-Tamara Peterson – 26 weeks
18-Mindi Terrell – 38 weeks
19-Brandon Kahler – 62 weeks
20-Linda Bennett – 67 weeks (2)
21-Sarah Toot – 68 weeks
22-Angie DeWaard – 72 weeks
23-Dawn Krause – 76 weeks
24-Kim Barker – 82 weeks
25-Joe Duff – 83 weeks
26-Teresa Kahler – 94 weeks
27-Carla Stensland – 94 weeks
28-Micky Augustin – 96 weeks
29-Andy Sharp – 97 weeks
30-Bill Wentworth – 98 weeks
31-Cathie Morton – 102 weeks
32-Elizabeth Nordeen – 103 weeks
33-Shannon Bardole-Foley – 105 weeks
34-Kio Dettman – 107 weeks (2)

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

Alexis Stensland (Iowa) – 5 weeks

Andy Sharp (Omaha, Nebraska) – 98 weeks

Andy Sharp (Whistle Stop Cafe – Boone, Iowa)

Angie DeWaard (Iowa) – 73 weeks

Bill Wentworth (Omaha, Nebraska) – 99 weeks

Brandon Kahler (Story City, Iowa) – 63 weeks

Carla Stensland (Iowa) – 95 weeks

Carla Stensland (Iowa)

Cathie Morton (Iowa) – 103 weeks

Christopher D. Bennett (The Feed Mill Restaurant – Audubon, Iowa)

Dawn Krause (Iowa) – 77 weeks

Diane Sharp (Omaha, Nebraska) – 1 week

Elainie Hernandez (Iowa) – 2 weeks

Elizabeth Nordeen (Hilton Coliseum – Ames, Iowa) – 104 weeks

Elizabeth Nordeen (Iowa)

Jesse Howard (The Feed Mill Restaurant – Audubon, Iowa) – 24 weeks

Joe Duff (League City, Texas) – 84 weeks

Joe Duff (League City, Texas)

Kim Barker (Iowa) – 83 weeks

Kim Barker (Iowa)

Kio Dettman (Boone, Iowa) – 108 weeks

Kio Dettman (Boone, Iowa)

Linda Bennett (Kansas) – 68 weeks

Logan Kahler (Iowa) – 23 weeks

Micky Augstin (Iowa) – 97 weeks

Mike Vest (Iowa) – 19 weeks

Mindi Terrell (Iowa) – 39 weeks

Mindi Terrell (Iowa)

Monica Jennings (Iowa) – 2 weeks

Nathanial Brown (Iowa) – 24 weeks

Sabas Hernandez (Smokey D’s BBQ – Des Moines, Iowa) – 13 weeks

Sara Lockner (Iowa) – 2 weeks

Sarah Toot (Pennsylvania) – 69 weeks

Sarah Toot (Pennsylvania)

Scott Degeneffe (Iowa) – 12 weeks

Scott Degeneffe (Iowa)

Shannon Bardole-Foley (Iowa) – 106 weeks

Sheri Fakhouri (Iowa) – 22 weeks

Susanna Funk (Iowa) – 1 week

Suzie Brannen (Iowa) – 2 weeks

Tamara Peterson (Iowa) – 27 weeks

Teresa Kahler (Iowa) – 95 weeks

Willy McAlpine (Iowa) – 13 weeks

34 participants! A pretty good week by current standards!

There were submissions this week taken in the following places:

+ Kansas
+ Iowa
+ Nebraska
+ Pennsylvania
+ Texas

Here is the current calendar year list for states:

+ Arizona
+ Arkansas
+ California
+ Colorado
+ Florida
+ Georgia
+ Hawaii
+ Idaho
+ Illinois
+ Iowa
+ Kansas
+ Kentucky
+ Louisiana
+ Maryland
+ Michigan
+ Minnesota
+ Mississippi
+ Missouri
+ Montana
+ Nebraska
+ New Hampshire
+ New Jersey
+ New Mexico
+ New York
+ Nevada
+ North Carolina
+ North Dakota
+ Ohio
+ Oklahoma
+ Oregon
+ Pennsylvania
+ South Carolina
+ South Dakota
+ Tennessee
+ Texas
+ Utah
+ Vermont
+ Washington
+ Washington D.C.
+ Wisconsin
+ Wyoming

40 states and 1 district! That is pretty impressive! Over 75% of the way there! Every continental state west of the Mississippi is now accounted for.

The Outside of the United States map is currently:

+ Spain
+ British Virgin Islands
+ Mexico
+ Nassau Bahamas
+ Canada
+ Peru
+ Puenta de la Reina, Spain
+ France
+ Austria
+ Germany
+ Italy
+ Slovenia

There were no major milestones this week. The first ever submission by Diane Sharp though!

It was a bloodbath of streaks though. Becky, and Julie couldn’t build on last week’s submission. Mary’s streak ends at 4.

PORTRAIT

PORTRAIT! What a great theme for Year 10 of THE WEEKLY PHOTO CHALLENGE!

But what is a PORTRAIT? It is simply a picture of somebody. Can be one person. Can be several people. Can be you. It can be a posed picture. It can be a candid picture. The options are aplenty!

While thinking about possible subjects for your PORTRAIT, meditate on the following quote and I have no doubt that you will come up with a fabulous image:

My job as a portrait photographer is to seduce, amuse and entertain.
-Helmut Newton

I look forward to your interpretation!

RULES

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

That is it. Thems the rules!

That is all I got, so if the good Lord’s willin’ and the creek don’t rise, we will all be sharing your idea of PORTRAIT in this place that is a self-portrait next Monday.

9 Emotions Project, Alexis, Andy, Angie, Becky, Bill, Black & White, Brandon, Carla, Cathie, Dawn, Elainie, Elizabeth, Jesse, Joe Duff, Kim, Kio, Linda, Logan, Mary, Micky, Mindi, Mom, Monica, Naima, Nathanial, Sabas, Sara, Sarah Toot, Scottie D., Shannon, Sheri, Still Life, Street Photography, Suzie, Tamara, Teresa, Vest, Willy, WPC - Submissions

WPC – WEEK 425 – SIGNS

November 6, 2023 Christopher D. Bennett 6 Comments

NOTE: – THIS IS ONE OF TWO POSTS WHERE YOU CAN SUBMIT SUGGESTIONS FOR NEXT YEAR’S THEMES. THE LAST MONDAY IN OCTOBER AND THE 1ST MONDAY IN NOVEMBER ARE WHEN SUGGESTIONS CAN BE MADE. THOSE SUGGESTIONS HAVE TO BE MADE IN THE COMMENTS SECTION OF THOSE POSTS. NOT VIA EMAIL, TEXT MESSAGE, TEAMS, PHONE CONVERSATION, SNAPCHAT. ONLY IN THE COMMENTS SECTIONS OF THOSE 2 POSTS.

THANKS TO ANDY AND JOE WHO MADE SEVERAL STRONG SUGGESTIONS IN LAST MONDAY’S (ACTUALLY TUESDAY’S) COMMENTS SECTION!

+++++++

Thank you to everybody that has helped me with Naima’s passing either through helping with her remains to bringing me food to offering to talk or offering to attend a service or to just having kind words or to posting your own pictures of Naima. It all has been helpful.

I had Naima’s remains cremated and I’m not 100% sure what I’m going to do with the ashes yet. But I’ll figure that out in due course.

Below is sort of the THE 9 EMOTIONS PROJECT image I made of Naima for one of THE WEEKLY PHOTO CHALLENGE themes in Year 7.

WEEK 243 - EMOTIONS - CHRISTOPHER D. BENNETT

Don’t think this will be the last time I share a story about Naima, but I do want to share a story about when I told my 85 year-old neighbor Stan about Naima passing. She was in many ways also his dog. Back when he and his wife were in better health, they would make special trips to Ames to buy Naima treats.

Stan had a dog well before I moved in and he has never really got over that dog’s passing. He has told me before and he told me that again.

He told me that he will miss her. That she was the best dog that loved everybody and didn’t have a mean bone in her body. Of course all of that is true.

Because he doesn’t move very well any more, he kept dog treats for her on his window ledge so if he saw her out he didn’t have to go inside to get her treats.

Stan’s wife has dementia and I’ve had the same conversation with her about Naima in the past couple of years at least 50 times. She always would say that Naima is the most beautiful dog she’s ever seen. She is the most beautiful color. She wished all dogs were that color.

Stan was the first person to ask me if I was getting another dog. Which I suppose I will. I guess it isn’t a shocker that Stan was the first person to ask. Naima was his dog as well and he will miss not having a dog too.

I told him I thought I would, but it wouldn’t be anytime soon. There was a 5 year gap between Karma and Naima. There were a lot of reasons for that gap. Most of those reasons aren’t around any more.

He told me okay, he would get rid of Naima’s treats cause he didn’t think they would still be good by the time I got another dog. I told him that was okay. Maybe early next year would be the right time.

The conversation did check off another box of closure for me. A bigger box than you would probably expect.

+++++++

SIGNS! They are everywhere if you open your eyes! But did many people find SIGNS to photography to make SIGNS a popular theme? You’ll have to keep scrolling to find out!

As of 12:01 PM on Monday, October 29, this was the current list of ACTIVE streaks (ignore the numbers in parentheses):

1-Amy Peterson – 1 week
2-Mary Green – 3 weeks
3-Alexis Stensland – 3 weeks
4-Scott Degeneffe – 10 weeks
5-Sabas Hernandez – 11 weeks
6-Willy McAlpine – 11 weeks
7-Mike Vest – 17 weeks
8-Sheri Fakhouri – 20 weeks (2)
9-Logan Kahler – 21 weeks
10-Nathanial Brown – 22 weeks
11-Jesse Howard – 22 weeks
12-Tamara Peterson – 25 weeks
13-Mindi Terrell – 37 weeks (2)
14-Brandon Kahler – 61 weeks
15-Linda Bennett – 66 weeks (2)
16-Sarah Toot – 67 weeks
17-Angie DeWaard – 71 weeks
18-Dawn Krause – 75 weeks
19-Kim Barker – 81 weeks
20-Joe Duff – 82 weeks
21-Teresa Kahler – 93 weeks
22-Carla Stensland – 93 weeks
23-Micky Augustin – 95 weeks
24-Andy Sharp – 96 weeks
25-Bill Wentworth – 97 weeks
26-Cathie Morton – 101 weeks
27-Elizabeth Nordeen – 102 weeks
28-Shannon Bardole-Foley – 104 weeks
29-Kio Dettman – 106 weeks

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

Suzie Brannen (Iowa) – 1 week

Suzie Brannen (Iowa)

Elainie Hernandez (Iowa) – 1 week

Monica Jennings (Boone, Iowa) – 1 week

Sara Lockner (Iowa)- 1 week

Becky Parmelee (Arkansas) – 1 week

Julie Sharp (Whatcha’ Smokin’ – Luther, Iowa)- 1 week

Mary Green (Iowa) – 4 weeks

Mary Green (Iowa)

Alexis Stensland (Iowa) – 4 weeks

Scott Degeneffe (Kansas City, Missouri) – 11 weeks

Scott Degeneffe (Kansas City, Missouri)

Sabas Hernandez (Iowa) – 12 weeks

Willy McAlpine (Spain) – 12 weeks

Willy McAlpine (Spain)

Mike Vest (Iowa) – 19 weeks

Sheri Fakhouri (Iowa) – 21 weeks

Sheri Fakhouri (Iowa)

Logan Kahler (Boone, Iowa) – 22 weeks

Nathanial Brown (Lake City, Iowa) – 23 weeks

Nathanial Brown (Boone, Iowa)

Jesse Howard (Jack Trice Stadium – Ames, Iowa) – 23 weeks

Tamara Peterson (Iowa) – 26 weeks

Mindi Terrell (Iowa)- 38 weeks

Brandon Kahler (Iowa) – 62 weeks

Linda Bennett (Poconos, Pennsylvania) – 67 weeks

Linda Bennett (New York City, New York)

Sarah Toot (Pennsylvania) – 68 weeks

Sarah Toot (Pennsylvania)

Angie DeWaard (Ames, Iowa) – 72 weeks

Dawn Krause (Ames, Iowa) – 76 weeks

Dawn Krause (Iowa)

Kim Barker (Iowa) – 82 weeks

Joe Duff (Museum of Fine Arts – Houston, Texas) – 83 weeks

Teresa Kahler (Webster City, Iowa) – 94 weeks

Teresa Kahler (Iowa)

Carla Stensland (Ames, Iowa) – 94 weeks

Micky Augustin (Iowa) – 96 weeks

Andy Sharp (Boone, Iowa) – 97 weeks

Andy Sharp (Iowa)

Bill Wentworth (Omaha, Nebraska) – 98 weeks

Cathie Morton (Anaheim, California) – 102 weeks

Elizabeth Nordeen (Iowa) – 103 weeks

Shannon Bardole-Foley (Iowa) – 105 weeks

Kio Dettman (Boone, Iowa) – 107 weeks

Kio Dettman (Boone, Iowa)

Christopher D. Bennett (Webster City, Iowa) – 529 weeks

35 participants! That is a great week!

There were submissions this week taken in the following places:

+ Arkansas
+ California
+ Iowa
+ Missouri
+ Nebraska
+ New York
+ Pennsylvania
+ Spain
+ Texas

Here is the current calendar year list for states:

40 states and 1 district! That is pretty impressive! Over 75% of the way there! Every continental state west of the Mississippi is now accounted for.

The Outside of the United States map is currently:

+ Alto del Perdon – Spain
+ British Virgin Islands
+ Mexico (General)
+ Isla Mujeres, Mexico
+ Riviera Maya, Mexico
+ Nassau Bahamas
+ Ontario, Canada
+ Vallunareju Norte – Peru
+ Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
+ Puenta de la Reina, Spain
+ St. John pied de port, France
+ Vienna, Austria
+ Munich, Germany
+ Rome, Italy
+ Cannes, France
+ Koper, Slovenia

The major milestone reached this week was Tamara hitting the Half Year Streak Club! WooHoo!

But it wasn’t all good news. Amy couldn’t build on her submission from last week.

FOOD – SUGGESTED BY ANDY SHARP

FULL DISCLOSURE: Andy didn’t exactly suggest FOOD. He suggested like 10 different versions of FOOD and I just combined them all into FOOD.

FOOD! What a great theme for Year 10 of THE WEEKLY PHOTO CHALLENGE!

But what is a FOOD image? Simply enough, it is a picture of FOOD. Or a picture of a place that serves FOOD. Or a picture of something that is involved in the preparation of FOOD. You won’t be judge on the quality of FOOD you photograph. Or judged at all for that matter.

While considering possible FOOD to photograph, meditate on the following quote and I have no doubt you will create a fascinating image!

Part of the secret of success is to eat what you like and let the food fight it out inside.
-Mark Twain

I look forward to seeing your interpretation.

RULES

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

That is it. Thems the rules!

That is all I got, so if the good Lord’s willin’ and the creek don’t rise, we will all be sharing your idea of FOOD in this place that definitely eats next Monday.

Alexis, Andy, Angie, Bill, Birthdays, Brandon, Carla, Cathie, Dawn, Elainie, Elizabeth, Evie, Formal Portrait, Jesse, Joe Duff, Jonah, Kim, Kio, Linda, Logan, Mary, Micky, Mindi, Monica, Nathanial, Sabas, Sara, Sarah Toot, Scottie D., Shannon, Sheri, Tamara, Teresa, Vest, Willy, WPC - Submissions

WPC – WEEK 423 – VINTAGE

October 23, 2023 Christopher D. Bennett

NOTE: – AT THE END OF THE MONTH I WILL BE OPEN TO SUGGESTIONS FOR NEXT YEAR’S THEMES. THE LAST MONDAY IN OCTOBER AND THE 1ST MONDAY IN NOVEMBER ARE WHEN SUGGESTIONS CAN BE MADE. THOSE SUGGESTIONS HAVE TO BE MADE IN THE COMMENTS SECTION OF THOSE POSTS. NOT VIA EMAIL, TEXT MESSAGE, TEAMS, PHONE CONVERSATION, SNAPCHAT. ONLY IN THE COMMENTS SECTIONS OF THOSE 2 POSTS. START THINKING OF THEMES YOU WOULD LIKE TO BE CONSIDERED FOR NEXT YEAR.

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Today is Jonah’s birthday, so I need to wish him a happy birthday:

Happy birthday Jonah!

I hope it is an amazing birthday!

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VINTAGE! Many people are into old stuff. But are enough people into it enough to make it a popular theme? You’ll have to keep scrolling to find out!

As of 12:01 PM on Monday, October 216, this was the current list of ACTIVE streaks (ignore the numbers in parentheses):

1-Lori Backous – 1 week
2-Pepper Duncan – 1 week
3-Jen Ensley-Gorshe – 1 week
4-Susanna Funk – 1 week
5-Derrick Gorshe – 1 week
6-Evie Gorshe – 1 week
7-Layla Gorshe – 1 week
8-Mary Green – 1 week
9-Sara Lockner – 1 week
10-Amy Peterson – 1 week
11-Alexis Stensland – 1 week
12-Suzie Brannen – 2 weeks
13-Elainie Hernandez – 3 weeks
14-Scott Degeneffe – 8 weeks
15-Sabas Hernandez – 9 weeks
16-Willy McAlpine – 9 weeks
17-Mike Vest – 15 weeks
18-Sheri Fakhouri – 18 weeks
19-Monica Jennings – 19 weeks
20-Logan Kahler – 19 weeks
21-Nathanial Brown – 20 weeks
22-Jesse Howard – 20 weeks
23-Tamara Peterson – 23 weeks
24-Mindi Terrell – 35 weeks
25-Brandon Kahler – 59 weeks
26-Linda Bennett – 64 weeks
27-Sarah Toot – 65 weeks
28-Angie DeWaard – 69 weeks
29-Dawn Krause – 73 weeks
30-Kim Barker – 79 weeks
31-Joe Duff – 80 weeks
32-Teresa Kahler – 91 weeks
33-Carla Stensland – 91 weeks
34-Micky Augustin – 93 weeks
35-Andy Sharp – 94 weeks
36-Bill Wentworth – 95 weeks
37-Cathie Morton – 99 weeks
38-Elizabeth Nordeen – 100 weeks
39-Shannon Bardole-Foley – 102 weeks
40-Kio Dettman – 104 weeks

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

Angie DeWaard (Iowa) – 70 weeks

Angie DeWaard (Iowa)

Bill Wentworth (Nebraska) – 96 weeks

Carla Stensland (Ogden, Iowa) – 92 weeks

Shannon Bardole-Foley (Riviera Maya Mexico) – 103 weeks

Tamara Peterson (Iowa) – 24 weeks

Cathie Morton (Disney Springs, Florida) – 100 weeks

Linda Bennett (Kansas) – 65 weeks

Linda Bennett (Kansas)

Adam Gordon (Vicksburg, Mississippi)- 1 week

Adam Gordon (Vicksburg, Mississippi)

Teresa Kahler (Boone County, Iowa) – 92 weeks

Teresa Kahler (Boone County, Iowa)

Sheri Fakhouri (Tybee Island, Georgia) – 19 weeks

Sheri Fakhouri (Tybee Island, Georgia)

Mindi Terrell (Iowa) – 36 weeks

Mindi Terrell (Iowa)

Nathanial Brown (Boone County, Iowa) – 21 weeks

Kim Barker (Nevada, Iowa) – 80 weeks

Elizabeth Nordeen (Iowa) – 101 weeks

Christopher D. Bennett (Don Williams Park – Boone County, Iowa)

Joe Duff (Texas) – 81 weeks

Joe Duff (Texas)

Kio Dettman (Iowa) – 105 weeks

Kio Dettman (Iowa)

Sarah Toot (Pennsylvania) – 66 weeks

Sarah Toot (Pennsylvania)

Micky Augustin (Iowa)- 94 weeks

Elainie Hernandez (Iowa) – 4 weeks

Mary Green (Riverside Bible Camp – Story City, Iowa) – 2 weeks

Mary Green (Riverside Bible Camp – Story City, Iowa)

Willy McAlpine (Spain) – 10 weeks

Dawn Krause (Iowa) – 74 weeks

Dawn Krause (Iowa)

Andy Sharp (Boone, Iowa) – 95 weeks

Alexis Stensland (Iowa) – 2 weeks

Alexis Stensland (Don Williams Park – Boone County, Iowa)

Logan Kahler (Boone, Iowa) – 20 weeks

Logan Kahler (Clive, Iowa)

Evie Gorshe (Iowa) – 2 weeks

Harrison Gorshe (Ledges State Park – Boone County, Iowa) – 1 week

Jen Ensley-Gorshe (Iowa) – 2 weeks

Sabas Hernandez (Iowa) – 10 weeks

Sara Lockner (Iowa) – 2 weeks

Brandon Kahler (Iowa) – 60 weeks

Jesse Howard (Center Grove Orchard – Cambridge, Iowa) – 21 weeks

Monica Jennings (Boone, Iowa) – 20 weeks

Mike Vest (Noel, Missouri) – 16 weeks

Scott Degeneffe (Boone County, Iowa) – 9 weeks

36 participants! That is a great week! And with Adam’s submissions from Mississippi, there is another stated added to the Photography 139 submission map!

There were submissions this week taken in the following places:

+ Florida
+ Georgia
+ Iowa
+ Kansas
+ Mexico
+ Mississippi
+ Missouri
+ Nebraska
+ Pennsylvania
+ Spain
+ Texas

Here is the current calendar year list for states:

40 states and 1 district! That is pretty impressive! Over 75% of the way there! Every continental state west of the Mississippi is now accounted for.

The Outside of the United States map is currently:

There were a few milestones this week and 1 major one! Cathie joins the Triple Digit Club! WooHoo! Sabas and Willy joined the Double Digit Club! WooHoo! Plus the first every submission from Adam. I don’t know that it will continue, but maybe it will. You never know.

But it wasn’t all good times. A ton of streaks and wannabe streaks bit the dust. Lori, Pepper, Funk, Derrick, Layla, and Amy couldn’t make it 2 weeks in a row. Suzie’s 2 week streak is also history.

FAVORITE SPORTS TEAM – SUGGESTED BY ANDY SHARP

FAVORITE SPORTS TEAM! What a great them for Year 11 of THE WEEKLY PHOTO CHALLENGE!

But what is a FAVORITE SPORTS TEAM image? It is simply a picture that deals with your FAVORITE SPORTS TEAM. It doesn’t have to be of the team in action. A picture of article of clothing or the stadium they play in or any form of memorabilia. While I wouldn’t make a rule against, I would suggest doing more than just taking a picture of them playing on the television. Find something else that represents the team. It doesn’t have to be a professional or college sports team. Maybe your Tuesday night bowling team is your favorite team. Or maybe that Little League team you played for when you were 9 was your favorite team. Maybe the rec league basketball team is your favorite team. Maybe your son’s middle school soccer team is your favorite team.

I know many of you don’t even like sports. In that case, just take out the word “sports” and capture a picture that suggests your favorite team.

When considering a way to capture your FAVORITE SPORTS TEAM, meditate on the following quote and I have not doubt you will capture a great image:

I always turn to the sports pages first, which records people’s accomplishments. The front page has nothing but man’s failures.
-Earl Warren

I look forward to seeing your interpretation.

RULES

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

That is it. Thems the rules!

That is all I got, so if the good Lord’s willin’ and the creek don’t rise, we will all be sharing your idea of FAVORITE SPORTS TEAM in this place that is a Cyclones fan site next Monday.