Category Archives: Black & White

Sorrow and Gladness 2022 – Vol. 3

The rose and the thorn, and sorrow and gladness are linked together.
-Saadi

This is a quote attributed to the Persian poet Saadi Shirazi. He was a Persian poet that lived in the 13th century. I have tried to find the original context of this quote, but have failed miserably. It doesn’t seem to be from any of his most famous writings. Which makes me think there is a chance he never actually said it. But whomever said it, it is the perfect quote to discover roses and grief.

Here are the rest of the rose pictures I took in State Center:


Sorrow and Gladness - 2022

Sorrow and Gladness - 2022

Sorrow and Gladness - 2022

Sorrow and Gladness - 2022

Sorrow and Gladness - 2022

Sorrow and Gladness - 2022

Sorrow and Gladness - 2022

Sorrow and Gladness - 2022

Sorrow and Gladness - 2022

Sorrow and Gladness - 2022

Sorrow and Gladness - 2022

Sorrow and Gladness - 2022

Sorrow and Gladness - 2022

Sorrow and Gladness - 2022

Sorrow and Gladness - 2022

Sorrow and Gladness - 2022

Sorrow and Gladness - 2022

Sorrow and Gladness - 2022

Sorrow and Gladness - 2022

Sorrow and Gladness - 2022

Sorrow and Gladness - 2022

Sorrow and Gladness - 2022

Sorrow and Gladness - 2022

Sorrow and Gladness - 2022

Sorrow and Gladness - 2022

Sorrow and Gladness - 2022

I’m already looking forward to visiting the State Center Rose Garden again in 2023. Maybe make a stop at the new restaurant in Colo on the way back. Or not.

Dickinson and Emmet Aux – Vol. 1

A few months back I made a trip up to and through Dickinson and Emmet County to harvest their town signs. I had already harvested a good chunk of Dickinson County earlier. I really need to do a better photo experience in the Okoboji area cause on this trip I didn’t explore much. I got to see a little bit more of the area when I went camping with Carla and Jason several weeks later. I’ll share those pictures at a later date.

Here is the first collection of auxiliary images from that trip. Some of these are taken in Clay County:


Clay County - Peterson
Peterson

Clay County - Peterson

Clay County - Peterson

Clay County - Peterson

Clay County - Peterson

Dickinson County - Terril
Terril – Happy Timers? How do you not have a smiley face on your yellow building?!?!?

Dickinson County - Terril

Dickinson County - West Okoboji
West Okoboji

Dickinson County - Arnolds Park
Arnolds Park

Dickinson County - Arnolds Park

Dickinson County - Arnolds Park

Dickinson County - Arnolds Park

Dickinson County - Arnolds Park

Dickinson County - Arnolds Park

Dickinson County - Arnolds Park

Dickinson County - Arnolds Park

Dickinson County - Arnolds Park

Dickinson County - Arnolds Park

Dickinson County - Arnolds Park

Dickinson County - Arnolds Park

Dickinson County - Arnolds Park

Dickinson County - Okoboji
Okoboji

Dickinson County - Okoboji

Dickinson County - Spirit Lake
Spirit Lake

Dickinson County - Orleans
Orleans

Dickinson County - Orleans

Dickinson County - Superior
Superior

Dickinson County - Superior

Dickinson County - Superior

Dickinson County - Superior

Dickinson County - Superior

Dickinson County - Superior

Are you wondering about the “Ghost Train”? It is located between Spirit Lake and Superior and was once part of the Spirit of the Lakes dinner train. Those cars are trapped there as the tracks have been removed on both sides, so even if somebody wanted to move them, they are stuck.

This is from a WHO story in 2014:

The Iowa Northwestern Dinner Train started in 2003 on a track which had been abandoned by Union Pacific. The line served meals and gave rides out of the Spirit Lake area. It didn’t last long, operations stopped about nine years ago. Since that time, its passenger cars and kitchen dinning car have been parked on a rail siding near Superior, Iowa.

Vandals have broken windows and dismantled seats. Many things used in the operation of the Dinner Train were left behind, including an electric food warmer, coffee dispensers, plates and Christmas decorations.

Most of the article is about how awesome the Boone and Scenic Valley Railroad Dinner Train is. I actually have never rode that train. I need to get on that.

There is one more collection of images from this trip to share.

Black Hawk County Aux – Vol. 1

Several months back I cruised around Black Hawk County harvesting the balance of their town signs. It was somewhat of an abbreviated trip because I had to be in Marshalltown for supper with my friends from The Witch Hunt. Therefore there wasn’t a ton of auxiliary images from Black Hawk County. In fact, a good portion of the pictures from these posts are going to be from Buchanan County and Marshall County.

Here is the first collection of auxiliary images from the trip:


Black Hawk County - Cedar Falls
Cedar Falls – I did not.

Black Hawk County - Cedar Falls

Black Hawk County - Cedar Falls

Black Hawk County - Cedar Falls

Black Hawk County - Dunkerton
Dunkerton

Buchanan County - Fairbank
Fairbank

Buchanan County - Fairbank

Buchanan County - Fairbank

Buchanan County - Fairbank
Their attempts to cover up some of the graffiti cracks me up.

Buchanan County - Fairbank

Buchanan County - Fairbank

Buchanan County - Fairbank

Buchanan County - Fairbank

Buchanan County - Fairbank

Buchanan County - Fairbank

Buchanan County - Fairbank

Buchanan County - Fairbank

Buchanan County - Fairbank

Buchanan County - Fairbank

Buchanan County - Littleton
Littleton – I feel like this used to be a town sign that these people appropriated.

Black Hawk County - Jesup
Jesup – How is all this incredible stuff still up for grabs!

Black Hawk County - Jesup

Black Hawk County - Jesup

Black Hawk County - Jesup

Black Hawk County - Jesup

Black Hawk County - Raymond
Raymond – Purple Hawks

Black Hawk County - Raymond

Black Hawk County - Gilbertsville
Gilbertsville

Black Hawk County - Gilbertsville

Black Hawk County - La Port City
La Port City

There is still another collection of images from this road trip to share.

WPC – WEEK 362 – WEEKENDS

To clarify some information about Sunday’s post. The part about the Iowa State Fair Photography Salon. Even though the book does say two people got all 4 of their entries in, in fact NOBODY got all 4 submissions accepted for display. That is the first time I can ever remember that happening. They had some tough judges.

The time I spent yesterday at the Photography Salon was pretty joyful.

I think that WEEKENDS is going to end up being a more popular theme than FAMILY. Seems people like their WEEKENDS more than they like their FAMILY. Very strange. But you’ll have to keep scrolling to find out if the data matches the theory.

As of 12:01 PM on Monday, August 15, this was the current list of ACTIVE streaks (ignore the numbers in parentheses):

+ Brooklyn Erb – 1 week
+ Brandon Kahler – 1 week
+ Linda Bennett – 3 weeks
+ Sarah Toot – 4 weeks
+ Sabas Hernandez – 6 weeks
+ Monica Jennings – 6 weeks
+ Mary Green – 8 weeks
+ Angie DeWaard – 9 weeks
+ Dawn Krause – 13 weeks
+ Kim Barker – 19 weeks
+ Joe Duff – 20 weeks
+ Logan Kahler – 22 weeks (3)
+ Teresa Kahler – 30 weeks (3)
+ Tamara Peterson – 30 weeks
+ Carla Stensland – 30 weeks
+ Michelle Haupt – 31 weeks
+ Micky Augustin – 32 weeks
+ Andy Sharp – 33 weeks
+ Bill Wentworth – 34 weeks
+ Cathie Morton – 38 weeks
+ Elizabeth Nordeen – 39 weeks
+ Shannon Bardole-Foley – 41 weeks
+ Kio Dettman – 44 weeks (3)

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 362 - WEEKENDS - KIM BARKER
Kim Barker – 20 weeks

WEEK 362 - WEEKENDS - TERESA KAHLER
Teresa Kahler – 31 weeks

WEEK 362 - WEEKENDS - TERESA KAHLER
Teresa Kahler

WEEK 362 - WEEKENDS - TERESA KAHLER
Teresa Kahler

WEEK 362 - WEEKENDS - TERESA KAHLER
Teresa Kahler

WEEK 362 - WEEKENDS - ANGIE DEWAARD
Angie DeWaard – 10 weeks

WEEK 362 - WEEKENDS - ANDY SHARP
Andy Sharp – 34 weeks

WEEK 362 - WEEKENDS - ELIZABETH NORDEEN
Elizabeth Nordeen – 40 weeks

WEEK 362 - WEEKENDS - ELIZABETH NORDEEN
Elizabeth Nordeen

WEEK 362 - WEEKENDS - BILL WENTWORTH
Bill Wentworth – 35 weeks

WEEK 362 - WEEKENDS - CHRISTOPHER D. BENNETT
Christopher D. Bennett

WEEK 362 - WEEKENDS -KIO DETTMAN
Kio Dettman – 45 weeks

WEEK 362 - WEEKENDS -
Kio Dettman

WEEK 362 - WEEKENDS -
Kio Dettman

WEEK 362 - WEEKENDS -KIO DETTMAN
Kio Dettman

WEEK 362 - WEEKENDS - LINDA BENNETT
Linda Bennett – 4 weeks

WEEK 362 - WEEKENDS - LINDA BENNETT
Linda Bennett

WEEK 362 - WEEKENDS - LINDA BENNETT
Linda Bennett

WEEK 362 - WEEKENDS - LINDA BENNETT
Linda Bennett

WEEK 362 - WEEKENDS - MARY GREEN
Mary Green – 9 weeks

WEEK 362 - WEEKENDS - MICHELLE HAUPT
Michelle Haupt – 32 weeks

WEEK 362 - WEEKENDS - SARAH TOOT
Sarah Toot – 5 weeks

WEEK 362 - WEEKENDS - SARAH TOOT
Sarah Toot

WEEK 362 - WEEKENDS - TIM CUCULIC
Tim Tim Cuculic – 1 week

WEEK 362 - WEEKENDS - TAMARA PETERSON
Tamara Peterson – 31 weeks

WEEK 362 - WEEKENDS - TAMARA PETERSON
Tamara Peterson

WEEK 362 - WEEKENDS - DAWN KRAUSE
Dawn Krause – 14 weeks

WEEK 362 - WEEKENDS - SABAS HERNANDEZ
Sabas Hernandez – 7 weeks

WEEK 362 - WEEKENDS - WILLY MCALPINE
Willy McAlpine – 1 week

WEEK 362 - WEEKENDS - JOE DUFF
Joe Duff – 21 weeks

WEEK 362 - WEEKENDS - JEN ENSLEY-GORSHE
Jen Ensley-Gorshe – 1 week

WEEK 362 - WEEKENDS - MICKY AUGUSTIN
Micky Augustin – 33 weeks

WEEK 362 - WEEKENDS - CATHIE MORTON
Cathie Morton – 39 weeks

WEEK 362 - WEEKENDS - LOGAN KAHLER
Logan Kahler – 23 weeks

WEEK 362 - WEEKENDS - LOGAN KAHLER
Logan Kahler

WEEK 362 - WEEKENDS - BRANDON KAHLER
Brandon Kahler – 2 weeks

WEEK 362 - WEEKENDS - SARA LOCKNER
Sara Lockner – 1 week

WEEK 362 - WEEKENDS - CARLA STENSLAND
Carla Stensland – 31 weeks

WEEK 362 - WEEKENDS - CARLA STENSLAND
Carla Stensland

WEEK 362 - WEEKENDS - CARLA STENSLAND
Carla Stensland

WEEK 362  - WEEKENDS - MONICA JENNINGS
Monica Jennings – 7 weeks

WEEK 362 - WEEKENDS - JESSE HOWARD
Jesse Howard – 1 week

WEEK 362 - WEEKENDS - SHANNON BARDOLE-FOLEY
Shannon Bardole-Foley – 42 weeks

28 participants! That is a great week! I guess people really do like their weekends more than they like their families!

On the list of new participants was first time ever participant Tim! I’m hoping this is just the start of big things for Tim.

Angie joined the double digit streak club. Congrats Angie!

This is just a guess, but I believe the submissions spanned from Pennsylvania to Indiana to Illinois to Nebraska to Texas to California and I assume many of these pictures were taken in Iowa. My picture was taken in Illinois.

However, it wasn’t all fun and games and travel. Brooklyn Erb could not extender her streak to 2 weeks. I blame Andy.

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 363 - CIRCLE
CIRCLE

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

But what is a CIRCLE image? It is simply a picture where a major compositional element of the picture is a CIRCLE. 360 degrees of fury! There are CIRCLE(s) literally everywhere! Once you starting looking for them, it is hard to not see them everywhere.

While thinking about possible subjects for your CIRCLE image, meditate on the following quote for inspiration:

The nature of God is a circle of which the center is everywhere and the circumference is nowhere.
-Empedocles

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 CIRCLE in this place that is my circle of trust next Monday.

Kyle – Volume 9

By the time this publishes, the Iowa State Fair Photography Salon will be over and hopefully I will be in possession of my entries. I don’t know I had a completely successful Iowa State Fair Photography Contest, but it wasn’t a complete failure. I only got one picture accepted. I shouldn’t say only because getting one picture in is an incredible accomplishment. There have definitely been years when I got shutout. There will definitely be years in the future where I will get shutout as well. One picture is an accomplishment. But I got three pictures in last year.

On the other hand, last year I got two Honorable Mentions. This year, I got 1st Place in Color Iowa Places and Landscapes.

In the end, there is a ton of luck involved. You never know what the judges will like. When they wake up in the morning, the judges don’t even know what they will like. What they had for breakfast might change their mood and change how they judge. So maybe I entered one great pictured and three terrible pictures. Maybe the judges needed a better breakfast burrito in the morning.

Regardless, here are the pictures I entered.


2022 Iowa State Fair Photography Salon - Olive Avenue
Class 11 – Open Road – “Olive Avenue” – Not Selected for Display

2022 Iowa State Fair Photography Salon - Hi Trestle Trail
Class 13 – Iowa Places & Landscapes – “Hi Trestle Trail” – 1st Place in Class

2022 Iowa State Fair Photography Salon - She Hates Pink Flowers
Class 17 – Plants, Flowers & Trees – “She Hates Pink Flowers” – Not Selected for Display

2022 Iowa State Fair Photography Salon - Best Mislaid Plans
Class 23 – Places & Landscapes – “Best Mislaid Plans” – Not Selected for Display

I didn’t really feel great about my entries this year. I’m crazy far behind on photo editing and my selection process was sloppy at least, so all things considered, not a bad year.

Here are some statistics about the this years Iowa State Fair Photography Salon:

+ 2191 pictures entered. 635 exhibited. 29%.
+ Of the 635 pictures exhibited. 193 got ribbons. 30%.
+ 125 pictures entered in Iowa Places & Landscapes (Color). 19 exhibited. 15%.
+ 158 pictures entered in The Open Road (Color). 43 exhibited. 27%.
+ 149 pictures entered in Plants, Flowers & Trees (Color). 33 exhibited. 22%.
+ 82 pictures entered in Places & Landscapes (Black & White). 23 exhibited. 28%.
+ 1179 Adult color pictures entered. 285 exhibited. 24%.
+ 339 Adult black & white pictures entered. 118 exhibited. 35%.
+ 191 Youth pictures entered. 79 exhibited. 41%.
+ 482 Special Division entered. 153 exhibited. 32%.
+ 7 photographers from Boone County entered 27 pictures.
+ 51 photographers from other states entered 169 pictures.
+ 669 photographers entered.
+ As near as I can tell, ZERO photographers got all 4 pictures in. The book claims that 2 people got all 4 pictures in, but my scan of all the entrants that had pictures accepted comes up with zero. This is my main goal every year. I did it once.

The theme class for 2023 is Sunrise, Sunset. I don’t imagine I will be entering that next year, but stranger things have happened. We’ll see what happens when I procrastinate and throw together my entries in hurry in late May next year.

+++++++

It is another Formal Portrait Sunday. This is the final collection of images from Kyle’s Senior Picture Photo Shoot. Included in here is a picture that was used for his campaign to be the Winter Formal King. A crown that he did claim.


Kyle Sharp

Kyle Sharp

Kyle Sharp

Kyle Sharp

Kyle Sharp

Kyle Sharp

Kyle Sharp

Kyle Sharp

Kyle Sharp

Kyle Sharp

Kyle Sharp

Kyle Sharp

Kyle Sharp

Kyle Sharp

Kyle Sharp

Kyle Sharp

Kyle Sharp

Kyle Sharp

Kyle Sharp

Kyle Sharp

Kyle Sharp

Kyle Sharp

Kyle Sharp

Kyle Sharp

Kyle’s current plan is to attend DMACC. He was recruited to play football for a Division III school, but decided to retire from the game and concentrate on figuring out what he wants to do with his life. Good luck with that, I’m still working on that myself.

Next Formal Portrait Sunday we will check back in with the Junck Family Photo Shoot.

Plymouth and Sioux County Aux – Vol. 4

Time for another collection of images from my road trip through Plymouth and Sioux County to harvest their town sign. Most of these auxiliary images were taken in Le Mars. Le Mars has an incredible collection of murals to go with being the Ice Cream Capital of the World.


Plymouth County - Brunsville

Plymouth County - Brunsville

Plymouth County - Stuble

Plymouth County - Stuble

Plymouth County - Brunsville

Plymouth County - Brunsville

Plymouth County - Le Mars

Plymouth County - Le Mars

Plymouth County - Le Mars

Plymouth County - Le Mars

Plymouth County - Le Mars

Plymouth County - Le Mars

Plymouth County - Le Mars

Plymouth County - Le Mars

Plymouth County - Le Mars

Plymouth County - Le Mars

Plymouth County - Le Mars

Plymouth County - Le Mars

Plymouth County - Le Mars

Plymouth County - Le Mars

Plymouth County - Le Mars

Plymouth County - Le Mars

Plymouth County - Le Mars

Plymouth County - Le Mars

Plymouth County - Le Mars

Plymouth County - Le Mars

There is still one more collection of images from this road trip left to share.

Fat Mum Slim – July 2022

A quick heads up. If you were thinking of going to or entering an animal into the Pufferbilly Days Dog and Exotic Animal Show, because of the extreme heat of today it was postponed. It is now tomorrow at noon at the park on 9th and Story.

+++++++

I have another month done in the Fat Mum Slim Photo a Day Challenge. This month wasn’t as difficult as last month because they were just standard themes. I think the images I took are a fair record of my experiences in July.


July 1
July 1 – Reflection

July 2
July 2 – Letters

July 3
July 3 – Human

July 4
July 4 – I’m Working On This…

July 5
July 5 – Wall

July 6
July 6 – Bright Colours

July 7
July 7 – A Fave Place

July 8
July 8 – Out of Focus

July 9
July 9 – A Boomerang

July 10
July 10 – Behind Someone

July 11
July 11 – Interior

July 12
July 12 – Exterior

July 13
July 13 – Life

July 14
July 14 – Create A Postcard

July 15
July 15 – Where I Stood

July 16
July 16 – Pattern

July 17
July 17 – Water

July 18
July 18 – Street Photography

July 19
July 19 – A Cylinder

July 20
July 20 – Hug

July 21
July 21 – A Church

July 22
July 22 – Current Interest

July 23
July 23 – Still Life

July 24
July 24 – A Metaphor

July 25
July 25 – Beauty

July 26
July 26 – Beauty

July 27
July 27 – Countryside

July 28
July 28 – An Old Car

JULY 29
July 29 – Black and White

July 30
July 30 – Happy Days


July 31 – Sunday Morning

I think there was some pretty good work in July. Hopefully some good work to be done in August.

Here are the August prompts:

August 1 – I Am…
August 2 – I Love This Colour…
August 3 – I Walked Here…
August 4 – I Like To…
August 5 – I Love This Time of Day…
August 6 – I Love…
August 7 – I Made This…
August 8 – I Work Here…
August 9 – I Held This…
August 10 – I Wrote This…
August 11 – I Saw…
August 12 – I Like To Drink…
August 13 – I Stood Here…
August 14 – I Do This On Sundays…
August 15 – I Once…
August 16 – I Never…
August 17 – I Went To…
August 18 – I Read This…
August 19 – I Did This Good Thing…
August 20 – I Love This View…
August 21 – I Don’t Life To…
August 22 – On Mondays I…
August 23 – I Sat Here…
August 24 – I Like To Eat…
August 25 – I Have To…
August 26 – I Wore This…
August 27 – On Weekends I…
August 28 – I Watched This…
August 29 – I Can…
August 30 – I Can’t…
August 31 – I Believe…

I guess people will get to know me better this month… unless I can help it.

If you want to follow this project on the daily, they are posted on my Fat Mum Slim Instagram account.

@fmsbennett

Otherwise, we’ll check in on this next month.

The Howards Volume – 4

It is time once again for another Formal Portrait Sunday. This time, we are checking back in with the Howard Family Portrait Shoot that was in some park in Cedar Falls.

Here are some more pictures from the day:


Howards - 2021

Howards - 2021

Howards - 2021

Howards - 2021

Howards - 2021

Howards - 2021

Howards - 2021

Howards - 2021

Howards - 2021

Howards - 2021

Howards - 2021

Howards - 2021

Howards - 2021

Howards - 2021

Howards - 2021

Howards - 2021

Howards - 2021

Howards - 2021

Howards - 2021

Howards - 2021

Howards - 2021

Howards - 2021

Howards - 2021

Howards - 2021

Howards - 2021

Howards - 2021

Howards - 2021

Howards - 2021

Howards - 2021

Howards - 2021

Howards - 2021

Howards - 2021

There is still more to come from the 2021 Howard Family Photo Shoot. Next Formal Portrait Sunday, we will check-in on Kyle’s Fall Senior Picture Photo Shoot one more time.

Osceola County Aux – Vol. 2

It is that time of year where a card comes in the mail that tells you how you did in the Iowa State Fair Photography Salon. My card came last Saturday and I did manage to sneak one picture past the judges to be displayed.

Here is what the card looks like:


Iowa State Fair - 2022

I don’t know which of the four got in and no, I’m not sharing what four pictures I entered at this time. That will happen when the Fair is over. I will find out which one got in when I go to the Fair on the first day of the Fair.

I say this every year, but I really procrastinated this year on the Fair. Next year I will start this process earlier and have better thought through entries. Or not. It seems to go better when I don’t think about it so much. If you do go to the Iowa State Fair and look for my picture, you can ask the volunteer to tell you where it is, so you don’t have to look around for hours and never find it.

+++++++

Time for another collection of auxiliary images from my trip to Osceola County to harvest their town signs.


Osceola County

Osceola County - Sibley

Osceola County - Sibley
Sibley

Osceola County - Sibley

Osceola County - Sibley

Osceola County - Sibley

Osceola County - Sibley

Osceola County - Sibley

Osceola County - Sibley

Osceola County
Hawkeye Point

Osceola County

Osceola County

Osceola County

Osceola County

Osceola County

Osceola County

Osceola County

Osceola County - Little Rock
Little Rock

Osceola County - Little Rock

Osceola County - Little Rock

There is still one more collection of images to share from this road trip.

+++++++

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


WEEK 357 - WORK
WORK

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

But what is a WORK image? A WORK picture is simply a picture of somebody doing WORK or tools that are used to do WORK or a place where WORK is done. Remember not everybody has to WORK as hard as I do. Some people have slacker jobs where they get to frolic on a mezzanine or play with trains all day. Try not to think how hard I have it at the Computer Mine and maybe think on the physics definition of WORK. The measure of energy transfer that occurs when an object is moved over a distance by an external force.

WARNING: If you are taking a picture at your place of employment, consider what things in your picture your employer would not want the rest of the world to see. You won’t get in trouble with me, but you might with one of your eight bosses.

Happy photo harvesting!