Category Archives: Nature

Aaron, Animals, Bill, Carla, Cathie, Flowers, Jodie Cue, Kim, Michelle, Micky, Nature, Shannon, Tamara, WPC - Submissions

WPC – WEEK 254 – ANIMAL

July 27, 2020 Christopher D. Bennett

I might have to change the release time for this weekly blog to 1:01 PM CST because there was a recent mine shaft collapse at the Computer Mine and I’ve had to change my work schedule to compensate, thus changing my lunch hour. But we’ll see how it goes for now.

WooHoo! 43 straight weeks of double digit submissions. Another week where I didn’t have to send out any reminder text messages this morning. I like how this is trending people!

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

Bill Wentworth

Carla Stensland

Tamara Peterson

Aaron Barnett

Christopher D. Bennett

Aaron Barnett

Jodie Cue

Michelle Haupt

Shannon Bardole-Foley

Jodie Cue

Kim Barker

Micky Augustin

Cathie Raley

Robyn Augustin

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:

NATURE

NATURE! What a great theme! But what is a NATURE photo? A NATURE photo can be anything that isn’t man made. A lake. A river. A wildflower. A wild animal.

Remember, “Nature is God’s art. Art is man’s nature”.

I look forward to seeing your interpretations!

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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.

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.

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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 natural Monday!

Black & White, Candid Portrait, Flowers, FNSC, Formal Portrait, Jay, Macro, Nature, Willy

2010-01-30

July 11, 2020 Christopher D. Bennett

The pictures in the folder 2010-01-30 are from both THE WEEKLY PHOTO CHALLENGE and PERSONAL PHOTO PROJECT. The flower pictures were taken for the theme PLANTS. THE PERSONAL PHOTO PROJECT involves a broken mirror and Willy.

By adding these pictures to the Photography 139 Gallery, I was able to restore the following historic “An Artist’s Notebook” entries to their original glory:

Personal Photo Project of the Week No. 6

The Digital Bouquet

RWPE #4 – PLANTS

Next Saturday’s walk down memory lane will involve basketball and cleaning toilets.

Animals, Art, Black & White, Flowers, Logan, Macro, Nature, Still Life, WPC - Alternate, WPC - Reminder

When I Stand in Your Love

July 10, 2020 Christopher D. Bennett 2 Comments

I have plenty more BLACK AND WHITE alternates for last week’s THE WEEKLY PHOTO CHALLENGE:

I can’t wait until BLACK AND WHITE is the theme again!

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

FACELESS PORTRAIT

Remember that a FACELESS PORTRAIT is simply a portrait of somebody that doesn’t show their face.

Happy photo harvesting!

Animals, Art, Black & White, Flowers, Iowa State, Macro, Nature

Iowa State Walk – Alpha

June 25, 2020 Christopher D. Bennett

Back in early May, I took an early afternoon walk around the Iowa State campus with Teresa. It was a good replacement for going to Pella, since going to Pella in early May, in the middle of a pandemic seemed like a terrible idea. Plus, how snooty are the people of Pella?

This isn’t completely a collection of tulips, but there are many tulips in this collection.

I reserve comment on this “art”.

There is one more collection of pictures from this walk still in the hopper.

Animals, Black & White, Naima, Nature, Night, Self-Portrait

Keep Me in the Moment

June 23, 2020 Christopher D. Bennett 2 Comments

Since they announced that the Boone County Fair was a go, I have been on the fence about entering photography contest. Fortunately, that decision has been made. The contest has been cancelled. So has the Open Horticulture contest and the Open Home Division. Don’t have to worry about that and since Elizabeth pre-volunteered to be one of the Boone County Fair entrant selectors, she will have that spot reserved for 2021. That spot is based on a ton of assumptions on the state of the world by then.

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Here is a collection of images from April that were mostly just test shots for testing new equipment. Some were testing taking pictures at night and couple others were playing with controlling a camera with a computer.

That poor guy working from home. He thought he would be going back to the office to work in just a couple more weeks. Middle of May. June by the latest.

Animals, Boone County Fair, Macro, Naima, Nature, Still Life, Work

Art is Art – 2020

June 17, 2020 Christopher D. Bennett

EDITOR’S NOTE: After I wrote this post, the Boone County Fair announced that the Fair was going on as normal. Here is their press release:

The Boone County Fair Board is excited to announce that the fair will occur as planned July 16-19, with only a few minor changes due to COVID-19 restrictions. With support from Boone County Public Health, Emergency Management and Boone County Extension, the fair board has developed a plan that allows the regular livestock shows, food vendors, carnival rides, grandstand shows and free concerts to take place.

For months the Boone County Fair Board has been meeting regularly to discuss options on what this year’s fair might look like. They have also been consulting with health officials, insurance providers, as well as polling the public on their comfort levels of attending fair events during these unprecedented times. After a special meeting to specifically discuss the fate of the fair, and with the restrictions being lifted in the state as of Friday, June 12, the board voted in favor of having fair. Although the fair plans are moving forward as normal, the fair board is taking extra precautions to ensure the health and safety of all fairgoers. Plans are in place to increase sanitation, including extra handwashing stations and hand sanitizer throughout the grounds. Additionally, the fair board plans to disinfect main seating areas including the show ring, grandstand and bleachers daily and provide signage to remind people to keep social distancing and to use good hygiene practices. Following the State of Iowa’s lead, personal responsibility is requested for people to determine if they feel comfortable attending the fair during this time. High risk or vulnerable individuals are asked to consider staying home.

The Boone County Fair has a great lineup of events and entertainment this year. Grandstand shows include Figure 8 Races, Demolition Derby and Mud Races. Stage concerts include Jake Doty & Hawk McIntyre, Casey Muessigmann and Tyler Richton & the Highbank Boys. The locally owned and operated carnival Scott Amusements, will return this year with even more rides for all ages to enjoy. New this year is the “Have Fun, Give Back” carnival program. Thanks to a sponsorship from Farm Bureau, the first 100 kids to donate a non-perishable food item each day of the fair will receive a free carnival wristband for that day. Through this program, we hope everyone can have fun at the fair and give back to our local food pantries. Unfortunately, we have cancelled some of our events such as Mutton Busting and Extravaganza in order to maintain social distancing guidelines. For a complete list of Boone County Fair events and activities or to purchase tickets, visit the fairs website at www.boonecountyfairia.com.

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This collection of images represents that last of the pictures from March that I had yet to curate and edit. It feels good to not really have all that much of a backlog any longer. It is like, if there was an Iowa State Fair Photography Salon or a Boone County Fair Photo Contest or a Pufferbilly Days Photo Contest, I would almost be prepared for it this year.

While there definitely won’t be an Iowa State Fair Photography Salon and I would consider it highly doubtful that the other two contests will exist, I guess, it still feels good to not have a ton of pictures just lying in folders collecting dust.

This collection of pictures covers pictures of my delicious rhubarb (that I grow myself, personally), Naima, and a picture of the dust on my work keyboard. I can only imagine how much dust covers that keyboard now. I haven’t been physically all up inside of the computer mine since April.

Although, I might make a quick jaunt over there later this week or next week. I have a scanner I need to drop off, but I digress…

An update on Naima’s health. She had her sutures removed on Monday and Dr. Stephanie said that everything looks good. She had a couple rough days last week where she seemed to be in some pain. I allowed her to overexert herself over the weekend I’m afraid. Now she seems to be back to her old self. Still probably going to try to make her take it easy for another week though.

Hopefully her fur grows back pretty soon. Yeah, she is weird looking right now, but also the lack of fur doesn’t provide her with much protection when she is digging through the raspberries chasing “chippies” or rabbits. But she doesn’t seem to mind.

Art, Black & White, Candid Portrait, Derrick, Evie, Formal Portrait, Jay, Jen, Jonah, Jorge, Layla, Michelle, Movies, Naima, Nature, Photoshop, Railroad, State Fair, WPC - Reminder

Suds, Dickcissel, and Lensbaby Redux

June 5, 2020 Christopher D. Bennett 2 Comments

Hey, I screwed up the schedule of posts and 2 posts accidentally posted at the same time yesterday. This one, that I took back down and re-posted and another one with daffodils. It is possible that you didn’t get the post about the daffodils yesterday. If that is the case, click on the link below:

My soul and pocketbook are glad to announce that I have finished THE CANVAS WALL PROJECT. 5 new canvases arrived on Monday and I was able to get them up that night. Here are the 5 final canvases:

Before the Swallow Dares – 2020

There is also an update on Naima and birthday wishes for Jorge in there.

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My soul and pocketbook are glad to announce that I have finished THE CANVAS WALL PROJECT. 5 new canvases arrived on Monday and I was able to get them up that night. Here are the 5 final canvases:

This is what the wall looks like:

Now, I realize that when there is furniture in place, not every picture is visible. That isn’t the important part. The important part is that they are there at all.

On to the next decorating project. Whatever that may be!
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I don’t consider pictures that were taken in the same calendar year in which we currently exist to be a backlog. However, if I did, this collection of images would be somewhat of a backlog. This clears out all images from January and February that had yet to be edited or curated.

Pictures from a trip to Dickcissel with Naima, some Lensbaby tests, and a picture of the Root Beer Symposium we had during movie night back in January.

We haven’t had Movie Night at The Union Street theater since February, so we haven’t been able to crown a root beer champion, but those pictures might give you the slightest indication of how messy my basement is right now. Although I would estimate that the big parts of the basement cleanup are about 30% done.

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

SIGNS

A SIGNS picture is just that, a picture of a SIGN or multiple SIGNS. Remember, there are more than one kind of SIGN(S).

Happy photo harvesting!

9 Emotions Project, Alexis, Animals, Birthdays, Black & White, Boone County Fair, Flowers, Grandma, Kanoa, Mark, Mission Trip, Mom, Nature, Railroad, Self-Portrait, Steph, WPC - Reminder

WEEK 245 THEME REVEAL

May 18, 2020 Christopher D. Bennett

I need to start this post by pointing out that today is a very important day. Today is Stephanie’s birthday! Happy birthday Stephanie!

I hope your birthday is safe and amazing!

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I’m going to be away from computers for much of today, so I won’t be able to reveal the RULE OF THIRDS submissions until some point tomorrow. However, that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t start working on this week’s theme right away:

SELF-PORTRAIT

A SELF-PORTRAIT picture is quite simply, a picture of yourself. Almost, but not quite as easy as RULE OF THIRDS.

I look forward to seeing your interpretations!

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I also recently added to THE CANVAS WALL PROJECT. I eight new 16×20 images to the wall. I’m almost done with the project. I have basically the bottom row to finish. Most of those pictures have been ordered too and should arrive sometime this week.

However, these are the eight 16×20 images that were most recently added to the wall:

After I get the pictures that should arrive on Wednesday in place, I believe I will only need 4 more pictures to finish this project off. But it could be more. I could also be less. But my initial calculations indicate 4 more.

But I’ve been wrong before. Don’t want to be wrong any more.

Andy, Black & White, Flowers, Iowa State, Macro, Music, Nature, Work, WPC - Alternate

You Know, I Hurt Myself As Well

May 8, 2020 Christopher D. Bennett

35 days working from home in the book. I did discover a new positive about working from home this week. I had to go into the physical computer mine twice this week because Apple products suck. They really do. I have nothing positive to say about them.

But that isn’t the positive. The positive I figured out two positives for working from home on my trip to the mine.

One, I can control the lights in my office. I usually just daylight that streams in from my south facing office windows is enough. But on cloudy days I will sometimes run a lamp. If I need more light for some reason I can turn on the overhead lamp.

The mine has the soul crushing fluorescent lighting that is always on. I miss many things about the mine, but the lighting isn’t one of them.

The other positive, my own toilet paper. Seems like a minor thing, but the toilet paper at the mine leaves a lot to be desired. A lot!

My home listening habits were the same. Life 107.1 from 7-9. Then The Master Playlist until 2 PM roughly. This week I made it all the way to track number 1456, “Don’t Speak” by No Doubt.

A decent pandemic song:

“You and me, we used to be together
Every day together, always
I really feel that I’m losin’ my best friend
I can’t believe this could be the end”

I did delete a couple songs from the Master Playlist for sound quality reasons:

#1337 – “You” by Candlebox
#1299 – “Slow Ride” by Foghat

Pretty sure I will finish off the Master Playlist next week. At that time, it will be time, to start adding to it. That should be fun!

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Here is a reminder that the Sharp family is collecting empty laundry detergent jugs to fill with homemade laundry detergent to donate to local pantries. They have setup a collection can at the end of their driveway for you to leave your empty jugs.

They live at the very end of Division Street. Keep going south on Division until you can’t go any farther. It is easy and contact free. I dropped off a couple of jugs last night:

If you can’t find it, drop your jugs off to me and I’ll get them there.

Here are a few pictures of their soap operation that Andy has sent me:

It is a great ministry and I hope some of you can help them out!

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Last Saturday I went over to Iowa State to walk the campus with Teresa. While I was there I took a few TREE pictures that didn’t quite make the cut for THE WEEKLY PHOTO CHALLENGE on Monday. Here are a few of them:

Iowa State University, still world’s reigning champ for most beautiful campus!

The cherry blossom pictures are from my backyard though.

Aaron, Andy, Becky, Carla, Cathie, Elizabeth, Evie, Iowa State, Jen, Layla, Linda, Michelle, Micky, Monica, Nature, Shannon, Tamara, Teresa, WPC - Submissions

WPC – WEEK 242 – TREE

May 4, 2020 Christopher D. Bennett 2 Comments

31 straight weeks of double digit submissions!! The third straight week that I didn’t send any reminder text messages this morning and still made double digits like it ain’t no thing, but a chicken wing on a string.

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

Monica Henning

Teresa Kahler

Elizabeth Nordeen

Andy Sharp

Elizabeth Nordeen

Becky Parmelee

Aaron Barnett

Carla Stensland

Christopher D. Bennett

Michelle Haupt

Tamara Peterson

Aaron Barnett

Shannon Bardole-Foley

Layla Gorshe

Jen Ensley-Gorshe

Evie Gorshe

Cathie Raley

Linda Bennett

Micky Augustin

EMOTIONS

EMOTIONS! What a great theme! But what is an EMOTIONS photo? An EMOTIONS photo is any photo that shows somebody or something expressing an EMOTION(S). Or it could even be anything that triggers an EMOTION(S) in you. I only know of 9 emotions, and they are as follows:

1. Joy
2. Sadness
3. Anger
4. Amusement
5. Fear
6. Jealousy
7. Surprise
8. Sympathy
9. Boredom

But, I’m sure you can make up some other imaginary EMOTIONS if you want.

As always, I look forward to seeing your interpretations!

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HOUSEKEEPING

A MESSAGE FROM THE PHOTOGRAPHY 139 RULES DIVISION

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 emotional Monday!