Category Archives: WPC

Andy, Candid Portrait, Carla, Dae Hee, Iowa State, Kim, Night, Photoshop, Tamara, WPC - Submissions

WEEKLY PHOTO CHALLENGE – WEEK 155 – CANDID PORTRAIT

September 3, 2018 Christopher D. Bennett

Participation for CANDID PORTRAIT took the usual holiday drop off, but there were still a few people loyal enough to the cause that made it worth the effort.

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

Carla Stensland

Kim Barker

Tamara Peterson

Christopher D. Bennett

Andy Sharp

Not a bad week of submissions, considering the holiday!

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:

HOBBIES (SUGGESTED BY DAE HEE YOON)

HOBBIES! What a great theme! But what is a HOBBIES photo?

A HOBBIES photo is any photo that involves somebody engaging in their HOBBIES. The results of their HOBBIES. Or tools used in their HOBBIES. There are all sorts of HOBBIES! From collecting things to making things to doing things. HOBBIES are things you do because it is a passion (the thing you are willing to suffer for) and not because somebody is paying you to do it. For examples one of my many HOBBIES is berating the open-faced sandwich. They know why.

This is the final theme for this set of 52 themes. Next Monday I will reveal the first theme is the next set of 52. I was going to reveal what all 52 themes are so you could day dream about them while you are at your occupations, but instead I’ll just let them come out as they come out. So you can think about them feverishly at your occupations.

I look forward to seeing your 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 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 hobbied Monday.

Animals, Candid Portrait, Gretchen, Jay, Naima, Night, Photo Journal, Photoshop, WPC - Reminder

A Photo Journal – Henry Carroll – Page 118

August 31, 2018 Christopher D. Bennett

It is your weekly reminder that this week’s WEEKLY PHOTO CHALLENGE theme is CANDID PORTRAIT.

A great theme! One of the best ever! But what is a CANDID PORTRAIT? A CANDID PORTRAIT is a portrait where the subject isn’t posed. They probably don’t even know that they are being photographed.

CANDID PORTRAIT

Happy photo harvesting!

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A few weeks back at FNSC Jay stopped by to enjoy the firetub. I found it a perfect time to knock out Page 118 of THE PHOTO JOURNAL PROJECT:

Page 118 – Sit opposite someone for two hours. Chat, have a cuppa, but only take pictures when you see something revealing.

Let’s face it. My friends aren’t the sit and “have a cuppa” type of people. But we do like fire. Almost to a fault. But we don’t want to talk about that.

Only one picture can be physically adhered into the physical THE PHOTO JOURNAL. However, I did take a couple more Page 118 photos I think are worth sharing:

I got at least 4 more pages for THE PHOTO JOURNAL PROJECT shot as well. Just got to get them to the editing hole!

Art, Bethany, Black & White, Dae Hee, Flowers, Logan, Nora, Photoshop, Travel, WPC - Submissions

Franconia: Part II

August 28, 2018 Christopher D. Bennett

One photo from last week’s WEEKLY PHOTO CHALLENGE came in late, but I thought I would share it anyways.

The picture below was submitted by Logan. It was taken at Vinton’s fireworks competition.

I didn’t know such a thing existed, but it does. I might have to check it out next year.

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Time to answer the question I left you with in last Tuesday’s blog.

Going back to my trip to the Franconia Sculpture Garden with Bethany, Dae Hee, and Nora from back in August of 2017:

I only have 3 car payments left. While it isn’t a ton of money that I will be not have to lay out every month, I have spent it over and over and over in my head. One of those things i think about buying is a piece of art for the yard. I think that lizard would like great in my yard.

There is one more collection of photos from Franconia next Tuesday.

Andy, Becky, Cathie, Evie, Football, Formal Portrait, Gretchen, Kim, Micky, Photoshop, Tamara, WPC - Submissions

WEEKLY PHOTO CHALLENGE – WEEK 154 – COMPETITION

August 27, 2018 Christopher D. Bennett

COMPETITION wasn’t an extremely popular theme, even in this non-competitive WEEKLY PHOTO CHALLENGE.

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

Andy Sharp

Kim Barker

Christopher D. Bennett

Kim Barker

Tamara Peterson

Andy Sharp

Becky Parmelee

Micky Augustin

Cathie Raley

CANDID PORTRAIT!

CANDID PORTRAIT! What a great theme! What does it mean? A candid portrait is one where the subject is unaware that a photo has been taken. The idea of a candid portrait is to capture people acting naturally. They should be unaware they are being photographed, as their behavior often changes once they become aware of the camera.

Remember! Next Monday is Labor Day. While the bank, your job, and the government might take that day off, Photography 139 does not! Plan on submitting your photo accordingly. No rest for the wicked! Money don’t grow on trees. I got bills to pay. I got mouths to feed. There ain’t nothing in this world for free. Oh no, I can’t slow down. I can’t hold back. Though you know, I wish I could. Oh no, there ain’t no rest for the wicked.

HOUSEKEEPING

A MESSAGE FROM THE PHOTOGRAPHY 139 RULES DIVISION

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 candid Monday.

Candid Portrait, Ernie, Logan, Photo Journal, Photoshop, State Fair, Teresa, WPC - Reminder

A Photo Journal – Henry Carroll – Page 52

August 24, 2018 Christopher D. Bennett

It is your weekly reminder that this week’s WEEKLY PHOTO CHALLENGE theme is COMPETITION.

A great theme! One of the best ever! But what is a COMPETITION photo? It is a picture that shows any kind of COMPETITION. COMPETITION can be between teams or individuals or with the self. A COMPETITION photo could show the results of a COMPETITION. Interpret the theme any way you see fit!

COMPETITION

Happy photo harvesting!

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A few weeks back, Ernie was in town visiting Teresa. I felt he would be a good subject for Page 52 of THE PHOTO JOURNAL PROJECT:

Page 52 – Capture someone’s subconscious.

The idea of this picture was thus:

“By giving your subject something to do they become less aware of the act of being photographed.”

Ernie is playing solitaire. I setup my camera on a tripod and triggered the camera with my phone, while I was pretending to look for something on my storage shelves. Hopefully Ernie didn’t realize I was taking the pictures. I told him the purpose of the project after the photo shoot. When I told him we were done, he did seem a bit surprised.

My one regret is that I didn’t give him a toothpick. It looks like he could have used a toothpick to chew on.

Here are a couple of other photos from the photo shoot:

I’m not sure what page we will hit up the next time that we hit up THE PHOTO JOURNAL PROJECT. I have about 4 or 5 of these done and ready to roll. I mean they aren’t edited yet, but I’ve taken the pictures.

I’m trying to include as many different people as possible in this project. If you’re looking to volunteer, you know where to find me. Right now, I could use a person that does yoga.

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Incidentally, part of the reason that Ernie was back was to help get Teresa’s house on the market. Click on the link below to see’s Teresa’s real estate listing:

BUY TERESA’S HOUSE

Logan took the photos for the real estate listing.

Andy, Animals, Cathie, Flowers, Jesse, Kim, Macro, Michelle, Micky, Photoshop, Shannon, State Fair, Tamara, Vest, WPC - Submissions

WEEKLY PHOTO CHALLENGE – WEEK 153 – ANIMAL

August 20, 2018 Christopher D. Bennett

ANIMAL seemed to really bring out the creative impulses of a lot of people. Plenty of ANIMAL submissions!

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

Kim Barker

Micky Augustin

Shannon Bardole-Foley

Tamara Peterson

Michelle Haupt

Andy Sharp

Kim Barker

Mike Vest

Cathie Raley

Jesse Howard

A solid week of submissions!

COMPETITION!

COMPETITION! What a great theme! But what is a COMPETITION photo? A COMPETITION photo is any photo that deals with competing. It could be a race. A football game. A board game. It could be people preparing for competition, like practice or working out. People don’t just compete against other people. They compete against time. They compete against themselves. Humans aren’t the only beings to compete either.

I look forward to seeing your interpretations!

HOUSEKEEPING

A MESSAGE FROM THE PHOTOGRAPHY 139 RULES DIVISION

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 competitive Monday.

Animals, Formal Portrait, Kio, Photoshop, Teresa, Vest, WPC - Reminder

A Photo Journal – Henry Carroll – Page 96

August 17, 2018 Christopher D. Bennett 2 Comments

Before anything, I want to ask for your prayers for the Herrick family. Today we put to rest Earl Herrick. He was my Dad’s best friend, so we are close to the family.

I would like to share the poem that the pastor read at the graveside service. You may have heard it before. It is called “What God Hath Promised”.

WHAT GOD HATH PROMISED

God hath not promised skies always blue,
Flower-strewn pathways all our lives through;
God hath not promised sun without rain,
Joy without sorrow, peace without pain.

God hath not promised we shall not know
Toil and temptation, trouble and woe;
He hath not told us we shall not bear
many a burden, many a care.

God hath not promised smooth roads and wide,
Swift, easy travel, needing no guide;
Never a mountain rocky and steep,
Never a river turbid and deep

But God hath promised strength for the day,
Rest for the labor, light for the way,
Grace for the trials, help from above,
Unfailing sympathy, undying love

Author: Annie Johnson Flint

I took a picture of one of the program from Earl’s funeral because it included several “Earlisms”. I’m sharing that so you can have an idea of what kind of person Earl was:

Earlisms

“It takes a mighty big dog to weight a ton.”
“They’ll get happy in the same pants they got mad in.”
“I wouldn’t shit you – you’re my favorite turd.”
“Pet and Repeat sitting on a fence… Pete fell off – who was left? Repeat…. Pete and Repeat sitting on a fence…”
When asked, what’s that? “It’s cat’s fur to make kitten britches.”
“Don’t do anything I would do – just don’t get caught.”

Keep Linda, Wendi, Amy, and Mike in your prayers. Thanks.

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Here is your reminder that this week’s WEEKLY PHOTO CHALLENGE theme is ANIMAL.

ANIMAL!

An ANIMAL picture is any picture that features an ANIMAL or an ANIMAL by product.

Happy photo harvesting!

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2 days before I left for the mission trip, Kio commissioned me to do the graduation photography for the Boone Area Humane Society’s Dog Obedience Class. It was a perfect time to knock off Page 96 of THE PHOTO JOURNAL PROJECT:

Page 96 – Photograph an animal as if it were a human.

Although I took several pictures of many amazing dogs, only one can physically be adhered into the physical PHOTO JOURNAL. The physical PHOTO JOURNAL is housed at the Photography 139 Studio. It can be seen by appointment. It is protected by the Photography 139 security dog (who did not graduate from any dog obedience program) when I am not there.

Here are the one that won’t be in the book:

It is hard to tell what page we will check in with the next time we check into THE PHOTO JOURNAL PROJECT. But quite possibly Page 52.

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Also,

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TERESA!

You are definitely a top 2 sister!

Andy, Animals, Kim, Naima, Photoshop, Shannon, Tamara, WPC - Submissions

WEEKLY PHOTO CHALLENGE – WEEK 152 – FEAR

August 13, 2018 Christopher D. Bennett 2 Comments

Don’t forget that tomorrow, Baby Got Rack will be competing at the Iowa State Fair Barbecue Competition. We can be found on the grand concourse somewhere. Also, I have 2 pictures on display at the Iowa State Fair Photography Salon in the Cultural Building.

Both are worth supporting, at least I think…

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I knew that FEAR was one of the toughest themes in this set of 52 themes and the steep drop in participation this week bore that out. I promise that this week’s theme is much, much easier.

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

Tamara Peterson

Kim Barker

Tamra Peterson

Andy Sharp

Christopher D. Bennett

Shannon Bardole-Foley

ANIMAL

ANIMAL! What a great theme! An ANIMAL photo is pretty self-explanatory. An ANIMAL photo is any picture that includes an ANIMAL. Or an ANIMAL byproduct.

For anybody that wants to book an appointment to photograph Naima. She charges $500 and hour and she takes frequent breaks.

As always, I look forward to seeing your interpretations!

HOUSEKEEPING

A MESSAGE FROM THE PHOTOGRAPHY 139 RULES DIVISION

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 animalistic Monday.

Baby Got Rack, Bethany, Boone FUMC, Carla, Contests, Flowers, Football, Movies, Nature, Photo Journal, Photoshop, Vest, WPC - Reminder

A Photo Journal – Henry Carroll – Page 86

August 10, 2018 Christopher D. Bennett

First of all, thanks to everybody who voted to determine what pictures I will enter in the Pufferbilly Days Photo Contest. I have the 6 entries determined and will be ordering them this weekend.

Pufferbilly Days is September 7, 8, and 9 this year. You can see the photos at the new KWBG Building. That is located on the corner of 9th and Keeler. I don’t know for certain, but my sister Carla will most likely be entering photos as well. She did last year and did very well. There is also a fair chance that frequent WEEKLY PHOTO CHALLENGE contributor Mike Vest will be entering as well.

Other Pufferbilly Days activities you might enjoy watching. Bethany will be running in the 10K. I don’t that Willy is, but I bet he does.

I normally don’t recommend going to parades. They are boring. Too long. Also, they are boring. However, you might want to give some consideration to going to the parade this year. While it isn’t a certainty, there is a pretty good chance I’ll be in the parade for Boone First United Methodist Church. Represent!

Also, on September 8, I’ll be opening the doors of the Union Street Theater* for an Iowa State-Team Out East Game Watch. All Cyclone fans are invited! Hawk fans, I think I can find an old analog television I can set up for you to watch in the garage. Kickoff is 4 PM. There will be snacks. You never know, I might have a popcorn machine by then. Probably not though. I have an electricity thing that I need done and all my electrician type friends have fallen through.

There is a rumor that Baby Got Rack will be competing in a barbecue contest on the Sunday of Pufferbilly Days, but they don’t list such a contest on the Pufferbilly Days website, so stay tuned for more information on that. Otherwise, you can come down to the Iowa State Fair on Tuesday to support us as we compete in the barbecue contest down there. Although, admittedly, we won’t be going all out down there. If there is a Pufferbilly Days contest, we will be bringing out the Cow. Probably Sir-Pigs-a-Lot as well. Stay tuned!

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This is your reminder that this week’s WEEKLY PHOTO CHALLENGE theme is FEAR!

FEAR!

I would describe the difference between a FEAR photo and a SCARY photo as a SCARY photo is a picture of something SCARY while a FEAR photo is a reaction to something SCARY. However, feel free to interpret the theme any way you see fit.

Happy photo harvesting!

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A week or so back, a nice little storm ripped through Boone. I used it as a good opportunity to knock out Page 86 of THE PHOTO JOURNAL PROJECT:

Page 86 – Use Exposure as a Metaphor

This is the water tower that is about a block from where I live. The exposure compensation for this picture was set at -2.3.

Although I took several pictures, only one can be physically adhered into the physical PHOTO JOURNAL. The physical PHOTO JOURNAL is housed at Photography 139 Studio. It can be seen by appointment. It is protected by the Photography 139 security dog when I am not there.

Here are the ones that won’t be in the book:

-4.3

-3.0

-2.7

-3.0

-4.0

-2.3

-2.0

-2.3

-3.7

-4.0, but this one also had a lot of Photoshop tinkering done to it.

Next time we check into THE PHOTO JOURNAL PROJECT, we will probably visit Page 52, but nothing in life is certain, but death and taxes and Iowa football players getting arrested. For mistaking a police car. For an Uber.

*The Union Street Theater Movie Club’s August meeting will be August 26. Projector rolls at 6 PM. This month the double feature is bird themed. The B movie will be BIRDEMIC 2: THE RESURRECTION. The feature film will be the Alfred Hitchcock classic THE BIRDS. Snacks may also be bird themed. Or not. I have to talk to a guy.

Andy, Black & White, Cathie, Dawn, Kim, Micky, Nature, Shannon, Tamara, Vest, WPC - Submissions

WEEKLY PHOTO CHALLENGE – WEEK 151 – TREE

August 6, 2018 Christopher D. Bennett

REMINDER

NOTE: IF YOU HAVEN’T VOTED YET, VOTE!!! THERE IS A 3 WAY TIE IN 2 CATEGORIES. IN 2 OTHER CATEGORIES, 1 VOTE SEPARATES 1ST AND 2ND. 2 DAYS LEFT TO VOTE.

It is once again time for me (and by me, I mean you guys) to pick out my photos to enter in the Pufferbilly Days Photo Contest. Once again, I am going to leave it up to a popular vote.

The Pufferbilly Days Photo Contest allows you to enter up to 6 photos.

There are 4 Categories:

1. Nature
2. Photojournalism
3. Photoshop Enhanced
4. Hidden Treasures of Boone County.

I have selected 60 images for you to consider. To simplify things, I have split the 60 photos into 6 sets of 10. If you wish to exercise your enfranchisement, clicking on the link below will take you to Poll #1. Vote for one of those pictures and then move onto the next poll, until you have voted in all six polls.

The winner of EACH poll will be entered into the Pufferbilly Days Photo Contest.

Click on the link below to start voting:

Pufferbilly Days Photo Contest Nominees

Voting will end at midnight, August 8.

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TREE seemed to be a theme that motivated several people to get up off their couch and take some photos this week. Maybe I’ll have to keep it around for the next set of 52 themes.

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

Kim Barker

Dawn Krause

Micky Augustin

Shannon Bardole-Foley

Tamara Peterson

Andy Sharp

Cathie Raley

Christopher D. Bennett

A solid week of submissions!

FEAR!

FEAR! What a great theme! I know this might come off as one of the harder themes and I admit, it probably is one of the harder themes. Some might argue that it is redundant because earlier int he challenge we had the theme SCARY. Those people are wrong though.

A SCARY photograph challenged you to take a picture of something you find SCARY. Like snakes or spiders or ghosts or the truth.

A FEAR photograph challenges you to take a picture of the reaction to something scary. Like running away from a snake or a spider or a ghost or the truth.

Of course, there is more than one way to skin a community cat… I mean interpret a theme. I look forward to your interpretations.

HOUSEKEEPING

A MESSAGE FROM THE PHOTOGRAPHY 139 RULES DIVISION

That is it, them’s the rules.

A MESSAGE FROM THE PHOTOGRAPHY 139 SHAMELESS SELF-PROMOTION DIVISION

Congratulations to Jodie Cue! She is the latest person to show taste, class, and sophistication by signing up for a Photography 139 email subscription. Jodie has one of the hardest jobs in the world. She is a Pastor’s Wife. She also has a job that pays her where she works with kids with special needs. I can stop right there and you get the idea of what kind of an amazing person she is, but I won’t. She works with the middle school students at our church’s youth group, helps teach Sunday School AND started a laundry soap ministry at our church. Laundry detergent is one of the major needs at food banks, (but like female hygiene products) it is something that people just don’t think about when they donate to their local food banks. Our local food bank can barely keep the laundry detergent on the shelf. We are able to make it for for pennies. I’m not sure how many pennies, but pennies!

So if you see Jodie out on the mean streets of Boone, feel free to give her a knowing glance and teach her the super secret Photography 139 handshake.

Welcome aboard Jodie, I know you will fare well!

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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 fearful Monday.