Category Archives: Macro

Shadow on the Wall

November 3, 2022 Christopher D. Bennett

Gone
It’s hard for me to see when I’m wrong
It’s hard for me to weep when I’m strong
But I could never sleep when you’re gone
Oh but still
If you were gonna crucify me
I wouldn’t want nobody to see
Cause you could kick me hard when I’m down
Down, down, down

I don’t want wanna be
Nobody’s fool
I’ve played that part so many times before
How I long to be
A shadow on the wall
I will make no sound at all
And when the sun goes down
The shadow on the wall
It cannot be seen at all
At all
-Brandi Carlile

Thursdays are for flowers. These flower pictures I took in my yard on July 22.

Sometimes Thursdays are also for insects.

Flowers, Macro

Downpour

October 27, 2022 Christopher D. Bennett

I’m like the rain in a downpour
I wash away what you long for
And I wave goodbye with the sun in my eyes
I wish I could be there tonight

I’m like the wind in the canyon
I’m there then I’m gone in a second
You’re growing older in peace where you’re at
I wish I could be there for that
But I’ve moved on
Like a rolling stone
In a crowded room
I’m alone
-Brandi Carlile

Thursdays are for flowers. One of the notorious flower picture haters sent me a joyful text last week thinking that because the flowers in my yard are gone for the year, that meant the end of Flower Thursdays. I had to break it to him that just because there aren’t flowers in my yard any more (well there a couple just barely holding on) didn’t mean that aren’t plenty of flowers in the backlog. Sometimes, I even stumble across flower pictures I haven’t shared.

This collection is small and comes from a collection I “lost”. Finding them was a bonus. I took these flower pictures in my yard on May 28:

Daisies. Phlox. Peonies. Marigolds. Oh my!

Don’t worry, those of you that enjoy flowers, even if I run out of flower pictures I took during the flower season, I would go out and buy bouquets to photograph. After all, I have a flower guy. He needs business year round.

Long live Flower Thursday!

Andy, Angie, Bill, Brandon, Carla, Cathie, Dawn, Elizabeth, Jesse, Joe Duff, Kim, Kio, Linda, Logan, Macro, Michelle, Micky, Monica, Sabas, Sara, Sarah Toot, Shannon, Suzie, Tamara, Teresa, Vest, Willy, WPC - Submissions

WPC – WEEK 370 – MACRO

October 17, 2022 Christopher D. Bennett

MACRO. Close-up photography. One of my favorite types of photography, but was it popular on the aggregate level? You will have to keep scrolling to find out.

As of 12:01 PM on Monday, October 10, 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-Jesse Howard – 1 week (2)
4-Sarah Karber – 1 week
5-Sara Lockner – 3 weeks
6-Suzie Brannen – 7 weeks
7-Brandon Kahler – 8 weeks
8-Linda Bennett – 11 weeks (3)
9-Sarah Toot – 12 weeks (2)
10-Monica Jennings – 14 weeks
11-Angie DeWaard – 16 weeks
12-Mary Green – 16 weeks (2)
13-Dawn Krause – 20 weeks (2)
14-Kim Barker – 26 weeks
15-Joe Duff – 28 weeks
16-Logan Kahler – 29 weeks
17-Teresa Kahler – 38 weeks (2)
18-Tamara Peterson – 38 weeks
19-Carla Stensland – 38 weeks
20-Michelle Haupt – 39 weeks
21-Micky Augustin – 40 weeks
22-Andy Sharp – 41 weeks (3)
23-Bill Wentworth – 42 weeks
24-Cathie Morton – 46 weeks (2)
25-Elizabeth Nordeen – 47 weeks
26-Shannon Bardole-Foley – 49 weeks
27-Kio Dettman – 52 weeks (2)

As of that same time and same morning, this is a look at states I’ve received submissions from (this calendar year):

I have not created a world map, but I did get a submission for the Bahamas last week and I bet there is a submission from a European country this year. Sorry for the spoiler.

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:

Andy Sharp – 42 weeks

Teresa Kahler – 39 weeks

Teresa Kahler

Bill Wentworth – 43 weeks

Angie DeWaard – 17 weeks

Joe Duff – 29 weeks

Joe Duff

Kio Dettman – 53 weeks

Kio Dettman

Linda Bennett – 12 weeks

Linda Bennett

Shannon Bardole-Foley – 50 weeks

Tamara Peterson – 39 weeks

Christopher D. Bennett

Kim Barker – 27 weeks

Suzie Brannen – 8 weeks

Jesse Howard – 2 weeks

Elizabeth Nordeen – 48 weeks

Elizabeth Nordeen

Willy McAlpine – 1 week

Carla Stensland – 39 weeks

Carla Stensland

Cathie Morton – 47 weeks

Brandon Kahler – 9 weeks

Harrison Gorshe – 1 week

Micky Augustin – 41 weeks

Monica Jennings – 15 weeks

Sara Lockner – 4 weeks

Sabas Hernandez – 1 week

Sarah Toot – 13 weeks

Michelle Haupt – 40 weeks

Dawn Krause – 21 weeks

Mike Vest – 1 week

Logan Kahler – 30 weeks

Logan Kahler

28 participants! That is a good week.

Had submissions from (assumptions mostly) Pennsylvania, Iowa, Texas, Nebraska, Kansas, and California. And… Spain.
Which picture was from Spain? Joe’s hot dog picture.

Last week I forgot to point out that Kio I had a year straight of submissions! Very impressive.

But it isn’t all good news and Spanish hot dogs…

4 streaks were snapped. Jen and Evie and Sarah Karber couldn’t add a second week to their streak. Most tragically, Mary’s 16 week streak has gone down in flames!

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:

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.

While considering possible subjects for your submission, meditate on the following quote:

A line is a dot that went for a walk.
– Paul Klee

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 LINES in this place that is nothing more than a few million lines of code next Monday.

Cathie, Flowers, Macro, Olympic Sports, WPC - Reminder

Pufferbilly Days 2022 – Mud Volleyball

October 14, 2022 Christopher D. Bennett

Sometimes it happens that in my haste to post the THE WEEKLY PHOTO CHALLENGE images I let one slip through the cracks. This week was one of those. Cathie actually submitted two pictures, but I only posted one for VIOLET. Cathie is one of those hardcore one submission I week folks, so I completely missed her second picture. So enjoy it now:

Cathie Morton

Cathie’s submissions were take in the Bahamas. So, that is another place on the map to color in.

+++++++

For the first time ever, I went out to watch some of the mud volleyball tournament during Pufferbilly Days. I wasn’t sure I knew anybody that was competing, but I think my cousin Toby usually competes. I thought I would probably take pictures of a couple of games, but I immediately ran into Fran, so I ended up just taking pictures of one of her team’s games. I really only knew Fran on her team, so really, this is just a bunch of pictures of Fran, on some level.

Mud volleyball:

I’ll definitely have to check out the mud volleyball again next year. I’ll have to check with Fran ahead of time to see if she is competing again.

I still have one or maybe two more collections of Pufferbilly Days photos to share. I’m on the fence for sharing the pictures from the model train swap meet. They aren’t great. We will see.

+++++++

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

MACRO

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

But what exactly is a MACRO photo? There is a long technical definition of MACRO photography that involves being a 1:1 ratio on 35 mm film, but for our purposes, just think of MACRO photography as getting close to your subject. On this theme you should figure out what the closest focusing distance of your camera is and be awful close to that in your closeness to your subject.

Happy photo harvesting!

Animals, Flowers, Macro

Cannonball

October 13, 2022 Christopher D. Bennett

I was born when I met you
Now I’m dying to forget you
And that is what I know
Though I dreamed I would fall
Like a wounded cannonball
Sinking down with my heart in tow

Bright lights like white lightning
Who shot me down
Who will cut me down
I’m frozen in my bed till the day comes around
How I’m lost
How I’m found

There’s a man all alone
Telling me his friends are gone
That they’ve died and flown away
So I told him he was wrong
That you friends are never gone
If you look to the sky and pray

-Brandi Carlile

Of course, Thursdays are for flowers. This collection of flower pictures I took on July 19 in my yard. A decent variety here. Got some lilies. Got two different types of daisies. Got some moonflowers. Got some sunflowers. Got some hollyhocks. Even got some phlox. Then a surprise little cutie thrown in at the end.

Another solid Flower Thursday methinks. Pretty sure I still have more flower pictures left to share on future Thursdays. Pretty sure…

Andy, Angie, Brandon, Carla, Cathie, Dawn, Elizabeth, Evie, Flowers, Jen, Jesse, Joe Duff, Kim, Kio, Linda, Logan, Macro, Mary, Michelle, Micky, Monica, Pastor Sarah, Sara, Sarah Toot, Shannon, Suzie, Tamara, Teresa, WPC - Submissions

WPC – WEEK 369 – VIOLET

October 10, 2022 Christopher D. Bennett

VIOLET. Purple. Lavender. I got submission sent under all those headings. But did I get a lot of them? Was VIOLET a popular theme? You’ll have to keep scrolling to find out.

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

1Becky Parmelee – 1 week
2Sara Lockner – 2 weeks
3Suzie Brannen – 6 weeks
4Brandon Kahler – 7 weeks
5Linda Bennett – 10 weeks (2)
6Sarah Toot – 11 weeks
7Sabas Hernandez – 13 weeks
8Monica Jennings – 13 weeks
9Angie DeWaard – 15 weeks
10Mary Green – 15 weeks (4)
11Dawn Krause – 19 weeks
12Kim Barker – 25 weeks
13Joe Duff – 27 weeks
14Logan Kahler – 28 weeks (2)
15Teresa Kahler – 37 weeks (2)
16Tamara Peterson – 37 weeks
17Carla Stensland – 37 weeks (3)
18Michelle Haupt – 38 weeks
19Micky Augustin – 39 weeks
20Andy Sharp – 40 weeks
21Bill Wentworth – 41 weeks
22Cathie Morton – 45 weeks
23Elizabeth Nordeen – 46 weeks
24Shannon Bardole-Foley – 48 weeks
25Kio Dettman – 51 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:

Teresa Kahler – 38 weeks

Teresa Kahler

Angie DeWaard – 16 weeks

Andy Sharp – 41 weeks

Andy Sharp

Micky Augustin – 40 weeks

Kim Barker – 26 weeks

Joe Duff – 28 weeks

Carla Stensland – 38 weeks

Kio Dettman – 52 weeks

Kio Dettman

Logan Kahler – 29 weeks

Mary Green – 16 weeks

Mary Green

Sarah Karber – 1 week

Shannon Bardole-Foley – 49 weeks

Tamara Peterson – 38 weeks

Bill Wentworth – 42 weeks

Cathie Morton – 46 weeks

Cathie Morton

Christopher D. Bennett

Jesse Howard – 1 week

Jesse Howard

Suzie Brannen – 7 weeks

Sarah Toot – 12 weeks

Sarah Toot

Michelle Haupt – 39 weeks

Linda Bennett – 11 weeks

Linda Bennett

Elizabeth Nordeen – 47 weeks

Sara Lockner – 3 weeks

Monica Jennings – 14 weeks

Dawn Krause – 20 weeks

Dawn Krause

Evie Gorshe – 1 week

Jen Ensley-Gorshe – 1 week

Brandon Kahler – 8 weeks

28 participants! That is a good week.

We had submissions from (assumptions on my part mostly) Pennsylvania, Minnesota, Iowa, Nebraska, Kansas, and Texas. My pictures was taken approximately 16 steps from my front door.

Also, Cathie’s pictures were taken in the Bahamas!

Another fun fact! 3 Sara(h)s is once again the record for most participants of one first name.

Another fun fact! On Sunday I learned that October is Pastor Appreciation Month. There were submissions from 2 former pastors of my church. I do appreciate their contributions into making me the person that I am. Hopefully who I am is appreciated by somebody, cause they definitely tried!

Also, congratulations to Kim who joined the Half Year Club! Way to go Kim!

But it wasn’t all good times. Becky couldn’t extend her streak to 2 weeks. Tragically, Sabas’ epic 13 streak ends at unlucky number 13.

MACRO

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

While considering possible subjects for you submission, meditate on the following quote:

If your pictures aren’t good enough, you aren’t close enough.
-Robert Capa

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 all I got, so if the good Lord’s willin’ and the creek don’t rise, we will all be sharing your idea of MACRO in this place that is both a macro and a micro look at my life next Monday.

Flowers, Macro, Music

Fist City

October 6, 2022 Christopher D. Bennett 8 Comments

Usually on these Flower Thursdays, if the is more than one type of flower in the pictures, I take the blog title from a Brandi Carlile song title. Then I include some of the lyrics from the song. I point this out because I don’t really point this out. I like to leave as much mystery as I can, but recently I was contacted by somebody that thought that those little tidbits of lyrics were a poem I wrote. I do have a certain amount of writing skills, but poetry isn’t in the arsenal. While I enjoy poetry and have my favorite poets, to write poetry takes a level of vulnerability I’m not will to get to or to show the world. And that is as vulnerable as I’m going to get on the subject.

However, today’s post doesn’t come from a Brandi Carlile song. It comes from a Loretta Lynn song. Everybody knows “Coal Miner’s Daughter”. Most people know “Louisiana Woman, Mississippi Man”. More people should know “Don’t Come Home A-Drinkin’ (With Lovin’ On Your Mind)”. “You Ain’t Woman Enough” is an undeniable classic. I absolutely love “You’re The Reason Our Kids Are Ugly”. But “Fist City” is the Loretta Lynn song I don’t think gets enough love and I’ve chosen to highlight here. An absolute banger from the beginning to the end!

It is my small tribute to Loretta Lynn after her recent passing.

You’ve been makin’ your braggs around town
That you’ve been a lovin’ my man
But the man I love
When he picks up trash
He puts it in a garbage can
And that’s what you look like to me
And what I see’s a pitty
You better close you face and stay outta my way
If you don’t wanna go to fist city

If you don’t wanna go to fist city
You better detour around my town
‘Cause I’ll grab a you by the hair a the head
And I’ll lift off of the ground
I’m not a sayin’ my baby’s at saint
‘Cause he ain’t
And that he won’t cat around with a kitty
I’m here to tell you gal to lay off a my man
If you don’t want to go to fist city

Come on and tell me what you told my friends
If you think you’re brave enough
And I’ll show you what a real woman is
Since you think you’re hot stuff
You’ll bite off more than you can chew
If you get to cute or witty
You better move your feet
If you don’t wanna eat
A meal that’s called fist city

If you don’t wanna go to fist city
You better detour around my town
‘Cause I’ll grab a you by the hair a the head
And I’ll lift off of the ground
I’m not a sayin’ my baby’s at saint
‘Cause he ain’t
And that he won’t cat around with a kitty
I’m here to tell you gal to lay off a my man
If you don’t want to go to fist city

I’m here to tell you gal to lay off of my man
If you don’t wanna go to fist city

“But the man I love, when he picks up the trash, he puts it in a garbage can, and that’s what you look like to me.”

“If you get cute or witty, You better move your feet, if you don’t want to eat a meal that’s called fist city.”

Pure poetry to my ears.

However, Thursdays are for flowers. Here are some flower pictures:

Still plenty more flower pictures left to share on future Thursdays, methinks.

Although… one more thing. I do think that any Loretta Lynn tribute would be a failure if it didn’t mention that she was the most radio banned country artist in history. At least 13 of her songs were banned from radio stations here and there. But by far her most banned song was “The Pill”.

I thought I would share the lyrics to a song that got banned from at least 60 radio stations in the 1970s, and many radio stations still won’t play it today.

You wined me and dined me
When I was your girl
Promised if I’d be your wife
You’d show me the world
But all I’ve seen of this old world
Is a bed and a doctor bill
I’m tearin’ down your brooder house
‘Cause now I’ve got the pill

All these years I’ve stayed at home
While you had all your fun
And every year that’s gone by
Another baby’s come
There’s a gonna be some changes made
Right here on nursery hill
You’ve set this chicken your last time
‘Cause now I’ve got the pill

This old maternity dress I’ve got
Is goin’ in the garbage
The clothes I’m wearin’ from now on
Won’t take up so much yardage
Miniskirts, hot pants and a few little fancy frills
Yeah I’m makin’ up for all those years
Since I’ve got the pill

I’m tired of all your crowin’
How you and your hens play
While holdin’ a couple in my arms
Another’s on the way
This chicken’s done tore up her nest
And I’m ready to make a deal
And ya can’t afford to turn it down
‘Cause you know I’ve got the pill

This incubator is overused
Because you’ve kept it filled
The feelin’ good comes easy now
Since I’ve got the pill
It’s gettin’ dark it’s roostin’ time
Tonight’s too good to be real
Oh, but daddy don’t you worry none
‘Cause mama’s got the pill
Oh, daddy don’t you worry none
‘Cause mama’s got the pill

Amazing that a song that is 50 years old is still so timely.

Flowers, Macro

Losing Heart

September 29, 2022 Christopher D. Bennett

I don’t mind
If my heart don’t beat and
The sun don’t shine
They’ll get theirs
You’ll get yours and I’ll get mine
It used to be that everything was easy
Now it’s lost and nobody believes me
Am I losing heart
Have I frozen it, oh yeah
Am I pushing too hard
Have I started to forget
I’m alright

Thursdays are for flowers. This Thursday flower collection is from my yard again. A few dahlias, but mostly gazanias.

I think there are a few good ones in there. I could even see one of them making the calendar.

I’m sure I have plenty more flower pictures to share on future Flower Thursdays.

Flowers, Macro

Josephine

September 22, 2022 Christopher D. Bennett

Noontime wind can you blow
For me one more time
And take me on back to the start
Where the midnight moon shines so bright
Nearly pulled us up to Heaven
By the strings of our heart

Thursday is for flowers and this Thursday I showcase some flowers from my yard. These pictures were taken on July 3.

I’m sure I have many more flower pictures to share in the coming Thursdays!

Flowers, Macro, Naima

Have You Ever

September 15, 2022 Christopher D. Bennett

Have you ever wandered lonely through the woods?
And everything there feels just as it should
You’re part of the life there
You’re part of something good
If you’ve ever wandered lonely through the woods

Thursday is for flowers and this Thursday showcases a fairly diverse collection of flowers. All taken in my yard. Next year, I hope my flower collection is even better. I haven’t been great at yard work this year.

A bonus picture of Naima thrown in there at the end. Still more Flower Thursdays to come!