Category Archives: Black & White

The Postcard Recreation Project – Teddy Roosevelt

A few months back Jen sent me a text message out of the blue suggesting that I should try to recreate (update) old postcards. It seems like a perfect fit for me, since I might be the last person on the world who really loves postcards and even occasionally sends them and loves to get them (hint! hint!).

I made sort of a test run recently of the Teddy Roosevelt statue in McHose Park. Have a look:


Teddy Roosevelt Statue - McHose Park - Original
The Original

Teddy Roosevelt Statue - McHose Park - Recreation
The Recreation

I’m not going to toot my horn that this was a resounding success. I do have a 100% commitment to the truth, but I did learn a lot from this first run. I’m excited to put this new knowledge to the test in the nearish future.

Just Let Me Do What I Do Best; You’re Better Off Playing Russian Roulette

The world wasn’t ready for these alternates for last week’s WEEKLY PHOTO CHALLENGE theme RUINS. Not sure the world is ready yet, but I can’t hold them back any longer:


Alternate - Ruins

Alternate - Ruins

Alternate - Ruins

Alternate - Ruins

Alternate - Ruins

Alternate - Ruins

Alternate - Ruins

Alternate - Ruins

Alternate - Ruins

Alternate - Ruins

Alternate - Ruins

Most of these pictures were taken down at the Kate Shelley Museum in Moingona. For those of you from Minnesota, that is pronounced MON like the MON in MONtana. No MOYN like the MOINes in Des Moines. The Kate Shelley Museum is closed to the public while they try to raise money to fix it. However, considering the Historical Society’s current situation with the Eisenhower Birthplace, I can’t imagine it opening back up to the public at any point in the near future.

Sadly, even the outhouses (#outhousesofinstagram) are even closed. However, the trail to the Mill Creek Bridge seems to still be open.

The steps can be found near the intersection of US-30 and R18. Near there is where my Dad took his famous (if you ever went to the bathroom at 415 Greene Street) Mahaska Avenue Outhouse (#outhousesofinstagram) photo.

Cinco de Mayo

Hopping back into the backlog I found some pictures I took back on May 5. Some pictures of a beautiful toad that lived in my woodpile for a few weeks and some pictures of gross lilacs.


Backyard Toad

Backyard Toad

Backyard Toad

Backyard Toad

Backyard Toad

Backyard Toad

Backyard Toad

Alley Lilacs

Alley Lilacs

Alley Lilacs

Alley Lilacs

I was, of course, being facetious when I called lilacs ugly. Those lilacs can be found between my back fence and the alley. I transplanted 3 lilac bushes from my Mom’s lilac patch 3 years ago. Only 1 survived. This was the first year that the surviving bush bloomed. It was very exciting times around the Bennett homestead!

Not Entirely Frozen

I had some free time on Christmas Eve between church services and feedings to go out to Ledges. I didn’t get as far into Ledges as I wanted because of time constraints and temperature my feet can take restraints, but I did get a few photos that I like:


Ledges State Park - Christmas Eve 2017

Ledges State Park - Christmas Eve 2017

Ledges State Park - Christmas Eve 2017

Ledges State Park - Christmas Eve 2017

Ledges State Park - Christmas Eve 2017

Ledges State Park - Christmas Eve 2017

Ledges State Park - Christmas Eve 2017

Ledges State Park - Christmas Eve 2017

Ledges State Park - Christmas Eve 2017

Ledges State Park - Christmas Eve 2017

Ledges State Park - Christmas Eve 2017

I hope to make much longer sojourn into Ledges in January. When my schedule frees up a little bit more and the days are longer.

WEEKLY PHOTO CHALLENGE – WEEK 119 – SCARY

I want to come straight out of the chute with a reminder that next Monday is a holiday of sorts. I expect there to be a similar hit in in participation rates for that holiday as well, but if you want to participate, plan accordingly. While the government and banks might take holidays, Photography 139 does not. The struggle is real.

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


WEEK 119 - SCARY  - KIM BARKER
Kim Barker

WEEK 119 - SCARY  - CHRISTOPHER D. BENNETT
Christopher D. Bennett

That is it! Only 2 submissions this week! Special thanks to Kim for her drive and commitment to our little community art project!

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 120 - LOW PERSPECTIVE
LOW PERSPECTIVE!

LOW PERSPECTIVE! What a great theme! But what does it mean? You’ll want to get down low for this photograph. Look at the world the way one of nature’s most magnificent creature, the noble rat, sees the world.

As usual, I look forward to seeing your interpretations!

HOUSEKEEPING


A MESSAGE FROM THE PHOTOGRAPHY 139 RULES DIVISION

1. The picture has to be taken the week of the theme. This isn’t a curate your pictures challenge. This is a get your butt off the couch (my personal experience) and put your camera in your hands challenge. Don’t send me a picture of you next to the Eiffel Tower, when I know you were in Iowa all week. I will point out that I have let that slide some in the past. I will not in the future. Since it is literally about the only rule.

2. Your submission needs to be emailed to bennett@photography139.com by 11 AM on the Monday of the challenge due date. It should be pointed out that this blog auto-publishes at 12:01 on Mondays. So it wouldn’t hurt to get your picture in earlier.

That is it, them’s the rules.

A MESSAGE FROM THE PHOTOGRAPHY 139 SHAMELESS SELF-PROMOTION DIVISION

Nothing new to report. I’ll try to do better next week.

Want your own Photography 139 email subscription? Call, email, or text me and I’ll get you the hook up.

**************************************

That’s all I got for today, so if the good Lord’s willin’ and the creek don’t rise, we will commune right here again next Monday. Hopefully it will be a very low Monday!

The Burned Bridge of Madison County

Hitting the back log again. These are images I took the day after some young hooligans set fire to the Cedar Bridge near Winterset.


Cedar Bridge

Cedar Bridge

Cedar Bridge

Cedar Bridge

Cedar Bridge

Cedar Bridge

Cedar Bridge

Cedar Bridge

Cedar Bridge

Cedar Bridge

Cedar Bridge

Cedar Bridge

Cedar Bridge

Cedar Bridge

Cedar Bridge

Cedar Bridge

Cedar Bridge

Cedar Bridge

Cedar Bridge

Cedar Bridge

Cedar Bridge

Cedar Bridge

Cedar Bridge

Cedar Bridge

Cedar Bridge

Cedar Bridge

Cedar Bridge

Cedar Bridge

Cedar Bridge

I’m not really sure what possessed people to burn down this bridge. While I do agree that the efforts of Robert James Waller are an affront to literature, I’m not tempted to set any of these bridges on fire.

If Nicholas Sparks had written about these bridges, that is another story!

02-10-08/lwlbw

These images are in the folder 02-10-08/lwlbw:


Little White Lye Soap

Little White Lye Soap

Little White Lye Soap

Little White Lye Soap

Little White Lye Soap

Little White Lye Soap

Little White Lye Soap

Little White Lye Soap

Little White Lye Soap

Little White Lye Soap

Little White Lye Soap

Little White Lye Soap

Little White Lye Soap

Little White Lye Soap

Little White Lye Soap

Little White Lye Soap

Little White Lye Soap

Little White Lye Soap is a subsidiary of Shannon’s business empire Franklin Broom Works. These pictures were taken for some of the earliest iterations of Shannon’s website. Almost 10 years later, a few of the photos from that photo shoot are still on the website. You can purchase Little White Lye Soap here:

LITTLE WHITE LYE SOAP ONLINE STORE

Little White Lye Soap is a product I still endorse and not just because Shannon loves the movie A CLOCKWORK ORANGE. It is also a great product ran by a great person.

Next Saturday’s walk down memory lane will involve more Little White Lye Soap.

Final Day to Order – 2018 Photography 139 Calendar

A friendly reminder that today is the last day to order a 2018 Photography 139 Calendar!

The price of the calendar is still $10. A veritable bargain in this climate of rising prices!

I’m sure you are ready to plunk down $10 or $20 or $30 based on the high quality product that has existed in the past. I would gladly take your money, sight unseen, but I would at least like to reveal what pictures are in the 2018 Calendar.

Have a look:


2018 Calendar - Cover
Front Cover

2018 Calendar - January
January

2018 Calendar - February
February

2018 Calendar - March
March

2018 Calendar - April
April

2018 Calendar - May
May

2018 Calendar - June
June

2018 Calendar - July
July

2018 Calendar - August
August

2018 Calendar - September
September

2018 Calendar - October
October

2018 Calendar - November
November

2018 Calendar - December
December

Each picture was aligned with the month it was taken in. Okay maybe a hair of finagling was done at that front… I’ll never tell… Even if the .exif data will.

The calendars are 17 x 11 inches in size when they are open.

Calendar comes with a free Christopher D. Bennett business card. Good for getting you out of any life or death situation involving Boone toughs.

If you wish to order a calendar or calendar(s), you may email me at:

bennett@photography139.com

If you live within reasonable driving distance (about 45 minutes from Boone’s Golden Circle) I can hand deliver the calendar free of charge.

If the calendar needs to be mailed, there will be a shipping and handling charge of some kind.

Order fast! Supplies are limited!

Thanks!

Christopher D. Bennett
Photography 139
CDO
Chairman of the Board
President
Vice-President
Director
Superintendent of Invention

Flowers Heal Me, Tulips Make Me Happy

Hitting the backlog again. Going back to May when Mom, Teresa, Logan, and I went to What Cheer, Iowa for a flea market. After we left the flea market we went to Oskaloosa for lunch and then went through Pella on our way back home.

Here are pictures from that trip:


Book Vault

Book Vault

Pella Tulip Festival - 2017

Pella Tulip Festival - 2017

Pella Tulip Festival - 2017

Pella Tulip Festival - 2017

Pella Tulip Festival - 2017

Pella Tulip Festival - 2017

Pella Tulip Festival - 2017

Pella Tulip Festival - 2017

Pella Tulip Festival - 2017

Pella Tulip Festival - 2017

Pella Tulip Festival - 2017

Pella Tulip Festival - 2017

Pella Tulip Festival - 2017

Pella Tulip Festival - 2017

Pella Tulip Festival - 2017

Pella Tulip Festival - 2017

Pella Tulip Festival - 2017

Pella Tulip Festival - 2017

Pella Tulip Festival - 2017

Pella Tulip Festival - 2017

Pella Tulip Festival - 2017

Pella Tulip Festival - 2017

Pella Tulip Festival - 2017

Pella Tulip Festival - 2017

Pella Tulip Festival - 2017

Pella Tulip Festival - 2017

Pella Tulip Festival - 2017

Pella Tulip Festival - 2017

Pella Tulip Festival - 2017

Pella Tulip Festival - 2017

Pella Tulip Festival - 2017

Pella Tulip Festival - 2017

On the way back we stopped at Tasos Steakhouse for lunch. If you are ever in Oskaloosa, I would strongly recommend it.