Category Archives: Portrait

Becca, Brandon, Dawn, Derrick, Jesse, Johnathan, Logan, Mom, Nader, Scottie D., Self-Portrait, Self-Portrait Project, Teresa, Youth Group

The Selfie Project – September

October 4, 2017 Christopher D. Bennett

Here is a look back at my favorite September photos from THE SELFIE PROJECT:

September 1

September 2

September 6

September 7

September 10

September 15

September 16

September 17

September 20

September 21

September 23

September 24

September 25

September 26

September 27

September 28

September 29

And if you can’t wait for these monthly updates, you can follow THE SELFIE PROJECT’S daily updates by following me on Instagram:

@christopherdbennett

I think I had a pretty decent September. Hopefully October treats me well.

Johnathan, Logan, Photo Journal, Self-Portrait

A Photo Journal – Henry Carroll – Page 59

September 28, 2017 Christopher D. Bennett 3 Comments

On Labor Day I was able to take a picture for Page 59 of the Photo Journal:

Page 59 – Take a picture of yourself as yourself.

Logan assisted with the production by moving the camera here and there. Johnathan watched in a distance.

While most people will disagree, I think that I don’t take enough pictures of rubber dinosaurs. Probably should get on that.

Flat Earth Joe, Formal Portrait, Micky, Mom, Willy

Yet Another New Photo Toy

September 26, 2017 Christopher D. Bennett

Recently bought another photo toy. However, this time it isn’t a new piece of photo experiment. It is more like a photo prop. I should note that I also got this idea from Dawn. Here are few photos to break it in:

You’ll be seeing this beauty again. Mark the tape. I’m putting the Christopher D. Bennett Guarantee on it!

Black & White, Candid Portrait, Event, Mom, WPC - Alternate

I’m Just a Sucker with No Self-Esteem

September 22, 2017 Christopher D. Bennett 2 Comments

These are the pictures that didn’t make the cut for the FAMILY theme for THE WEEKLY PHOTO CHALLENGE:

The posts that are about the pictures I don’t use for THE WEEKLY PHOTO CHALLENGE will take a different flavor starting next week. Some people have expressed concern that I seem to be badmouthing these photos. Next week I will take the flavor in a totally opposite direction. I bet people will miss the extreme humility of these posts in a matter of days.

For those people who like to prowl around in the Smugmug Gallery, for this run of 52 themes, I’m separating the alternates into their own album rather than dumping everything into one album. That album can be seen via the link below:

WEEKLY PHOTO CHALLENGE ALTERNATES

I hope you won’t drown in the suspense of where the new blog titles for THE WEEKLY PHOTO CHALLENGE ALTERNATES will come from. I have a feeling that not many of you will get the reference immediately. That is why the Good Lord invented the Google.

Angie, Candid Portrait, Cathie, Johnathan, Michelle, Micky, Mom, Shannon, Tamara, Teresa, WPC - Submissions

WEEKLY PHOTO CHALLENGE – WEEK 105 – FAMILY

September 18, 2017 Christopher D. Bennett 1 Comment

A pretty decent amount of submissions to ring in Year 3 of THE WEEKLY PHOTO CHALLENGE (REDUX). Including a submission from first time submitter Katelyn Augustin. She also might be the youngest to ever submit as well.

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

Shannon Bardole-Foley

Tamara Peterson

Teresa Kahler 1

Teresa Kahler 2

Katelyn Augustin

Micky Augustin

Angie DeWaard

Cathie Raley 1

Craig Haupt

Cathie Raley 2

Michelle Haupt

Christopher D. Bennett

A solid week of 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:

NATURE!

NATURE! What a great theme!! I don’t think I need to define NATURE for you. It is basically the great outdoors. So get out there!

As always, I look forward to seeing all the 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. 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

Nothing new to report. I’ll try to do better next week.

Want your own Photography 139 email subscription? Call, email, or text me and I’ll get you the hook up.

A MESSAGE FROM THE PHOTOGRAPHY 139 GALLERY DIVISION

Sometimes people send me descriptions of their photos. I’ve never done anything with that information in the past. However, if you send me a description in the future, I will add it to your image in the Weekly Photo Challenge Gallery that houses all the submissions.

**************************************

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!

Formal Portrait, WPC - Reminder

WEEKLY PHOTO CHALLENGE REMINDER – FAMILY

September 15, 2017 Christopher D. Bennett

This is your weekly reminder that this week’s theme for THE WEEKLY PHOTO CHALLENGE is FAMILY!

FAMILY

I don’t think FAMILY needs much of a definition. So get out there and make a photograph that says, FAMILY.

Happy photo harvesting!

Animals, Bethany, Brandon, Dae Hee, Iowa State, Jesse, Linda, Naima, Night, Nora, Pastor Sarah, Sarah Toot, Self-Portrait, Self-Portrait Project, Shawn Karber, State Fair, Tim

Selfie Project – August

September 15, 2017 Christopher D. Bennett 8 Comments

One of the benefits of THE SELFIE PROJECT is that I can look back at a month and feel less worthless. Hey, I actually did go out and do stuff and see people in month X. I’m a winner!

Speaking of winners, these are the photos I consider winners from the month of August:

August 2, 2017

August 5, 2017

August 6, 2017

August 7, 2017

August 10, 2017

August 11, 2017

August 12, 2017

August 13, 2017

August 15, 2017

August 16, 2017

August 19, 2017

August 20, 2017

August 21, 2017

August 22, 2017

August 24, 2017

August 26, 2017

August 27, 2017

August 29, 2017

August 30, 2017

August 31, 2017

Remember that THE SELFIE PROJECT photos are posted on Instagram on the daily. If you don’t know, Instagram is that little sliver of social media that doesn’t suck… much. There are a few lazy slackjaws out there that post memes, but other than that, it is just pictures. Any way you can follow me at the account below:

@christopherdbennett

Now I need to make sure that my September is almost as great as my August!

Candid Portrait, Photo Journal, Willy

A Photo Journal – Henry Carroll – Page 103

September 7, 2017 Christopher D. Bennett

Man. I’m late on a blog entry. For the first time in a long time. I guess I’ve been really busy lately. Hopefully it won’t happen again.

Before we get into the main content of this here blog entry, I will point out that the Pufferbilly Days Photo Contest photos should be on display tonight. I urge you to go down and check out the photos. They will be on display at 8th & Story. In the window of Ensley Photography’s store front.

I have the 6 entries that were picked out by my 6 volunteers up.

My sister Carla also entered 4 pictures. Yet another reason you should go up there and check it out.

They should be on display until Sunday night. For those of you that don’t love me enough, I will release the pictures that were entered during the blog next week.

Thanks again to the volunteers that picked out my entries!

Now that bit of unpleasantness is behind us, let’s look at something else.

Recently I went to a friend’s abode to make an image for THE PHOTO JOURNAL PROJECT. The photo below will be taped to Page 103 in the physical Photo Journal:

Page 103 – Make a portrait of someone without them being in the picture.

I won’t tell you whom this is a portrait of, but if you know me and know my friends, it doesn’t take Sherlock Holmes to figure this one out.

I think this is actually a pretty great idea for a photo project. I can think of several friends that I could have done this for as well. Next time we check in on THE PHOTO JOURNAL PROJECT, we will look at Page 105. I’m pretty certain.

9 Emotions Project, Black & White, Brandon, Formal Portrait

9 Emotions Project – Brandon Kahler

September 6, 2017 Christopher D. Bennett

Brandon was the latest to tap into his inner silent film star and pose for THE 9 EMOTIONS PROJECT. Here is his collection:

9 Emotions Project – Brandon Kahler

In case you forgot the emotions, here they are again:

Joy

Sadness

Anger

Amusement

Fear

Jealousy

Surprise

Sympathy

Boredom

So who will be the next to pose for THE 9 EMOTIONS PROJECT? I don’t know. But I have a few ideas.

Black & White, Formal Portrait, Photoshop, Saydie

Summer Saydie

September 3, 2017 Christopher D. Bennett 4 Comments

I recently took some summer senior pictures for Saydie. At this time, I’m willing to share some of the special effects pictures.

These are some of the pictures I take that I know that the parents aren’t necessarily looking for (which is maybe why I’m not collecting fat stacks of cash as a portrait photographer), but I feel it is in line with the motto that is on the Photography 139 business card:

“Art is a lie that reveals the truth.”

Oh. You don’t know about the new Photography 139 business card? I guess that’ll probably be coming to a blog post near you at some point. If you ask nicely, you might even get one.