Category Archives: Tamara

2010-09-20

June 19, 2021 Christopher D. Bennett

The pictures in the folder 2010-09-20 are from a block party at the Boone First United Methodist Church. It was supposed to be a mostly outside event, but bad weather forced it to be inside. It is weird looking at these pictures now, because these little kids are now in college and many of the older people have moved to a different town and don’t go to our church any longer. Unfortunately, many of them have also passed on.

It appears that this is the first time that I ever shared these pictures on this website.

Next Saturday’s walk down memory lane and will involve Iowa State football.

Angie, Carla, Cathie, Elizabeth, Joe Duff, Kio, Micky, Sara, Shannon, Tamara, WPC - Submissions

WPC – WEEK 300 – RED

June 14, 2021 Christopher D. Bennett

The theme of RED did fire the passions of a few people as there were a healthy amount of submissions for RED this week.

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

Micky Augustin

Carla Stensland

Christopher D. Bennett

Tamara Peterson

Joe Duff

Kio Dettman

Shannon Bardole-Foley

Kim Barker

Cathie Raley

Angie DeWaard

Elizabeth Nordeen

Sara Lockner

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:

WHITE

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

But what is a WHITE image? A WHITE image is simply and image where the color WHITE plays an import part of the composition of the image.

Think about the following quote when you think about composing your image:

Working in white makes people look into it. White is ethereal. There’s a purity to it, it makes things look elevated in a way. There’s a whole palette of white…
-Johnatan Milne

Meditate on these words and I have no doubt you will create a magnificent WHITE 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 WHITE in this place that contains much WHITE next Monday.

Carla, Cathie, Elizabeth, Joe Duff, Kim, Kio, Linda, Michelle, Micky, Shannon, Tamara, WPC - Submissions

WPC – WEEK 299 – WORDS

June 7, 2021 Christopher D. Bennett

Despite last Monday being a holiday and a shorter week for some people, there were still a fair amount of submissions for WORDS.

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

Kim Barker

Linda Bennett

Tamara Peterson

Shannon Bardole-Foley

Carla Stensland

Joe Duff

Christopher D. Bennett

Micky Augustin

Elizabeth Nordeen

Kio Dettman

Michelle Haupt

Cathie Raley

Elizabeth Nordeen

RED

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

But what is a RED image? A RED image is simply any image where the color RED plays an important part of the composition of the image. For example, the main subject of the picture is RED.

Meditate on these words as you consider your RED image:

Red is the ultimate cure for sadness.
-Bill Blass
If you consider those words, you will no doubt create a fascinating RED image.

RULES

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

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

Carla, Drone, Elizabeth, Kio, Micky, Shannon, Tamara, WPC - Submissions

WPC – WEEK 298 – UP IN THE AIR

May 31, 2021 Christopher D. Bennett

Despite the busy holiday weekend, a handful of stalwart photographers managed to submit an image for UP IN THE AIR.

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

Elizabeth Nordeen

Micky Augustin

Kio Dettman

Shannon Bardole-Foley

Tamara Peterson

Carla Stensland

Christopher D. Bennett

WORDS

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

But what is a WORDS image? I know many of you didn’t come here fore reading! Top to bottom, left to right… a group of words together is called a sentence. Take Tylenol for any headaches… Midol for any cramps.

But one of the greatest comedies of all-time aside, WORDS are merely collections of letters. You can find WORDS all over the place. Books. Signs. Advertising. Newspapers. Magazines. All over the place. You are literally (used correctly) looking at WORDS right now!

You could think on these WORDS from HAMLET as you consider the composition of you image:

POLONIOUS: What do you read, my lord?
HAMLET: Words, words, words.
POLONIOUS: What is the matter, my lord?
HAMLET: Between who?
POLONIOUS: I mean, the matter that you read, my lord.
HAMLET: Slanders, sir. For the satirical rogue says here that old men have gray beards, that their faces are wrinkled, their eyes purging thick amber and plum-tree gum, and that they have a plentiful lack of wit, together with most weak hams—all which, sir, though I most powerfully and potently believe, yet I hold it not honesty to have it thus set down; for yourself, sir, should be old as I am, if like a crab you could go backward.
POLONIOUS: Though this be madness, yet there is method in it.

Meditate on these words and I have no doubt you will make a most powerful WORDS image.

RULES

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

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

Andy, Becky, Bill, Kim, Kio, Micky, Tamara, WPC - Submissions

WPC – WEEK 297 – GOVERNMENT

May 24, 2021 Christopher D. Bennett 2 Comments

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

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

Andy Sharp

Becky Parmelee

Bill Wentworth

Kio Dettman

Tamara Peterson

Christopher D. Bennett

Kim Barker

Micky Augustin

UP IN THE AIR

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

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

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

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

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

RULES

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

That is all I got, so if the good Lord’s willin’ and the creek don’t rise, we will all be sharing our idea of UP IN THE AIR in this place that travels from my server to your computational device through the air next Monday.

Black & White, Cathie, Christianity, Elizabeth, Joe Duff, Kio, Micky, Shannon, Tamara, WPC - Submissions

WPC – WEEK 296 – LIGHT

May 17, 2021 Christopher D. Bennett

Once again, there was a healthy amount of submissions for LIGHT. Apparently many of you did see the LIGHT.

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

Micky Augustin

Elizabeth Nordeen

Kio Dettman

Joe Duff

Kio Dettman

Tamara Peterson

Shannon Bardole-Foley

Joe Duff

Christopher D. Bennett

Cathie Raley

GOVERNMENT

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

But what is a GOVERNMENT photo? A GOVERNMENT photo is any photo that involves something that involves the GOVERNMENT. Went to a public park? That is GOVERNMENT. Driving on a road? That is GOVERNMENT. Of course there are GOVERNMENT buildings like courthouse, police departments, fire departments, post offices… Everything military related is GOVERNMENT. Everything dealing with public schools is GOVERNMENT.

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

The worst thing in this world, next to anarchy, is government.
-Henry Ward Beecher

RULES

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

That is all I got, so if the good Lord’s willin’ and the creek don’t rise, we will all be sharing our idea of GOVERNMENT in this place that is governed my conscience. next Monday.

Art, Becky, Joe Duff, Kim, Kio, Linda, Micky, Shannon, Tamara, WPC - Submissions

WPC – WEEK 295 – FACE

May 10, 2021 Christopher D. Bennett

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

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

Kim Barker

Kio Dettman

Linda Bennett

Tamara Peterson

Micky Augustin

Tamara Peterson

Becky Parmelee

Joe Duff

Christopher D. Bennett

Kio Dettman

Micky Augustin

Cathie Raley

Submitted by Andy Sharp by Caree Severson

Shannon Bardole-Foley

LIGHT

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

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

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

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

RULES

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

That is all I got, so if the good Lord’s willin’ and the creek don’t rise, we will all be sharing our idea of LIGHT in this place that is a little bit more than scraps of LIGHT next Monday.

Kim, Kio, Macro, Micky, Still Life, Tamara, Vest

WPC – WEEK 293 – HANDS

April 26, 2021 Christopher D. Bennett

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

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

Micky Augustin

Kio Dettman

Tamara Peterson

Amy Peterson

Kio Dettman

Christopher D. Bennett

Kim Barker

Mike Vest

TRAVEL

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

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

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

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

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

RULES

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

That is all I got, so if the good Lord’s willin’ and the creek don’t rise, we will all be sharing our idea of TRAVEL in this place that only needs you to travel through cyberspace next Monday.

Black & White, Flowers, Kio, Linda, Tamara, Teresa, WPC - Submissions

WPC – WEEK 292 – SHADOWS

April 19, 2021 Christopher D. Bennett

There was amount of submissions this week for SHADOWS.

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

Linda Bennett

Kio Dettman

Tamara Peterson

Kio Dettman

Christopher D. Bennett

Kio Dettman

Micky Augustin

HANDS

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

A HANDS image is pretty simple. It is merely a picture where the composition involves either HANDS or things that HANDS use, like gloves. It should be an easy theme, since almost everybody has HANDS or knows somebody with HANDS. I mean, even a clock has HANDS.

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

A man who works with his HANDS is a laborer; a man who works with his HANDS and his brain is a craftsman; but a man who works with his HANDS and his brain and his heart is an artist.
-Louis Nizer

Meditate on this quote and I have no doubt your submission will rise to the level of art!

RULES

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

That is all I got, so if the good Lord’s willin’ and the creek don’t rise, we will all be sharing our idea of HANDS in this place that knows to keep its HANDS to itself next Monday.

Angie, Bill, Black & White, Joe Duff, Kim, Kio, Logan, Railroad, Tamara, WPC - Submissions

WEEK 290 – SLICE OF LIFE AND WEEK 291 – DRINKS

April 12, 2021 Christopher D. Bennett

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

First up is SLICE OF LIFE:

JOE DUFF

TAMARA PETERSON

KIO DETTMAN

CHRISTOPHER D. BENNETT

Kim Barker

The second theme was DRINKS:

Bill Wentworth

Christopher D. Bennett

Kio Dettman

Angie DeWaard

Kim Barker

SHADOWS

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

THE WEEKLY PHOTO CHALLENGE RULES:

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

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

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

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

That is it, them’s the rules.

Good luck!