Category Archives: Boone County Fair

WPC – WEEK 357 – WORK

WORK sure can be a lot of WORK. But how many people put in the WORK of getting a WORK photo? You’ll have to keep scrolling to find out.

As of 12:01 PM on Monday, July 11, this was the current list of ACTIVE streaks (ignore the numbers in parentheses):

+ Suzie Brannen – 1 week
+ Sabas Hernandez – 1 week
+ Monica Jennings – 1 week
+ Brandon Kahler – 1 week
+ Mike Vest – 1 week
+ Sara Lockner – 2 weeks
+ Jen Ensley-Gorshe – 3 weeks
+ Mary Green – 3 weeks (2)
+ Angie DeWaard – 5 weeks
+ Dawn Krause – 8 weeks
+ Linda Bennett – 10 weeks
+ Kim Barker – 14 weeks
+ Joe Duff – 15 weeks (2)
+ Logan Kahler – 17 weeks (2)
+ Teresa Kahler – 25 weeks (2)
+ Tamara Peterson – 25 weeks
+ Carla Stensland – 25 weeks
+ Michelle Haupt – 26 weeks
+ Micky Augustin – 27 weeks
+ Andy Sharp – 28 weeks
+ Bill Wentworth – 29 weeks
+ Cathie Morton – 33 weeks
+ Elizabeth Nordeen – 34 weeks
+ Shannon Bardole-Foley – 36 weeks
+ Kio Dettman – 39 weeks (4)

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:


WEEK 357 - WILD - KIM BARKER
Kim Barker – 15 weeks

WEEK 357 - WILD - JOE DUFF
Joe Duff – 16 weeks

WEEK 357 - WILD - ANDY SHARP
Andy Sharp – 29 weeks

WEEK 357 - WILD - ELIZABETH NORDEEN
Elizabeth Nordeen – 35 weeks

WEEK 357 - WORK - ELIZABETH NORDEEN
Elizabeth Nordeen

WEEK 357 - WILD - MICKY AUGUSTIN
Micky Augustin – 28 weeks

WEEK 357 - WILD - ANGIE DEWAARD
Angie DeWaard – 6 weeks

WEEK 357 - WILD - BILL WENTWORTH
Bill Wentworth – 30 weeks

WEEK 357 - WILD - CATHIE MORTON
Cathie Morton – 34 weeks

WEEK 357 - WILD - KIO DETTMAN
Kio Dettman – 40 weeks

WEEK 357 - WILD - KIO DETTMAN
Kio Dettman

WEEK 357 - WILD - KIO DETTMAN
Kio Dettman

WEEK 357 - WILD - CHRISTOPHER D. BENNETT
Christopher D. Bennett

WEEK 357 - WILD - LINDA BENNETT
Linda Bennett – 11 weeks

WEEK 357 - WILD - LINDA BENNETT
Linda Bennett

WEEK 357 - WILD - MARY GREEN
Mary Green – 4 weeks

WEEK 357 - WILD - MICHELLE HAUPT
Michelle Haupt – 27 weeks

WEEK 357 - WILD - TAMARA PETERSON
Tamara Peterson – 26 weeks

WEEK 357 - WORK - DAWN KRAUSE
Dawn Krause – 9 weeks

WEEK 357 - WORK - SUZIE BRANNEN
Suzie Brannen – 2 weeks

WEEK 357 - WORK - TERESA KAHLER
Teresa Kahler – 26 weeks

WEEK 357 - WORK - TERESA KAHLER
Teresa Kahler

WEEK 357 - WORK - JESSE HOWARD
Jesse Howard – 1 week

WEEK 357 - WORK - MONICA JENNINGS
Monica Jennings – 2 weeks

WEEK 357 - WORK - JEN ENSLEY-GORSHE
Jen Ensley-Gorshe – 4 weeks

WEEK 357 - WORK - WILLY MCALPINE
Willy McAlpine – 1 week

WEEK 357 - WORK - LOGAN KAHLER
Logan Kahler – 18 weeks

WEEK 357 - WORK - LOGAN KAHLER
Logan Kahler

WEEK 357 - WORK - SARA LOCKNER
Sara Lockner – 3 weeks

WEEK 357 - WORK - SABAS HERNANDEZ
Sabas Hernandez – 2 weeks

WEEK 357 - WORK - SHANNON BARDOLE-FOLEY
Shannon Bardole-Foley – 37 weeks

WEEK 357 - WORK - MIKE VEST
Mike Vest – 2 weeks

WEEK 357 - WORK - CARLA STENSLAND
Carla Stensland – 26 weeks

WEEK 357 - WORK - CARLA STENSLAND
Carla Stensland

27 participants! That is a great week!

This week’s milestones were pretty major. Teresa and Tamara and Carla all reached reached the Half-Year Club! WooHoo!

But it wasn’t all good news. Brandon couldn’t build on his 1 week streak, but he claims he will cook up something good for this week.

Here are the current top streaks:

Here are the current streaks:

9. Teresa Kahler – 26 weeks
9. Tamara Peterson – 26 weeks
9. Carla Stensland – 26 weeks
8. Michelle Haupt – 27 weeks
7. Micky Augustin – 28 weeks
6. Andy Sharp – 29 weeks
5. Bill Wentworth – 30 weeks
4. Cathie Morton – 34 weeks
3. Elizabeth Nordeen – 35 weeks
2. Shannon Bardole-Foley – 37 weeks
1. Kio Dettman – 40 weeks

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 358 - WILD
WILD

WILD! What a great theme for Year 9 of THE WEEKLY PHOTO CHALLENGE!

But what is a WILD image? A WILD image is simply a picture of something that isn’t domesticated. Something that is out in nature. A WILDflower. A WILD animal. Such as (in this neck of the woods) a squirrel or a bunny or a bird or a deer or (if you are super lucky) a snake. Any trip into the WILDerness should provide you ample WILD photo opportunities. Lichens and fungus and just all sorts of things that exist, without the aid of man.

Remember, there is also more than one definition of the word WILD!

While thinking on possible subjects for your WILD picture, meditate on the following quote:

It had nothing to do with gear or footwear or the backpacking fads or philosophies of any particular era or even with getting from point A to point B.

It had to do with how it felt to be in the wild. With what it was like to walk for miles with no reason other than to witness the accumulation of trees and meadows, mountains and deserts, streams and rocks, rivers and grasses, sunrises and sunsets. The experience was powerful and fundamental. It seemed to me that it had always felt like this to be a human in the wild, and as long as the wild existed it would always feel this way.
-Cheryl Strayed

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.

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 your idea of WILD in this place that is untamed next Monday.

Osceola County Aux – Vol. 1

I have big news! Big, big news! I would say news of a comeback, but don’t call it a comeback. I been here for years. Rockin’ my peers. Puttin’ suckers in fear. Makin’ the tears rain down like a monsoon. Listen to the bass go boom.

What I’m trying to say is for the first time since 2019, Baby Got Rack is dusting off their fedoras. Putting on their Hawaiian shirts and competing in the rough world of competitive barbecue! How do you like me now!


Baby Got Rack - 2019 - iowa State Fair

We will competing at the Boone County Fair this Saturday! So you should probably figure out a way to get there. And try some award winning barbecue, cause I can’t promise it won’t be another 3 years before Baby Got Rack is in full effect again.

+++++++

A few months back I went up to Osceola County to harvest their town signs. It was a trip that ended with me calling it a day prematurely because I ran into some sever weather. I originally intended to also harvest the town signs of Lyon County, but weather.

Here is the first collection of auxiliary images from the trip. Many of these taken in Clay County.


Clay County - Greenville
Greenville

Clay County- Royal
Royal

Clay County- Royal

Clay County - Everly
Everly

Osceola County - May City
May City

Osceola County - May City

Osceola County - May City

Osceola County

Osceola County - Harris
Harris

Osceola County - Harris

Osceola County - Harris

Osceola County - Harris

Osceola County - Harris

Osceola County - Harris

Osceola County - Harris

Osceola County - Harris

Osceola County - Harris

Osceola County - Harris

Osceola County - Ocheyedan Mound
Ocheyedan Mound

Osceola County - Ocheyedan Mound

Osceola County - Ocheyedan Mound

Osceola County - Ocheyedan Mound

Osceola County - Ocheyedan Mound

Osceola County - Ocheyedan Mound

Osceola County - Ocheyedan Mound

Osceola County

Osceola County

Osceola County

Osceola County

Osceola County

One thing I’ve discovered one these trips is that if you want to leave a legacy behind after you die, create bizarre art in a small town.

Ocheyedan Mound was long thought to be the highest point in Iowa, but then Hawkeye Point was discovered a few miles away. That being said, Ocheyedan Mound is more impressive looking. But Hawkeye Point is more touristy.

There are still several images left to share from this trip.

Selfie Project – July 2021

On Saturday night I completed another successful month of THE SELFIE PROJECT. It probably wasn’t the most exciting month, but I think we did some good work here now and then.

Here are my favorites from July:


Day 183 - July 2, 2021
July 2, 2021

Day 184 - July 3, 2021
July 3, 2021

Day 185 - July 4, 2021
July 4, 2021

Day 186 - July 5, 2021
July 5, 2021

Day 187 - July 6, 2021
July 6, 2021

Day 190 - July 9, 2021
July 9, 2021

Day 191 - July 10, 2021
July 10, 2021

Day 192 - July 11, 2021
July 11, 2021

Day 193 - July 12, 2021
July 12, 2021

Day 195 - July 14, 2021
July 14, 2021

Day 197 - July 16, 2021
July 16, 2021

Day 198 - July 17, 2021
July 17, 2021

Day 199 - July 18, 2021
July 18, 2021

Day 202 - July 21, 2021
July 21, 2021

Day 204 - July 23, 2021
July 24, 2021

Day 205 - July 24, 2021
July 24, 2021

Day 206 - July 25, 2021
July 25, 2021

Day 208 - July 27, 2021
July 27, 2021

Day 209 - July 28, 2021
July 28, 2021

Day 212 - July 31, 2021
July 31, 2021

There can only be one Selfie per day, but I’ve decided to start sharing some alternate selfies from the month, that just didn’t make the cut:


A Selfie Project 2021 Alternate

A Selfie Project 2021 Alternate

A Selfie Project 2021 Alternate

A Selfie Project 2021 Alternate

A Selfie Project 2021 Alternate

A Selfie Project 2021 Alternate

A Selfie Project 2021 Alternate

A Selfie Project 2021 Alternate

A Selfie Project 2021 Alternate

A Selfie Project 2021 Alternate

A Selfie Project 2021 Alternate

A Selfie Project 2021 Alternate

A Selfie Project 2021 Alternate

A Selfie Project 2021 Alternate

If you want to peruse all the THE SELFIE PROJECT images from 2021, click on the link below:

Selfie Project – 2021

Hopefully August is another successful month!

Boone County Fair 2021

A few weeks back was the Boone County Fair. I didn’t spend much time there, but even with what little time I was there, it felt good to be back. Last year was the first time I didn’t at least make a brief appearance at the Boone County Fair, probably in my entire life.

I went there late Saturday morning to judge the Boone County Fair Photography Contest. It was my first time judging a photography contest and it was definitely an interesting experience being on the other side.

One of the disappointing aspect of being a judge was that there was only 16 entries this year. The past few years I would guess that there was around 50 or so entries. I’m not sure why few people felt like competing this year, but the photography contest wasn’t the only contest I saw that had a precipitous dip in entries. The barbecue contest that Baby Got Rack usually dominates normally has about ten competitors. This year there were two. Baby Got Rack was not one of the two, despite the fact that I already picked up this year’s competitive fedora and Hawaiian shirt. Scottie D. took his lady to Vegas for the weekend, so that put us on the sideline. We have been in discussions to enter a different contest, but at this time, nothing has come of it. You’ll just have to imagine how great it would have been.

What made the lack of participation rates so weird is that the brief times I was at the fair, the fairgrounds were plenty busy. Busier than normal.

Here are some facts about this year’s Boone County Fair Photography Contest:

+ 16 total entries.
+ There are 3 divisions (Black and White, Color, and Digitally Enhanced) broke into 4 classes (People, Landscape, Animal, and Other)
+ There was one entry in Black and White. (Landscape)
+ There was one entry in Digitally Enhanced. (Landscape)
+ There were 14 entries in Color. (1 in People, 4 in Landscape, 6 in Animal, and 3 in Other)
+ I awarded 1 Best in Show.
+ 1 Sweepstakes Award (Most Blue Ribbons)
+ 3 Purple Ribbons (Best in each Division)
+ 12 Blue Ribbons (3 elevated to Purple)
+ 4 Red Ribbons
+ 0 White Ribbons

I wasn’t given many instructions other than this, “We don’t want people to feel discouraged.”

Here is a picture of the contest.


Boone County Fair - 2021

It was a great experience and I was surprised that I even got paid for my efforts.

The lack of participation at the Boone County Fair is why I worry about the participation at the Pufferbilly Days Photo Contest. However, whatever happens, this year is just the foundation from where we will build the Pufferbilly Days Photo Contest into a juggernaut.

Here is the flyer, if you need more information:


Pufferbilly Days Photo Contest Flyer - 2021

While the flyer says the deadline was July 21, the true deadline is roughly 4:30 PM on Tuesday, August 3. That is when I will be picking up the entries and that night my trifecta of judges will evaluate and determine the winners. So, if you are still interested in entering some pictures, you still have the weekend to get your entries ready.

But I digress. Here are some pictures from the Boone County Fair:


Boone County Fair - 2021

Boone County Fair - 2021

Boone County Fair - 2021

Boone County Fair - 2021

Boone County Fair - 2021

Boone County Fair - 2021

Boone County Fair - 2021

Boone County Fair - 2021

Boone County Fair - 2021

Boone County Fair - 2021

Boone County Fair - 2021

Boone County Fair - 2021

I did get to see lots of people at the fair that I haven’t seen in a long time. I hope I get to spend more time at the fair in 2022.

+++++++

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


WEEK 307 - PATHS
PATHS

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

But what is a PATHS image? Simply put, a PATHS image is a picture of a route used by beings to get from one place to another. Trails are PATHS. Roads are PATHS. Railroads are PATHS. Sidewalks are PATHS. Aisles are PATHS. Of course, you don’t have to be literal. There are the PATHS we are on in our life. There is the faith PATHS that we walk.

In the theme reveal image, there is a literal trail from an observation tower back to the woods and eventually, back to my car.

When considering subjects for this week’s image, consider the following quote:

When the path ignites a soul, there’s no remaining in place. The foot touches the ground, but not for long.
-Hakim Sanai

Happy photo harvesting!

WPC – WEEK 305 – MUSIC

While we have been working on sorting things at my Mom’s house, we recently have come through a whole pile of genealogy stuff. While sorting through it, I thought I would share a bit of family history from my Dad’s side of the family. It is a story I’ve known, but never knew all the details that well. Through a series of 6 newspaper clippings, I’m going to share the story of my Grandma Bennett’s brief second marriage.

Handschin-Kessler Wedding
Sunday, December 31st

After morning services at the Central Church of Christ Sunday, December 31st, a wedding ceremony was solemnized in which Mrs. Bernice Kessler, daughter of Mr. anad Mrs. O.M. Needham, 1517 Sixth street, became the bride of Mr. Maurice Handschin of Sioux City, Iowa. The Rev. G. Harvey Sutton officiated at the double ring ceremony in his study. Attending the couple were Mr. and Mrs. Ralph Spratt of Boone.

For her wedding, the bride wore an attractive dress of plaid sheer wool with black accessories.

Later in the day, a wedding supper was served at the Spratt Restaurant, seventeen being present for the event. Both the bride and bridegroom attended Boone High school and have many friends in Boone who will be interested in reading of their marriage. The bride is employed at the Rollins Hosiery Mill and Mr. Handschin is employed by Swift Packing company at Sioux City, where the couple will make their home.

The articles are printed on thermal paper, it appears, and are not in good shape. Here is what it looks like:



There will be more to the story tomorrow.

+++++++

The language of MUSIC seemed to speak to several people this week. Of course, that is MUSIC to my ears, or maybe MUSIC to my eyes.

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


WEEK 305 - MUSIC - TERESA KAHLER
Teresa Kahler

WEEK 305 - MUSIC - TERESA KAHLER
Teresa Kahler

WEEK 305 - MUSIC - TERESA KAHLER
Teresa Kahler

WEEK 305 - MUSIC - TERESA KAHLER
Teresa Kahler

WEEK 305 - MUSIC - TERESA KAHLER
Teresa Kahler

WEEK 305 - MUSIC - KIM BARKER
Kim Barker

WEEK 305 - MUSIC - KIM BARKER
Kim Barker

WEEK 305 - MUSIC - TAMARA PETERSON
Tamara Peterson

WEEK 305 - MUSIC - SHANNON BARDOLE-FOLEY
Shannon Bardole-Foley

WEEK 305 - MUSIC - CHRISTOPHER D. BENNETT
Christopher D. Bennett

WEEK 305 - MUSIC - BILL WENTWORTH
Bill Wentworth

WEEK 305 - MUSIC - CATHIE RALEY
Cathie Raley

WEEK 305 - MUSIC - MICHELLE HAUPT
Michelle Haupt

WEEK 305 - MUSIC - ANDY SHARP
Andy Sharp

WEEK 305 - MUSIC - ANDY SHARP
Andy Sharp

WEEK 305 - MUSIC - ELIZABETH NORDEEN
Elizabeth Nordeen

WEEK 305- MUSIC - CARLA STENSLAND
Carla Stensland

WEEK 305- MUSIC - CARLA STENSLAND
Carla Stensland

WEEK 305- MUSIC - CARLA STENSLAND
Carla Stensland

WEEK 305 - MUSIC - KIO DETTMAN
Kio Dettman

WEEK 305 - MUSIC - KIO DETTMAN
Kio Dettman

WEEK 305 - MUSIC - MIKE VEST
Mike Vest

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


WEEK 306 - ARCHITECTURE
ARCHITECTURE

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

But what is an ARCHITECTURE image? Simply put ARCHITECTURE photography is the photographing of structures. Buildings mostly, but there are other types of structures. Bridges. Towers. Bleachers. Try to capture a beautiful construction or parts of it in an interesting way.

Think on the following quote when you think about creating your ARCHITECTURE image:

Even a brick wants to be something.
-Louis Kahn

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 MUSIC in this place that is created by a computer architect next Monday.

Truth Locks

I need to start by making a few photo contest announcements. First of all, the Iowa State Fair Photography Salon is the only photo contest I will be doing this year. Before the pandemic shut them down last year, I have been doing the Boone County Fair and the Pufferbilly Days Photo Contest. I am not doing either of those for good reasons.

I’m not doing the Boone County Fair because I am going to be one of the judges for the Boone County Fair. That takes me out of the running there. I also recently achieved a several year long goal of becoming the Chair of the Pufferbilly Days Photo Contest. Which also means I can’t enter that contest either.

However, I am very excited about taking over the Pufferbilly Days Photo Contest. It is too late in the game to make a few of the changes that I want to make and Pufferbilly Days is now only a month away, but I can still make a few of the changes.

Graphic design is not my forte, but I did slap together a flyer I hope to see on social media and hanging up around town in the next few days. Have a look:


Pufferbilly Days Photo Contest Flyer - 2021

The entry deadline is only 2 weeks from today, so if you are interested in entering, better get on the ball!

Also, I got the results back (partially) from the Iowa State Fair Photography Salon:


Iowa State Fair Photography Salon Results Card - 2021

I don’t know what picture or how many pictures (but I’ll assume it is one for now) were accepted, but I’ll let you know after the conclusion of the Iowa State Fair.

+++++++

Enough of that photo contest noise, here are some pictures I took around my yard:


Whispering Beauty - 2021

Truth Locks

Truth Locks

Truth Locks

Truth Locks

Truth Locks

Truth Locks

I’m hoping to rip out some of the bushes in my front yard out and replace one of them with a lilac bush. I do love lilacs so.

My (Sad) Photo Contest History – 2

When we left off, I had just won 1st Place in Black and White and 3rd Place in Color at the Pufferbilly Days Photo Contest, but had been completely rejected by the Iowa State Fair for the 4th year in a row.

Whatever I was selling, the judges were not buying. I was despondent, but not discouraged because I knew I had entered some great photos, but they were not what the judges were looking for that year.

2011 comes around. I decided to retire from the Boone County Fair Photo Contest and to start a new way of picking pictures for the Pufferbilly Days. I also had what was probably the peak of my photo contest career at the Iowa State Fair. I got all 4 pictures exhibited. This is extremely hard to do. Thousands of people enter the contest every year. Only 5 of us got all 4 pictures exhibited. You can do the math. It is a big deal.

These are the pictures that were exhibited:


2011 Iowa State Fair Photography Salon - I Recommend Pleasant

2011 Iowa State Fair Photography Salon
2nd Place Class 25

2011 Iowa State Fair Photography Salon - Must Be Truth

2011 Iowa State Fair Photography Salon - Drenched in Loneliness
Honorable Mention Class 13

For the Pufferbilly Days Photo Contest it was the second year of letting other people select my entrants. Dawn, Derrick, Jen, Scott, Russell, and Rebecca chose my entries. Dawn’s choice got 2nd Place in Black and White:


2011 Pufferbilly Days Photo Contest - Radiant Beams
2nd Place – Black and White

I was pretty excited for 2012. I thought I had cracked the Iowa State Fair Photography Salon Code, but there is no code. Some years the judge like you. Some years they don’t. In 2012, they like one of my pictures:


2012 Iowa State Fair Photography Salon - Truth Perception

That year, I decided to retire from the Pufferbilly Days Photo Contest.

Then shortly after that, I decided to retire from Photo Contests altogether.

But in 2017, the itch came back. I decided to put on a Washington Wizards Jersey and come out of retirement. Hard. I decided to enter all 3 contests again. I got all Blue Ribbons at the Boone County Fair:


2017 Boone County Fair

2017 Boone County Fair

2017 Boone County Fair

2017 Boone County Fair

2017 Boone County Fair

I got one picture selected for display at the Iowa State Fair:


2017 Iowa State Fair Photography Salon - Little Apple

I had the following people select my entries for the Pufferbilly Days Photo Contest: Jim Robbins (yeah that is a long story), Micky, Michelle, Amber, Laura, and Dawn. However, none of the pictures earned a ribbon.

In 2018, my Boone County Fair entries were determined by popular vote:


2018 Boone County Fair
Red

2018 Boone County Fair
Purple

2018 Boone County Fair
Blue

2018 Boone County Fair
Blue

2018 Boone County Fair
Blue

I had two pictures selected for display at the Iowa State Fair:


2018 Iowa State Fair Photography Salon - Peep

2018 Iowa State Fair Photography Salon - Christmas Eve Morn

My Pufferbilly Days entries were also selected by popular vote that year:


2018 Pufferbilly Days Photo Contest - INRI
1st Place Photoshop

2018 Pufferbilly Days Photo Contest - Freedom Flight
1st Place Photojournalism

2018 Pufferbilly Days Photo Contest - Abandoned (Mill Creek)
3rd Place Hidden Treasures of Boone County

2019 would also be a successful year. I moved to having individuals select my Boone County Fair entrants. Shannon, Michelle, and Logan selected my entries.


2019 Boone County Fair
Purple

2019 Boone County Fair
Blue

2019 Boone County Fair
Red

2019 Boone County Fair
Blue

2019 Boone County Fair
Purple

I had one picture selected for exhibition at the Iowa State Fair and it earned a ribbon:


2019 Iowa State Fair Photography Salon Entry - Green Little Vaulter
Honorable Mention Class 18

My Pufferbilly Day entries were once again selected by popular vote:


2019 Pufferbilly Days Photo Contest - Hocks
1st Place Nature

2019 Pufferbilly Days Photo Contest - Drops
1st Place Photoshop

In 2020 the pandemic hit and all photo contests were cancelled. Which was sad and I think it was avoidable because in a digital age, I think they could have found a way. For example the Iowa State Fair still held its Fine Arts competition.

Which brings us to 2021. I’m currently working on my next embarrassing failure at the Iowa State Fair Photography Salon. However, I am not going to enter the Boone County Fair this year. There is a reason for this decision. A very good reason. However, I’m not going to share the reason until it becomes official or it falls through. Things seem to fall through quite often these days. No decision has been made on Pufferbilly Days yet, but Pufferbilly Days has been moved to early August this year. I’m not crazy about the decision, but I’ll give it a chance.

If you want to peruse all 153 Photo Contest entrants in this long weird journey, click on the link below:

Photo Contests

You can see them all from the out of focus to the award winners. The good, the bad, and the moldy jam equivalent.

My (Sad) Photo Contest History – 1

Recently I’ve been working on an organizational project as I prepare to get rid of a bunch of things in Boone’s annual Citywide Cleanup in a couple of weeks. Part of this has been organizing every (almost) picture that I have entered in a photo contest, both physically in a trunk and digitally in my website photo gallery.


Photo Contest Entries
150 or so Photo Entries

Almost every photo I’ve ever entered in in that trunk. Except for a few that I gave away. I thought I would share some of the highs and lows of my photo contest career. To start with, I have only entered 4 photo contests ever:

+ Iowa State Fair Photography Salon
+ Boone County Fair
+ Pufferbilly Days Photo Contest
+ Ogden Fun Days Photo Contest (this contest only existed one year – 2005)

I’ve entered 153 pictures in these 4 photo contests.

I’ve entered pictures of the following people in these photo contests:

+ Olivia
+ Jay
+ Willy
+ Humble Narrator
+ Derrick
+ Rebecca
+ Shannon
+ Alexis
+ Wedding Couple I don’t remember
+ Jill
+ Saydie
+ Kayelee
+ Jesse
+ Shorty
+ Mike Toot
+ Freedom Flight Participants

Plus I have entered pictures of both Karma and Naima.

My very first photo contest was the 2002 Iowa State Fair Photography Salon. It was before they had standardized that pictures had to be matted on 11×14 foamboard. It was long enough ago that one of the pictures I entered was printed from a slide. I entered it because it was somewhat of a legacy contest. My Dad won a category in 1984.

At the time I didn’t realize what a tough contest it was and how hard it was to get even a single picture in. It was dumb luck (which in many ways all photo contests are luck because who knows what the judge likes) that I got one picture accepted for exhibition:


2002 Iowa State Fair Photography Salon - Odanata the Snake Doctor
Odanata the Snake Doctor

In some ways, this is maybe the most important photo contest entry I ever made. It is possible that 2002 me would have been so distraught that I might not have even entered another photo contest, ever.

This is the picture I entered that was printed from a slide:


2002 Iowa State Fair Photography Salon - Quietus
Quietus

I still kinda dig this picture. My other 2 entries weren’t even really in focus.

Then I didn’t enter another contest until the 2004 Boone County Fair, where this picture of Karma got a blue ribbon:


2004 Boone County Fair - Karma
Happy Karma

I did enter the Iowa State Fair, but didn’t get any pictures exhibited. But in the Pufferbilly Days Photo Contest, I got two Honorable Mentions in the Black and White Division:


2004 Pufferbilly Days Photo Contest - Light Train by J.C. Janson
Light Train by J.C. Janson

2004 Pufferbilly Days Photo Contest - Shapes
Shapes

Then 2005 came and I “cleaned up” at the Ogden Fun Days Photo Contest:


2005 Ogden Fun Days Photo Contest - Earth's Laughter
Honorable Mention Color (This picture is now the favicon for this website)

2005 Ogden Fun Days Photo Contest - Giotto's Bull
3rd Place Black and White

2005 Ogden Fun Days Photo Contest - Chestnut Street
2nd Place Color

2005 Ogden Fun Days Photo Contest - Happy Karma
Best in Show and 1st Place Black and White

But my triumph was very short lived. Immediately afterwards, I had my biggest failures ever. I entered two pictures in the Boone County Fair Photography Contest and got no ribbons. This is hard to do. EVERYTHING at the Boone County Fair gets a ribbon. Well everything except me and a jar of moldy jam. My photography was the culinary equivalent of moldy jam.


2005 Boone County Fair Photography Contest - Black, White, and Marigold
The equivalent of moldy jam.

2005 Boone County Fair Photography Contest - Eye of the Beast
The equivalent of moldy jam.

I did rebound to get one picture in at the Iowa State Fair Photography Salon and that picture did get an Honorable Mention:


2005 Iowa State Fair Photography Salon - Colgate Smile
Honorable Mention

But that was bittersweet. It was my first ribbon at the Iowa State Fair, but it was a picture that I had already won a photo contest with, so that was the seeds of my rule of never entering a picture in more than one photo contest.

Also, this picture is still one of my all-time favorites and it has never gotten any love from a photo contest:


2005 Iowa State Fair Photography Salon - My Giverny
My Giverny

I get why, but I don’t like it.

Then in 2006, I tried my luck at the Boone County Fair and this time, I got 2 Blue Ribbons, take that moldy jam!


2006 Boone County Fair - Internal Struggle
Blue Ribbon

2006 Boone County Fair - Scene from a Ditch
Blue Ribbon

I would also get 2 pictures exhibited at the Iowa State Fair:


2006 Iowa State Fair Photography Salon - Kentucky Appetizer
Kentucky Appetizer

2006 Iowa State Fair Photography Salon - Portrait of Self Portrait
Portrait of Self-Portrait

I would also have a good run at Pufferbilly Days:


2006 Pufferbilly Days Photo Contest - Building 429
3rd Place Black and White

2006 Pufferbilly Days Photo Contest - Grizzly McAlpine
1st Place Black and White

2006 Pufferbilly Days Photo Contest - Outburst of the Soul
Honorable Mention Color

2007 wasn’t a great year for me and Photo Contests. I got shutout at the Iowa State Fair. I didn’t enter the Boone County Fair. I did enter Pufferbilly Days and believe a picture of a train wheel got a ribbon, but I’m struggling to find the documentation for that


2007 Pufferbilly Days Photo Contest - Wheel

2008 also wasn’t a great year. I did get a couple blue ribbons at the Boone County Fair:


2008 Boone County Fair Photo Contest

2008 Boone County Fair Photo Contest

But once again I got shut out at the Iowa State Fair. But I did rebound to get a ribbon at Pufferbilly Days:


2008 Pufferbilly Days Photo Contest - The Last Refuge
3rd Place Black and White

2009 was also not a stellar year. I did get 2 ribbons at the Boone County Fair:


2009 Boone County Fair Photo Contest
Blue Ribbon

2009 Boone County Fair Photo Contest
Purple Ribbon

But got no other love at any other photo contest.

2010, I once again got two Blue Ribbons at the Boone County Fair:


2010 Boone County Fair -The Best Place to Seek God
Blue Ribbon

2010 Boone County Fair - The Girl in the Blue Skirt Alternate
Blue Ribbon

But once again, I was shut out at the Iowa State Fair. If you are counting, that is four straight years. The Iowa State Fair really hated me.

However, Pufferbilly Days started to show some love:


2010 Pufferbilly Days Photo Contest - Open Mic Night
3rd Place Color

2010 Pufferbilly Days Photo Contest - Black and White
1st Place Black and White

Then 2011 happened. But we’ll get into that story in the conclusion of My (Sad) Photo Contest History.

Art is Art – 2020

EDITOR’S NOTE: After I wrote this post, the Boone County Fair announced that the Fair was going on as normal. Here is their press release:

The Boone County Fair Board is excited to announce that the fair will occur as planned July 16-19, with only a few minor changes due to COVID-19 restrictions. With support from Boone County Public Health, Emergency Management and Boone County Extension, the fair board has developed a plan that allows the regular livestock shows, food vendors, carnival rides, grandstand shows and free concerts to take place.

For months the Boone County Fair Board has been meeting regularly to discuss options on what this year’s fair might look like. They have also been consulting with health officials, insurance providers, as well as polling the public on their comfort levels of attending fair events during these unprecedented times. After a special meeting to specifically discuss the fate of the fair, and with the restrictions being lifted in the state as of Friday, June 12, the board voted in favor of having fair. Although the fair plans are moving forward as normal, the fair board is taking extra precautions to ensure the health and safety of all fairgoers. Plans are in place to increase sanitation, including extra handwashing stations and hand sanitizer throughout the grounds. Additionally, the fair board plans to disinfect main seating areas including the show ring, grandstand and bleachers daily and provide signage to remind people to keep social distancing and to use good hygiene practices. Following the State of Iowa’s lead, personal responsibility is requested for people to determine if they feel comfortable attending the fair during this time. High risk or vulnerable individuals are asked to consider staying home.

The Boone County Fair has a great lineup of events and entertainment this year. Grandstand shows include Figure 8 Races, Demolition Derby and Mud Races. Stage concerts include Jake Doty & Hawk McIntyre, Casey Muessigmann and Tyler Richton & the Highbank Boys. The locally owned and operated carnival Scott Amusements, will return this year with even more rides for all ages to enjoy. New this year is the “Have Fun, Give Back” carnival program. Thanks to a sponsorship from Farm Bureau, the first 100 kids to donate a non-perishable food item each day of the fair will receive a free carnival wristband for that day. Through this program, we hope everyone can have fun at the fair and give back to our local food pantries. Unfortunately, we have cancelled some of our events such as Mutton Busting and Extravaganza in order to maintain social distancing guidelines. For a complete list of Boone County Fair events and activities or to purchase tickets, visit the fairs website at www.boonecountyfairia.com.

+++++++

This collection of images represents that last of the pictures from March that I had yet to curate and edit. It feels good to not really have all that much of a backlog any longer. It is like, if there was an Iowa State Fair Photography Salon or a Boone County Fair Photo Contest or a Pufferbilly Days Photo Contest, I would almost be prepared for it this year.

While there definitely won’t be an Iowa State Fair Photography Salon and I would consider it highly doubtful that the other two contests will exist, I guess, it still feels good to not have a ton of pictures just lying in folders collecting dust.

This collection of pictures covers pictures of my delicious rhubarb (that I grow myself, personally), Naima, and a picture of the dust on my work keyboard. I can only imagine how much dust covers that keyboard now. I haven’t been physically all up inside of the computer mine since April.

Although, I might make a quick jaunt over there later this week or next week. I have a scanner I need to drop off, but I digress…


Art is Art - 2020

Art is Art - 2020

Art is Art - 2020

Art is Art - 2020

Art is Art - 2020

Art is Art - 2020

Art is Art - 2020

Art is Art - 2020

Naima from March of 2020

Naima from March of 2020

Naima from March of 2020

Naima from March of 2020

Naima from March of 2020

Naima from March of 2020

Black Keys

An update on Naima’s health. She had her sutures removed on Monday and Dr. Stephanie said that everything looks good. She had a couple rough days last week where she seemed to be in some pain. I allowed her to overexert herself over the weekend I’m afraid. Now she seems to be back to her old self. Still probably going to try to make her take it easy for another week though.

Hopefully her fur grows back pretty soon. Yeah, she is weird looking right now, but also the lack of fur doesn’t provide her with much protection when she is digging through the raspberries chasing “chippies” or rabbits. But she doesn’t seem to mind.

An Artist’s Notebook Post #3751

We have hit another milestone in the history of “An Artist’s Notebook”. Post #3751. I would normally make these statistical look back at the past type posts on even numbers, but I felt you guys were probably chomping at the bit to see the entries for RULE OF THIRDS.

This blog/online journal burst onto the world on August 9, 2006. Nearly 14 years later, it is somehow still around. That is success of some kind. At least it is perseverance.

As you know, I like meaningless statistics. That is what these posts are usually about. That and to take stock as to how I’m doing with my original mission to:

#1. Write in it.
#2. To be truthful as possible towards my true thoughts and feelings.
#3. Produce something that makes me worthy of having a pretentious sounding journal title like: “An Artist’s Notebook”.

I’m going to say that I continue to manage all 3. You probably wouldn’t know if I was being honest with you on my thoughts and feelings anyways. You’ll just have to take my work for it.

The last time we looked at these stats in Post #3500 on October 4, 2019 these were the 10 most popular categories on “An Artist’s Notebook”:

10. Photography – 311 Posts
9. Teresa – 312 Posts
8. Carla – 314 Posts
7. Shannon -351 Posts
6. Black & White – 390 Posts
5. Weekly Photo Challenge – 394 Posts
4. Jesse – 404 Posts
3. Animals – 477 Posts
2. Portrait – 516 Posts
1. Flowers – 537 Posts

Here are the current “standings”:

MOST POPULAR CATEGORIES

10. Mom – 332 Posts
9. Teresa – 338 Posts
8. WPC – Submissions – 342 Posts
7. Carla – 354 Posts
6. Shannon – 384 Posts
5. Jesse – 455 Posts
4. Portrait – 491 Posts
3. Animals – 554 Posts
2. Black & White – 568 Posts
1. Flowers – 594 Posts

Back in October, these were the 10 Most Popular Not People Categories:

10. Art – 243 Posts
9. Nature – 260 Posts
8. Personal Photo Project – 261 Posts
7. Road Trip – 288 Posts
6. Photography – 311 Posts
5. Black & White – 390 Posts
4. Weekly Photo Challenge – 390 Posts
3. Animals – 477 Posts
2. Portrait – 516 Posts
1. Flowers – 537 Posts

Here are the current “standings”:

MOST POPULAR NOT PEOPLE CATEGORIES

10. Naima – 263 Posts
9. Photoshop – 285 Posts
8. Art – 287 Posts
7. Nature – 303 Posts
6. Road Trip – 308 Posts
5. WPC – Submissions – 342 Posts
4. Portrait – 491 Posts
3. Animals – 559 Posts
2. Black & White – 568 Posts
1. Flowers – 594 Posts

I anticipate by the time we get to post 4,000 Black & White will surpass Flowers. Especially considering I’m giving some consideration into breaking Flowers down by flower type. All that would be one beast of a job.

Back in October, these were the 10 Most Tagged Humans:

10. Jen – 222 Posts
9. Vest – 234 Posts
8. Willy – 238 Posts
7. Derrick – 267 Posts
6. Jay – 294 Posts
5. Mom – 300 Posts
4. Teresa – 312 Posts
3. Carla – 314 Posts
2. Shannon – 351 Posts
1. Jesse – 403 Posts

These are the current standings:

10 MOST TAGGED HUMANS:

10. Jen – 243 Posts
9. Vest – 247 Posts
8. Willy – 258 Posts
7. Derrick – 284 Posts
6. Jay – 312 Posts
5. Mom – 332 Posts
4. Teresa – 338 Posts
3. Carla – 353 Posts
2. Shannon – 384 Posts
1. Jesse – 455 Posts

It is strange that the Top 10 Humans is almost identical. Except Carla has passed Teresa.

You may be wondering, what does it take to improve my Photography 139 Score? How do I get on the big board by the time Post 3750 comes around next August-ish?

1. Submit pictures for the WEEKLY PHOTO CHALLENGE.
2. Assist or pose for photo projects.
3. Be related to me.

If you are wondering who is just outside of the top ten? The 3 people just outside of the Top Ten are Kim, Sara, and Logan.

But what are the most popular pictures and galleries of this website?

Currently, there 74,942 files in the Photography 139 Gallery. That takes up 450.88 GB of storage space on the SmugMug servers.

Over time, it is historically difficult to determine what is the most popular photos and galleries. I can only track statistics for the last 365 days. But for the last 365 days, these are the most popular albums:

TOP 10 PHOTOGRAPHY 139 ALBUMS (POPULARITY BY VIEWS)


Baby Tri-Force 1st Birthday Party

#10 Miller Triplet 1st Birthday Party – 13751 Views

Miller-Peterson Christmas - 2019

#9 Family Happenings – 14222 Views

Iowa State vs. Iowa

#8 Iowa State Cyclones Football – 2019 – 15711 Views

#7Naima– 16108 Views

Taylan Howard

#6 Taylan Howard -2020– 21320 Views

Autumn Sharp

#5 Autumn Sharp – 2020– 21852 Views

WEEK 158 - BOREDOM - CHRISTOPHER D. BENNETT

#4 Weekly Photo Challenge – Year 6– 29218 Views

July 14, 2019

#3 Selfie Project – 2019 – 40726 Views

9 Emotions - Bill

#2 9 Emotions Project – 43867 Views

WEEK 222 - SPORTS/GAMES - CHRISTOPHER D. BENNETT

#1 Weekly Photo Challenge – Year 7 – 48433 Views

These are the 10 Most Popular Images (by Views):

10. 973 Views

Camping World Bowl Road Trip - Day 3

9. 1056 Views

Minnesota State Fair - 2019

8. 1063 Views

Rapid City Mission Trip - 2019

7.1082 Views

Thanksgiving - 2019

6. 1116 Views

Howards - 2019

5. 1141 Views

Autumn Sharp

4. 1635 Views

Garrett Larson

3. 1261 Views

Stenslands- 2019

1283 Views

July 15, 2017

1. 2283 Views

January 14, 2019

I’m surprised that THE 9 EMOTIONS PROJECT is still so popular, since I haven’t touched it in over a year. But I do hope to get back to it. In fact, I have purchased a few things to make it possible to get back to THE 9 EMOTIONS PROJECT while safely physically distancing. So if you are interesting in being a victim… err… a subject. You know where to find me.