Category Archives: WPC – Reminder

Animals, Art, Candid Portrait, Contests, Evie, Jen, Layla, Mom, State Fair, WPC - Reminder

First Day of the Fair

August 27, 2021 Christopher D. Bennett

On the first day of the Iowa State Fair I attended it with Jen, Layla, and Evie. Evie was performing with her Irish Dance Team. We wandered around the Fair for several hours before and after watching Evie perform. Here on some of the pictures from the day:

I also went to the Fair on the last day with Jesse. I will share those pictures in the future.

If you want to take peruse the rest of my Day 1 Iowa State Fair pictures, click on the link below:

Iowa State Fair – 2021

Over 200 images in there right now.

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

PEOPLE

PEOPLE! What a great theme! But what is a PEOPLE photo? Fortunately for you, people infest nearly every corner of this planet, so they are easy to find. All you have to do is find some PEOPLE or remnants or proof that PEOPLE were once there. This group of PEOPLE doesn’t have to have any connection. They don’t have to be friends or family. They just have to be homo sapiens. I suppose Neanderthals would work as well.

Happy photo harvesting!

Angie, Boone FUMC, Contests, Dad, Elainie, Jesse, Jorge, Kim, Kio, Logan, Michelle, Naima, Pufferbilly Days, Vest, WPC - Reminder

Pufferbilly Days Photo Contest – 2021

August 13, 2021 Christopher D. Bennett 1 Comment

It seems like a good time to review my first time as the Chair of the Pufferbilly Days Photo Contest. I don’t know I can say it was an extreme success, but enough of a success to build on. Participation was way down this year, but I think that was to be expected as participation seems to be down across the board and there were lots of things working against the Photo Contest.

I was able to fix a few of the things that have bothered me about the Pufferbilly Days Photo Contest in the past:

#1. The pictures were up for display on time, in fact, a day early.
#2. All the pictures were labelled with the name of the photographer, what class they were in, and the name of image.
#3. There was a display that named the winners that you could easily look at to see who placed in each class.
#4. Some small organizational things here and there, like putting stickers on the back of the entries, having a system for dividing and then combining the entries by photographer, and putting all the entries into bags with the judging forms, so they are easy to pick up.

There are plenty of changes I want to make next year, but I’ll get into that at the end.

I need to thank everybody that helped with the contest this year:

+ Michelle – Thanks for helping with adjusting the entry form and saved the life of at least one tree.
+ Kim – Thanks for the use of your Dymo for printing labels and the box.
+ Vest – Thanks for help with working with the OTHER Dymo.
+ Teresa – Thanks for all the help with the clerical/organizational side and creating the awards sign.
+ Carla – Thanks for all the help with the clerical/organization side, including labeling the ribbons.
+ Logan – Thanks for being a judge and smoking the meat for supper on the night of the judging.
+ Nathanial – Thanks for being a judge and bringing the sides for supper on the night of judging.
+ Lisa – Thanks for being a judge and bringing some experience and wisdom to this process.
+ Elainie – Thanks for being inside the window and setting up and taking down the display.
+ Kio – Thanks for getting me this gig and being the outside window helper when setting up the display.
+ Jesse – Thanks for putting up the banner and writing the thank you notes with your good penmanship. Also for distributing the flyers.
+ Megan – Thanks for your brilliant sidewalk chalk art.
+ Jorge – Thanks for the LaserJet printer that we used to print the labels.
+ The Staff of KWBG – For being supper supportive and always going the extra mile.
+ Boone First United Methodist Church – For providing a place to judge the images with an elevator.

I’m sure I’m forgetting somebody that helped during the process. This is not an intentional error. I thank whomever I forgot.

Here are some pictures from the judging process:

We did the judging in Fellowship Hall at the Boone First United Methodist Church. I selected three judges because I didn’t want ties (although that was still a possibility) and I want a diversity of opinions and photographic skills.

The judges were:

Logan Kahler – Runs his own photography business. Former editor of the Boone News-Republican. Does wedding and event photography. Also does quite a bit of real estate photography.

Nathanial Brown – Proprietor of Nathanial Brown Productions. The leading force in Abandoned Iowa Photography and does a town of concert and event photography. Plus all sorts of photography for musicians in general.

Lisa Person – Half of Person Photography with her husband Bob. One of the best photographers I’ve ever known and it was particularly meaningful to me on a personal level to have her as part of the team for my first go as chair of this event. Their family and my family have always been intertwined in the world of photography. They did Senior Pictures for me and my sisters. They did the photography for all of our weddings. My Dad took a photography class (probably several) from Bob.

The story I’ve always heard about how Bob and my Dad met goes back to a 4-H display at the Boone County Fair. One of my sisters had entered a picture and Bob was a judge. Bob had given one of the pictures not a very good score. My Dad (who was over 6 foot and had a full manly beard) approached Bob who is more like 5 foot 6 (maybe) about why he gave this picture such a low score. (The picture used a technique called “soft focus”, but Bob considered that to just be out of focus.) Bob was terrified (or at least scared and intimidated) because he thought he had this big guy (that could surely squash him) pissed at him for giving his daughter’s picture low marks. But he soon found out that my Dad was only looking for information. Pointers. Advice. From that one conversation, they soon became great friends.

While Lisa was not a sentimental pick by any stretch of the imagination, it was very sentimental for me to have her in the room.

I got Megan Osborn to put down some sidewalk chalk art in front of the Photo Contest display to try to draw some more attention to it.

Here are some pictures of Megan:

Unfortunately, it rained that very night and washed most of it away. But then Jennifer from KWBG and her daughter traced over it and brought it back to life. Then it rained again. So the sidewalk chalk art didn’t draw people in, but now I know how to get it to rain.

Here are picture of the photo display being put up and taken down:

Here are some statistics from the Pufferbilly Days Photo Contest:

+ 24 total entries
+ 20 Adult entries
+ 4 Youth entries
+ 5 Photoshop Enhanced (Adult) entries
+ 3 Hidden Treasures of Boone County (Adult) entries
+ 1 Photojournalism (Adult) entry
+ 11 Nature (Adult) entry
+ 5 Adult photographers
+ 2 Youth photographers

The Award Winners:

Adult – Hidden Treasures of Boone County
1. John Roberts – Last Train of the Season
2. John Roberts – Slowly Sinking
3. Tyler Alber – Boone County IA Sunset

Adult – Nature
1. Angie DeWaard – Golden Glow of Summer
2. Ava Stevens – Floral Summer Sun of My Heart
3. Angie DeWaard – Dragonfire

Adult – Photoshop Enhanced
1. Beatrice Upah – Are those donkeys?
2. Beatrice Upah – Rest Time
3. Beatrice Upah – Middle of Nowhere

Adult – Photojournalism
1. Angie DeWaard – Pandemic Chicken

Youth – Hidden Treasures of Boone County
1. Kayelee Burns – train turn about

Youth – Photojournalism
1. Daphne Harris – Fun in the Park

Youth – Photoshop Enhanced
1. Daphne Harris – Reflextion of Pinkie Pie
2. Kayelee Burns – My dog at ledges

My two main concerns for next year are that I need to figure out a way to get participation up. The other thing I need to come up with is a plan for getting the window display cooled. It gets extremely hot in that display and that causes many of the pictures to curl and I swear almost melt. I have a few ideas in mind for this problem. One of them includes replacing a window (or windows) with peg board. If anybody comes across some free or very cheap peg board that I can cut down… well I’m your huckleberry.

I’m also researching air conditioner options.

Here is a list of ideas I may bring to the 2022 Pufferbilly Days Photo Contest. Not all ideas are mine, but all of them are being considered.

+ Change the classes. In particular, I’m not a fan of the Photoshop Enhanced and Photojournalism category. I’m not sure what the new classes would be, but I’ve received more than one suggestion that there should be a railroad class for a festival that celebrates railroad heritage.
+ Move the deadline back to the Friday before Pufferbilly Days.
+ Add a Best in Show winner.
+ Customized Ribbons.
+ A People’s Choice Winner where people can vote online for their favorite. (This will take some work.)
+ Get the rules and entry form out as soon as possible. Get the flyer out as soon as possible. I plan on sending a reminder postcard out to all of this year’s entries when the Chamber is ready to start taking in entries.
+ Split the age divisions into Youth, Teen, and Adult. Get rid of classes for Youth. One of the Youth entries I got simply listed their class as “Photo”. I made the command decision on what category to enter it into. I don’t think kids should get wrapped up in categories. The important thing is just that they take pictures.
+ I also want to get somebody with actual graphic design skills to design the flyer next year. Also, somebody with artistic skills to design a logo for the contest. I already have an idea of what I want it to look like.
+ I also want to tweak the rules. I don’t know that I will require foam board, but it might be strongly encouraged. Also dry mounting. I’m not joking when I say that some of the photos practically melted in there. I think I will also include some tips for entering photo contests. That sounds arrogant, because I definitely don’t want to claim that I have anything figured out on that front, but little things like don’t enter more than one picture that looks similar or has the same subject. Those are just going to compete against each other in the judges’ eyes and a picture of a different subject will scoot right by it and earn a ribbon.

Those are just the ideas off the top of my head. I know that there are more percolating around my head and heads of others. But I have plenty of time to work on it.

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

MOVEMENT

MOVEMENT! What a great theme! But what is a MOVEMENT photo? Simply put, a MOVEMENT photo is a picture of something that is in motion. There are two different ways to capture movement. Use a quick shutter speed to freeze movement. Use a longer shutter speed to blur motion.

And if you can’t control shutter speed, don’t worry about it too much. Just get a picture of something in motion and the photography gods will take care of the rest.

Happy photo harvesting!

Drone, Night, Pufferbilly Days, Still Life, WPC - Alternate, WPC - Reminder

If You Look to the Sky and Pray

August 6, 2021 Christopher D. Bennett

I need to start this post by encouraging you (if you have a pet) to enter the Pufferbilly Days Pet Show. It is this Sunday at 11 AM. Registration begins at 10:45. It is located at Veterans Park (9th and Story). Awards are given to the dog that is the Best Beggar, does the Best Trick, and had the Best Tail Wag. For Misc. pets, prizes are given to the Most Unique, the Most Colorful, and the pet with the Most Appropriate Name. There is a prize given for Most Look-Alike and Best in Show. Also some awards for cats, I assume.

Here is a flyer that has the ratio way off.

The Pet Show is open to all ages of humans and pets. As you can tell, this isn’t a super serious competition. So grab Fido and come on down for some fun with your four-legged (or two legs if it is a bird) friend! Also, no poultry.

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I haven’t taken Rodan139 out hardly at all this year. In fact, probably less than 5 times. I need to start stretching its wings more than I have. But here is a tiny collection of the last 2 extremely brief flights that it went on. One was just to look at all the fireworks going off around town. The others are alternates for my THE WEEKLY PHOTO CHALLENGE theme of PATHS.

I’m laying down my pick and taking about a week long sabbatical from the Computer Mine starting next week, so hopefully I’ll get Rodan139 out of the hangar at least once in that time frame.

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

TOY

TOY! What a great theme for Year 8 of THE WEEKLY PHOTO CHALLENGE!

But what is a TOY image? Simply put, a TOY image is a picture of something that you use for recreation. It isn’t used for work. It is used for play. However, what one person might consider a TOY, another person might consider a TOOL. What is considered a TOY might be more personal than one thinks at first glance.

Happy photo harvesting!

Animals, Boone County Fair, Contests, Nature, WPC - Reminder

Boone County Fair 2021

July 30, 2021 Christopher D. Bennett

A few weeks back was the Boone County Fair. I didn’t spend much time there, but even with what little time I was there, it felt good to be back. Last year was the first time I didn’t at least make a brief appearance at the Boone County Fair, probably in my entire life.

I went there late Saturday morning to judge the Boone County Fair Photography Contest. It was my first time judging a photography contest and it was definitely an interesting experience being on the other side.

One of the disappointing aspect of being a judge was that there was only 16 entries this year. The past few years I would guess that there was around 50 or so entries. I’m not sure why few people felt like competing this year, but the photography contest wasn’t the only contest I saw that had a precipitous dip in entries. The barbecue contest that Baby Got Rack usually dominates normally has about ten competitors. This year there were two. Baby Got Rack was not one of the two, despite the fact that I already picked up this year’s competitive fedora and Hawaiian shirt. Scottie D. took his lady to Vegas for the weekend, so that put us on the sideline. We have been in discussions to enter a different contest, but at this time, nothing has come of it. You’ll just have to imagine how great it would have been.

What made the lack of participation rates so weird is that the brief times I was at the fair, the fairgrounds were plenty busy. Busier than normal.

Here are some facts about this year’s Boone County Fair Photography Contest:

+ 16 total entries.
+ There are 3 divisions (Black and White, Color, and Digitally Enhanced) broke into 4 classes (People, Landscape, Animal, and Other)
+ There was one entry in Black and White. (Landscape)
+ There was one entry in Digitally Enhanced. (Landscape)
+ There were 14 entries in Color. (1 in People, 4 in Landscape, 6 in Animal, and 3 in Other)
+ I awarded 1 Best in Show.
+ 1 Sweepstakes Award (Most Blue Ribbons)
+ 3 Purple Ribbons (Best in each Division)
+ 12 Blue Ribbons (3 elevated to Purple)
+ 4 Red Ribbons
+ 0 White Ribbons

I wasn’t given many instructions other than this, “We don’t want people to feel discouraged.”

Here is a picture of the contest.

It was a great experience and I was surprised that I even got paid for my efforts.

The lack of participation at the Boone County Fair is why I worry about the participation at the Pufferbilly Days Photo Contest. However, whatever happens, this year is just the foundation from where we will build the Pufferbilly Days Photo Contest into a juggernaut.

Here is the flyer, if you need more information:

Pufferbilly Days Photo Contest Flyer - 2021

While the flyer says the deadline was July 21, the true deadline is roughly 4:30 PM on Tuesday, August 3. That is when I will be picking up the entries and that night my trifecta of judges will evaluate and determine the winners. So, if you are still interested in entering some pictures, you still have the weekend to get your entries ready.

But I digress. Here are some pictures from the Boone County Fair:

I did get to see lots of people at the fair that I haven’t seen in a long time. I hope I get to spend more time at the fair in 2022.

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

PATHS

PATHS! What a great theme for Year 8 of THE WEEKLY PHOTO CHALLENGE!

But what is a PATHS image? Simply put, a PATHS image is a picture of a route used by beings to get from one place to another. Trails are PATHS. Roads are PATHS. Railroads are PATHS. Sidewalks are PATHS. Aisles are PATHS. Of course, you don’t have to be literal. There are the PATHS we are on in our life. There is the faith PATHS that we walk.

In the theme reveal image, there is a literal trail from an observation tower back to the woods and eventually, back to my car.

When considering subjects for this week’s image, consider the following quote:

When the path ignites a soul, there’s no remaining in place. The foot touches the ground, but not for long.
-Hakim Sanai

Happy photo harvesting!

Grandma, History, Self-Portrait, WPC - Reminder

Dropped

July 23, 2021 Christopher D. Bennett

Here is Part 5 of the story of my Grandma Bennett’s brief third marriage.

Sentence in Shooting of M. Handschin

Sioux City Woman Given 10 Years At Women’s Reformatory at Rockwell City

Sioux City, Jan. 26 – Mrs. Martelle McPeek, 29, of Sioux City, today was under sentence of 10 years in the women’s reformatory at Rockwell City for the slaying of Maurice W. Handschin, 37, packinghouse worker.

Mrs. McPeek was sentenced late yesterday by Dist. Judge D.C. Browning, after she pleaded guilty to murder charges. The court decided the offense was second-degree murder.

Mrs. McPeek confessed shooting Handschin on January 11 because he had married another woman after promising to marry her.

She testified that Handschin, who died late Wednesday of a bullet wound through his abdomen, had threatened to beat her after his return from Boone with his bride the former Mrs. Berniece Kessler, mother of a 7 year-old daughter.

Mrs. McPeek said that after friends told her of Handschin’s threats, she changed the door locks on her home where Handschin had been a roomer for six years.

Following the shooting, William McPeek, the accused woman’s husband, filed suit for $130 room rent against Handschin.

Here is the newspaper article:

I will share Part 6, the final part, of this story on Sunday.

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Back earlier in the year, I had an idea for decorating my hallway with a photomosaic self-portrait. I have since abandoned this photo project, but thought I would share some of the self-portraits I took that were test shots for what would be the base image for the photomosaic that will never exist.

At some point, I might try a different photomosaic project, but it won’t be in my hallway.

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

ARCHITECTURE

Architecture! What a great theme for Year 8 of THE WEEKLY PHOTO CHALLENGE.

But what is an ARCHITECTURE image? Simply put ARCHITECTURE photography is the photographing of structures. Buildings mostly, but there are other types of structures. Bridges. Towers. Bleachers. Try to capture a beautiful construction or parts of it in an interesting way.

Think on the following quote when you think about creating your ARCHITECTURE image:

Even a brick wants to be something.
-Louis Kahn

Happy photo harvesting!

Art, Candid Portrait, Event, Jen, Layla, Sara, Shawn Lockner, WPC - Reminder

Ain’t No Party Like A Carousel Party!

July 16, 2021 Christopher D. Bennett

I was recently invited to Maven’s Birthday Party. It took place at a carousel! Yeah, all other parties are now ruined for me. You are going to have to step it up if you want this guy to make an appearance. Not entirely true. I will show up to any particular place where I could potentially get free food.

Here are some pictures from the festivities:

There was some talk of touring area carousels, but I think that has fizzled out now that Tenderloin Trail 2.0 seems to be on the horizon.

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

MUSIC

MUSIC! What a great theme for Year 8 of THE WEEKLY PHOTO CHALLENGE!

But what is a MUSIC photo? A MUSIC photo is any picture that’s composition includes anything related to MUSIC. A person playing MUSIC. Sheet MUSIC. A MUSICal instrument. Anything involved in the creation of MUSIC.

While thinking on your MUSIC photo, consider this quote:

Music is the only language in which you cannot say a mean or sarcastic thing.
-John Erskine

Happy photo harvesting!

Andy, Animals, Brandon, Flowers, Jay, Johnathan, Logan, Naima, Self-Portrait, Self-Portrait Project, Still Life, Teresa, Willy, WPC - Reminder

Selfie Project – June 2021

July 2, 2021 Christopher D. Bennett

On Wednesday night I completed another successful month of THE SELFIE PROJECT. I don’t know that is was a particularly exciting month, but I think there are some good pictures in the collection.

Here are some of my favorites from June:

June 1, 2021

June 2, 2021

June 3, 2021

June 4, 2021

June 5, 2021

June 9, 2021

June 10, 2021

June 11, 2021

June 12, 2021

June 14, 2021

June 15, 2021

June 17, 2021

June 18, 2021

June 19, 2021

June 20, 2021

June 21, 2021

June 22, 2021

June 24, 2021

June 26, 2021

June 27, 2021

June 28, 2021

June 29, 2021

June 30, 2021

I hope there are some great pictures taken for this project in July.

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

ADVENTURE

ADVENTURE! What a great theme for Year 8 of THE WEEKLY PHOTO CHALLENGE.

But what is an ADVENTURE image? An ADVENTURE image is simply any image that was taken while on an ADVENTURE or preparing for an ADVENTURE or going on an ADVENTURE. The theme reveal picture could qualify for all 3. The twist to this picture is that YOU have to figure out what you consider to be an ADVENTURE.

DON’T FORGET THAT INDEPENDENCE DAY IS SUNDAY, THEREFORE MANY PEOPLE HAVE MONDAY AS A VACATION. BUT PHOTOGRAPHY 139 DOES NOT TAKE HOLIDAYS. PLAN YOUR SUBMISSION ACCORDINGLY!!

Happy photo harvesting!

Art, Candid Portrait, Dahlia, Formal Portrait, Greyson, Lensbaby, Logan, Macro, Mom, Naima, Railroad, Teresa, WPC - Alternate, WPC - Reminder

Congregation

June 25, 2021 Christopher D. Bennett

This collection of images is cleaning up some random photos from January and February. The highlight and the majority of these images are taken from when Logan brought Dahlia over see Mom and Teresa.

That was a good day!

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

COMMUNICATION

COMMUNICATION! What a great theme for Year 8 of THE WEEKLY PHOTO CHALLENGE!

But what is a COMMUNICATION image? It is simply any picture that shows a type of COMMUNICATION or people COMMUNICATIONing or things that are used for COMMUNICATION. For example, in the theme reveal there are several things being COMMUNICATIONed. The business is a carwash. The phone number to reach the proprietor is 515-890-1900. Somebody fears the commercialization of Christmas. They also must like fish. Signs are a great form of COMMUNICATION, as just an example.

Happy photo harvesting!

Macro, Naima, Nature, WPC - Reminder

Assemblage

June 18, 2021 Christopher D. Bennett

Today I’m sharing a collection I took over a couple days back in February or Naima and of an icicle.

Some people say I don’t take enough pictures of Naima. Naima is not one of those people. She is a dog.

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

WHITE

WHITE! What a great theme for Year 8 of THE WEEKLY PHOTO CHALLENGE!

But what is a WHITE image? A WHITE image is simply and image where the color WHITE plays an important part of the composition of the image.

Happy photo harvesting!

Formal Portrait, Logan, WPC - Alternate, WPC - Reminder

I Set My Mind to Wandering

June 11, 2021 Christopher D. Bennett

Back in February, it was freezing cold. I got together with Logan to take a picture for THE WEEKLY PHOTOCHALLENGE theme of WIND. Basically we boiled some water. Put some food coloring in it. Went outside and he threw it up over his head. Here are some of the outtakes:

It is an experiment that we will have duplicate again this winter.

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

RED

RED! What a great theme for Year 8 of THE WEEKLY PHOTO CHALLENGE!

But what is a RED image? A RED image is simply any image where the color RED plays an important part of the composition of the image. For example, the main subject of the picture is RED.

Happy photo harvesting!