Category Archives: Animals

Andy, Angie, Animals, Bill, Brandon, Carla, Cathie, Dawn, Elizabeth, Jen, Jesse, Joe Duff, Kim, Kio, Linda, Logan, Micky, Mindi, Nathanial, Sabas, Sara, Sarah Toot, Scottie D., Shannon, Sheri, Street Photography, Suzie, Tamara, Teresa, Vest, WPC - Submissions

WPC – WEEK 431 – STREET PHOTOGRAPHY

December 18, 2023 Christopher D. Bennett

Friendly Reminder: Next Monday is Christmas. While the bank and government employees get the day off, there are no holidays for Photography 139. If you are busy on Christmas (and a lot of people are) plan on getting your submission in early this week.

STREET PHOTOGRAPHY! One of my favorite themes! But it is also a notorious streak buster. But this year was it actually popular or did it once again end a ton of streaks. You will have to keep scrolling to find out!

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

1-Jen Ensley-Gorshe – 1 week (3)
2-Monica Jennings – 1 week
3-Alexis Stensland – 1 week
4-Sara Lockner – 3 weeks
5-Willy McAlpine – 3 weeks
6-Susanna Funk – 5 weeks
7-Scott Degeneffe – 16 weeks
8-Sabas Hernandez – 17 weeks
9-Mike Vest – 22 weeks
10-Sheri Fakhouri – 26 weeks (2)
11-Logan Kahler – 27 weeks (3)
12-Nathanial Brown – 28 weeks
13-Jesse Howard – 28 weeks
14-Tamara Peterson – 31 weeks
15-Mindi Terrell – 43 weeks (3)
16-Brandon Kahler – 66 weeks
17-Linda Bennett – 71 weeks (3)
18-Sarah Toot – 73 weeks (3)
19-Angie DeWaard – 77 weeks
20-Dawn Krause – 81 weeks
21-Kim Barker – 87 weeks
22-Joe Duff – 88 weeks
23-Teresa Kahler – 99 weeks (2)
24-Carla Stensland – 99 weeks (2)
25-Micky Augustin – 101 weeks
26-Andy Sharp – 102 weeks
27-Bill Wentworth – 103 weeks
28-Cathie Morton – 107 weeks
29-Elizabeth Nordeen – 108 weeks
30-Shannon Bardole-Foley – 110 weeks
31-Kio Dettman – 112 weeks (2)

The third week of each month I like to share a map of all the states that have had pictures taken in them that were submitted for this calendar year. Well, I checked my calendar and this is the third Monday of the month. Here is the map, heading into this week:

That is a lot of states filled in. In fact, going into this week, there are only 9 states that haven’t been visited and photographed by somebody that submits here. I don’t think there is any chance we will fill in the entire map this year, but we sure have gotten a lot closer than I ever would have guessed! There are 3 weeks (including today) left in this calendar year. I don’t anticipate any more states being filled in at this point.

WPC 431 - STREET PHOTOGRAPHY - MICKY AUGUSTIN

Micky Augustin (Iowa) – 102 weeks

Shannon Bardole-Foley (Des Moines, Iowa) – 111 weeks

Kim Barker (Nevada, Iowa) – 88 weeks

Christopher D. Bennett (Pella, Iowa)

Linda Bennett (Kansas) – 72 weeks

Suzie Brannen (Iowa) – 1 week

Suzie Brannen (Iowa)

Nathanial Brown (Bayard, Iowa) – 29 weeks

Scott Degeneffe (Iowa) – 17 weeks

Kio Dettman (Boone, Iowa) – 113 weeks

Kio Dettman (Boone, Iowa)

Angie DeWaard (Iowa) – 78 weeks

Joe Duff (Texas) – 89 weeks

Jen Ensley-Gorshe (Ames, Iowa) – 2 weeks

Sheri Fakhouri (Ankeny, Iowa) – 27 weeks

Sheri Fakhouri (Ankeny, Iowa)

Sabas Hernandez (Ankeny, Iowa) – 18 weeks

Jesse Howard (Iowa) – 29 weeks

Brandon Kahler (Iowa) – 67 weeks

Logan Kahler (Iowa) – 28 weeks

Teresa Kahler (Pella, Iowa) – 100 weeks

Teresa Kahler (Oskaloosa, Iowa)

Dawn Krause (Iowa) – 82 weeks

Dawn Krause (Iowa)

Sara Lockner (Iowa) – 4 weeks

Cathie Morton (Iowa) – 108 weeks

Elizabeth Nordeen (Iowa) 109 weeks

Tamara Peterson (Iowa) – 32 weeks

Andy Sharp (Council Bluffs, Iowa) – 103 weeks

Carla Stensland (Sioux City, Iowa) – 100 weeks

Carla Stensland (Iowa State Campus – Ames, Iowa)

Mindi Terrell (Iowa) – 44 weeks

Sarah Toot (New York City, New York) – 74 weeks

Mike Vest (Iowa) – 23 weeks

Bill Wentworth (Omaha, Nebraska) – 104 weeks

29 participants this week! Not a high number by current standards. But I think STREET PHOTOGRAPHY is a hard concept for some people to grasp or love. But not 29 or you… more or less.

There were submissions this week taken in the following places:

+ Kansas
+ Iowa
+ Nebraska
+ New York
+ Texas

Here is the current calendar year list for states:

+ Arizona
+ Arkansas
+ California
+ Colorado
+ Florida
+ Georgia
+ Hawaii
+ Idaho
+ Illinois
+ Indiana
+ Iowa
+ Kansas
+ Kentucky
+ Louisiana
+ Maryland
+ Michigan
+ Minnesota
+ Mississippi
+ Missouri
+ Montana
+ Nebraska
+ New Hampshire
+ New Jersey
+ New Mexico
+ New York
+ Nevada
+ North Carolina
+ North Dakota
+ Ohio
+ Oklahoma
+ Oregon
+ Pennsylvania
+ South Carolina
+ South Dakota
+ Tennessee
+ Texas
+ Utah
+ Vermont
+ Virgin Islands
+ Washington
+ Washington D.C.
+ Wisconsin
+ Wyoming

41 states and 1 district and 1 territory! That is pretty impressive! Over 80% of the way there! Every continental state west of the Mississippi is now accounted for.

The missing states are:
+ Alabama
+ Alaska
+ Connecticut
+ Delaware
+ Maine
+ Massachusetts
+ Rhode Island
+ Virginia
+ West Virginia

The Outside of the United States map is currently:

+ Spain
+ British Virgin Islands
+ Mexico
+ Nassau Bahamas
+ Canada
+ Peru
+ France
+ Austria
+ Germany
+ Italy
+ Slovenia
+ Belize

There were quite a few big milestones this week. Angie joined the Year and a Half Club! WooHoo! Teresa and Carla both joined the Triple Digit Club! WooHoo! Bill joined the 2 Year Club! WooHoo!

But it wasn’t all great photography in a public place. Monica and Alexis couldn’t build on last week’s submission. Willy’s streak ends at 3. Worst of all, Funk’s streak slid back down the mountain at 5.

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:

GREEN

ONCE AGAIN. DON’T FORGET THAT NEXT MONDAY IS CHRISTMAS! PLAN ON GETTING YOUR SUBMISSION IN AROUND THE HOLIDAY! OTHERWISE, THERE COULD BE A TON OF STREAKS BITING THE DUST.

GREEN! What a great theme for Year 10 of THE WEEKLY PHOTO CHALLENGE!

But what exactly is a GREEN image? Simply a picture of something GREEN or the color GREEN plays a major compositional element of the image. But of course, there is more than one definition of GREEN.

While thinking on possible subjects for your image, meditate on the following quote and I have no doubt you will come up with a great image:

Green is the fresh emblem of well founded hopes. In blue the spirit can wander, but in green it can rest.
– Mary Webb

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. There is a limit of 3 submissions per participant. To be considered the photographer, you have to be the one that takes the picture. Don’t be stealing the work of other artists. You can submit pictures for other photographers that took pictures with your camera or phone, but give credit where credit is due.

You can send your images to either bennett@photography139.com OR you may text them to my Pixel 5.

That is it. Thems the rules!

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 GREEN in this place that is far from green next Monday.

Animals, Self-Portrait, Still Life, Tenderloining

#BreakfastBurritoLife: Boone Field Work

December 17, 2023 Christopher D. Bennett

A few months back I stopped at an interesting breakfast joint that is only a few short blocks from my house. Weather or Naut is breakfast (and catering) business that serves breakfast from their driveway.

Here are some pictures from my breakfast burrito meal:

My breakfast burrito was delicious!

To cut to the chase of my review, I would definitely go back. In fact I have already been back!

They are currently closed for the winter and to do some remodeling, but I look forward to their opening again next year!

Weather or Naut is located:

1639 3rd Street
Boone, Iowa

Next Sunday’s food adventure will involve the Tenderloin Trail 2.0. For real this time.

Anders, Animals, Art, Candid Portrait, Christianity, Jay, Jesse, Movies, Naima, Road Trip, Self-Portrait, WPC - Alternate

‘Cause Someday I’ll Be Everything to Somebody Else

December 16, 2023 Christopher D. Bennett 1 Comment

Time to clean out the April backlog. Lots of pictures that didn’t quite make their way into previous “An Artist’s Notebook” entries. Including some that were alternates for THE WEEKLY PHOTO CHALLENGE and some that were taken in Jester Park and some at the end of a flowertography road trip. And some that include Naima.

It always feels good when the backlog gets a little more cleaned out!

Animals, Automobiles, Politics, Street Photography, Teresa

Stanhope Watermelon Day 2023 – II

December 15, 2023 Christopher D. Bennett

Time for another collection of images from my trip to the Stanhope Watermelon Day with Teresa. This collection of images is of the parade. I’m not really a parade person. In fact few things are more boring than a parade. Well actually few things have greater gap between participating in and watching. Being in a parade is tons of fun. Watching a parade is tons of boring. Similarly to fireworks. Lighting off fireworks is tons of fun. Watching fireworks is boring. Baseball also fits into this category as well. But I digress.

Here are the parade pictures:

Still plenty more pictures to share from Watermelon Day. Including many pictures of delicious… delicious watermelon!

Animals, Art, Flowers, History, Macro

Bring My Flowers Now

December 14, 2023 Christopher D. Bennett

Bring my flowers now, while I’m livin’
I won’t need your love when I’m gone
Don’t spend time, tears, or money on my old breathless body
If your heart is in them flowers, bring ’em on

All the miles cast a long shadow
I’d take a couple back if I could
I’d’ve learned to play guitar
Told my daddy more I loved him
But I believe, for the most part, I done good

There’s always sunrise and rainbows and babies
And the little things I cherish on my way
Even though one day
They’ll bury me and Jessie Mae
I just know we’re gonna ride again someday

The days are long but the years are lightning
They’re bright and they will never strike again
I wish I’d been a better friend, a better daughter to my mother
There’s no goin’ back when your back’s against the wind

So if you got love, then you’re sittin’ on a gold mine
And you can’t take it with you when you go
So don’t wait to help your sister
Forgive your brother and your neighbor
We all think we got the time until we don’t

Bring my flowers now, while I’m livin’
I won’t need your love when I’m gone
Don’t spend time, tears, or money on my old breathless body
If your heart is in them flowers, bring ’em on
If your heart is in them flowers, bring ’em on
-Tanya Tucker

I said last week that this song would not be a Brandi Carlile song, but it would still be related to Brandi Carlile. This song was written by Tanya Tucker, Brandi Carlile, Phil Hanseroth, and Tim Hanseroth. The song was produced by Brandi Carlile for the Tanya’s comeback album that Brandi produced. The production of the album was documented in the movie THE RETURN OF TANYA TUCKER.

The song features Tanya Tucker singing and Brandi Carlile playing piano.

Some background on the song from The Wiki:

The songwriting process for “Bring My Flowers Now” began when Carlile suggested that Tucker finally finish the song she had been trying to write for 30 years. While Tucker was initially apprehensive about it, the track actually came about pretty easily. Tucker explained, “So I went into the restroom to think—I do my best thinking there—went back out, and [Brandi] was in the panel room. And we wrote this song in about 30 minutes. And then we walked in there to the vocal booth, and the band came in, and we recorded it.” Tucker would later admit in interviews that she “would have liked to change a few things.” She said that Carlile didn’t want her to, saying that this album was about Tanya the singer, not Tanya the performer. Carlile told her, “This song sticks. This is what came out of your mouth, and that’s the way we’re gonna put it on there.”

The song would win the Grammy for Best Country Song and the album “While I’m Livin'” would win the Grammy for Best Country Album. The first 2 Grammys of Tanya Tucker’s career.

But Thursday’s are for flowers. This flowertography collection was taken at the Gray Rose Garden. Unfortunately, I definitely missed the prime flowertography season for it, but it was still worth the trip:

Next Thursday’s flowertography will involve flowers from my yard. The song will actually have nothing to do with Brandi Carlile, but will have everything to do with one of my favorite movies of all-time.

Alexis, Amy, Andy, Animals, Bill, Brandon, Carla, Cathie, Dawn, Elainie, Elizabeth, Funk, Jen, Jesse, Joe Duff, Kim, Kio, Linda, Logan, Mary, Micky, Mindi, Nathanial, Sabas, Sara, Sarah Toot, Scottie D., Shannon, Sheri, Street Photography, Tamara, Teresa, Vest, Willy, WPC - Submissions

WPC – WEEK 428 – ANIMAL

November 27, 2023 Christopher D. Bennett

It is the last collection of submissions for the month of November, so it is a good time to revisit the THE WEEKLY PHOTO CHALLENGE FAQ. I’ve noticed an uptick in small-sized submissions lately. It wouldn’t hurt to review the resolution FAQ if you haven’t looked at it lately.

Award winning photographers? Really?

Yes. I can think of at least 10 photographers that participate regularly that have won a photography award of some kind.

Is this a competition?
NO.

Is there a limit to the number of submissions I can have each week?

Yes. That limit is 3. If you send me more than 3, I will post the first 3 that you send. I’m not trying to harsh your photography buzz, but any more than that starts to overwhelm the other submissions and it takes me about 5 minutes to take a picture from my inbox to code it on the website. So I have to manage my workload. This limit is tentatively scheduled to go down to 2 at the beginning of 2024. Unless there is a sudden big falloff in participants.

If you are going to submit more than one picture, I strongly urge you to choose completely different subjects for each submission. If you are submitting multiple pictures of the same subject, make sure that each picture is saying something unique.

If participation rates climb, that limit of 3 is subject to lower.

Can I send you several pictures and have you pick the best one?

No! No! NO! If those words come out of your mouth or your keyboard, I consider that to be a non-submission.

Do you ever question whether somebody’s submission fits the theme?

Meh. Only if I think somebody is clearly confusing this week’s theme with last week or next week’s theme. Otherwise, if the submission makes sense in your head, that is good enough for me. However, I would urge you to not try to fit your favorite subject into the theme. This isn’t a challenge to share a picture every week of your kid or your business or your pet. It is a challenge to take pictures of different things every week. Which isn’t to say subjects can’t be repeated, but you shouldn’t become reliant on the same ones.

Why can’t I submit after 11 AM on Mondays if the post doesn’t publish until 12:01 PM?

I go to lunch at 11 AM. I leave my office. I’m not near a computer. At 11 AM I hit “Schedule” and then I go throw food down my throat. 167 hours is more than enough time to send a submission. Okay, 166 hours and 59 minutes. You got me.

Do I have to wait until Monday morning to submit?

Absolutely not! In fact I appreciate the submissions that make it to me by Sunday evening. Makes the job of putting this together on Monday morning much easier!

Are there resolution requirements for submissions?

I won’t turn down submissions that are too small. I will probably ask you for a picture of greater resolution if it is really small. The typical 4 x 6 image posted to my website has a resolution of 1280 pixels x 853 pixels. While a 400 x 300 image might look okay on your phone, it looks like trash on a computer monitor. I prefer images that are at least 1000 pixels at their widest point, but don’t ban smaller pictures at this point.

What format should my submission be?

.JPG but .PNG also works.

If I write a description of my image will you include that in your post?

No. Photography is art that should stand on its own. Only exception is the SLICE OF LIFE theme. But if you let me know where the picture was taken, I will include that.

When will you start accepting suggestions for next year’s THE WEEKLY PHOTO CHALLENGE themes?

I will take suggestions only and ONLY in the comments sections of the THE WEEKLY PHOTO CHALLENGE posts the last week of October and the 1st week of November.

+++++++

The themes for Year 11 of THE WEEKLY PHOTO CHALLENGE have been selected. There are 53 Mondays in 2024, so there are 53 themes for Year 11. Here are the selected themes, in no particular order:

1. Necessity (Joe Duff)
2. Sentimental (Joe Duff)
3. Monochrome (Joe Duff)
4. Out-of-Date (Angie DeWaard)
5. Clothing (Angie DeWaard)
6. Symmetry (Sarah Toot)
7. Rule of Thirds (Sarah Toot)
8. Wheels (Sarah Toot)
9. 6:00 PM (Sarah Toot)
10. Ugly (Sarah Toot)
11. Emotion (Andy Sharp/Sarah Toot)
12. Animal (Shannon Bardole-Foley)
13. Passion (Shannon Bardole-Foley)
14. Anything But a Cat (Andy Sharp)
15. Leading Lines (ISF Theme)
16. Trains, Planes, and Automobiles
17. #Instagood
18. Street Photography
19. Flower
20. Slice of Life
21. Still Life
22. Art
23. Ruins
24. Road Trip
25. Sign
26. Purple
27. Orange
28. Path
29. Self-Portrait
30. Abstract
31. Games
32. Glass
33. Reflection
34. Macro
35. Hobbies
36. Work
37. Entertainment
38. Park
39. Breakfast
40. Time
41. Circle
42. Square
43. Faceless Portrait
44. Sunday Morning (Sarah Toot)
45. Science (Joe Duff)
46. Camera
47. Window View (Sarah Toot)
48. Decoration
49. Letters or Numbers
50. Places
51. Music
52. Not Your Hometown (Andy Sharp)
53. Holidays

+++++++

ANIMAL! Almost everyone loves an ANIMAL or two, but did they find one to photograph to make ANIMAL a popular theme? You’ll have to keep scrolling to find out!

As of 12:01 PM on Monday, November 20, this was the current list of ACTIVE streaks (ignore the numbers in parentheses):

1-Jen Ensley-Gorshe – 1 week
2-Evie Gorshe – 1 week
3-Mary Green – 1 week (2)
4-Amy Peterson – 1 week
5-Susanna Funk – 2 weeks
6-Suzie Brannen – 3 weeks
7-Elainie Hernandez – 3 weeks
8-Alexis Stensland – 6 weeks
9-Scott Degeneffe – 13 weeks (2)
10-Sabas Hernandez – 14 weeks
11-Mike Vest – 20 weeks
12-Sheri Fakhouri – 23 weeks (2)
13-Logan Kahler – 24 weeks (3)
14-Nathanial Brown – 25 weeks
15-Jesse Howard – 25 weeks
16-Tamara Peterson – 28 weeks
17-Mindi Terrell – 40 weeks (2)
18-Brandon Kahler – 63 weeks
19-Linda Bennett – 69 weeks
20-Sarah Toot – 70 weeks
21-Angie DeWaard – 74 weeks
22-Dawn Krause – 78 weeks (2)
23-Kim Barker – 84 weeks
24-Joe Duff – 85 weeks
25-Teresa Kahler – 96 weeks
26-Carla Stensland – 96 weeks
27-Micky Augustin – 98 weeks
28-Andy Sharp – 99 weeks (2)
29-Bill Wentworth – 100 weeks
30-Cathie Morton – 104 weeks
31-Elizabeth Nordeen – 105 weeks (2)
32-Shannon Bardole-Foley – 107 weeks
33-Kio Dettman – 109 weeks

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:

Kio Dettman (Boone, Iowa) – 110 weeks

Shannon Bardole-Foley (Iowa) – 108 weeks

Elizabeth Nordeen (Indiana) – 106 weeks

Elizabeth Nordeen (Indiana)

Cathie Morton (Denver, Colorado) – 105 weeks

Bill Wentworth (Nebraska)

Andy Sharp (Iowa) – 100 weeks

Andy Sharp (Iowa)

Micky Augustin (Iowa)- 99 weeks

Teresa Kahler (Boone, Iowa) – 97 weeks

Teresa Kahler (Boone, Iowa)

Carla Stensland (Iowa) – 97 weeks

Joe Duff (Texas) – 86 weeks

Kim Barker (Galveston, Texas) – 85 weeks

Dawn Krause (Iowa) – 79 weeks

Dawn Krause (Iowa)

Angie DeWaard (Iowa) – 75 weeks

Sarah Toot (Baltimore, Maryland) – 71 weeks

Linda Bennett (Iowa) – 70 weeks

Linda Bennett (Kansas)

Brandon Kahler (Iowa) – 64 weeks

Mindi Terrell (Iowa) – 41 weeks

Mindi Terrell (Iowa)

Tamara Peterson (Iowa) – 29 weeks

Nathanial Brown (Iowa) – 26 weeks

Jesse Howard (Iowa) – 26 weeks

Logan Kahler (Iowa) – 25 weeks

Logan Kahler (Iowa)

Sheri Fakhouri (Iowa) – 24 weeks

Sheri Fakhouri (Iowa)

Mike Vest (Iowa) – 21 weeks

Sabas Hernandez (Iowa) – 15 weeks

Scott Degeneffe (Boone County, Iowa) – 14 weeks

Scott Degeneffe (Boone County, Iowa)

Alexis Stensland (Iowa) – 7 weeks

Elainie Hernandez (Iowa) – 4 weeks

Susanna Funk (West Des Moines, Iowa) – 3 weeks

Amy Peterson (Iowa) – 2 weeks

Mary Green (Iowa) – 2 weeks

Mary Green (Iowa)

Jen Ensley-Gorshe (Iowa) – 2 weeks

Willy McAlpine (Iowa) – 1 week

Sara Lockner (Iowa) – 1 week

Christopher D. Bennett (Boone, Iowa)

34 participants again this week! A pretty good week!

There were submissions this week taken in the following places:

+ Colorado
+ Indiana
+ Iowa
+ Kansas
+ Maryland
+ Nebraska
+ Texas

Thanks to Elizabeth’s Thanksgiving travels, we were able to add Indiana to the list. Down to 9 states that haven’t been represented! I don’t know we will get any of the missing states, but even if we don’t, this is still pretty impressive!

Here is the current calendar year list for states:

41 states and 1 district! That is pretty impressive! Over 80% of the way there! Every continental state west of the Mississippi is now accounted for.

The Outside of the United States map is currently:

+ Spain
+ British Virgin Islands
+ Mexico
+ Nassau Bahamas
+ Canada
+ Peru
+ France
+ Austria
+ Germany
+ Italy
+ Slovenia

The big milestone this weeks was Andy joining the Triple Digit Club! WooHoo! Plus Nathanial joined the Half Year Club! WooHoo! Jesse did too! WooHoo!

But it wasn’t all good news. Evie’s couldn’t build on last week’s submission. Suzie’s streak ends at 3.

HOMETOWN

HOMETOWN! What a great theme for Year 10 of THE WEEKLY PHOTO CHALLENGE!

But what is a HOMETOWN picture? It is simply a picture that represents your HOMETOWN. It doesn’t have to be the HOMETOWN you grew up in. Or even the town you currently call home. But at the very least, it should be a picture that suggest a HOMETOWN for somebody.

While thinking about possible subjects for your ANIMAL picture, meditate on the following quote and I have no doubt you will come up with a fabulous image:

I was eight years old
And running with a dime in my hand
To the bus stop to pick
Up a paper for my old man
I’d sit on his lap in that big old Buick
And steer as we drove through town
He’d tousle my hair
And say, “Son, take a good look around”
This is your hometown

In ’65 tension was running high
At my high school
There was a lot of fights
Between the black and white
There was nothing you could do
Two cars at a light on a Saturday night
In the back seat there was a gun
Words were passed in a shotgun blast
Troubled times had come
To my hometown

Now Main Street’s whitewashed windows
And vacant stores
Seems like there ain’t nobody
Wants to come down here no more
They’re closing down the textile mill
Across the railroad tracks
Foreman says, “These jobs are going, boys
And they ain’t coming back
To your hometown

Last night me and Kate we laid in bed
Talking about getting out
Packing up our bags, maybe heading south
I’m thirty-five, we got a boy of our own now
Last night I sat him up behind the wheel
And said, “Son, take a good look around
This is your hometown”
-Bruce Springsteen

I look forward to your interpretation!

RULES

You can send your images to either bennett@photography139.com OR you may text them to my Pixel 5.

That is it. Thems the rules!

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 HOMETOWN in this place that originates from my hometown next Monday.

Alexis, Amy, Andy, Angie, Animals, Bill, Brandon, Candid Portrait, Carla, Cathie, Dawn, Derrick, Elainie, Elizabeth, Evie, Funk, Iowa State, Jen, Jesse, Joe Duff, Kim, Kio, Linda, Logan, Mary, Micky, Mindi, Nathanial, Sabas, Sarah Toot, Scottie D., Shannon, Sheri, Still Life, Suzie, Tamara, Teresa, Vest, WPC - Submissions

WPC – WEEK 427 – PORTRAIT

November 20, 2023 Christopher D. Bennett 2 Comments

A reminder that if you are looking for a Thanksgiving meal or a place to volunteer on Thanksgiving my church is hosting it’s annual Thanksgiving meal again this year. Information below:

I will be there for at least part of the day!

+++++++

I haven’t selected the 52 themes for Year 11 of THE WEEKLY PHOTO CHALLENGE. But here is a list of the suggested themes:

-Science
-Remorse
-Necessity, something critical to your way of life
-Monochrome
-Tourism
-Sentimental
-Dog
-Screenshot
-Anything in the world but a cat
-Roman Numeral
-Outside your home county
– Memories/Memorial/etc.
– Clothing
– Out-of-date (I was thinking specifically of technology or items like pay phones and outhouses here, but it could be more expansive)
– Hands
– Struggle (or challenge)
– A stranger
– Fashion
– Starburst
– Symmetry
– Rule of 1/3’s
– Wheels
– Self portrait
– Emotion
– 6:00pm
– Warmth
– Candlelight
– Window view
– Ugly
– Sunday morning
-ANIMAL or PET
-PASSION

Definitely several of these will make next year’s list! Obviously ANYTHING IN THE WORLD BUT A CAT is a no-brainer!

+++++++

PORTRAIT! Everyone has taken one or been in one. But did enough people take a PORTRAIT to make it a popular theme? You’ll have to keep scrolling to find out!

As of 12:01 PM on Monday, November 13, this was the current list of ACTIVE streaks (ignore the numbers in parentheses):

1-Susanna Funk – 1 week
2-Diane Sharp – 1 week
3-Suzie Brannen – 2 weeks
4-Monica Jennings – 2 weeks
5-Elainie Hernandez – 2 weeks
6-Sara Lockner – 2 weeks
7-Alexis Stensland – 5 weeks
8-Scott Degeneffe – 12 weeks (3)
9-Sabas Hernandez – 13 weeks
10-Willy McAlpine – 13 weeks
11-Mike Vest – 19 weeks
12-Sheri Fakhouri – 22 weeks
13-Logan Kahler – 23 weeks
14-Nathanial Brown – 24 weeks
15-Jesse Howard – 24 weeks
16-Tamara Peterson – 27 weeks
17-Mindi Terrell – 39 weeks
18-Brandon Kahler – 63 weeks
19-Linda Bennett – 68 weeks
20-Sarah Toot – 69 weeks (2)
21-Angie DeWaard – 73 weeks
22-Dawn Krause – 77 weeks
23-Kim Barker – 83 weeks
24-Joe Duff – 84 weeks
25-Teresa Kahler – 95 weeks
26-Carla Stensland – 95 weeks (2)
27-Micky Augustin – 97 weeks
28-Andy Sharp – 98 weeks (2)
29-Bill Wentworth – 99 weeks
30-Cathie Morton – 103 weeks
31-Elizabeth Nordeen – 104 weeks
32-Shannon Bardole-Foley – 106 weeks
33-Kio Dettman – 108 weeks (2)

That is a lot of states filled in. In fact, going into this week, there are only 10 states that haven’t been visited and photographed by somebody that submits here. I don’t think there is any chance we will fill in the entire map this year, but we sure have gotten a lot closer than I ever would have guessed! There are 6 weeks left in this calendar year. I don’t anticipate any more states being filled in at this point. Maybe Indiana. But that is a pretty full map if it doesn’t change.

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:

Micky Augustin (Sonnette, Montana) – 98 weeks

Shannon Bardole-Foley (Iowa) – 107 weeks

Kim Barker (Iowa) – 84 weeks

Christopher D. Bennett (Jack Trice Stadium – Ames, Iowa)

Linda Bennett (Jewell, Iowa) – 69 weeks

Suzie Brannen (Iowa) – 3 weeks

Nathanial Brown (Dobson Pipe Organ Builders – Lake City, Iowa) – 25 weeks

Scott Degeneffe (Boone County, Iowa)- 13 weeks

Kio Dettman (Iowa) – 109 weeks

Angie DeWaard (Iowa) – 74 weeks

Joe Duff (Texas) – 85 weeks

Jen Ensley-Gorshe (Iowa) – 1 week

Sheri Fakhouri (Ankeny, Iowa) – 23 weeks

Sheri Fakhouri (Ankeny, Iowa)

Susanna Funk (Iowa) – 2 weeks

Evie Gorshe (Iowa) – 1 week

Mary Green (Manchester, Iowa) – 1 week

Mary Green (Manchester, Iowa)

Elainie Hernandez (Ledges State Park – Boone County, Iowa) – 3 weeks

Sabas Hernandez (Ankeny, Iowa) – 14 weeks

Jesse Howard (Iowa) – 25 weeks

Brandon Kahler (Iowa) – 64 weeks

Logan Kahler (Iowa) – 24 weeks

Logan Kahler (Iowa)

Teresa Kahler (Boone, Iowa) – 96 weeks

Dawn Krause (Iowa) – 78 weeks

Dawn Krause (Iowa)

Cathie Morton (Iowa) – 104 weeks

Elizabeth Nordeen (Iowa) – 105 weeks

Elizabeth Nordeen (Iowa)

Amy Peterson (Idaho Falls, Idaho) – 1 week

Tamara Peterson (Iowa) – 28 weeks

Andy Sharp (UNI Dome – Cedar Falls, Iowa) – 99 weeks

Andy Sharp (UNI Dome – Cedar Falls, Iowa)

Alexis Stensland (east Des Moines, Iowa) – 6 weeks

Carla Stensland (Ames, Iowa) – 96 weeks

Sarah Toot (New Jersey) – 70 weeks

Mindi Terrell (Iowa) – 40 weeks

Mindi Terrell (Iowa)

Mike Vest (Iowa) – 20 weeks

Bill Wentworth (Nebraska) – 100 weeks

34 participants! A pretty good week by current standards!

There were submissions this week taken in the following places:

+ Idaho
+ Iowa
+ Montana
+ Nebraska
+ New Jersey
+ Texas

Here is the current calendar year list for states:

+ Arizona
+ Arkansas
+ California
+ Colorado
+ Florida
+ Georgia
+ Hawaii
+ Idaho
+ Illinois
+ Iowa
+ Kansas
+ Kentucky
+ Louisiana
+ Maryland
+ Michigan
+ Minnesota
+ Mississippi
+ Missouri
+ Montana
+ Nebraska
+ New Hampshire
+ New Jersey
+ New Mexico
+ New York
+ Nevada
+ North Carolina
+ North Dakota
+ Ohio
+ Oklahoma
+ Oregon
+ Pennsylvania
+ South Carolina
+ South Dakota
+ Tennessee
+ Texas
+ Utah
+ Vermont
+ Washington
+ Washington D.C.
+ Wisconsin
+ Wyoming

40 states and 1 district! That is pretty impressive! Over 80% of the way there! Every continental state west of the Mississippi is now accounted for.

This is the list of states currently missing:
+ Alabama
+ Alaska
+ Connecticut
+ Delaware
+ Indiana
+ Maine
+ Massachusetts
+ Rhode Island
+ Virginia
+ West Virginia

The Outside of the United States map is currently:

+ Spain
+ British Virgin Islands
+ Mexico
+ Nassau Bahamas
+ Canada
+ Peru
+ France
+ Austria
+ Germany
+ Italy
+ Slovenia

The big milestone this week is Bill joining the Triple Digit Club! Also Cathie joins the 2 Year Streak Club. I forgot to mention it last week when Elizabeth joined it or a few weeks ago when Shannon joined and a few weeks before that when Kio joined it! Also, Dawn joined the Year and Half Club!

But it was all good news. Diane couldn’t build on her submission from last week. Monica’s 2 week streak went poof! As did Sara’s. And worst of all… Willy’s streak ends at unlucky 13.

ANIMAL

ANIMAL! What a great theme for Year 10 of THE WEEKLY PHOTO CHALLENGE!

But what is a ANIMIMAL picture? It is simply a picture of an ANIMAL. That could be a live ANIMAL. It could be a stuffed ANIMAL. It could be a box of meat. It could be a pet. It could be a wild animal. It could be something related to an ANIMAL. The possibilities are endless!

While thinking about possible subjects for your ANIMAL picture, meditate on the following quote and I have no doubt that you will come up with a fabulous image:

Until one has loved an animal, a part of one’s soul remains unawakened.
-Anatole France

I look forward to your interpretation!

RULES

You can send your images to either bennett@photography139.com OR you may text them to my Pixel 5.

That is it. Thems the rules!

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 ANIMAL in this place that loves dogs and so many other animals next Monday.

Animals, Art, Black & White, Candid Portrait, Christianity, Jesse, Nader, Road Trip, Street Photography, Town Sign Project

Birthday Road Trip Denouement

November 3, 2023 Christopher D. Bennett

Here is the final collection of images from the birthday road trip I took with Jesse and Nader. On the way back we stopped at The Grotto of the Redemption. Nader had never been to it before, which was no shocker. But this was also Jesse’s first trip there.

But before we made it to The Grotto of the Redemption, we stumbled across an unincorporated town with a town sign that had a town sign I hadn’t harvested:

Langdon, Iowa – Unincorporated
LANGDON
IOWA
EST. 1899 POP. 53

Maybe not a great town sign, but a solid town sign.

When we pulled up to The Grotto, I wasn’t sure if Nader was going to get out of the car. He was being a grumpypants and was pretty addicted to his phone. But he did finally get out of the car and then after he saw the Grotto he described it as the most beautiful thing he’s ever seen in his life. It is definitely beautiful.

Here are the pictures:

I wonder where I will go for my birthday road trip in 2024?

Animals, Birthdays, Black & White, Nader, Naima, Street Photography, Teresa, WPC - Alternate

Don’t You Think I Loved You Too Much to Think I Deserve Nothing?

October 28, 2023 Christopher D. Bennett

Today is Nader’s birthday so I have to wish him a happy birthday.

Happy Birthday Nader!!!

I hope your birthday is fantastic!

+++++++

Time to finish off the February backlog. This is a collection of images that I took back in February that never made it into previous posts. Some are alternates for THE WEEKLY PHOTO CHALLENGE. Some are not.

Don't You Think I Loved You Too Much to Think I Deserve Nothing?

On to working on the March backlog!

Animals, Flowers, Macro, Nature

Broken Horses

October 26, 2023 Christopher D. Bennett 2 Comments

I have worn the jester’s bells and I have vanished with the fools
I have worshiped at the altar of the puppet master’s rules
I have held my tongue too many scenes before the final act
With my children in the cheap seats and a zipper on my back
Thanks to you
No thanks to you

I have ever so politely treaded softly for your grace
I have whispered through the tears and pleaded sweetly to your face
It is time to spit you out like lukewarm water from my mouth
I will always taste the apathy, but I won’t pass it down
It dies with you
You

I wear my father’s leather on the inside of my skin
I’m a tried and weathered woman, but I won’t be tried again
Don’t think that you can come for me without your Sunday best
You had better call your priest and hope the devil gets the rest
Before I do
Oh, and I will do

Tethered in wide open spaces
In fields that lead for miles
Right into the barrel of a gun
Mendin’ up your fences with my
Horses runnin’ wild
Only broken horses know to run
-Brandi Carlile

As much as I love a good Brandi Carlile romantic song, I also love a good Brandi Carlile angry song. A “I’m going to rip your face off and stomp on it” song. I think this is my favorite Brandi angry song!

But Thursdays are for flowers and this flowertography collection comes from my yard:

I certainly love alliums and strawflowers. Our next flowertography session will also take place in my yard.