Category Archives: Iowa State

Animals, Iowa State, Johnathan, Mom, WPC - Reminder

Word

December 7, 2018 Christopher D. Bennett

A couple months back I was cruising back from Big Creek and I saw an interesting bird sitting on a fence.

I pulled over and snapped a few photos.

Have a looksie:

Hopefully next Friday I’ll be back on track with THE PHOTO JOURNAL PROJECT. I guess we’ll see.

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This is your reminder that the WEEKLY PHOTO CHALLENGE theme this week is FAMILY:

FAMILY

A FAMILY photo is a photo of a FAMILY or anything that is related to a FAMILY. Don’t let anybody else’s limited definition of FAMILY constrain you!

Happy photo harvesting!

Derrick, Football, Iowa State, Portrait

Iowa State 27 Drake 24

December 6, 2018 Christopher D. Bennett

Iowa State’s 12th game was quite the doozie. The had to reschedule their South Dakota State game that go called due to lightning for December 1.

Originally Iowa State schedule perennial FCS doormat Incarnate Word for the game. But a funny thing happened to December 1. Incarnate Word got good and made the FCS Playoffs. Iowa State needed a new opponent and found Drake.

Drake. A FCS (nonscholarship) program.

Drake. A team that last played Iowa State in 1985. Beat Iowa State 20-17 in that game. Then promptly dropped football the next year.

The game should have been a complete mismatch. Iowa State should have been able to name their score. But a funny thing happened on the way to the blowout.

First, Drake played their asses off. Any analysis of the game that doesn’t start with the fact that Drake came to play is not an accurate analysis. Drake players played like their hair was on fire. Their coaches had a brilliant game plan. All credit must be given to Drake.
Second, the field was a disaster. It rained. When it wasn’t raining, it snowed. Then it rain again. The field was a muddy mess.
Third, the wind howled. When I opened my front door on Saturday morning, I thought a freight train was rolling by. The wind was that loud.

All in all, it was a miserable day for football. I can never remember taking less joy from an Iowa State victory. When the final tick of the clock ticked off, I breathed a sigh of relief. A win is a win. A bowl game was still in sight. I could begin the countdown to when Iowa State’s bowl destination would be released.

Here are some pictures from a miserable day (which is still a great day) in Jack Trice Stadium:

I ordered up my tickets to the Alamo Bowl yesterday. I need to do some research to figure out what the camera policy is in the next few weeks.

I’m pumped to see this team play one more time. Especially if they can get all the injured defensive players back: Datrone, Greg, Enyi, D’Andre, and Marcel. It would be nice if Peavy would be able to play that game at 100% as well.

Basketball, Iowa State, Johnathan, Kim, Mom, Self-Portrait, Shannon, Tamara, WPC - Submissions

WEEKLY PHOTO CHALLENGE – WEEK 168 – COMMUNICATION

December 3, 2018 Christopher D. Bennett

Looks like another rough week for THE WEEKLY PHOTO CHALLENGE. Only a few people were able to communicate the theme COMMUNICATION. Might be time to look into retiring THE WEEKLY PHOTO CHALLENGE.

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

Tamara Peterson

Kim Barker

Tamara Peterson

Christopher D. Bennett

Shannon Bardole-Foley

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:

FAMILY!

FAMILY! What a great theme! Unless your FAMILY sucks, then you have more problems that dealing with THE WEEKLY PHOTO CHALLENGE.

So what is a FAMILY picture? A FAMILY picture is any picture that involves a FAMILY. Now some people have a really strict DNA based definition of a family because they weren’t hugged enough as a child. Don’t feel constrained by somebody else’s definition of a FAMILY.

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

Nobody showed class, taste, and sophistication this week by signing up for a Photography 139 email subscription. I’ll try and do better next week.

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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 familial Monday.

Becky, Iowa State, Micky, Nature, WPC - Submissions

WEEKLY PHOTO CHALLENGE – WEEK 167 – ? PLACE

November 26, 2018 Christopher D. Bennett 3 Comments

I don’t know if it was the holiday or just a really tough theme, but hardly anybody was inspired by last week’s theme, ? PLACE.

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

Becky Parmelee

Christopher D. Bennett

COMMUNICATION

COMMUNICATION! What a great theme! But what is a COMMUNICATION photo? A COMMUNICATION photo is any photo that shows creatures in the act of COMMUNICATION or a photo of objects that are used for COMMUNICATION.

I look forward to seeing your interpretations!

HOUSEKEEPING

A MESSAGE FROM THE PHOTOGRAPHY 139 RULES DIVISION

That is it, them’s the rules.

A MESSAGE FROM THE PHOTOGRAPHY 139 SHAMELESS SELF-PROMOTION DIVISION

Nobody showed class, taste, and sophistication this week by signing up for a Photography 139 email subscription. I’ll try and do better next week.

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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 communicative Monday.

9 Emotions Project, Alexis, Anders, Andy, Animals, Baby Got Rack, Baier, Bethany, Black & White, Boone FUMC, Brandon, Carla, Colleen, Derrick, Elainie, Flat Earth Joe, Iowa State, Jay, Jesse, Johnathan, Jorge, Laura, Logan, Michelle, Micky, Mom, Nader, Naima, Nate, Nora, Russell, Sara, Shannon, State Fair, Tenderloining, Teresa, Tim, Willy

Blessings – 2018

November 22, 2018 Christopher D. Bennett 4 Comments

I hope everybody had a great Thanksgiving! It is the time of year where we are supposed to count our blessings.

I thought I would share a few of my current blessings:

I am blessed with a great family!

I have plenty of friends that share my love for the Cyclones!

I have a job I don’t hate going to, where I work with several people I don’t want to punch in the face.

I have an amazing church family!

I have an amazing friends family!

I’m blessed to share my life with Naima!

This is really just a handful of the blessings in my life! But I’m already getting this out late, so I’ll cut if off here. I’ll just end with a passage from a Rob Bell NOOMA video that really spoke to me:

“So the verse in First Timothy, it says command those that are rich to not put their hope in wealth… and then it goes on and it continues… and it says, but to put their hope in God who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment.

That phrase, a God that richly provides us with everything. All that we have is a gift.

Food. It is a gift.

Clothes. Gift.

Roof. Gift.

That breath you just took. It’s a gift.

Now there are some that will say: No, you don’t understand. I’ve worked for what I have. I deserve it. It is mine. But like it says in the book of Deuteronomy, Chapter 8: You may say to yourself, my power and the strength of my hands have produced this wealth for me. But remember the Lord your God, because it is God that gives you the ability to produce wealth.”

I thank God for the embarrassment of riches in my life!

Candid Portrait, Flat Earth Joe, Football, Iowa State, Jorge

Iowa State 40 Texas Tech 31

November 4, 2018 Christopher D. Bennett

Once again, as soon as I touched my camera, Iowa State had a punt blocked for a touchdown. So most of these pictures are from our annual Taco Tailgate.

Iowa State is 4-0* during Taco Tailgate.

It was a huge win for the Cyclones! If they win out, they have a real good chance to play in the Big 12 Championship Game!

But first things first! Need to beat Baylor at home next week. They have really improved since last year and are coming off a big win over Oklahoma State.

*We don’t talk about the Texas game and the 2 Texas fumbles that the refs gave back to Texas because… Texas.

Becca, Bethany, Derrick, Football, Iowa State, Jim, Laura, Nate

Iowa State 30 #6 West Virginia 14

November 3, 2018 Christopher D. Bennett 1 Comment

You may recall that I am not superstitious, but I am a littlestitious when it comes to sports. Every time I touch my camera at an Iowa State football game, things go bad for Iowa State. Therefore, I don’t have many pictures from Iowa State’s monumental victory over #6 West Virginia.

Here are a few of the pictures that I have:

A couple of quick observations.

#!. Those black uniforms were sick! I can’t wait until they crack them out again. I’d like to see them with some kind of alternate helmet at some point. I know that lots of old people don’t understand the black uniforms. That doesn’t matter. Those uniforms aren’t for them. They are for the players and for recruits. The players and recruits love them! That is all that matters. Period. This is one of the things that Matt Campbell understands that previous Iowa State coaching staffs haven’t. It is one of the reasons why every year he puts together a new best class in Iowa State history. He is truly building something special at Iowa State. I can’t wait to see what kind of special uniforms they crack out next season. The one thing they haven’t really done yet is an alternate helmet design, besides the bugle helmet last year. I’m on record as hating Iowa State’s I-State logo. Therefore I didn’t hate the bugle as much as most people did last year. However, an alternate helmet that brought back Cy would be amazing. But what I would really love to see is a helmet that brings back the 80s cyclone design.

Click on the link below to see an Iowa State fan designed logo that I would love to see and I would buy ALL the merch for:

Kagavi

#2. Iowa State plays Kansas today. Kansas is wearing alternate uniforms that honor the military. So alternate uniform haters can get their hate game going today at 11 AM I wish I was able to get down there for that game, but instead I’ve decided to go see my new niece and nephews. If you haven’t heard, Nate and Laura gave birth (well, mostly Laura, but Nate helped) to a healthy set of triplets a couple weeks ago. I’m heading down to meet them with Bethany, Becca, and Jim today. Therefore, stay by your phones for baby pictures!

#3. If I were the type of person that used profanity on my blog (besides when I’m quoting somebody) I would drop an F bomb right here. It would be directed towards West Virginia head coach and noted cry baby Dana Holgorsen. He was less than a class act after Iowa State stomped his Mountaineers like maggots. He gave Iowa State no credit for dismantling his team and ending his quarterback’s Heisman trophy dreams. Then he went into full cry baby mode because Iowa State fans stormed the field. I’ve been apart of probably 10 or so field storms at Jack Trice Stadium over the years. This was the most peaceful one I’ve ever seen. Holgorsen cried about it and the Big XII fined Iowa State $25,000 dollars to placate his ego. Last week Kansas fans stormed the field after beating TCU and Oklahoma State fans stormed the field after beating Texas. Neither university was fined because TCU and Texas both have coaches that are fully functioning adults. Instead of a large man-baby. So yeah, Dana Holgorsen can go… well you can use your imagination.

Iowa State plays at Kansas at 11 AM this morning. Go Cyclones!!!

Andy, Angie, Candid Portrait, Carla, Cathie, Football, Iowa State, Kim, Michelle, Shannon, Tamara, Vest, WPC - Submissions

WEEKLY PHOTO CHALLENGE – WEEK 161 – ENTERTAINMENT

October 15, 2018 Christopher D. Bennett 2 Comments

A metric ton of people were motivated by ENTERTAINMENT this week. I think this was one of the higher submission weeks in months!

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

Cathie Raley

Carla Stensland

Andy Sharp

Kim Barker

Shannon Bardole-Foley

Michelle Haupt

Tamara Peterson

Angie DeWaard

Andy Sharp

Christopher D. Bennett

Carla Stensland

Mike Vest

COLLECTIBLE

COLLECTIBLE! What a great theme! But what is a COLLECTIBLE image. It is simple enough. It is an image of anything that is COLLECTIBLE. Some people collect Funko Pops. Some people collect old cameras. Some people collect the souls of their enemies. But enough about me. I’m sure there are other things to collect. Like spoons or shot glasses or figurines. A picture of anything that is COLLECTIBLE is a COLLECTIBLE image.

As always, I look forward to your interpretations!

HOUSEKEEPING

A MESSAGE FROM THE PHOTOGRAPHY 139 RULES DIVISION

That is it, them’s the rules.

A MESSAGE FROM THE PHOTOGRAPHY 139 SHAMELESS SELF-PROMOTION DIVISION

Nobody showed class, taste, and sophistication this week by signing up for a Photography 139 email subscription. I’ll try and do better next week.

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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 collected Monday.

Animals, Art, Carla, Iowa State, Mom, Music, State Fair, Street Photography

Some Iowa State Fair

October 4, 2018 Christopher D. Bennett 1 Comment

After Baby Got Rack dominated the Iowa State Fair barbecue competition I chose to hang back at the Iowa State Fair and meet up with my Mom and Carla.

Here are a few pictures from the Iowa State Fair and that afternoon:

I have plenty more pictures from my Iowa State Fair adventures.

Brandon, Football, Iowa State, K.J., Music, Street Photography

Iowa State 26 Akron 13

September 23, 2018 Christopher D. Bennett

Yesterday, Iowa State had an emotional football game.

Before the game, there was a moment of silence for Celia Barquin Arozamena. They placed her picture in the endzone where she would have stood to be honored as the Female Athlete of the Year. Both the Iowa State and Akron football teams wore CBA decals on their helmets. They played a video tribute to her on the video board. The team came out with a Spanish flag. At least 70% of the fans wore yellow/gold to honor her memory. The Iowa State University Cyclone Varsity Marching Band spelled out her initials on the field.

The game was almost an afterthought and it played kind of like one. Iowa Sate beat Akron 26-13 in a somewhat lackluster game.

Here are some pictures from the day.

Next Saturday Iowa State is on the road against TCU. Kickoff is at 6 PM. As always, you are welcome to come watch the game with me in the Union Street Theater.