Category Archives: State Fair

Animals, Art, Flowers, Macro, State Fair

Hard Way Home

February 2, 2023 Christopher D. Bennett

I never did learn how to follow the rules
I never was good at sleeping while the moon was full
I just lie and burn
Wreck my mind while the planet turns
I sometimes wish I could start again
I’d try and do the right thing every now and then
I’d step in line
That’s what I would do if I could turn back time
-Brandi Carlile

Thursdays are for flowers! This Thursday I’m going to share the final collection of flower images I took at the Iowa State Fair this year.

This is the closest I’ve ever come to getting a decent picture of a hummingbird.

I can’t wait to get back to the Discovery Garden again this year and do some more flowertography. One of the truest tonics for the soul that this guy has ever come across.

Anders, Animals, Birthdays, Flowers, Macro, State Fair

Oh Dear

January 26, 2023 Christopher D. Bennett

I need to begin by wishing Anders a happy birthday.

Happy birthday Anders! I hope your birthday is sufficient in every way you want!

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Heart breaks, mistakes
Catching up to me in old ways
I know of hard days
Had my share of lonely nights

It’s only you that my heart desires
Only you alone can break my fall
I pace the floor and I wish for more
-Brandi Carlile

Thursdays are for flowers. This collection once again comes from the Discovery Garden at the Iowa State Fair from the last day of the Fair.

I do love me some Discovery Garden at the Iowa State Fair!

Flowers, Macro, State Fair

Touching the Ground

January 19, 2023 Christopher D. Bennett

I swear when we touched, I saw heaven in your eyes
And jewel studded clouds floating in your skies
Seas of blue and fields of green
Looking like you’ve fell out of someone’s dreams

Why do my troubles turn true
Whenever I rest my eyes on you?
Why must my heartache be found
Wherever your feet are touching the ground?
-Brandi Carlile

Thursdays are for flowers! This Thursday flower collection was taken in the Discovery Garden on the last day of the Iowa State Fair.

Still many flower pictures from the last day of the Iowa State Fair left to share!

Flowers, Macro, State Fair

If There Was No You

January 12, 2023 Christopher D. Bennett

When I see myself I’m seeing you too
As long as I remember and I’m feeling like I knew
That my jokes aren’t funny the truth isn’t true
If there was no you
-Brandi Carlile

Thursday are for flowers and this collection of flowers is from my second trip to the Iowa State Fair.

Still so many flower pictures to share!

Animals, Flowers, Football, History, Iowa State, Macro, State Fair

I Will

January 5, 2023 Christopher D. Bennett

It’s not the end of the world
It’s not even over, but it will be soon
I never learned my lessons, I just changed my tune
And no one seems to notice
But you will, you will

It’s no big deal
But the last thing I think of when I close my eyes
And the first thing on my mind when I arise
It is a day and you’re not really in my life

You can try and you won’t find it where you’re looking
You can hold it till it’s putty in your hands
And you can’t break a heart that wasn’t even yours to break
You can never be there for me in the end
And I will do the right thing
I will, I will, I will
I will, I will, I will

Thursdays are for flowers. And this flower collection was taken at the Discovery Garden at the Iowa State Fair on the same day that Baby Got Rack dominated the barbecue competition.

You know I love flowers. You know I love flowertography. You know I love Brandi Carlile (in fact just paid $230 to go see her in concert with Sara and Shawn). You can probably guess I love the song “I Will”.

However, I can’t publish a post with the title “I Will” without mentioning the “I Will” that is most important to the Cyclone Family.

If you don’t know, the stadium where Iowa State plays football in the only major football stadium in the country named for an African-American. It is named for Jack Trice. Jack Trice was the first African-American to play football for Iowa State.

Trice was an Iowa State student of animal husbandry and a member of the Cyclone football and track and field teams. He suffered severe injuries in his second collegiate football game and died in Ames on Oct. 8, 1923. He was 21.

Before his last game, he wrote the following letter to himself at his hotel:

To whom it may concern:

My thoughts just before the first real college game of my life. The honor of my race, family, and self are at stake. Everyone is expecting me to do big things. I will! My whole body and soul are to be thrown recklessly about on the field tomorrrow. Every time the ball is snapped will be trying to do more than my part.

On all defensive plays, I must break through the opponents line at (sic) stop the play in their territory. Beware of mass interference, fight low with your eyes open and toward the play. Roll block the interference. Watch out for cross bucks and reverse end runs. Be on your toes every minute if you expect to make good.
~ Jack

His I will! Has become an important rally cry for Iowa State University. 2023 is the 100 year anniversary of Jack’s death. The university is honoring his legacy with an art installation, changing a street name to Jack Trice Way, a lecture series, art exhibition, and the team will wear throwback uniforms at a home game in the upcoming season.

For more information on Jack Trice and how Iowa State is honoring him, visit: https://jacktrice100.com/

Also, you know I have more flower pictures to share!

Calendar, Drone, Flowers, Macro, Nature, State Fair

Before it Breaks

December 29, 2022 Christopher D. Bennett

It is time to reveal the October image for the 2023 Photography 139 Calendar:

October

The October image was taken with Rodan139. It is Oriole Road shortly before it enters Ledges. This picture was taken for Week 371 of THE RANDOM WEEKLY PHOTO CHALLENGE. The theme was LINES. I placed this picture in October since it was showing some of the fall colors of Ledges. I often put pictures of ruins in October, but not this year.

TECHNICAL DETAILS
CAMERA: Hasseblad L1D-20c
DATE: October 21, 2022 – 5:17 PM
LENS: 28mm f/2.8
FOCAL LENGTH: 28mm
APERTURE: f/4
EXPOSURE: 1/120
ISO: 100
SEA LEVEL: 332m

Tomorrow I will reveal the November image for the 2023 Photography 139 Calendar.

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Around here, it’s the hardest time of year
Waking up, the days are even gone
The collar of my coat
Lord help me, cannot help the cold
The raindrops sting my eyes
I keep them closed.

But I’m feelin’ no pain
I’m a little lonely and my quietest friend
Have I the moonlight? Have I let you in?
Say it ain’t so, say I’m happy again

Say it’s over, say I’m dreaming,
Say I’m better than you left me
Say you’re sorry, I can take it
Say you’ll wait, say you won’t
Say you love me, say you don’t
I can make my own mistakes
Let it bend before it breaks
-Brandi Carlile

Thursdays are for flowers and this Thursday is nothing different. This Thursday’s flower images were taken on August 16 at the Iowa State Fair:

2023 is almost here and so many more flower pictures to share in the new year!

Angie, Animals, Art, Sabas, Sara, State Fair, Still Life, Street Photography, Teresa, WPC - Reminder

ISF Last Day Wanderings

December 9, 2022 Christopher D. Bennett 1 Comment

This is the final collection of pictures from the Iowa State Fair (nonflower) that I have left to share. These pictures are from the last day of the Fair. I attend it with Teresa.

I’m already looking forward to next year’s Iowa State Fair!

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I did this thing on Monday where I accidentally posted Sara’s picture twice and Sabas’ picture never. So to clarify and get Sabas’ picture some airtime, here they both are… labelled correctly:

Sara Lockner

Sabas Hernandez

Sorry for the mistake. Won’t be the last time I make one.

Here is your reminder that this week’s THE WEEKLY PHOTO CHALLENGE theme is STREET PHOTOGRAPHY:

STREET PHOTOGRAPHY

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

But what is STREET PHOTOGRAPHY? Besides consistently the least popular theme… every single year. This is the most important thing to note: it is NOT a picture of a street. STREET PHOTOGRAPHY is photography that is done in a public place. The most popular version would be candid portraits, but it doesn’t have to be a portrait. It can be anything found in public. Like a piece of public art. Anything you find in public that interests you.

And if you think you need some extra inspiration, look into the works of Vivian Maier, Henri Cartier-Besson, Saul Leiter, Robert Frank, and Garry Winogrand. Some of the greatest street photographers of all-time.

Vivian Maier’s history is particularly interesting, and worth a Google search.

Happy photo harvesting!

Animals, Flowers, Macro, State Fair

Pride and Joy

December 1, 2022 Christopher D. Bennett 2 Comments

Time of day I can’t recall
The kind of thing that takes a toll
Over years of overtime
Over smiles and over wine
All in all, it wasn’t bad
All in all, it wasn’t good
But I still care

That’s the problem with the days
They’re never long enough to say
What it is you never said
All the books you never read
I throw myself into the wind
Hoping somebody might pick me up
And carry me again

Where are you now?
Do you let me down?
Do you make me grieve for you?
Do I make you proud?
Do you get me now?
Am I your pride and joy?

I believe this to be true
There’s nothing sacred, nothing new
No one tells you when it’s time
There are no warnings, only signs
Then you know that you’re alone
You’re not a child any more
But you’re still scared
-Brandi Carlile

Pride and Joy is one of my favorite Brandi Carlile songs. Top 5. Top 10 at the very least. Definitely Top 20. Hopefully she plays it when I go see her in Omaha… in 2023… August 21. She is playing with somebody named Pink. Not sure who that is, but if they are playing with Brandi, she will make it big someday.

But Thursdays are for flowers and I this collection of flower pictures was taken in the Discovery Garden of the Iowa State Fair on the first day of the fair.

If you are worried I might run out of flowers before they grow again, don’t worry, I’m not in any danger of having to run out and buy bouquets to photograph yet.

Animals, Art, Evie, Iowa State, Jen, Layla, State Fair, WPC - Reminder

Iowa State Fair – Day 1 Wanderings

November 25, 2022 Christopher D. Bennett

After we watched Evie’s Irish dance group perform, we wandered the State Fair for several hours taking in the sights. Here are some pictures from our day:

I went to the Iowa State Fair two more days, so lots more Iowa State Fair adventure pictures left to share.

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

IN THE AIR

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

But what is an IN THE AIR image? Simply put, an IN THE AIR image is a picture where the subject of your picture is untethered from the earth. So a flag, that is technically IN THE AIR, but it is still tethered to a flagpole, which is tethered to the earth. (Yeah technically everything is tethered to the earth via gravity, but take it easy Isaac.) This picture can be as simple as throwing something up in the air (or have somebody else do it) and taking a picture of it. An exercise that produces interesting pictures is throw something to somebody and take a picture of them trying to catch it. The portraits you can get this way are often intriguing and are a different way to see somebody.

Happy photo harvesting!

Animals, Flowers, Macro, State Fair

Dying Day

November 24, 2022 Christopher D. Bennett

Now I’m lost in a sea of sunken dreams
While the sound of drunken screams echoes in the night
But I know all of this will come to pass
And I’ll be with you at last forever by your side

How these days grow long
But I’m on my way back home
It’s been hard to be away
-Brandi Carlile

I should start by wishing you a Happy Thanksgiving, if you celebrate. But one thing everybody celebrates is flowers. And Thursdays are for flowers. And this bit of flowertography was done at the Discovery Garden at the Iowa State Fair. My favorite spot at the Iowa State Fair:

I have more flower pictures from the Iowa State Fair to share. I hope you are excited about it as I am!