Back in July we had a brief bit of rain. The resulting wetness in my yard gave me a chance to take some macro raindrop images.
I enjoy them, hopefully you will too.
As we sit and shiver through the 45th snow “storm” of the year today, I hope these flowers warm some people up. It is only about 4 weeks from spring and with it flowers and green grass and cherries and rhubarb and raspberries and fire pit Friday Night Supper Clubs and maybe, I’ll actually get to take the drone out for a spin!
Last Sunday there was one of nature’s greatest shows. The lunar eclipse!
I decided to check it out and photograph it because there won’t be another total lunar eclipse visible in Iowa for several years.
Although I cut my photography session short because I was having severe tripod problems, I did get a few images. Put that on my list of things to purchase this year. A badass tripod!
Here are a few images:
I do have quite the list of photography related purchases I want to make. I more than torn on a few of them. Obviously the drone comes first. But what comes second is a bit of a mystery.
Maybe not a total mystery. I guess I have pre-ordered a photo toy that should arrive sometime in February. When it comes, you will definitely get some kind of review. You can bet your bottom dollar on that!
Yes Virginia, there was a Photography 139 Calendar this year. However, I didn’t sell them this year. I just made a small run and gave them out to a very few small group of select people.
Here are the pictures from the 2019 Photography 139 Calendar:
The front cover is a picture of William McAlpine peering through the hole in a brick. It was taken in the backyard of the Photography 139 Studio. It was taken for the FRAMED theme of THE WEEKLY PHOTO CHALLENGE.
This photo was entered into the 2018 Iowa State Fair Photography Salon. It was accepted for display.
Willy is the first person to appear in a Photography 139 Calendar since the 2012 Calendar featured a final rendition of THE 9 EMOTIONS PROJECT that included images of AmyJunck-Wallendal, William McAlpine, Derrick Gorshe, Shannon Bardole, Jesse Howard, Jennifer Gorshe, Sara Junck, Jill Gorshe, and Jay Janson.
This image was entered in the 2018 Iowa State Fair Photography Salon. It was selected for display.
Unfortunately, the hibiscus did not survive the winter and did not return to the Photography 139 Flower Garden in 2018.
While this macro photo might appear to be one image, it is actually the product of a technique called focus stacking. This image is actually 7 images with different focus ranges stacked one on top of the other.
This photo was nominated for the Pufferbilly Days Photo Contest, but it lost the popular vote and was not entered.
This image was taken for THE PHOTO JOURNAL PROJECT. The theme of the image was to go some place “touristy” and take a “non-touristy” picture.
The picture of Mary holding a crucified Jesus was selected for April to coincide with the celebration of Easter.
This image was entered in the Photoshop category of the Pufferbilly Days Photo Contest. It won 1st Place.
I took this photo on a trip there with Bethany, Dae Hee, and Nora.
The image is HDR toned and is used as the base image for a Small World image.
The image was originally taken in color and was transformed into black and white in post production.
This macro image was taken while experimenting with a new set of extension tubes.
This image was nominated for the flower category for the Pufferbilly Days Photo Contest, but was not entered.
The image was taken when I was able to sneak away during a break in the action of Baby Got Rack’s competitive barbecue competition.
The image was HDR toned in post-production.
This image was voted to be entered in the Pufferbilly Days Photo Contest in the Nature Category.
It was nominated for the Pufferbilly Days Photo Contest in the Nature Category, but it was not entered.
The image was color processed through the Color Efex Pro 4 plugin during post production.
The image was nominated for the Pufferbilly Days Photo Contest in the Hidden Treasures of Boone County category, but was not entered.
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There are a few calendars to handout, but for the most part delivery has finished. Almost on time this year.
Happy New Year to people who celebrate such things.
I like to look at some meaningless statistics every 250 posts and I also look at fairly meaningless year end statistics.
Just so happens that I get to combine them today!!
Here is both a year in review and a celebration that I have made it to 3252 blog posts. I was on the Alamo Bowl Road Trip visiting submarines, cults, and reality television stars when post #3250 came around, so I hope you can excuse the tardiness.
The first thing I want to look at are the most popular CATEGORIES in the history of “An Artist’s Notebook”.
Top 10 Journal Entry Categories
1. Portrait – 527
2. Weekly Photo Challenge – 504
3. Flowers – 497
4. Animals – 405
5. Jesse – 361
6. Photography – 355
7. Shannon – 320
8. Teresa – 296
9. Black & White – 291
10. Carla – 280
Top 10 People Categories
1. Jesse – 361
2. Shannon – 320
3. Teresa – 296
4. Carla – 280
5. Jay – 279
6. Mom – 277
7. Derrick – 256
8. Willy – 227
9. Vest – 221
10. Jen – 209
Top 10 Not-People Categories
1. Portrait – 527
2. Weekly Photo Challenge – 504
3. Flowers – 497
4. Animals – 405
5. Photography – 355
6. Black & White – 291
7. Road Trip – 262
8. Personal Photo Project – 261
9. Life – 234
10. Nature – 215
“Photography” and “Life” are general categories that I have been working on eliminating as I go back and restore historical “An Artist’s Notebook” entries to their original glory. Hopefully they will have both dropped off the Top 10 Lists by journal entry #3500.
If you are wondering how to become a Top 10 person on this list. The easiest way is to submit to the Weekly Photo Challenge. After that, the best way is to volunteer to model and photo assist for photography projects. Then after that, I would suggest going on road trips with me or attending Iowa State athletic events with me or going on road trips to Iowa State athletic events with me.
The people that are right outside of the Top 10 are:: Sara, Kim, Dawn, Becky, and Nader.
If you are looking for a goal for 2019, you could do worse than trying to crack the Photography 139 Top Ten People Category List. You obviously could do way, way, way, way, way, way, way better too.
Now we will turn out eye towards 2018.
Top 10 Most Popular Photography 139 Galleries of 2018 by Views
1. 9 EMOTIONS PROJECT – 48,722
2. WEEKLY PHOTO CHALLENGE YEAR 5 – 37,614
3. WEEKLY PHOTO CHALLENGE YEAR 5 – ALTERNATES – 33,622
4. 2008 – JANUARY – JUNE – 26,032
5. SELFIE PROJECT – 2017 – 23,141
6. HOUSTON MISSION TRIP – 2018 – 22,046
7. SOUTH DAKOTA TRIP – 2017 – 21,868
8. BOONE COUNTY FAIR CONTEST NOMINEES – 2018 – 17,211
9. SAYDIE HOWARD – CLASS OF 2017 – 14,808
10. IOWA STATE CYCLONES FOOTBALL – 2018
The 10 Most Popular Photography 139 Images by Views
2. 2386
3. 2327
4. 1958
5. 1621
6. 1456
7. 1445
8. 1321
9. 1293
10. 1241
On the Instagram, these were my 9 Most Popular Photos based on Likes:
My theme for my 2018 Instagram posts was Black & White. My theme for 2019 will be HDR Toning. Also, I will be bringing back THE SELFIE PROJECT to Instagram in 2019.
You can follow me on Instagram here:
I entered 3 photo contests with the following results:
Purple Ribbon – Boone County Fair
Blue Ribbon – Boone County Fair
Blue Ribbon – Boone County Fair
Blue Ribbon – Boone County Fair
Selected for Display – Iowa State Fair
Not Selected for Display – Iowa State Fair
Selected for Display – Iowa State Fair
Not Selected for Display – Iowa State Fair
1st Place Photoshop – Pufferbilly Days
1st Place Photojournalism – Pufferbilly Days
Pufferbilly Days
3rd Place Hidden Treasures of Boone County – Pufferbilly Days
Pufferbilly Days
Pufferbilly Days
Last note:
My goal for 2019 is the same as it was in 2018:
I’m gonna step my game up and get what is coming to me.
Good luck in 2019 everybody!
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:
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:
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!
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.
+++++++
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.
Naima likes to walk in water. Naima doesn’t swim, unless forced. She doesn’t enjoy it. But she loves tromping around in water.
I decided to try to grab a picture of her tromping around in water, from underwater.
It didn’t work out that well because the place we go so she can run around off her leash, has a muddy bottom. But here are some pictures from the test. This was back in May at Dickcissel Park.
The water around here has gotten pretty cold, so underwater photography is probably done for 2018. However, I have plans for purchasing a camera for next year that is going to be for underwater photography and slow motion photography. It is low on the priority list:
1. Pay off car.
2. Bank fraud refund.
3. New rear brakes.
4. Big 12 Championship Game Trip ????
5. Remaining Self-Directed Training Budget – $355.20
6. 2019 Calendars ????
7. Iowa State Bowl Trip ????
8. Subscribe to Des Moines Register
9. Hope to not get screwed over by the GOP Tax Scam.
10. DJI Mavic Pro 2
11. Sony RX0
12. Sony Alpah a7II
Although 11 and 12 can be switched around, depending on whether or not I come across a deal. And obviously, there are lots of question marks on the big board. But this is how I plan on blowing tons of money in the near to nearish future.
Before we get too involved in the week’s WEEKLY PHOTO CHALLENGE, I want to take a little bit of time to toot my own horn. Today at 9:36 AM, I made the final payment on the Camry. Today, that baby is mine! I don’t have the pink slip in my hand yet, but that is only a matter of time! Below is the moment I clicked “Pay”:
Now, right after I determine how much money I might potentially spend on going to the Big 12 Championship Game, then right after I figure out if I’m going to make calendars again this year, then right after I get the rear brakes replaced, then right after I figure out how much I might potentially spend on an Iowa State Bowl Game, then after I figure out how the GOP Tax Scam effected my tax return, I can begin drone shopping in earnest. I hope to have one purchased by February. You know. When it is too cold to use it!
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LANDSCAPE, at least in my humble opinion, can be a tough nut for some people to crack, during the time of year when everything is dying and the land is barren. Despite that fact, a few people out there were able to come up with a LANDSCAPE photo.
But you didn’t come here to listen to me talk all tommyrot about participation rates. You came to see the submissions!
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:
PETS! What a great theme! But what is a PETS photo? A PETS photo is any photo that involves PETS or byproducts of PETS! If you don’t have a PET(S) or feel you don’t have access to a PET(S), then Naima can be booked. Her sitting fee is 2 milk bones and 5 minutes of head scratching.
The submissions for PETS will be published next Tuesday and not next Monday. Don’t panic. I still look forward to your interpretations.
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.
+++++++
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 petted Monday.
At this point on our stroll down memory lane, rather than go through full folders, I’m taking a a bit out of a folder at a time, because some of these folders have hundreds and hundreds of images.
These images are from a “tubing” trip down the Des Moines River and pictures I took for Shannon for an article on her for The Des Moines Register.
The pictures that were taken on the river were taken with a disposable camera.
By adding these images to The Photography 139 Gallery, I was able to restore the following historic “An Artist’s Notebook” entries to their original glory:
Next Saturday’s walk down memory lane will involve a trip to the Field of Dreams.
