Category Archives: Contests

Alexis, Andy, Angie, Becky, Bill, Brandon, Carla, Cathie, Contests, Dawn, Elizabeth, Flowers, Jesse, Joe Duff, Kim, Kio, Linda, Logan, Mary, Micky, Mindi, Monica, Nader, Naima, Nathanial, Pufferbilly Days, Sabas, Sara, Sarah Toot, Scottie D., Self-Portrait, Shannon, Steph, Suzie, Tamara, Teresa, Vest, WPC - Submissions

WPC – WEEK 401 – HAPPY

May 22, 2023 Christopher D. Bennett Leave a comment

I mailed out a postcard to the entrants of last years Pufferbilly Days Photo Contest last week. I hear they still haven’t arrived in people’s mailboxes. Thought I would share the postcard here, since many of you entered last year or have kids or grandkids that entered. Or hopefully many of you are thinking of entering this year for the first time. Monica designed the postcard. Have a look:

There are 6 Photo Classes this year:
+ Animals
+ Black & White
+ People
+ Places
+ Plants
+ Trains, Planes, & Automobiles

There are 3 Age Divisions:
+ Youth (7-12)
+ Teen (13-17)
+ Adult (18+)

Hopefully many of you enter again and many more of you are inspired to enter this year. Or inspired to have your kids or grandkids enter.

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REMINDER THAT NEXT MONDAY IS MEMORIAL DAY. WHILE YOUR BANK AND THE GOVERNMENT AND A BUNCH OF OTHER BUSINESSES TAKE THE DAY OFF, THERE IS NO REST FOR PHOTOGRAPHY 139. RISE AND GRIND EVERY SINGLE DAY. I DON’T KNOW WHAT MY PLANS ARE FOR MEMORIAL DAY (OTHER THAN MAYBE SLEEPING LATE AFTER WHAT I HOPE IS AN EPIC MOVIE NIGHT ON SUNDAY) BUT IT MIGHT INCLUDE A ROAD TRIP OR A BARBECUE OR A FEW OTHER OPTIONS THAT MIGHT KEEP ME BUSY. LIKEWISE YOU MIGHT BE ENGAGED IN A SIMILAR ACTIVITY ON MONDAY MORNING. YOU MIGHT NOT GET A REMINDER AND YOU MIGHT NOT BE IN A POSITION TO SUBMIT. PLAN ACCORDINGLY.

HAPPY! Many people claim to like to be HAPPY, but did many people actually get a picture of somebody that is HAPPY or of something that makes them HAPPY? You’ll have to keep scrolling to find out!

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

1-Nathanial Brown – 1 week
2-Tamara Peterson – 1 week
3-Sabas Hernandez – 3 weeks
4-Mike Vest – 3 weeks
5-Alexis Baugher – 6 weeks (3)
6-Jesse Howard – 6 weeks
7-Mindi Terrell – 13 weeks (2)
8-Monica Jennings – 18 weeks (2)
9-Brandon Kahler – 38 weeks (2)
10-Linda Bennett – 42 weeks
11-Sarah Toot – 43 weeks
12-Angie DeWaard – 47 weeks
13-Dawn Krause – 51 weeks (2)
14-Kim Barker – 57 weeks
15-Joe Duff – 58 weeks
16-Logan Kahler – 60 weeks
17-Teresa Kahler – 69 weeks (2)
18-Carla Stensland – 69 weeks (2)
19-Micky Augustin – 71 weeks
20-Andy Sharp – 72 weeks (3)
21-Bill Wentworth – 73 weeks
22-Cathie Morton – 77 weeks
23-Elizabeth Nordeen – 78 weeks
24-Shannon Bardole-Foley – 80 weeks
25-Kio Dettman – 82 weeks (2)

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:

Kim Barker (Iowa) – 58 weeks

Nader Parasei (Orange City, Iowa) – 1 week

Micky Augustin (Iowa) – 72 weeks

Elizabeth Nordeen (Iowa) – 79 weeks

Elizabeth Nordeen (Iowa)

Scott Degeneffe (Rural Boone County, Iowa) – 1 week

Melissa Degeneffe (Ankeny, Iowa) – 1 week

Melissa Degeneffe (Erb Pond – Boone County, Iowa)

Alexis Baugher (Iowa) – 7 weeks

Alexis Baugher (Iowa)

Bill Wentworth (Nebraska) – 74 weeks

Carla Stensland (Iowa) – 70 weeks

Kio Dettman (Iowa) – 83 weeks

Kio Dettman (Iowa)

Linda Bennett (Kansas) – 43 weeks

Mary Green (Iowa) – 1 week

Mary Green (Iowa)

Sarah Toot (Pennsylvania) – 44 weeks

Sarah Toot (Pennsylvania)

Tamara Peterson (Iowa) – 2 weeks

Angie DeWaard (Living History Farms – Urbandale, Iowa) – 48 weeks

Christopher D. Bennett (Orange City, Iowa)

Joe Duff (Texas) – 59 weeks

Joe Duff (Texas)

Andy Sharp (Iowa) – 73 weeks

Teresa Kahler (Iowa) – 70 weeks

Teresa Kahler (Iowa)

Shannon Bardole-Foley (Iowa) – 81 weeks

Sabas Hernandez (Iowa) – 4 weeks

Nathanial Brown (Iowa) – 2 weeks

Nathanial Brown (Iowa)

Sara Lockner (Iowa) – 1 week

Sara Lockner (Iowa)

Suzie Brannen (Ottumwa, Iowa) – 1 week

Suzie Brannen (Ottumwa, Iowa)

Mindi Terrell (Iowa) – 14 weeks

Mindi Terrell (Iowa)

Logan Kahler (Iowa) – 61 weeks

Jesse Howard (West Bend, Iowa) – 7 weeks

Jesse Howard (Iowa)

Dawn Krause (Iowa) – 52 weeks

Dawn Krause (Iowa)

Brandon Kahler (Iowa) – 39 weeks

Cathie Morton (Norwalk, Iowa) – 78 weeks

Becky Parmelee (Arkansas) – 1 week

Monica Jennings (Roland, Iowa) – 19 weeks

Stephanie Kim (Brooklyn, New York) – 1 week

Mike Vest (Iowa) – 4 weeks

34 participants! That is an amazing week! I know for sure it is the high for this calendar year and it might be the highest of all-time. I’ll have to check my records and get back to you.

Particularly exciting was first ever submissions from Nader and Melissa. I don’t expect Nader to be a regular contributor, but you never know. But with Melissa, there is some hope!

Also, Stephanie had her first submission this year. I don’t know if this will lead to regular or even irregular submissions or not. We will just wait and see.

There were no new states added to the map this week and at this point, I’m betting new states added will be an increasingly rare thing. Time will tell.

There were submissions this week taken in the following places:

+ Iowa
+ Kansas
+ Nebraska
+ New York
+ Pennsylvania
+ Texas

Here is the current calendar year list for states:

+ Arizona
+ Arkansas
+ California
+ Colorado
+ Florida
+ Georgia
+ Illinois
+ Iowa
+ Kansas
+ Nebraska
+ New Jersey
+ New York
+ Nevada
+ Michigan
+ Minnesota
+ Missouri
+ North Dakota
+ Ohio
+ Oklahoma
+ Pennsylvania
+ South Dakota
+ Texas
+ Utah
+ Washington D.C.
+ Wisconsin
+ Wyoming

25 states and 1 district! That is pretty impressive! Over halfway there!

The Outside of the United States map is currently:

+ British Virgin Islands
+ Mexico
+ Nassau Bahamas
+ Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada

I took my picture about 175 miles from my front door, so I continue to not contribute.

There was one major milestone this week! Dawn joined the 52 Week Club! One straight year of weekly submissions. Congratulations Dawn!

There were no streaks snapped!

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:

PARK

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

But what in the John Culbertson is a PARK image? Simply put, it is a picture taken in a PARK. And there are all sorts of PARKs. There are city, state, national, baseball, softball, playgrounds, nature preserves, urban, pocket, sculpture gardens, cultural… just to name a few. Of course, there is more than one definition of PARK.

While considering a possible subject for your PARK submission, meditate on the following quote and I have no doubt you will come up with an inspiring image.

The fundamental idea behind the parks is native. It is, in brief, that the country belongs to the people, that it is in process of making for the enrichment of the lives of all of us. The parks stand as the outward symbol of the great human principle.
Franklin D. Roosevelt

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 PARK in this place that I believe brings a bit of respite for some next Monday.

Alexis, Andy, Angie, Bill, Brandon, Carla, Cathie, Contests, Dawn, Drone, Elizabeth, Funk, Jesse, Joe Duff, Kim, Kio, Linda, Mary, Micky, Mindi, Monica, Naima, Nathanial, Sabas, Sarah Toot, Scottie D., Shannon, Suzie, Tamara, Vest, Willy, WPC - Submissions

WPC – WEEK 395 – ODD CAMERA ANGLE

April 10, 2023 Christopher D. Bennett 5 Comments

Before we get into the submissions for this week’s THE WEEKLY PHOTO CHALLENGE I want to say that I’m starting to work on the 2023 Pufferbilly Days Photo Contest. There are a couple of changes from last year in the photo classes. I split NATURE into ANIMALS and PLANTS. The majority of images submitted last year were for the NATURE class. This way these are split into two categories. I also eliminated the class HIDDEN TREASURES OF BOONE COUNTY and replaced it with PLACES. The amount of classes went up from 5 to 6.

There are still 3 Age Divisions. Youth (7-12), Teen(13-17), and Adult (18+).

Another change is that the photos are not going to be displayed at KWBG this year. The Pufferbilly Days Committee is pushing to have all the activities centered around Story Street on Friday and Saturday. Details are still be worked out, but the current plan is to display the photo amongst various downtown retailers and then Sunday at Art in the Park at McHose Park.

Here is a look at this year’s entry form:

More information will be released as it becomes available. This is just the beginning of the journey. Also thanks to Michelle for updating the entry form!

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ODD CAMERA ANGLE! A great theme! But were there a ton of oddballs out there to give this theme a spin? You will have to keep scrolling to find out!

As of 12:01 PM on Monday, April 3, this was the current list of ACTIVE streaks (ignore the numbers in parentheses):

1-Porter Degeneffe – 1 week
2-Becky Parmelee – 1 week
3-Jen Ensley-Gorshe – 2 weeks
4-Sabas Hernandez – 2 weeks
5-Willy McAlpine – 2 weeks
6-Mindi Terrell – 7 weeks (3)
7-Suzie Brannen – 11 weeks
8-Monica Jennings – 11 weeks
9-Nathanial Brown – 12 weeks
10-Mike Vest – 12 weeks
11-Tamara Peterson – 22 weeks
12-Brandon Kahler – 32 weeks
13-Linda Bennett – 36 weeks
14-Sarah Toot – 37 weeks (3)
15-Angie DeWaard – 41 weeks
16-Dawn Krause – 45 weeks (2)
17-Kim Barker – 50 weeks
18-Joe Duff – 52 weeks
19-Logan Kahler – 53 weeks
20-Teresa Kahler – 63 weeks (3)
21-Carla Stensland – 63 weeks
22-Micky Augustin – 64 weeks (2)
23-Andy Sharp – 66 weeks
24-Bill Wentworth – 67 weeks
25-Cathie Morton – 71 weeks
26-Elizabeth Nordeen – 72 weeks (2)
27-Shannon Bardole-Foley – 73 weeks
28-Kio Dettman – 76 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 395 - ODD CAMERA ANGLE - SUZIE BRANNEN

Suzie Brannen (Iowa) – 12 weeks

Suzie Brannen (Iowa)

Mindi Terrell (Iowa) – 8 weeks

Mindi Terrell (Iowa)

Kim Barker (Iowa) – 51 weeks

Angie DeWaard (Iowa) – 42 weeks

Susanna Funk (Colorado) – 1 week

Cathie Morton (Missouri) – 72 weeks

Linda Bennett (Kansas) – 37 weeks

Linda Bennett (Kansas)

Mary Green (Michigan) – 1 week

Mary Green (Michigan)

Shannon Bardole-Foley (Iowa) – 74 weeks

Tamara Peterson (Iowa) – 23 weeks

Carla Stensland (Iowa) – 64 weeks

Brandon Kahler (Iowa) – 33 weeks

Brandon Kahler (Iowa)

Bill Wentworth (Nebraska) – 68 weeks

Elizabeth Nordeen (Iowa) – 73 weeks

Christopher D. Bennett (Iowa)

Monica Jennings (Iowa) – 12 weeks

Monica Jennings (Iowa)

Joe Duff (Texas) – 53 weeks

Dawn Krause (Iowa) – 46 weeks

Dawn Krause (Iowa)

Andy Sharp (Iowa) – 67 weeks

Kio Dettman (Iowa) – 77 weeks

Kio Dettman (Iowa)

Sarah Toot (Pennsylvania) – 38 weeks

Micky Augustin (Iowa) – 65 weeks

Micky Augustin (Iowa)

Teresa Kahler (Iowa) – 64 weeks

Nathanial Brown (Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada) – 13 weeks

Nathanial Brown (North Dakota)

Nathanial Brown (South Dakota)

Logan Kahler (Iowa) – 54 weeks

Willy McAlpine (Iowa) – 3 weeks

Sabas Hernandez (Iowa) – 3 weeks

Alexis Stensland (Iowa) – 1 week

Mike Vest (Iowa) – 13 weeks

Jesse Howard (Iowa) – 1 week

Scott Degeneffe (Iowa) – 1 week

Scott Degeneffe (Iowa)

31 participants! That is the most this year for sure and possibly the most ever. Maybe tied for the most ever. I would have to check the books and I don’t have last year’s Ledger in front of me right now. We will just go with tied for most ever participants for now.

First ever submissions from Funk and Alexis. I don’t expect Funk to keep contributing, but I knew she was in Colorado doing her mountain climbing thing again, so I hit her up for a submission. But maybe she will find it addictive. One never knows about such things. I do expect big things from Alexis though. She has that good Bennett photography blood flowing through those veins. After all, there are consistently 7 regular participants with that good Bennett photography blood flowing through their veins. Your humble narrator, Linda Bennett, Teresa Kahler, Carla Stensland, Sarah Toot, Brandon Kahler and Logan Kahler. Alexis would be the 8th.

There were submissions this week taken in the following states:

+ Colorado
+ Iowa
+ Kansas
+ Nebraska
+ Michigan
+ Missouri
+ North Dakota
+ Pennsylvania
+ South Dakota
+ Texas

Four more states have been filled in on the map this week, thanks to Nathanial’s long road trip we get to fill in North Dakota and South Dakota. Thanks to Funk’s mountain climbing exploits, we also get to fill in Colorado. Also, Mary took her submissions in Michigan. WooHoo!
Here is the current calendar year list for states:

+ Arizona
+ Arkansas
+ Colorado
+ Florida
+ Georgia
+ Illinois
+ Iowa
+ Kansas
+ Nebraska
+ New Jersey
+ New York
+ Nevada
+ Michigan
+ Minnesota
+ Missouri
+ North Dakota
+ Oklahoma
+ Pennsylvania
+ South Dakota
+ Texas
+ Washington D.C.
+ Wisconsin

21 states and 1 district! That is pretty impressive!

Thanks to Nathanial’s super long road trip, we also got another submission from outside of the United States. Canada is on the big board now!

The Outside of the United States map is currently:

+ British Virgin Islands
+ Nassau Bahamas
+ Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada

I took my picture about 3 miles from my front door. So I continue to contribute nothing. There were no major milestones this week. But Kim is closing in on joining the 1 Year Club.

While there was, maybe, record participation this week, it wasn’t all great news. Porter and Becky couldn’t extend last week’s submissions into a 2 week streak. Maybe the pressure of being the youngest contributor this year got to him. Maybe when school’s out, I’ll start hitting up Evie and Layla for submissions. They need to start getting their entries for the Story County Fair (I honestly don’t know if they still do 4-H) and the Pufferbilly Photo Contest taken sometime soon. Jen’s 2 week streak is also history. She ghosted me after I sent her a picture of a matchstick sculpture of the set of BACK TO THE FUTURE. I might have accidentally blown her mind.

SCENES FROM YOUR COUCH

SCENES FROM YOUR COUCH?!? That seems like an odd theme for Year 10 of THE WEEKLY PHOTO CHALLENGE!

This theme was suggested by Angie. It was meant to be subversive. If you have read the rules for (and there aren’t many rules, but they do grow a little by little) THE WEEKLY PHOTO CHALLENGE, you may remember the this line:

“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.”

Here is your chance to not get your butt off the couch. You can literally sit on your couch. Take a picture of whatever you see from your couch and submit it to me. Now, you don’t have to take the picture from your couch. You can pile a bunch of your favorite people on your couch and take a picture of them. You can take your picture from behind the couch. It actually doesn’t even have to be your couch. You can find somebody else’s couch you like better and take your picture from there. It could be a couch in a store or a hotel or a bar. Doesn’t matter. It just has to be a SCENE FROM A COUCH.

There are two things I love about this theme. First, it means that there is somebody that actually reads the rules. Second, this picture can be the easiest one you take for this year’s THE WEEKLY PHOTO CHALLENGE or you really take your creative juices for a walk to figure out how make this picture, let us say different. To really stretch the boundaries of the theme.

All sorts of stuff happens on a couch. I can’t wait to see what happens on some of yours.

While considering possible subjects for your SCENES FROM YOUR COUCH submission, meditate on the following quote and I have no doubt you will come up with a fascinating submission:

I stick to simple themes. Love. Hate. No nuances, I stay away from psychoanalyst’s couch scenes. Couches are good for one thing.
-John Wayne

John Wayne might have been a racist, draft dodging prick*, but the guy knew couches.

I look forward to seeing 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 SCENES FROM YOUR COUCH in this place that was probably dreamed up on a couch next Monday.

* I still love quite a few John Wayne movies. I can separate art from artist. Also I don’t blame him for draft-dodging. I blame him for acting like he didn’t hide behind his marriage to dodge the draft in WWII so he could cheat on his wife with Marlene Dietrich, probably on a couch.

Carla, Contests, Fisheye, Greyson, Kio, Logan, Monica, Pufferbilly Days, Teresa, WPC - Reminder

Pufferbilly Day 2022 – Photo Contest

October 21, 2022 Christopher D. Bennett

This is the final collection of images from Pufferbilly Days. This collection is the behind the scenes pictures from the Photo Contest. Which for the most part went well, but there are already ideas being explored to streamline some of the process. By streamline the process, I mean find ways for me to do less work.

There is going to be a new person running Pufferbilly Days in 2023. Laura moved on to a job at the best university in all the land, so it is hard to blame her. I don’t know how that will effect that Photo Contest, but I don’t think it will much. Those might be famous last words.

I imagine many of the same people will help me again next year. But I bet there will be some new people as well. I have my eye on some of you.

I’ve kind of gotten used to using Fridays to mostly share pictures from fairs or festivals. I think next Friday I will share some pictures from a Renaissance Festival I attended back in May.

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

LINES

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

But what is LINES photo? Lines are a very powerful compositional element. The eye will naturally follow lines through the image. This is why they use of leading LINES is a very popular tool. That would be placing your subject at the end of a line in the picture. But you don’t have to just use leading LINES. Just any picture of a LINE(S) would work. Whether they lead somewhere or nowhere. Of course there are all sorts of different types of LINES. There are LINES to the bathroom (or so I’m told, I’m a man, I’ve never experienced such a thing) or LINES at a cash register. Traffic LINES. Some of us that are a little more aged even have LINES on our face. In some ways, it is practically impossible to take an in-focus picture that doesn’t include LINES.

Happy photo harvesting!

Contests, Pufferbilly Days, Railroad, Still Life, WPC - Reminder

Pufferbilly Days – Saturday Afternoon

September 23, 2022 Christopher D. Bennett

On the Saturday afternoon of Pufferbilly Days I wandered around downtown for a bit. I watched the 1st Annual Mullet and Moustache Contest. I tried to watch the Spike Driving Contest, but the weather was so blazing hot, none of the people that signed up to compete showed up to compete. So there was nothing there to photograph.

Here are some pictures:

Still at least a couple more sets of Pufferbilly Days photos to share.

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

SIGNS

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

But what is a SIGNS photo? Quite simply is is a photo of a SIGN(s) or of SIGNS. SIGNS. SIGNS. There are SIGNS everywhere. Messing up the scenery. Breaking my mind. Do this, don’t do that. Can’t you read the SIGN(s)?

But one thing you should definitely do is find an interesting SIGN(s) and photograph it in an interesting manner. Of course there is more than one definition of the term SIGNS.

Happy photo harvesting!

Baby Got Rack, Bethany, Carla, Contests, Evie, Greyson, Jen, Jesse, Jodie Cue, Kanoa, Kim, Layla, Logan, Michelle, Monica, Nader, Naima, Nora, Pufferbilly Days, Scottie D., Self-Portrait, Self-Portrait Project, State Fair, Teresa, Willy

Selfie Project – August 2022

September 3, 2022 Christopher D. Bennett 1 Comment

Another month down and another month of THE SELFIE PROEJCT in the books. I think I had a pretty active August. At least in spurts. With Pufferbilly Days and the State Fair and some much needed vacation all in August, I did some things man.

I don’t anticipate September being anywhere as busy, but hopefully I’ll do some cool stuff this month.

Here are some of my favorites from August for THE SELFIE PROJECT:

August 1

August 2

August 3

August 4

August 5

August 6

August 8

August 9

August 11

August 12

August 13

August 14

August 16

August 17

August 18

August 19

August 20

August 21

August 24

August 25

August 26

August 27

August 28

August 29

August 31

Of course there can only be one selfie that represents THE SELFIE PROJECT every day, but I did have a busy August, so here are the many alternates:

SELFIE PROJECT - ALTERNATE - AUGUST 2022

You might be thinking, “That is a lot of pictures with ice cream!” There is a reason for that. The reason isn’t because I love ice cream, but that is probably the base level reason. I’ll explain the real reason in a future post. Or I won’t. What is important for you to know is that your humble narrator is a champion. A ice cream champion. Also, Willy and Jesse owe me dinner.

You also might be thinking, “How many gray t-shirts do you own?” The answer is, plenty.

Finally you might be thinking, “You need to retire that green t-shirt.” Yeah, that is true enough.

Black & White, Contests, Flowers, Formal Portrait, State Fair

Kyle – Volume 9

August 21, 2022 Christopher D. Bennett

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

Class 13 – Iowa Places & Landscapes – “Hi Trestle Trail” – 1st Place in Class

Class 17 – Plants, Flowers & Trees – “She Hates Pink Flowers” – Not Selected for Display

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.

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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’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.

Baby Got Rack, Bethany, Contests, Nora, Scottie D., State Fair, WPC - Reminder

Baby Got Rack – Iowa State Fair – 2022

August 19, 2022 Christopher D. Bennett 2 Comments

While I’m still not ready to reveal what picture got into the Iowa State Fair Photography Salon and what “award” it received, I am ready to share some pictures from Baby Got Rack’s day at the Iowa State Fair.

It was mostly great. We won 1st Place in our category (Combo/Specialty) and also won 1st Place in Showmanship. The only slight down is that we once again didn’t come home with the literal crown they give to Best of Show. That once again went to the guy that won Beef. Scott says that Beef doesn’t always win Best in Show. Scott is wrong about this, but we didn’t qualify for Beef so we couldn’t enter Beef. Anyways, this is one of the internal debates with the team. Like how some people on the team don’t realize that lemonade sucks. But what can you do?

Here are some pictures from the day:

It was a big day for Boone, which is low-key becoming the Barbecue Capital of the World. In addition to Scott’s TWO wins, Rashawn Parker of Boone captained Team Parker to 1st Place in Team. Sean Van Cannon of Boone also came home with 1st Place in Poultry. Just getting to the State Fair through the Boone County Fair is a gauntlet!

If you would like to peruse all the pictures from Baby Got Rack’s 2022 Season, click on the link below:

Baby Got Rack – 2022

It was an up and down season that ended on a high. We will be ready to go in 2023.

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

WEEKENDS

WEEKENDS! What a great theme for Year 9 of THE WEEKLY PHOTO CHALLENGE.
But what is a WEEKENDS photo? It is simply a picture taken of something you do on WEEKENDS. Or it could simply be of something you do this coming WEEKEND(S). So taking your picture this WEEKEND(S) is probably your best bet.

Happy photo harvesting!

Angie, Carla, Contests, Evie, Jay, Jen, Jesse, Kim, Kio, Layla, Logan, Michelle, Monica, Pufferbilly Days, State Fair, Teresa

Pufferbilly Days Photo Contest Results

August 13, 2022 Christopher D. Bennett

Before I delve into the Pufferbilly Days Photo Contest, I do know what picture and what award I got into the Iowa State Fair. It is my policy not to reveal the pictures I entered until after the State Fair is over, but your clue is don’t go all the way into the main room. Go almost into that room, then look to your left.

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I think that the Pufferbilly Days Photo Contest was a success this year. Not a smashing success, but I definitely feel like it is on greater footing now. A more solid foundation. In 2021 there were only 24 pictures entered. This year that number more than doubled to 61. Which is a good number, but I won’t be satisfied until that number hits triple digits. Until we outgrow KWBG and I’m forced to find a new location.

This is how the entries broke down.

ADULT
+ BLACK & WHITE – 1 entry (I can’t put into word how this breaks my heart!)
+ HIDDEN TREASURES OF BOONE COUNTY – 3 entries
+ NATURE – 16 entries
+ PEOPLE – 5 entries
+ TRAINS, PLANES, AND AUTOMOBILES – 6 entries
+ TOTAL – 31 entries

TEEN
+ BLACK & WHITE – 3 entries
+ HIDDEN TREASURES OF BOONE COUNTY – 1 entry
+ NATURE – 7 entries
+ PEOPLE – 1 entry
+ TRAINS, PLANES, AND AUTOMOBILES – 0 entries
+ TOTAL – 12 entries

YOUTH
+ BLACK & WHITE – 4 entries
+ HIDDEN TREASURES OF BOONE COUNTY – 1 entry
+ NATURE – 10 entries
+ PEOPLE – 1 entry
+ TRAINS, PLANES, AND AUTOMOBILES – 2 entries
TOTAL – 18 entries

Thank God for the Youth and teens that are holding down the BLACK & WHITE class. Once again the balance with the NATURE class was all out of whack, so next year I’m going to split them up into ANIMALS and PLANTS.

These are the winners:

Best of Show – “Pismo Beach Beauty” – Angie DeWaard

People’s Choice Award – “Just A Swingin'” – Daphne Harris

1st Place Adult Overall – “Pismo Beach Beauty” – Angie DeWaard

2nd Place Adult Overall – “The Art in Nature” – Angie DeWaard

3rd Place Overall – “La Vita Dolce” – Angie DeWaard

1st Place Teen Overall – “Edison Phonographs” – Emma Wiebold

2nd Place Teen Overall – “Happy Little Squirrel” – Simon Enabnit

3rd Place Teen Overall – “Cartwheel in the Creek” – Emma Wiebold

1st Place Youth Overall – “Light Shining on Tables” – Tommy Williams

2nd Place Youth Overall – “Fly” – Layla Gorshe

3rd Place Youth Overall – “Lake Sunset” – Reese Howie

1st Place Adult Nature – “Pismo Beach Beauty” – Angie DeWaard

2nd Place Adult Nature – “Libella pulchella” – Allison Kayser

3rd Place Adult Nature – “Lithobates castebeianus maculosus” – Allison Kayser

1st Place Adult People – “The Art in Nature” – Angie DeWaard

2nd Place Adult People – “Good Sports” – Angie DeWaard

3rd Place Adult People – “Persevere” – Jen Ensley

1st Place Adult Trains, Planes, and Automobiles – “La Vita Dolce” – Angie DeWaard

2nd Place Adult Trains, Planes, and Automobiles – “Two Tracks” – Sally Kay Whitney

3rd Place Adult Trains, Planes, and Automobiles – “Spike Driving Contest” – Bea Upah

1st Place Adult Black & White – “Zebra Bark” – Angie DeWaard

1st Place Adult Hidden Treasures of Boone County – “Through the Wires in Pilot Mound” – Angie DeWaard

2nd Place Adult Hidden Treasures of Boone County – “Mill Creek Stone Arch” – Bea Upah

3rd Place Adult Hidden Treasures of Boone County – “Sunset Over Boone” – Nicole Schecklman

1st Place Teen Nature – “Happy Little Squirrel” – Simon Enabnit

2nd Place Teen Nature – “Fence Post” – Emma Wiebold

3rd Place Teen Nature – “Garden Raider” – Simon Enabnit

1st Place Teen People – “Cartwheel in the Creek” – Emma Wiebold

1st Place Teen Hidden Treasures of Boone County – “Beautiful Garbage” – Simon Enabnit

1st Place Teen Black & White – “Edison Phonographs” – Emma Wiebold

2nd Place Teen Black & White – “Rosie the Pug” – Emma Wiebold

3rd Place Teen Black & White – “Old Tree in Pasture” – Emma Wiebold

1st Place Youth Nature – “Lake Sunset” – Reese Howie

2nd Place Youth Nature – “The Cone” – Kayelee Burns

3rd Place Youth Nature – “Black Lab Smelling Flowers” – Tommy Williams

1st Place Youth People – “Grass” – Evie Gorshe

1st Place Youth Hidden Treasures of Boone County -“Kate Shelley Museum” – Kayelee Burns

1st Place Youth Trains, Planes, and Automobiles – “Fly” – Layla Gorshe

2nd Place Youth Trains, Planes and Automobiles – “Steam Engine” – Kayelee Burns

1st Place Youth Black & White – “Light Shining on Tables” – Tommy Williams

2nd Place Youth Black & White – “Easy on Me” – Kayelee Burns

3rd Place Youth Black & White – “Snickers” – Daphne Harris

Maybe you don’t agree with the judges? Which is fine. I don’t agree with all of their decisions, but I selected a great collection of judges this year and they did a tremendous job!

Meet them:

One thing I learned this year is that a lot of people seem to think I was “the judge” or “a judge” and then when they found out I wasn’t a judge, then I didn’t really do that much. Which I think is funny, but I’m okay with people not knowing how much work goes into this and thinking the judges do all the work. If people see how much work this is, then I’m not doing my job.

I’ve already mentally selected the three judges for next year. Two of them have already committed. I’m sure the third one will commit as well, I just have to make the call. Janae will be returning and Nathanial and Logan will be rotating out. The second judge that has committed is Angie. I had been playing with the idea of whomever wins Best of Show gets to be a judge the following year. Her winning Best of Show cemented that or maybe quickcreted it for this year, at least.

While I’ve already tried to explain how much work I put into this contest. I definitely don’t do it myself. I need to thank people that helped along the way:
+ Kim Barker – Helped with label printing and only complained once, but for good reason.
+ Nathanial Brown – a judge, but also a good idea man. For example, his idea to split the youth division into Teen and Youth. Also provided sides for dinner AND most responsible for streamlining the Judges Form.
+ Kio Dettman – Got me this gig, but also is part of the Display Team. Both setting up and tearing down.
+ Janae Erickson – Judge while being super pregnant. A trooper.
+ Michelle Haupt – Did the Photo Contest Book. It looks professional because it is professional. I think she was only moderately frustrated when she would ask a question and 9 times out of 10 my answer was “I trust you.”
+ Jesse Howard – Part of the tear down team and gophered stuff between Ames and Boone for me. Including purchasing the photo stands for the overall photos.
+ Jay Janson – Designed one of the Pufferbilly Days Photo Contest Flyers.
+ Monica Jennings – Designed multiple Pufferbilly Days Photo Contest Flyers, designed and assembled the judges board for the display case, designed and put together the certificates that went with each ribbon. She was also instrumental in putting together the display. Bossing Logan around even more than I did. Which is saying something. I got so many compliments on what the display looked like this year. I think that was a lot of Monica.
+ Logan Kahler – Was a judge. Which was big. But even bigger in my mind, was being the “inside the display case” man when putting the display together. He also provided the meat for the judgement night meal. It was delicious.
+ Teresa Kahler – Did a ton of the administrative stuff and has big ideas for streamlining that process next year with mail merge.
+ Carla Stensland – Did a ton of administrative stuff as well. She was the judges’ assistant and helped keep them moving forward.
+ The Staff of KWBG – They are all wonderful, but Jennifer in particular is VERY helpful. She put up lights so there is some lighting in there at night and fixed some of the small mistakes that were made on the administrative end.

I’ve already mentioned some of the tweaks I’m going to make for next year. There are still more to make. However, the rest I’m going to keep close to my vest for now. But I might share them when I share some of the behind the scenes pictures in the future.

However, I think there is time for one last look back. I mentioned the incredible job that Michelle did on the book. This idea is pretty much completely stolen from, I mean influenced by, the Iowa State Fair Photography Salon. Michelle is a genius when it comes to making this kind of thing and I think you should click on the links below and really appreciate her work:

Pufferbilly Days Photo Contest Book – Easy to Read

Pufferbilly Days Photo Contest Book – Easy to Print

Be wary, next year I might try bothering you to get you on the photo contest team! Or even better, maybe next year you or your kids will enter. I heard more than one story about this being a great activity for parents to do with their children and grandparents to do with their grandchildren.

Art, Contests, Logan, Pufferbilly Days, Road Trip, WPC - Reminder

Plymouth and Sioux County Aux – Vol. 5

August 12, 2022 Christopher D. Bennett

Here is the final collection of pictures I took on my road trip to harvest the town signs of Plymouth and Sioux County.

Lots more great art:

Next time we hit the dusty trail for auxiliary images from THE TOWN SIGN PROJECT, we will visit Woodbury County.

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

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

But what exactly is a FAMILY photo? It is simply a picture of a FAMILY or something that comes from a FAMILY. An example might be a keepsake from a relative that has passed on. But don’t be hampered by the strict DNA definition of FAMILY. In the theme reveal image, none of the 3 people share any DNA. They were the judges for the Pufferbilly Days Photo Contest. They are a photography FAMILY. They are in the Pufferbilly Days Photo Contest FAMILY. The people that come here and submit pictures are a FAMILY of sorts as well. Even though I am the only one that has met every single one of you.

I should note that I am on vacation next Monday. I don’t necessarily have plans for that day yet, but it is quite possible that there will be no reminders going out that day. Also possible the submission post might be later in the day than usual.

Happy photo harvesting!

Contests, Pufferbilly Days

Pufferbilly Days Photo Contest – People’s Choice Award

August 4, 2022 Christopher D. Bennett 2 Comments

I know that Thursdays are for flowers, so I apologize for sullying our Thursday with a non-flower post on a Thursday. However, this information is somewhat time sensitive. By the time this publishes, hopefully, the Pufferbilly Days Photo Contest Display will be complete and ready for the world to see in the KWBG windows.

In 2021, there were 24 entries. This year there were 61. More than double! It still isn’t where I want it to be, but it is a big step in the right direction. Hopefully we make another good sized jump in 2023. I already have ideas on what I want to change for next year. This is a learning process and adjustments have to be made every year. It is art right? There is no such thing as perfection.

One thing I added this year was the People’s Choice Award. I completely stole, I mean I was influenced by, the old Pufferbilly Day Barbecue Contest where Baby Got Rack came home with the People’s Choice Award every year.

I had 3 excellent judges this year. All professional photographers. Trained in their fields through education and experience. But now that the “experts” have had their say, it is now time for the rest of us to have our say. It is time for the people to speak!

I want you to vote for the People’s Choice Award. It is simple enough. Every picture below has a number below it. Pick out the ONE that is your favorite or you think is the best. Doesn’t really matter to me how you pick the picture you vote for. Then at the bottom of this post, click on the link to the voting form. Once there, put in the number that corresponds with your favorite picture. Click Submit and you have voted!

The entries: