Category Archives: Birthdays

Birthdays, Black & White, Dae Hee, Drone, Naima, Nora, Self-Portrait, WPC - Alternate, WPC - Reminder

Tell of Who You Are

October 16, 2020 Christopher D. Bennett 1 Comment

I need to start today with wishing Dae Hee a happy birthday. Happy birthday Dae Hee!

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

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Mike

The main collection of pictures from today are alternates for last week’s THE WEEKLY PHOTO CHALLENGE theme SELF-PORTRAIT. A few of those pictures were taken on the roof of my house. I climbed up there without anybody holding the ladder or spotting me.

I bring this up, because I acknowledge that is dangerous and foolish. I bring this up, because a guy I know recently fell off a roof and broke his back. He is now in need of help with the medical expenses that come with that kind of injury and our broken health care system. If you are interested in helping out with his medical expenses, you can make a donation to his GoFundMe page here:

We’ve Got Mike’s Back ( – He broke it!)

You may remember Mike as the lead singer and bass player for Derrick’s band. He’s a good guy with a long road to recovery in front of him.

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Here is a collection of SELF-PORTRAIT images that I took for THE WEEKLY PHOTO CHALLENGE, but didn’t use on Monday. They are mostly cruddy cell phone pictures, but a few were taken with Rodan139.

The pictures taken down by the river are with the remains of the bridge that Kate Shelley crossed to save all those lives, all those years. If you don’t know the story of Kate Shelley, don’t worry. You will at some point.

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This is your reminder that BLACK AND WHITE is the week’s theme for THE WEEKLY PHOTO CHALLENGE:

BLACK AND WHITE

A BLACK AND WHITE image is a picture of any subject that is taken in BLACK AND WHITE, sometimes called monochrome.

Happy photo harvesting!

Alexis, Animals, Birthdays, Carla, Elainie, Jesse, Johnathan, Linda, Logan, Sarah Toot, Teresa, Vacation

Walnut Woods Bird Blind

October 14, 2020 Christopher D. Bennett 2 Comments

I need to start today by wishing my cousin Sarah a happy birthday. Happy birthday Sarah!

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

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Back when I was on vacation, one of the State Parks I visited was Walnut Woods in the Des Moines area. I’ve driven by the sign for the turnoff to Walnut Woods hundreds of times. It seemed like I should finally make that turn and see what it is all about.

I didn’t get to spend much time exploring Walnut Woods, but by far my favorite thing I found there was the bird blind that overlooked about a hundred bird feeders. The bird blind is closed because of the badly mismanaged pandemic, but you could still stand near the bird blind and enjoy the birds. I probably didn’t have the exact lens I would have wanted, but I still took a plethora of bird photos. Even took some I liked.

This trip to Walnut Woods inspired me to want to buy my own portable bird blind. I’m going to get right on that after I buy a larger external hard drive, 3 new monitors, and a new projection screen. Maybe a retired Iowa State football locker. It is definitely on the list!

Art, Birthdays, Drone, History, Railroad, Ruins, Sara, Self-Portrait, Shawn Lockner, Town Sign Project, WPC - Alternate, WPC - Reminder

Maybe I’m a Man and Maybe I’m a Lonely Man

October 9, 2020 Christopher D. Bennett

I need to start today by wishing Shawn a happy birthday. Happy birthday Shawn!

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

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I do love pictures of SIGNS. My sister-in-law Laura once told me that this makes me a hipster. She is wrong about that, but even if it did make me a hipster, I’d still love pictures of signs. Battered. Beat up. Barely hanging on. My kind of SIGNS. With that in mind, here are the alternate pictures for last week’s THE WEEKLY PHOTO CHALLENGE theme SIGNS:

I also took a couple pictures of unincorporated towns in Boone County:

Centerville, Iowa
Unincorporated

Ridgeport, Iowa
Unincorporated

Here is an interesting fact about Ridgeport. It was originally called Mineral Ridge. It took that name from the ridge that the town sits on. It was giving that name because the surveyors that were exploring the area, their compass wasn’t working correctly. The figured that this was because the ridge was filled with minerals. Turns out that they just had a broken compass. At least this is what I read in the latest issue of “Trail Tales”.

I wish more of these unincorporated communities had signs like Centerville. I looked for one in Logansport and didn’t find one. Also looked for some kind of marker where Zenorsville was once located, but found nothing. However, of all the unincorporated communities in Boone County, the lack of any kind of marker for Jordan makes me the saddest. Not just because of my family connection (I also have a family connection to Centerville) to Jordan, but because of its historical significance because of the Jordan tornado. C’est la vie!

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This is your reminder that this week’s theme for THE WEEKLY PHOTO CHALLENGE is SELF-PORTRAIT:

SELF-PORTRAIT

A SELF-PORTRAIT is simply a picture where the photographer and the subject are the same person. Obviously, there are some creative ways to get around that, if you don’t like take pictures of yourself. Even if that doesn’t make sense to anybody else.

Happy photo harvesting!

Alexis, Art, Birthdays, Brandon, Carla, Cathie, Drone, Elainie, Elizabeth, Jason, Jesse, Johnathan, Kim, Kio, Logan, Mom, Politics, Self-Portrait, Shannon, Tamara, Teresa, Vest

WPC – WEEK 264 – SIGNS

October 5, 2020 Christopher D. Bennett

Sorry that this is several minutes late today. I went to cast my ballot for the 2020 election during my lunch break from the mine:

A reminder that if you live in Iowa, early voting starts today! It might be easier and safer than voting on November 3. But you have to make the choice that is best for you.

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I need to start today by wishing Johnathan a happy birthday. Happy birthday Johnathan!

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

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WooHoo! 53 straight weeks of double digit submissions!! Once again, I didn’t even have to send out any reminder texts.

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

Kio Dettman

Tamara Peterson

Shannon Bardole-Foley

Jesse Howard

Christopher D. Bennett

Teresa Kahler

Cathie Raley

Kim Barker

Elizabeth Nordeen

Carla Stensland

Mike Vest

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

SELF-PORTRAIT

SELF-PORTAIT! What a great theme! But what is a SELF-PORTRAIT? This is simply a portrait where the subject and the photographer are one and the same. If you don’t like taking your own picture, you can always take a picture of somebody else taking a SELF-PORTRAIT. That is a pro tip for ya!

Here is a look back at the previous 7 times SELF-PORTRAIT was a theme:

RWPE #8 – SELF-PORTRAIT

RWPE Y2 #52 – SELF-PORTRAIT

WEEKLY PHOTO CHALLENGE – WEEK 25 – SELF-PORTRAIT

WEEKLY PHOTO CHALLENGE – WEEK 68 – SELF-PORTRAIT

WEEKLY PHOTO CHALLENGE – WEEK 144 & WEEK 145

WEEKLY PHOTO CHALLENGE – WEEK 179 – SELF-PORTRAIT

WPC – WEEK 245 – SELF-PORTRAIT

HOUSEKEEPINGA MESSAGE FROM THE PHOTOGRAPHY 139 RULES DIVISION

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.

A MESSAGE FROM THE PHOTOGRAPHY 139 SHAMELESS SELF-PROMOTION DIVISION

Nobody showed class, taste, and sophistication this week by signing up for a Photography 139 email subscription. I’ll try and do better next week.

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That’s all I got for today, so if the good Lord’s willin’ and the creek don’t rise, we will commune right here again next Monday. Hopefully it will be a very selfish Monday!

Birthdays, Candid Portrait, Event, Formal Portrait, Jen, Music, Nader, Photoshop, Sara, Scottie D., Shawn Lockner

2010-04-11

October 3, 2020 Christopher D. Bennett

I need to start off this day by wishing Sara a happy birthday. Happy birthday Sara!

I hope your birthday was as amazing as you wanted it to be!

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It is also Scottie D.’s birthday! Happy birthday Scottie D.!

I hope your birthday was as amazing as you wanted it to be!

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The majority of the pictures in the folder 2010-04-11 are from a benefit event I photographed. I don’t even remember what it was a benefit for, but it was put on by a lady I used to work with. There were also pictures of Nader in there.

I don’t remember much of the night of the benefit, other than I left shortly after a bar fight that left the floor covered in the most blood I’ve ever seen from a fight. It was a lot of blood.

By adding these pictures to the Photography 139 Gallery, I was able to restore the following historic “An Artist’s Notebook” entries to their original glory:

A Benefit

RWPE #14 – SYMMETRY AND PATTERNS

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

Birthdays, Black & White, Derrick, Formal Portrait, Photoshop, Sara

2010-04-08

September 26, 2020 Christopher D. Bennett

The pictures in the folder 2010-04-08 are from a photo shoot for my 2010 Birthday Party invitation. The theme for the invitation was “Done Got Old”. The pictures were taken by Sara. The guitar in the pictures was donated by Derrick. The cane was from Sara’s personal collection of canes. And yes, the white shoes were intentional. I was asked this question frequently for some reason.

Personal Photo Project of the Week No. 16

I hope to have a birthday party in 2021. Hopefully by the we will be through this completely mismanaged pandemic.

By adding these pictures to the Photography 139 Gallery, I was able to restore the following historic “An Artist’s Notebook” entry to their original glory:

Personal Photo Project of the Week No. 16

Next Saturday’s walk down memory lane will involve a benefit I photographed.

Alexis, Birthdays, Black & White, Brandon, Carla, Dad, Drone, Grandma, Jason, Johnathan, Kanoa, Logan, Mom, Nature, Panorama, Still Life, Teresa, WPC - Alternate, WPC - Reminder

Rodan139: Water Alternate

September 25, 2020 Christopher D. Bennett

I need to start today off by wishing my Mom a happy birthday. Without here, none of this would be possible. Not only would I never exist, she also bought me my first camera. A Minolta Maxxum 450si.

Happy birthday Mom!

It hope is as amazing a birthday as you want it to be!

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I went to Ledges on Sunday morning to take my WATER picture for THE WEEKLY PHOTO CHALLENGE. I took several pictures. Here are some of the others I took that weren’t ready for the world on Monday.

I hope to take Rodan139 out again this weekend. On Tuesday I came off a self-quarantine from a potential exposure from a previous Sunday. As it turns out, I wasn’t exposed, so good news for the friendly skies!

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This is your reminder that STILL LIFE is this week’s theme for THE WEEKLY PHOTO CHALLENGE:

A STILL LIFE image is a picture of an inanimate object. Usually posed.

Happy photo harvesting!

Birthdays, Black & White, Formal Portrait, Jill, Personal Photo Project, Shannon, Vest

2010-03-26 & 2010-03-27

August 29, 2020 Christopher D. Bennett

I need to start the day by wishing Vest a happy birthday. Happy birthday Vest!

I hope your birthday was as amazing as you hoped it would be.

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Most of the pictures in the folders 2010-03-26 and 2010-03-27 are pictures of Jill and Shannon that I took for a couple of PERSONAL PHOTO PROJECTs.

WEEK 12 - SIGNS - CHRISTOPHER D. BENNETT

By adding these pictures to the Photography 139 Gallery, I was able to restore the following historic “An Artist’s Notebook” entries to their original glory:

PERSONAL PHOTO PROJECT OF THE WEEK NO. 14

PERSONAL PHOTO PROJECT OF THE WEEK NO. 15

RWPE #12 – SIGNS

Next Saturday’s walk down memory lane will involve the time I scientifically proved that I am the the true Lone Wolf!

Alexis, Andy, Angie, Animals, Becky, Birthdays, Black & White, Brandon, Carla, Christianity, Dad, Elainie, Elizabeth, Ernie, Jason, Jodie Cue, Johnathan, Kim, Macro, Mom, Shannon, Tamara, Teresa, WPC - Submissions

WPC – WEEK 257 – MACRO

August 17, 2020 Christopher D. Bennett 1 Comment

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

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

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Can you believe it? 46 straight weeks of double digit submissions! I thought for sure the derecho would maybe put a hitch in THE WEEKLY PHOTO CHALLENGE’S giddy up this week. But it was barely even a bump in the road for most of you. The rest of you, I’m going to assume you still don’t have power and your roof is lying in your neighbor’s field.

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

Andy Sharp

Becky Parmelee

Angie DeWaard

Carla Stensland

Jodie Cue

Christopher D. Bennett

Jodie Cue

Shannon Bardole-Foley

Tamara Peterson

Kim Barker

Elizabeth Nordeen

Logan Kahler

RELIGION

RELIGION! What a great theme! But what is a RELIGION photo? A RELIGION photo is a photo of anything that deals with the practice of a RELIGION. From a picture of a holy book or a place of worship or a worship service or a symbol of RELIGION.

I look forward to your interpretations!

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HOUSEKEEPING

A MESSAGE FROM THE PHOTOGRAPHY 139 RULES DIVISION

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

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.

A MESSAGE FROM THE PHOTOGRAPHY 139 SHAMELESS SELF-PROMOTION DIVISION

Nobody showed class, taste, and sophistication this week by signing up for a Photography 139 email subscription. I’ll try and do better next week.

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That’s all I got for today, so if the good Lord’s willin’ and the creek don’t rise, we will commune right here again next Monday. Hopefully it will be a very religious Monday!

Birthdays, Brandon, Logan, Macro, Russ, Still Life, Teresa, WPC - Reminder

Derecho Beta

August 14, 2020 Christopher D. Bennett

I need to start today by wishing a happy birthday to Russ! Happy birthday Russ!

I hope your birthday was as wonderful as you wanted it to be!

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The first day after the derecho, I woke up without power. I figured it wouldn’t take long to get power. While I am a dirt poor, blue collar working stiff, I do live in what is considered the “nice” side of town with a bunch of swells. I figured that while my economic status wouldn’t get me preferred service, I would be able to ride the coattails of the country club set.

I was wrong. While even people who live west of Division Street got power back, I spent my day going back and forth between the darkness of my working man’s humble abode and to my Mom’s to get a charge on various electronics. My Mom did get power back at about 10 AM. The electric company came and moved the downed power line that was laying across her backyard. This allowed us to clean up her backyard. Shortly after that crew left, another crew came and turned her power back on.

Since I live about 3 blocks from my Mom, I thought I would have power back within minutes. Or at least within hours. But that power never came. I thought that I might have to travel to Ames to work at the Computer Mine, but they also didn’t get power back until late Tuesday night.

With no power and no job to work at, I grilled myself a semi-frozen pizza for lunch and then drove out to the “Stop Eminent Domain Abuse” semi trailer that had reportedly flipped over. Then I went back to Luther to photograph the grain bins one more time with a different lens than I brought the first time.

Here are some pictures:

I went to bed without power and now the amount of generators in my neighborhood had tripled. I loved the dark, I just wish some quiet would have accompanied it!

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

MACRO

A MACRO photo is a closeup photo. I was going to get into the technical definition, but nah, closeup photo is enough of a description.

Happy photo harvesting!