Time to share the last collection of glorious BLACK AND WHITE images I took but didn’t use for THE WEEKLY PHOTO CHALLENGE. These were also all taken at Logan’s birthday party.
The ink has barely dried on this post and I’m already sad our trip through all the glorious BLACK & WHITE pictures is over. I can’t wait until BLACK & WHITE is a theme again!
This week (except for Thursday of course) will be dedicated to all of the alternate images I took for the BLACK & WHITE theme for THE WEEKLY PHOTO CHALLENGE. These pictures I took last Monday. Mostly in my yard. Some in Teresa’s yard.
One day of glorious BLACK & WHITE images shared. 6 more days of them to go!
Can you believe that this is the 5,250th entry in the blog known as “An Artist’s Notebook”? Every 250 posts or so I like to take a moment to reflect on where this post has been and post a lot of meaningless stats.
As always on these posts, I like to start by quoting the very first “An Artist’s Notebook” entry that published on August 9, 2006. That first post that published 6,296 days.
That post that started with these words:
So here is the first journal entry. I felt like having as pretentious sounding name as possible for my journal. I have a few goals about this journal. My main goal is just to actually write in it. My second goal is to be as truthful as possible towards my true thoughts and feelings. I have another journal on another website, but it is really just a collection of sarcastic statements and cheap jabs at open faced sandwiches. This journal is meant to be about what my achievements and failures are in the world of art. What projects I am working on and what I have accomplished and what I have failed to accomplish. What I am photographing and what I am thinking about entering in photo contests. What I am thinking about. It might not always make sense. It might just be things I need to write down because they strike me as poignant or inspirational. This is in a small way an online “idea box”.
Since those words, I have posted 5,250 journal entries. This website is still something of an “idea box”. Sometimes I’m just working stuff out here. I don’t know why, sometimes I need to work stuff out in public. But this website is definitely more than just an “idea box”. It is a place where I post a few thoughts and a ton of pictures. I’ve gone through a few photo projects on these pages. From THE TOWN SIGN PROJECT to the 9 EMOTIONS PROJECT to THE SELFIE PROJECT to the POSTCARD RECREATION PROJECT to name just a few. This website has also created a community with THE WEEKLY PHOTO CHALLENGE. Which is one of my proudest achievements. Even if it sputtered and spit and barely survived in its first few years.
On these reflective posts, I like to publish a bunch of statistics that me and Joe Duff find interesting. So I might as well get to it.
Every post in “An Artist’s Notebook” is tagged with at least one Category. It is one of the easiest ways to navigate around the website. They are listed at the top of each post. Here are some statistics about Categories:
THE TOP 10 MOST USED CATEGORIES (RANK IN POST #5005 & INCREASE SINCE BEGINING OF 2024)
10. Carla – 632 (#10 – 39)
9. Formal Portrait – 655 (#6 – 6)
8. Teresa – 657 – (#9 – 49)
7. Road Trip – 657 (#8 – 32)
6. Macro – 662 (#7 – 26)
5. Jesse – 754 (#5 – 54)
4. Animals – 833 (#3 – 34)
3. Art – 842 – (#4 – 75)
2. Flowers – 1,010 (#2 – 40)
1. Black & White – 1,221 (#1 – 27)
No categories dropped from the Top 10. The categories with the best shot at cracking the Top 10 in the next 250 posts are Shannon, Nature, WPC-Submissions, Candid Portrait, & Still Life.
THE TOP 10 NON-HUMAN CATEGORIES
10. Candid Portrait – 504 (#9 – 16)
9. WPC-Submissions – 563 (NR – 27)
8. Nature – 568 (#8 – 26)
7. Formal Portrait – 655 (#5 – 6)
6. Road Trip – 657 (#7 – 32)
5. Macro – 662 (#9 – 26)
4. Animals – 833 (#3 – 34)
3. Art – 842 – (#4 – 75)
2. Flowers – 1,010 (#2 – 40)
1. Black & White – 1,221 (#1 – 27)
Photoshop dropped out of the Top 10.
The categories with the best shot of cracking the Top 10 in the next 250 posts are Still Life, Photoshop, Naima, History, and Self-portrait.
THE TOP 10 HUMAN CATEGORIES
10. Willy – 379 (NR – 27)
9. Vest – 388 (#10 – 29)
8. Micky – 399 (#8 – 29)
7. Logan – 428 (#7 – 37)
6. Kim – 441 (#6 – 35)
5. Mom – 473 (#5)
4. Shannon – 615 (#4 – 30)
3. Carla – 632 (#3 – 39)
2. Teresa – 657 (#2 – 49)
1. Jesse – 754 (#1 – 54)
Jay dropped out of he Top 10. The categories that have the best chance of breaking into the Top 10 in the next 250 posts are Andy, Jay, Jen, Sara, and Derrick.
If you have spent any time on the Photography 139 website, you know that on the left sidebar, the “Top 100 Categories” are listed. I thought I would give a little bit of coverage to the Bottom 10 of the Top 100. There are currently 208 categories used on the website. I could cover the Bottom 10, but no real reason. Some of those categories probably need to be purged. I do like to cover the Top 10 of the Bottom 100 though.
THE BOTTOME 10 OF THE TOP 100
10. Nathanial – 82 (+29)
9. Layla – 84 (+8)
8. Commercial – 84 (0)
7. House – 91 (+1)
6. Writing – 92 (0)
5. Becca – 92 (+2)
4. Pastor Sarah – 93 (+2)
3. Pufferbilly Days – 95 (+4)
2. Tenderloining – 96 (+25)
1. Faust – 96 (+4)
The following categories have either fallen out of the Bottom 10 of the Top 100 or climbed out of it:
Andree, Flat Earth Joe, Self-Portrait Project, and Sabas
The following categories have the best shot at dropping back into the Bottom 10 of the Top 10:
Russell, Nate, Jill, Blogging, Sabas, and Lowell.
The following categories have the best shot at climbing up into the Bottom 10 of the Top 10:
Andree, Photo Journal, Self-Portrait Project, Flat Earth Joe, and Mary.
I’m now starting to track what categories have had the greatest gain. These are the ones that have the greatest gain since the beginning of 2024.
THE TOP 10 CATEGORIES BY GAIN
10. Kim – 35
10. Andy – 35
10. Michelle – 35
8. Logan – 37
8. Elizabeth – 37
7. Carla – 39
6. Flowers – 40
5. Teresa – 49
4. Jesse – 54
2. Still Life – 72
2. Street Photography – 72
1. Art – 75
THE TOP 10 NON-HUMAN CATEGORIES BY GAIN
9. Nature -26
9. Nature – 26
7. Black & White – 27
7. WPC – Submissions – 27
6. Road Trip – 32
5. Animals – 34
4. Flowers – 40
2. Still Life – 72
2. Street Photography – 72
1. Art – 75
THE TOP 10 HUMAN CATEGORIES BY GAIN
9. Scottie. D. – 33
9. Linda – 33
9. Sabas – 33
6. Kim – 35
6. Andy – 35
6. Michelle – 35
4. Logan – 37
4. Elizabeth – 37
3. Carla – 39
2. Teresa – 49
1. Jesse – 54
If you are wondering what is your best way to improve your Photography 139 Score and crack the Top 10, it is simply to be active in THE WEEKLY PHOTO CHALLENGE or go on trips with me or participate in various other photo projects or be related to me. Now these aren’t necessarily the 10 people that have influenced my photography the most, but these are the 10 people that have made the largest imprint on this website.
I can tell you the people that have influenced my photography the most, but that is a tale for another time. But I’m pretty sure you can guess who.
10. Naima – 72,941 views
9. Drone – 73,421 views
8. 9 Emotions Project – 98,062 views
7. Weekly Photo Challenge Year 3 – 124,533 views
6. Town Sign Project – 127,555 views
5. Tenderloining – 134,777 views
4. Town Sign Project Auxiliary Images – 172,671 views
3. Weekly Photo Challenge – Year 11 – 192,976 views
2. Instagram – 212,131 views
1. Weekly Photo Challenge – Year 11 – 289,984 views
Galleries that fell out of the Top 10 are:
Las Vegas 2023, Weekly Photo Challenge Year 9, Selfie Project – 2022,
Galleries that fell just outside of the Top 10 are:
Life, 365 Day Photo Project -2013, Memphis – 2023, New Orleans – 2024, Phot Journal Rejects.
But what are the most popular single images of the last 365 days? Don’t worry, I’m gonna feed you baby birds.
9. 2,508 views
8. 2,812 views
7. 3,774 views
6. 3,875 views
5. 3,999 views
4. 4,020 views
3. 4,305 views
2. 4,816 views
1. 20,050 views
If you are interested in checking out some of the milestone posts of the past, I got you. Click on any of the links below to check them out:
I think that is enough. We will check back in, in another 250 posts.
Seems like a good day to share the rest of the images from my trip to Reiman Gardens with family back in October of 2023.
It is always a good day when it is spent in a garden. Especially one where I don’t have to do the weeding!
Last October I spent a few hours in beautiful gardens with a lot of family. Teresa, Linda, Linda’s friend, my cousin Marybeth and her husband.
Here are some pictures from the day:
It was a good time and I have one more collection of images from the day left to share.
After I photographed the Hindu Temple and the mosque, I cruised down by the Saylorville spillway to see if there was any bird action going on down there. And there definitely was plenty of bird action going on down there. So I stopped and took some photos.
Have a looksie:
I bet that spillway is just pouring out the water right now, as compared to what it was back in October.
Today I’m going to share some picture I took on a walk around Dickcissel Park with Naima back in September.
This is the last collection of images I’ll share with Naima in them. She was such a great dog!
Time to clear out more of the proverbial backlog. These are a collection of pictures that I took back in August of 2023 but never fit any other “An Artist’s Notebook” posts. But are good enough that I think the world should see them. Some were taken on a trip to Dickcissel with Naima. Some from the drive home from watching Logan and Nathanial compete in a competitive barbecue contest. Some from my yard. And more from Dickcissel.
Panther, Iowa – Ghost Town
PANTHER
Perry, Iowa
PERRY IA
CULTURE & COMMUNITY THRIVE HERE.
Always feels good when the backlog gets just a little bit more cleaned up.
Hey, hey, hey, hey
Ooh, woahWon’t you come see about me?
I’ll be alone, dancing, you know it, babyTell me your troubles and doubts
Giving everything inside and out and
Love’s strange, so real in the dark
Think of the tender things that we were working onSlow change may pull us apart
When the light gets into your heart, babyDon’t you, forget about me
Don’t, don’t, don’t, don’t
Don’t you, forget about meWill you stand above me?
Look my way, never love me
Rain keeps falling, rain keeps falling
Down, down, downWill you recognize me?
Call my name or walk on by
Rain keeps falling, rain keeps falling
Down, down, down, downHey, hey, hey, hey
Ooh, woahDon’t you try and pretend
It’s my feeling we’ll win in the end
I won’t harm you or touch your defenses
Vanity and security, ahDon’t you forget about me
I’ll be alone, dancing, you know it, baby
Going to take you apart
I’ll put us back together at heart, babyDon’t you, forget about me
Don’t, don’t, don’t, don’t
Don’t you, forget about meAs you walk on by
Will you call my name?
As you walk on by
Will you call my name?
When you walk awayOr will you walk away?
Will you walk on by?
Come on, call my name
Will you call my name?I say
La, la-la-la-la, la-la-la-la
La-la-la-la-la-la-la-la-la-la
La-la-la-la, la-la-la-la
La-la-la-la-la-la-la-la-la-la
La-la-la-la, la-la-la-la
La-la-la-la-la-la-la-la-la-la
When you walk on by
And you call my name
When you walk on by
-Written by Keith Forsey & Steve W. Schiff
-Performed by Simple Minds
On Monday I watch the Brat Pack documentary BRATS with Teresa. I’m not going to full on endorse this documentary unless you are in a certain age group. But it did put me in the mood to watch some Brat Pack movies. ST. ELMO’S FIRE. ABOUT LAST NIGHT. For example. But I thought for this Thursday’s journal title I would use the song from what is by far AND I MEAN BY FAR, the best Brat Pack movie. THE BREAKFAST CLUB.
But Thursdays are for flowers. This flowertography session is small and you might think it is really all butterflies, but butterflies are just self-propelled flowers. Duh!
This collection was taken in my yard:
I think there is only one more day of 2023 flower images left to share!
Today is Shannon’s birthday so I need to wish her a happy birthday.
I hope your birthday is filled with soap and/or broom making and not that many stings from bees. But maybe a few. We still need to hit that restaurant in Milo!
Lay down
Wait for the rush of light
And just trust what’s not in sight
And try to breathe
She says
Calm waves
Shorten the amount of time
Between vex and solidified jolts of grief
And He says
Poor Babe….are you poor like me?Slow down
Find a place inside your mind
Mix proverbial rum & wine and try to sleep
She says
Sometimes…even the angel on one side
Gets filled with pity and wasted time and starts to speak
And She says
Poor babe….are you poor like me?It’s possibly impossible to give you enough advice to give you peace
It’s possibly impossible to let you beIt’s the same pain
It’s just a different day
There’s nothing I can say to make it bleed
Same plan
Your shortened attention span
And your textbook search for men make it seem..
Like….poor babe…why am I so mean?‘Cuz It’s possibly impossible to give you enough advice to give you peace
It’s possibly impossible to let you beShine
Don’t you care?
Start to feel the affects of time
It wasn’t just a line
Start to face your choices
These laid courses aren’t so cut and dry
Guess you may start to define “what’s a meltdown?”
Let me offer you my time
After all it’s not a dime..and that’s what’s cheapPoor babe…are you poor like me?
Poor babe…are you poor like me?It’s possibly impossible to give you enough advice to give you peace
It’s possibly impossible to let you be
It’s possibly impossible to give you enough advice to give you peace
It’s possibly impossible to let you be
-Bonne Finken
Since it is Shannon’s birthday today, it seems like a good idea to use a song from one of her favorite artists as the title for today. Bonne Finken is a mostly local/regional artist that Shannon interested me too many moons ago. This isn’t a romantic love song. It might be a friendship love song. I guess you can interpret that how you want. That is both the scary and great thing about art. There is the artist intention and then there is how the audience interprets it. This is what Bonne wrote about the inspiration for the song:
This song was written for a good friend of mine. She was struggling – and kept coming to me for advice – and when I gave her advice – she kept not taking it. There’s only so many times you can watch someone slam their head against a wall…and talk to them about how to make their head stop hurting… Some people yell or walk away. I wrote this song.
Bonne is playing the Waukee Arts Festival on July 19. I might just have to go!
But Thursdays are for flowers. This is a continuation of the flowertography collection I shared last Thursday from my yard:
Next Thursday’s flowertography collection was also taken in my yard. We are almost out of flower pictures I took in 2023. But don’t worry! I’ve been taking plenty in 2024!
