Category Archives: Macro

Am I Your Pride and Joy

I do have some good news. The three collapsed shafts at the Computer Mine, well they aren’t back to being fully functional. One is. One is back to functioning part time. No word on when the other one will be repaired. But the Computer Mine is close enough to capacity that I actually get to take a week of vacation! A very, badly, needed week of vacation.

So I will be on vacation the week of Labor Day. I’ve set a few goals for my week of vacation.

1. I want to visit 5 state parks I have never visited. Including Mines of Spain and Preparation Canyon.
2. I want to add at least 20 new signs to THE TOWN SIGNS PROJECT. A project I’ve mostly ignored this year, despite the fact that this would have been a good year to work on it.
3. I want to finally meet Jen and Derrick’s dog.
4. I want to finally tackle those POSTCARD PROJECT pictures that I have put off for like 3-4 years now.
5. To play with a new lens I hope to purchase between now and then, but the verdict is still out on what new lens I’m going to purchase.
6. Take some near full moon photography. The next full moon is September 2. Which is a Wednesday. But I figure there will still be plenty of moonlight left on September 4.

Most of those goals involve actually getting out on the open road. I’ll have to stock up on the dried fruits, the trail mixes, the granola bars, and the Bai drinks. Maybe I’ll pack a lunch like we do on mision trips. Maybe, just maybe, I’ll be able to finally use that Yeti cooler.

Those are my starter goals. I should probably set some other goals like get the yard ready for the fall. But this will work for now.

If you know of a State Park I should visit, leave your idea in the Comments section below.

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Here is another collection of pictures of flowers. These flowers are from my Mom’s flower garden.


Last Penny - 2020

Last Penny - 2020

Last Penny - 2020

Last Penny - 2020

Last Penny - 2020

Last Penny - 2020

Last Penny - 2020

Am I Your Pride and Joy

Am I Your Pride and Joy

Am I Your Pride and Joy

Am I Your Pride and Joy

Am I Your Pride and Joy

Am I Your Pride and Joy

This badly mismanaged pandemic has lead to a renaissance in my flower photography or flowertography as my book will be called someday as I don’t have people or many places to photograph. Some people consider that a good thing. Other people hate flowers. I weep for those people.

WPC – WEEK 258 – RELIGION

47 STRAIGHT WEEKS! 47 straight weeks of double digit submissions! This week even includes the first, the second, and the third ever submission by local legend Kio Dettman! Glad to have you onboard Kio. Hopefully is just the beginning of great things!

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


WEEK 258 - RELIGION - JODIE CUE
Jodie Cue

WEEK 258 - RELIGION - JODIE CUE
Jodie Cue

WEEK 258 - RELIGION - CHRISTOPHER D. BENNETT
Christopher D. Bennett

WEEK 258 - RELIGION - JODIE CUE
Jodie Cue

WEEK 258 - RELIGION - KIO DETTMAN
Kio Dettman

WEEK 258 - RELIGION - JODIE CUE
Jodie Cue

WEEK 258 - RELIGION - KIO DETTMAN
Kio Dettman

WEEK 258 - RELIGION - KIO DETTMAN
Kio Dettman

WEEK 258 - RELIGION - TAMARA PETERSON
Tamara Peterson

WEEK 258 - RELIGION - CATHIE RALEY
Cathie Raley

WEEK 258 - RELIGION - CARLA STENSLAND
Carla Stensland

WEEK 258 - RELIGION - CARLA STENSLAND
Carla Stensland

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 259 - FLOWER
FLOWER

FLOWER! What a great theme! But what is a FLOWER picture? A FLOWER picture is simply a picture of a FLOWER or anything that is used in the raising of a FLOWER.

I look forward to seeing your interpretations!

+++++++

HOUSEKEEPING


A MESSAGE FROM THE PHOTOGRAPHY 139 RULES DIVISION

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.

Your submission needs to be emailed to bennett@photography139.com by 11 AM on the Monday of the challenge due date.

OR

I now allow people to text me their submissions. In the past, I had made exceptions for a couple people that aren’t real computer savvy, even though it was an inconvenience for me and required at least 3 extra steps for me. I am now lifting that embargo because I have a streamline way of uploading photos. I’m not giving out my phone number, but if you have it, you can text me.

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.

+++++++

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 flowery Monday!

The Gladdest Thing Under the Sun

Way back in May, Monica searched out my photo services. For probably about 20 years (no joke) to enter the Fine Arts Show at the Iowa State Fair. This year, the year the Fair got cancelled due to mismanaged pandemic, she finally entered. However, she needed an image to send to the fine people at the Fine Arts show. So she came over and I snapped some pictures for her. This painting is the one that ultimately made the show:



Yes, you heard that right. Made the Iowa State Fair Fine Arts Show. You see, despite there being no Iowa State Fair, the Fine Arts Show is still going on, via the interwebs. That means you should click on the link below:

Fine Arts Show

You should then find Monica’s painting and click on the “Vote” button below it and cast your ballot for Monica and the People’s Choice Award. I believe voting lasts until Sunday. You must have a Facebook account to vote, which sucks, because Facebook sucks. But you probably already have an account that Russia is mining for data right now. So you might as well use it to help out Monica. Who knows? Maybe she will get a big following in Omsk!

What are you still doing here? Go vote for Monica.

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Here is a collection of pictures I took around the Photography 139 Studio back near the end of June. Hollyhocks, daisies, lilies and a beetle that surpasses them all in beauty!


Nature's Amen - 2020

Nature's Amen - 2020

Nature's Amen - 2020

Nature's Amen - 2020

Nature's Amen - 2020

Nature's Amen - 2020

Nature's Amen - 2020

Nature's Amen - 2020

Nature's Amen - 2020

Nature's Amen - 2020

Nature's Amen - 2020

Girl in the Blue Skirt - 2020

Girl in the Blue Skirt - 2020

Girl in the Blue Skirt - 2020

Girl in the Blue Skirt - 2020

Last Penny - 2020

Last Penny - 2020

Last Penny - 2020

Last Penny - 2020

Last Penny - 2020

Last Penny - 2020

Last Penny - 2020

The Gladdest Thing Under the Sun

The Gladdest Thing Under the Sun

The Gladdest Thing Under the Sun

The Gladdest Thing Under the Sun

The Gladdest Thing Under the Sun

The Gladdest Thing Under the Sun

That bowl of raspberries was made into a delicious pie by my Mom. Raspberry pie was my Grandma’s favorite and my Mom always used to make her a pie out of my raspberries. It wasn’t a great year for raspberries because of the drought, but there was still plenty enough for a pie. It is good to be a self-sufficient. I had a bountiful harvest of rhubarb, raspberries, and cherries this year. Looks like there will be plenty of garlic and maybe a record amount of grapes!

WPC – WEEK 257 – MACRO

I need to start today by wishing my eldest sister Teresa a happy birthday. Happy birthday Teresa!


Kentucky Vacation - 2008

Bennett Family Photo Shoot - 2017

PORTRAIT - ALTERNATE

Teresa and Ernie

Teresa Birthday - 2008

I hope your birthday is as amazing as you want it to be!

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Can you believe it? 46 straight weeks of double digit submissions! I thought for sure the derecho would maybe put a hitch in THE WEEKLY PHOTO CHALLENGE’S giddy up this week. But it was barely even a bump in the road for most of you. The rest of you, I’m going to assume you still don’t have power and your roof is lying in your neighbor’s field.

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


WEEK 257 - MACRO - ANDY SHARP
Andy Sharp

WEEK 257 - MACRO - BECK PARMELEE
Becky Parmelee

WEEK 257 - MACRO - ANGIE DEWAARD
Angie DeWaard

WEEK 257 - MACRO - CARLA STENSLAND
Carla Stensland

WEEK 257 - MACRO - JODIE CUE
Jodie Cue

WEEK 257 - MACRO - CHRISTOPHER D. BENNETT
Christopher D. Bennett

WEEK 257 - MACRO - JODIE CUE
Jodie Cue

WEEK 257 - MACRO - JODIE CUE
Jodie Cue

WEEK 257 - MACRO - JODIE CUE
Jodie Cue

WEEK 257 - MACRO - JODIE CUE
Jodie Cue

WEEK 257 - MACRO - JODIE CUE
Jodie Cue

WEEK 257 - MACRO - SHANNON BARDOLE-FOLEY
Shannon Bardole-Foley

WEEK 257 - MACRO - TAMARA PETERSON
Tamara Peterson

WEEK 257 - MACRO - KIM BARKER
Kim Barker

WEEK 257 - MACRO - ELIZABETH NORDEEN
Elizabeth Nordeen

WEEK 257 - MACRO - ELIZABETH NORDEEN
Elizabeth Nordeen

WEEK 257 - MACRO - LOGAN KAHLER
Logan Kahler

WEEK 257 - MACRO - LOGAN KAHLER
Logan Kahler

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 258 - RELIGION
RELIGION

RELIGION! What a great theme! But what is a RELIGION photo? A RELIGION photo is a photo of anything that deals with the practice of a RELIGION. From a picture of a holy book or a place of worship or a worship service or a symbol of RELIGION.

I look forward to your interpretations!

+++++++

HOUSEKEEPING


A MESSAGE FROM THE PHOTOGRAPHY 139 RULES DIVISION

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.

Your submission needs to be emailed to bennett@photography139.com by 11 AM on the Monday of the challenge due date.

OR

I now allow people to text me their submissions. In the past, I had made exceptions for a couple people that aren’t real computer savvy, even though it was an inconvenience for me and required at least 3 extra steps for me. I am now lifting that embargo because I have a streamline way of uploading photos. I’m not giving out my phone number, but if you have it, you can text me.

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.

+++++++

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 religious Monday!

Derecho Beta

I need to start today by wishing a happy birthday to Russ! Happy birthday Russ!


Logan Graduation

Brandon Kahler - Senior Night

Brandon Kahler - Senior Night

Mother's Day - 2009

I hope your birthday was as wonderful as you wanted it to be!

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The first day after the derecho, I woke up without power. I figured it wouldn’t take long to get power. While I am a dirt poor, blue collar working stiff, I do live in what is considered the “nice” side of town with a bunch of swells. I figured that while my economic status wouldn’t get me preferred service, I would be able to ride the coattails of the country club set.

I was wrong. While even people who live west of Division Street got power back, I spent my day going back and forth between the darkness of my working man’s humble abode and to my Mom’s to get a charge on various electronics. My Mom did get power back at about 10 AM. The electric company came and moved the downed power line that was laying across her backyard. This allowed us to clean up her backyard. Shortly after that crew left, another crew came and turned her power back on.

Since I live about 3 blocks from my Mom, I thought I would have power back within minutes. Or at least within hours. But that power never came. I thought that I might have to travel to Ames to work at the Computer Mine, but they also didn’t get power back until late Tuesday night.

With no power and no job to work at, I grilled myself a semi-frozen pizza for lunch and then drove out to the “Stop Eminent Domain Abuse” semi trailer that had reportedly flipped over. Then I went back to Luther to photograph the grain bins one more time with a different lens than I brought the first time.

Here are some pictures:


Derecho Beta

Derecho Beta

Derecho Beta

Derecho Beta

Derecho Beta

Derecho Beta

Derecho Beta

Derecho Beta

Derecho Beta

Derecho Beta

Derecho Beta

Derecho Beta

Derecho Beta

Derecho Beta

Derecho Beta

Derecho Beta

Derecho Beta

Derecho Beta

Derecho Beta

I went to bed without power and now the amount of generators in my neighborhood had tripled. I loved the dark, I just wish some quiet would have accompanied it!

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


WEEK 257 - MACRO
MACRO

A MACRO photo is a closeup photo. I was going to get into the technical definition, but nah, closeup photo is enough of a description.

Happy photo harvesting!

Looking Like A True Survivor

After over 48 hours, I have power back! I’m still standing. Better than I ever did. Looking like a true survivor. Feeling like a little kid. I’m still standing after all this time. Picking up the pieces of my life, without you on my mind.

It has been a couple of days, ever since the derecho ripped through central Iowa and my life. I’ll go into details in the future, but for now, take these hollyhock pictures as proof of life:


Nature's Amen - 2020

Nature's Amen - 2020

I’ve never seen a storm like that in my life. Don’t know that I ever will again.

+++++++

Many of you probably didn’t get the email from my Monday, so if you didn’t, the theme for this week’s THE WEEKLY PHOTO CHALLENGE theme is MACRO:


WEEK 257 - MACRO
MACRO

A MACRO picture is a closeup image of an object. That is all there is to it!

WPC – WEEK 256 – TRANSPORTATION

Made it! 45 straight weeks of double digit submissions! Once again, I didn’t even have to send out a single reminder text this morning!

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


WEEK 256 - TRANSPORTATION - KIM BARKER
Kim Barker

WEEK 256 - TRANSPORTATION - MICKY AUGUSTIN
Micky Augustin

WEEK 256 - TRANSPORTATION - MICKY AUGUSTIN
Micky Augustin

WEEK 256 - TRANSPORTATION - TAMARA PETERSON
Tamara Peterson

WEEK 256 - TRANSPORTATION - CARLA STENSLAND
Carla Stensland

WEEK 256 - TRANSPORTATION - CARLA STENSLAND
Carla Stensland

WEEK 256 - TRANSPORTATION - CARLA STENSLAND
Carla Stensland

WEEK 256 - TRANSPORTATION - BILL WENTWORTH
Bill Wentworth

WEEK 256 - TRANSPORTATION - CHRISTOPHER D. BENNETT
Christopher D. Bennett

WEEK 256 - TRANSPORTATION - ANDY SHARP
Andy Sharp

WEEK 256 - TRANSPORTATION - CATHIE RALEY
Cathie Raley

WEEK 256 - TRANSPORTATION - SHANNON BARDOLE-FOLEY
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:


WEEK 257 - MACRO
MACRO

MACRO! What a great theme! But what is a MACRO photo? A MACRO photo is basically a closeup image of some object. For example, the reveal photo is a picture of a wash cloth. Now there is a technical definition of macro that involves 1:1 on a negative, but you don’t need to worry about that. You just want to be get close to an object as you can with the camera equipment you possess.

I look forward to seeing your submissions!

+++++++

HOUSEKEEPING


A MESSAGE FROM THE PHOTOGRAPHY 139 RULES DIVISION

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.

Your submission needs to be emailed to bennett@photography139.com by 11 AM on the Monday of the challenge due date.

OR

I now allow people to text me their submissions. In the past, I had made exceptions for a couple people that aren’t real computer savvy, even though it was an inconvenience for me and required at least 3 extra steps for me. I am now lifting that embargo because I have a streamline way of uploading photos. I’m not giving out my phone number, but if you have it, you can text me.

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.

+++++++

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 close Monday!