Category Archives: Vest

Angie, Bill, Black & White, Carla, Formal Portrait, Kim, Micky, Mom, Pastor Sarah, Vest, WPC - Submissions

WEEKLY PHOTO CHALLENGE – WEEK 34 – PORTRAIT

May 9, 2016 Christopher D. Bennett 5 Comments

Another solid week of submissions. Here are the submissions for PORTRAIT:

Kim Barker

Bill Wentworth 1

Bill Wentworth 2

Angie DeWaard 1

Angie DeWaard 2

Sarah Karber

Christopher D. Bennett

Mike Vest

Micky Augustin

Carla Stensland 1

Carla Stensland 2

Solid submissions across the board! But why live in the past. Let’s look to the future. After all, that is where we will live the balance of our lives.

This week’s theme…

GLASS!

Those of you with a little bit of elephant in you may be a little like: “Didn’t we just do GLASS?” However, those of you that are more learned will know that more than just windows are made of GLASS. Things like glasses are made of GLASS. The kind you drink out of and the kind you put on your face. (At least they used to be.) Bottles. Also made of glass. (At least they used to be.) Lenses. Made of glass. (At least they used to be.) Lots of wonderful art is made out of GLASS. So go out and explore the wonderful world of GLASS.

HOUSEKEEPING

Nothing new to report. I’ll try to do better next week.

Anders, Jay, Jesse, Jorge, Shannon, Vest

I Further Celebrate Myself Even More Too, Also

May 8, 2016 Christopher D. Bennett 2 Comments

I realize that not everybody has either the technical ability, the economic wherewithal. or even the cares in them to scan the QR code on the back of the physical Birthday Party Invite.

For that reason, for this one time (and this one time only) I’m publishing a link to the Birthday Party FAQ. Click on the link below:

Birthday Party FAQ

If you go there, there are additional photos of The Master and Torgo. 1 features a special cameo.

I’d also like to take the time to thank everybody that contributed in some small or incredibly large way to the creation of the Birthday Party Invite that confused the world. Or most of the world.

THANK YOU JORGE! You went way beyond as the best Torgo this The Master has ever had. Or has ever had the right to have had. From the rocking those skin tight coveralls to keeping the sweet beard for at least a month after you wanted to shave. Thanks for watching as much of MANOS: THE HANDS OF FATE as you could take to get into character for the photo shoot. I have good news for you! You might be off the hook for next year’s Birthday Party Invite. I already have 2 volunteers for next year. #TeamTorgo

THANK YOU SHANNON! Obviously you rocked the The Master costume. Even though it was outside your comfort zone. I will cherish the The Master costume forever. When I officially retire it, I’ll have to figure out a way to frame it and hang it in the guest bedroom. Thanks for going the extra mile and actually watching all of MANOS: THE HANDS OF FATE, so that you could get in the mind of The Master and add an extra little bit of authenticity to the The Master’s costume. Also, your idea of dying the stache with mascara was inspired.

THANK YOU VEST! Thanks for being the trigger man on the photo shoot, even though all the direction I ever provided was stand over there and take pictures. Thanks for letting me bounce a hundred Torgo hat ideas off of you. Thanks for helping spray paint the Torgo hat and securing the hemp rope onto the Torgo hat with both thread and glue.

THANK YOU JAY! For your work on the Torgo Hand Staff. I should’ve found a better staff part of the hand staff. Now figure out how to make a ton of bubbles for next year’s photo shoot.

THANK YOU MICHELLE! For the gift of mascara and mascara remover. Also for writing the message on the signs. Speaking of writing signs… I’ll talk to you tomorrow at work.

THANK YOU ANDERS! For being the editor for the Manos part of the Birthday Party Invite text. Glad to hear that you are already hard at work on next year’s birthday party invite.

THANK YOU JESSE! For you cameo and for helping put on a show for the Boone High Golf Team. I’m pretty sure we made their day.

The party is officially less than a week away. I feel I’m prepared because my official party hat has already arrived. See my Instagram. Cleaning the house and moving around furniture should take care of itself, I assume.

One FAQ that isn’t listed in the FAQ is this:

Will there be a screening of MANOS: HANDS OF FATE at the birthday party?

No! If you want to watch MANOS: HANDS OF FATE, you have to schedule a private screening with me in the Union Street Theater. Where you will not be allowed to speak, but will watch the movie in silent reverence.

Carla, Geri, Kim, Micky, Nora, Vest, WPC - Submissions

WEEKLY PHOTO CHALLENGE – WEEK 33 – WINDOWS

May 2, 2016 Christopher D. Bennett

A slight dip in submissions this week, but that was to be expected with a bit harder of a theme. It wasn’t too much of a challenger for first time contributor Geri Derner though! Here are the submissions for WINDOWS:

Kim Barker 1

Kim Barker 2

Kim Barker 3

Kim Barker 4

Micky Augustin

Mike Vest

Carla Stensland

Christopher D. Bennett

Geri Derner.

What is this week’s theme? Keep scrolling!

PORTRAIT!

This is a nice and easy theme. The only person I would expect to struggle with this theme would be a true Lone Wolf. For the sake of this theme, a PORTRAIT would be considered a posed photo of somebody. That somebody could be a person, an animal, or a stuffed animal. Interpret away! As always, I can’t wait to see the submissions.

No HOUSEKEEPING today. I’ll try to do better next week.

Angie, Becky, Bill, Black & White, Kim, Micky, Nature, Shannon, Vest

WEEKLY PHOTO CHALLENGE – WEEK 32 – COUNTRY

April 25, 2016 Christopher D. Bennett 3 Comments

Going to be a quick write up today, but excited that there were a plethora of submissions this week. Including a submission from first time submitter Jodie Bennett. Which is pretty sweet!

Here are the submissions for COUNTRY:

Becky Perkovich

Bill Wentworth

Jodie Bennett

Kim Barker 1

Kim Barker 2

Shannon Bardole

Christopher D. Bennett

Angie DeWaard 1

Angie DeWaard 2

Mike Vest

Micky Augustin

A fine selection of submissions!

But what is the theme for this week?

WINDOWS!

WINDOWS is not as easily accessible of a theme as COUNTRY, but everybody has access to WINDOWS. Of course there are many ways to interpret WINDOWS. Some would say that the eyes are the WINDOWS to the soul. If you are serious about running your business, WINDOWS is the OS for you. Of course, there are WINDOW(S) displays for WINDOW(S) shopping. Even cars have WINDOWS. Translate the theme however you see fit.

No HOUSEKEEPING today. I’ll try to do better next week.

Angie, Bethany, Bill, Dae Hee, Dustin, Jill, Kim, Vest, WPC - Submissions

WEEKLY PHOTO CHALLENGE – WEEK 24 – ABSTRACT

February 29, 2016 Christopher D. Bennett

Even though this week’s theme was a bit obtuse, there were a healthy amount of submissions for ABSTRACT.

Let’s get to them!

ANGIE DEWAARD

BILL WENTWORTH

CHRISTOPHER D. BENNETT

DUSTIN JACKSON 1

DUSTIN JACKSON 2

DUSTIN JACKSON 3

KIM BARKER

MIKE VEST

DUSTIN JACKSON 4

ALL great photos with what I assume great photo assistants! Especially the ones having eye problems.

But enough about the past…

How about this week’s theme:

SELF-PORTRAIT!

Self-Portrait! Or as Russell calls them “selfies”. This is an easy theme. After all, almost everybody I know owns a camera. And almost everybody I know owns a self. My inbox should be jam packed with submissions this week. I can’t wait!

HOUSEKEEPING

PHOTOGRAPHY 139 SHAMELESS SELF-PROMOTION DIVISION

I’m pleased to announce that Bethany Yoon has become the latest person to show her keen intellect and sophisticated tastes by becoming a Photography 139 email subscriber. I wish I had more time to write about Bethany’s many winning attributes, but time is a fickle taskmaster. I have the time to say that she is married to long-time Photography 139 supporter and elementary school punching bag DaeHee Yoon. She lives in the Minneapolis area growing the Photography 139 Minnesota Footprint to 4 Subscribers! I think it is sufficient to say that she is one of my most favoritest people in the world. Even if she doesn’t enjoy good “Racks” style humor. DaeHee knows what I’m talking about. #TeamKnockers So if you see her out and about walking the mean streets of Minneapolis or Burnsville with her selfless canine Tempe or a stroller (soon), feel free to give her a knowing glance and teach her the super-secret Photography 139 handshake.

Angie, Bill, Dustin, Kim, Mom, Teresa, Vest, WPC - Submissions

WEEKLY PHOTO CHALLENGE – WEEK 23 – TECHNOLOGY

February 22, 2016 Christopher D. Bennett 2 Comments

The improved weather and the theme of TECHNOLOGY must have gotten the creative juices flowing for many. We had the highest participation rate in weeks! That includes first time submitter Bill Wentworth!

Here are the submissions for TECHNOLOGY:

Bill Wentworth

Christopher D. Bennett

Mike Vest

Dustin Jackson

Kim Barker

Angie DeWaard 1

Angie DeWaard 2

I love the fact that there was a wide variety of old and new technology. Both black and white and color submissions. This was one of my favorite weeks ever!

But why live in the past. Let’s look at this week’s theme…

ABSTRACT!!

But what is ABSTRACT?

Well here is a pretty good definition of abstract art from the interwebs:

“Art that does not attempt to represent external reality, but seeks to achieve its effect using shapes, forms, colors, and textures.”

Here is an example from my own photography:

A couple things to try would be to find an abstract piece of art to photograph, photograph something or somebody completely out of focus, use a long exposure (probably best at night) and move the camera around, move the zoom on your lens while the photographing something or somebody, or define abstract any way that you feel fits you.

As always, I look forward to seeing your guys’ creative efforts!

HOUSEKEEPING

Nothing new to report today. I’ll try to do better this week.

Angie, Kim, Vest, WPC - Submissions

WEEKLY PHOTO CHALLENGE – WEEK 22 – JUNK

February 15, 2016 Christopher D. Bennett 8 Comments

There was a bump in participation this week. Maybe we’ll get another bump next week.

I have to confess that I wasn’t able to get the image I wanted this week because the junkyard I was going photograph was snowed over. Which is too bad, even though it is a chore to get there. You have to cross a stream 3 times and go through a tunnel and then solve the riddle of a troll. I’ll have to photograph it at a later date. If I can solve the riddle.

The submissions for JUNK:

ANGIE DEWAARD

KIM BARKER

CHRISTOPHER D. BENNETT

MIKE VEST

Time to look at this week’s theme:

TECHNOLOGY

As always… feel free to interpret TECHNOLOGY however you feel fit.

HOUSEKEEPING

PHOTOGRAPHY 139 SHAMELESS SELF-PROMOTION DIVISION

We are pleased to announced that Bill Wentworth has become the latest person to display his keen intellect, taste, and sophistication by becoming a PHOTOGRAPHY 139 EMAIL SUBSCRIBER. The addition of Bill stretches the PHOTOGRAPHY 139 EMPIRE to the forsaken land of Nebraska. Replacing Arkansas as the worst state in the Photography 139 Union. I don’t know what I should tell you about Bill. I’ve known him since probably 9th Grade when he was a deacon in Lowell’s shortly lived church.

Bill was a founding member of Saturday Morning Basketball. I was not a founding member of Saturday Morning Basketball, so I assumed that Bill was quite the baller because every time I saw him in the hallways of dear old Boone High School, he was sporting some form of Chicago Bulls gear and talking about basketball.

One Saturday morning I was sleeping in the family den when the doorbell rang. At the door was Anders and Lowell. One of the members of Saturday Morning Basketball was not able to play because he was being forced to work his family garage sale. I was invited to take his place. I jumped at the opportunity because I love playing the greatest game ever invented.

When we arrived at the Health Center, Bill was warming up, his vast array of spin moves and shot fakes. He came over and formally introduced himself. Then he pulled me aside.

“Look” he said, “We aren’t really all that good. Mostly you’ll just want to get the ball to Willy (McAlpine) and Dan (Dill) and let them do most of the scoring.”

I took his sage advice to heart, but I didn’t come there to watch two other guys play basketball.

It was on that Saturday a new friendship with Bill was forged AND a one man basketball revolution came to Saturday Morning Basketball.

Out went the old rule that Dan and Willy couldn’t be on the same team. In came the tacit acceptance that if you weren’t on my team, you weren’t winning.

In the years since Bill has received his diploma from Boone High School, graduated from Iowa State University, moved to Chicago, Saint Louis, and Omaha. Bill is a talented artist and I hope that we will soon see many a submission from him for the Weekly Photo Challenge.

So if you find yourself in Omaha, feel free to give Bill a knowing glance and teach him the super-secret Photography 139 handshake.

WEEKLY CHALLENGE ARCHIVE

Reminder that if you want to look back at past submissions to the WEEKLY PHOTO CHALLENGE, follow the link below:

WEEKLY PHOTO CHALLENGE GALLERY

As always, I look forward to seeing this week’s submissions.

Angie, Becky, Carla, Kim, Naima, Vest, WPC - Submissions

WEEKLY PHOTO CHALLENGE – WEEK 16 – RED

January 4, 2016 Christopher D. Bennett

There were a surprising amount of submissions this week for it being a holiday season. Hopefully we build on that this week.

Submissions for RED:

Becky Perkovich

Carla Stensland

Kim Barker

Christopher D. Bennett

Angie DeWaard 1

Mike Vest

Angie DeWaard 2

So what is this week’s theme?

Let’s have a look:

TEXTURE

This should be an interesting one. It might be one of the more difficult themes, but I hope that doesn’t scare anybody away. As always, I’ll be excited to see all the submissions.

GENERAL HOUSEKEEPING NOTES

No new subscribers.
No movement on the secret handshake development front.

Anders, Angie, Baier, Becky, Blogging, Calendar, Carla, Cousin Amy, Dae Hee, Dawn, Eric, Faust, Flat Earth Joe, Flowers, Funk, Geri, Holidays, Houlihan, Jay, Jesse, Jill, Jorge, Laura, Michelle, Micky, Monica, Nader, Russell, Sara, Scottie D., Shannon, Suzie, Teresa, Vest

2015

January 1, 2016 Christopher D. Bennett 2 Comments

So the walk down memory lane now concludes. With a look at the images that were in the calendar that early this morning will be taken down from kitchen walls (most common place I’ve seen the calendar hung up), office walls, cubicle walls, and placed gently in the trash with yesterday’s coffee grounds. 2015 Photography 139 Calendar I bid you a fond adieu.

Front Cover

January

February

March

April

May

June

July

August

September

October

November

December

If you ever get bored and want to take this walk down memory lane again, you can visit the Calendar and Postcards Gallery in the PHOTOGRAPHY 139 GALLERY. Link below:

CALENDAR & POSTCARD GALLERY

Since yesterday was the end of year and a holiday that many people celebrate (not me though, I don’t need the calendar gestapo telling me when to start a new year) I would like to take a quick moment to thank everybody that has continued to be an email subscriber to this here blog.

Off the top of my head and I apologize if I miss anybody:

These people are all original subscribers or at least haven’t changed their email since August 22, 2011. Which is how far back the records from off the top of my head go.

Jay Janson
Jason Baier
Shannon Bardole
Scott Degeneffe
Corey Faust
Susanna Funk
Jill Gorshe
Jesse Howard
Sara Lockner
Teresa Kahler
Nader Parsaei
Becky Perkovich
Bernice Verhoorn
Janice Peterson

Suzie Brannen – Since June 22, 2012
Eric Hiatt – Since August 20, 2012
Kim Barker – Since September 18, 2012
Amy Junck-Wallendal – December 18, 2012
Russell Kennerly – Since May 13, 2013
Tim Tucker (Not the one most of you are thinking about) – Since June 27, 2013
Michelle Haupt – Since July 12, 2013
Tim Tucker’s Woman (Sorry, never caught her name) – Since August 22, 2013
Geri Derner – Since September 30, 2013
Micky Augustin – Since October 10, 2013
Angie DeWaard – Since August 24, 2015
Mike Vest – Since September 9, 2015
Melissa Degeneffe – Since September 14, 2015
DaeHee Yoon – Since September 29, 2015
Monica Kewer – Since October 2, 2015 (Current email)
Carla Stensland – Since October 5, 2015
Joe Lynch – Since October 9, 2015
Jorge Rios – Since October 9, 2015
Anders Runestad – Since October 11, 2015
Elizabeth Nordeen – Since November 2, 2015
Laura Miller – Since November 9, 2015
Michael Houlihan – Since November 16, 2015
Dawn Krause – Since December 21, 2015
Joe Duff – Since December 21, 2015

Thanks for all the support and for making 2015 a successful year, by some sense of the word. I hope our little family here continues to grow. I’ll try and do better in 2016!

Angie, Becky, Black & White, Dawn, Iowa State, Kim, Michelle, Micky, Vest, WPC - Submissions

WEEKLY PHOTO CHALLENGE – WEEK 14 – BLACK AND WHITE

December 21, 2015 Christopher D. Bennett 1 Comment

I don’t think that it is a secret to anybody that knows me at all that black and white photography is my true photographic love. And we all know that true love is the greatest thing in the world – except for a nice MLT – mutton, lettuce, and tomato sandwich, where the mutton is nice and lean and the tomatoes are ripe.

But I digress.

The point is I’ve been looking forward to this week for 13 weeks now! Let’s see the submissions.

Becky Perkovich

Angie DeWaard

Kim Barker 1

Kim Barker 2

Deb Kibby

Micky Augustin 1

Micky Augustin 2

Christopher D. Bennett

Mike Vest

If it was up to me, I would’ve thrown in BLACK AND WHITE as a category 4 or 5 times. Unfortunately, it just dawned on me that it is up to me. Maybe next year.

But why dwell on the past, when we have the future to look forward to? Let us look at this week’s theme…

FRAMED

This category doesn’t necessarily mean an object inside of a literal frame. Think of this as an object that your view is framed by other objects. Or think of this any way that you like.

MESSAGE FROM PHOTOGRAPHY 139’S SHAMELESS SELF-PROMOTION DIVISION.

Big time welcomes are due to not ONE, but TWO new email subscribers. So give BIG welcomes to new Photography 139 email subscribers Dawn Krause AND Joe Duff. I believe Joe to be our first subscriber from Texas! Going global… soon!

I would normally tell you that if you see them on the streets to give them a knowing glance AND don’t be shy about showing them the secret Photography 139 handshake. However, the Secret Handshake Division has yet to finalize the handshake. So at this time the knowing glance will have to suffice.

Welcome aboard Joe and Dawn. I know you shall fare well!