Category Archives: WPC – Submissions

Angie, Baier, Bill, Black & White, Carla, Kim, Logan, Music, Self-Portrait, WPC - Submissions

WEEKLY PHOTO CHALLENGE – WEEK 28 – SILHOUETTE

March 28, 2016 Christopher D. Bennett 2 Comments

This week being more of a challenging theme, it was expected that participation might take a dip. However, on the positive side, my nephew Logan became a first time contributor. I’m expecting big things from that guy in the future.

The submissions for SILHOUETTE:

Bill Wentworth

Logan Kahler 1

Logan Kahler 2

Logan Kahler 3

Angie DeWaard

Christopher D. Bennett

Kim Barker

Carla Stensland

But what is this week’s theme?!?!?

Look below this text…

SHAPES!

A quick shout out to the Baier clan for providing the blocks for the Theme Release Image.

So what does that SHAPES mean? You could almost take a picture of anything and submit it and say “that has a shape”, however what you really want to look for is a subject or scene where a shape or shapes are heavy in the composition. A tile floor. A pile of pipes. A brick wall. A bunch of street signs. You get the idea.

However, define the theme any way that you want.

We haven’t went over the rules lately, so here is a quick refresher.

RULES

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.
2. Your submission needs to be emailed to bennett@photography139.com by noon 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.

Once again, no HOUSEKEEPING this week. I’ll try to do better next Monday.

Angie, Art, Bill, Kim, Movies, Nature, Pastor Sarah, WPC - Submissions

WEEKLY PHOTO CHALLENGE – WEEK 27 – TREE

March 21, 2016 Christopher D. Bennett 2 Comments

There aren’t as many people out there that are as passionate about a TREE as they are about their PET. However, the people that have passion are very passionate.

Here are this week’s submissions for TREE:

Bill Wentworth

Kim Barker 1

Kim Barker 2

Sarah Karber

Angie DeWaard 1

Angie DeWaard 2

Angie DeWaard 3

Christopher D. Bennett

It should be noted that we are officially at the halfway point of this project and it has yet to have a single strike against it. Therefore it is somewhat safe (as safe as a UNI lead anyways) to assume that this project will return for a second year. Which means, you should start thinking about themes you want to see for next year. I might be open to suggestions. Although I might not.

On a week where I’m not as rushed, I will publish the full list of 52 themes, so you know what is out there.

How about next week’s theme?

SILHOUETTE!

I’m 100% sure that everybody knows what a tree is. I’m about 98% sure everybody knows what a SILHOUETTE is, but just in case, here is a definition.

the dark shape and outline of someone or something visible against a lighter background, especially in dim light.

The best way to tackle this is to photograph something that is backlit. Preferably something that has an interesting shape. Size or action.

You get it. And I can’t wait to see what people submit.

HOUSEKEEPING

A quick note from THE PHOTOGRAPHY 139 SHAMELESS SECRET DIVISION.

It is troublesome that people have actually been paying attention to my blog post titles lately. I mean, that means I don’t completely exist in a vacuum and that is scary. While I’ll be glad to occasionally answer a “what does that mean” blog title question, I am glad to solve another mystery that I’ve recently been asked.

How do I decide the order of the pictures in the WEEKLY CHALLENGE posts?

I believe when I was asked this question, the person thought I ranked them. I don’t. Believe me. I don’t. I upload all the submissions at the same time, so I post them in the order that they get uploaded. So pictures submitted that are smaller and have a name that is near the front of the alphabet, that picture will probably be near the top. Larger files are usually towards the bottom.

I’m not here to judge art. Unless it is Andy Warhol’s art. That guy sucked. See FACTORY GIRL is you don’t believe me. If it is in a movie it has to be true.

Angie, Animals, Carla, Dustin, Kim, Michelle, Naima, Pastor Sarah, Shannon, Teresa, WPC - Submissions

WEEKLY PHOTO CHALLENGE – WEEK 26 – PET

March 14, 2016 Christopher D. Bennett 4 Comments

Quick post today:

Lots of submissions for PET! Here they are:

CHRISTOPHER D. BENNETT

ANGIE DEWAARD

CARLA STENSLAND

DUSTIN JACKSON 1

DUSTIN JACKSON 2

DUSTIN JACKSON 3

KIM BARKER 1

KIM BARKER 2

SARAH KARBER

TERESA KAHLER

SHANNON BARDOLE

MICHELLE HAUPT

Great submissions! Keep the momentum rolling with this week’s theme:

TREE!

Should be an easy one! Everybody has access to a tree or even trees!

No HOUSEKEEPING this week.

Angie, Animals, Bill, Kim, Michelle, Naima, Self-Portrait, WPC - Submissions

WEEKLY PHOTO CHALLENGE – WEEK 25 – SELF-PORTRAIT

March 7, 2016 Christopher D. Bennett

I think there were a healthy amount of SELF-PORTRAIT submissions this week. I know that submitting a selfie isn’t for everybody, it takes a certain amount of courage or arrogance. Whatever. Not judging.

Here are this week’s submissions for SELF-PORTRAIT:

Kim Barker

Michelle Haupt

Angie DeWaard

Christopher D. Bennett

Bill Wentworth

Some great submissions… obviously.

But why dwell on the past… Let’s look to the future or more specifically… let’s look to this week’s theme:

PET!

Almost everybody has a pet. Yes there are a few out there that don’t have pets. Living lives of quiet desperation. Usually in Ankeny. However, even these people have access to the pets of other people. So I’m expecting big numbers next week.

As always, I can’t wait to see the submissions.

Also, remember. Your submission has to be taken the week of the theme AND has to be emailed to me at bennett@photography139.com by noon on Monday.

HOUSEKEEPING

PHOTOGRAPHY 139 SHAMELESS SELF-PROMOTION DIVISION

I am pleased to announce that the latest person to show off their keen intellect and sophisticated taste by becoming an email subscriber to Photography 139 is noted Iowa State journalist Logan Kahler. What do you need to know about Logan? He is related to me… by blood… so you can imagine how badass he is. I expect that he will become a fairly regular contributor to the WEEKLY PHOTO CHALLENGE at some point in the near future. He is a student at Iowa State University. A university I believe is the highest ranked college in this country when graded on academics, aesthetics, athletics, and how much its president looks like a James Bond villain. Logan enjoys spicy food and has knocked the spicy wings challenge at B-Dubs, but as a poor college student, he was disappointed to find out that didn’t mean his meal was free. If you see Logan walking the mean streets of Ames, give him a knowing glance and feel free to show him the Photography 139 Super-Secret Handshake.

Want to become an email subscriber and join this elite group of highly intelligent people, but don’t know how. Email me for details.

Angie, Bethany, Bill, Dae Hee, Dustin, Jill, Kim, Vest, WPC - Submissions

WEEKLY PHOTO CHALLENGE – WEEK 24 – ABSTRACT

February 29, 2016 Christopher D. Bennett

Even though this week’s theme was a bit obtuse, there were a healthy amount of submissions for ABSTRACT.

Let’s get to them!

ANGIE DEWAARD

BILL WENTWORTH

CHRISTOPHER D. BENNETT

DUSTIN JACKSON 1

DUSTIN JACKSON 2

DUSTIN JACKSON 3

KIM BARKER

MIKE VEST

DUSTIN JACKSON 4

ALL great photos with what I assume great photo assistants! Especially the ones having eye problems.

But enough about the past…

How about this week’s theme:

SELF-PORTRAIT!

Self-Portrait! Or as Russell calls them “selfies”. This is an easy theme. After all, almost everybody I know owns a camera. And almost everybody I know owns a self. My inbox should be jam packed with submissions this week. I can’t wait!

HOUSEKEEPING

PHOTOGRAPHY 139 SHAMELESS SELF-PROMOTION DIVISION

I’m pleased to announce that Bethany Yoon has become the latest person to show her keen intellect and sophisticated tastes by becoming a Photography 139 email subscriber. I wish I had more time to write about Bethany’s many winning attributes, but time is a fickle taskmaster. I have the time to say that she is married to long-time Photography 139 supporter and elementary school punching bag DaeHee Yoon. She lives in the Minneapolis area growing the Photography 139 Minnesota Footprint to 4 Subscribers! I think it is sufficient to say that she is one of my most favoritest people in the world. Even if she doesn’t enjoy good “Racks” style humor. DaeHee knows what I’m talking about. #TeamKnockers So if you see her out and about walking the mean streets of Minneapolis or Burnsville with her selfless canine Tempe or a stroller (soon), feel free to give her a knowing glance and teach her the super-secret Photography 139 handshake.

Angie, Bill, Dustin, Kim, Mom, Teresa, Vest, WPC - Submissions

WEEKLY PHOTO CHALLENGE – WEEK 23 – TECHNOLOGY

February 22, 2016 Christopher D. Bennett 2 Comments

The improved weather and the theme of TECHNOLOGY must have gotten the creative juices flowing for many. We had the highest participation rate in weeks! That includes first time submitter Bill Wentworth!

Here are the submissions for TECHNOLOGY:

Bill Wentworth

Christopher D. Bennett

Mike Vest

Dustin Jackson

Kim Barker

Angie DeWaard 1

Angie DeWaard 2

I love the fact that there was a wide variety of old and new technology. Both black and white and color submissions. This was one of my favorite weeks ever!

But why live in the past. Let’s look at this week’s theme…

ABSTRACT!!

But what is ABSTRACT?

Well here is a pretty good definition of abstract art from the interwebs:

“Art that does not attempt to represent external reality, but seeks to achieve its effect using shapes, forms, colors, and textures.”

Here is an example from my own photography:

A couple things to try would be to find an abstract piece of art to photograph, photograph something or somebody completely out of focus, use a long exposure (probably best at night) and move the camera around, move the zoom on your lens while the photographing something or somebody, or define abstract any way that you feel fits you.

As always, I look forward to seeing your guys’ creative efforts!

HOUSEKEEPING

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

Angie, Kim, Vest, WPC - Submissions

WEEKLY PHOTO CHALLENGE – WEEK 22 – JUNK

February 15, 2016 Christopher D. Bennett 8 Comments

There was a bump in participation this week. Maybe we’ll get another bump next week.

I have to confess that I wasn’t able to get the image I wanted this week because the junkyard I was going photograph was snowed over. Which is too bad, even though it is a chore to get there. You have to cross a stream 3 times and go through a tunnel and then solve the riddle of a troll. I’ll have to photograph it at a later date. If I can solve the riddle.

The submissions for JUNK:

ANGIE DEWAARD

KIM BARKER

CHRISTOPHER D. BENNETT

MIKE VEST

Time to look at this week’s theme:

TECHNOLOGY

As always… feel free to interpret TECHNOLOGY however you feel fit.

HOUSEKEEPING

PHOTOGRAPHY 139 SHAMELESS SELF-PROMOTION DIVISION

We are pleased to announced that Bill Wentworth has become the latest person to display his keen intellect, taste, and sophistication by becoming a PHOTOGRAPHY 139 EMAIL SUBSCRIBER. The addition of Bill stretches the PHOTOGRAPHY 139 EMPIRE to the forsaken land of Nebraska. Replacing Arkansas as the worst state in the Photography 139 Union. I don’t know what I should tell you about Bill. I’ve known him since probably 9th Grade when he was a deacon in Lowell’s shortly lived church.

Bill was a founding member of Saturday Morning Basketball. I was not a founding member of Saturday Morning Basketball, so I assumed that Bill was quite the baller because every time I saw him in the hallways of dear old Boone High School, he was sporting some form of Chicago Bulls gear and talking about basketball.

One Saturday morning I was sleeping in the family den when the doorbell rang. At the door was Anders and Lowell. One of the members of Saturday Morning Basketball was not able to play because he was being forced to work his family garage sale. I was invited to take his place. I jumped at the opportunity because I love playing the greatest game ever invented.

When we arrived at the Health Center, Bill was warming up, his vast array of spin moves and shot fakes. He came over and formally introduced himself. Then he pulled me aside.

“Look” he said, “We aren’t really all that good. Mostly you’ll just want to get the ball to Willy (McAlpine) and Dan (Dill) and let them do most of the scoring.”

I took his sage advice to heart, but I didn’t come there to watch two other guys play basketball.

It was on that Saturday a new friendship with Bill was forged AND a one man basketball revolution came to Saturday Morning Basketball.

Out went the old rule that Dan and Willy couldn’t be on the same team. In came the tacit acceptance that if you weren’t on my team, you weren’t winning.

In the years since Bill has received his diploma from Boone High School, graduated from Iowa State University, moved to Chicago, Saint Louis, and Omaha. Bill is a talented artist and I hope that we will soon see many a submission from him for the Weekly Photo Challenge.

So if you find yourself in Omaha, feel free to give Bill a knowing glance and teach him the super-secret Photography 139 handshake.

WEEKLY CHALLENGE ARCHIVE

Reminder that if you want to look back at past submissions to the WEEKLY PHOTO CHALLENGE, follow the link below:

WEEKLY PHOTO CHALLENGE GALLERY

As always, I look forward to seeing this week’s submissions.

Fisheye, Iowa State, Kim, WPC - Submissions

WEEKLY PHOTO CHALLENGE – WEEK 21 – LANDMARK

February 8, 2016 Christopher D. Bennett

Oooh.

This week came dangerously close to the first strike against this project, but then Kim came in with a photo Monday morning. Maybe this was a theme that didn’t ring many bells or maybe it was all the “bad” weather last week. Regardless. Solid work Kim!

The submissions for LANDMARK:

Kim Barker

Christopher D. Bennett

No reason to dwell on the past though. Time to look at the future.

This week’s theme:

JUNK!

I might regret saying this, but as always, define JUNK however you see fit.

HOUSEKEEPING

At this time, nothing new to report from any Photography 139 Divisions.

Angie, Kim, Music, Pastor Sarah, WPC - Submissions

WEEKLY PHOTO CHALLENGE – WEEK 20 – MUSIC

February 1, 2016 Christopher D. Bennett 2 Comments

This week’s theme was MUSIC. There must not many lovers of MUSIC out there as participation took a bit of a dip this week. That is okay, because the submissions were great. Hopefully next week’s theme trips more triggers.

The submissions for MUSIC:

KIMBERLY BARKER

CHRISTOPHER D. BENNETT

ANGIE DEWAARD

SARAH KARBER

Time to reveal this week’s theme:

LANDMARK!

While there aren’t many music lovers out there, maybe there are numerous LANDMARK lovers out there.

What is a LANDMARK?

Something that a town might be known for. A famous thing. Like the Campanile at Iowa State or the water tower in Ogden. Something that if you were giving directions, you would reference. At Milton Lott’s Grave, take a right. Right into the river.

Time for a reminder of the rules.

RULES

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.
2. Your submission needs to be emailed to bennett@photography139.com by noon 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.

HOUSEKEEPING

PHOTOGRAPHY 139 SHAMELESS SELF-PROMOTION DIVISION

Nothing new to report. Nobody showed their keen intellect and sophisticated tastes by becoming an email subscriber to this here blog.

Maybe you have a keen intellect and sophisticated tastes and would like to become an email subscriber to this here blog, but don’t know how.

It is easy, just send an email to this email: bennett@photography139.com indicating that you would like to become an email subscriber. The benefits are… well there are just too many to describe at this time.

PHOTOGRAPHY 139 ONGOING PHOTO PROJECT DIVISION

A reminder that the THE SELF-PORTRAIT PROJECT is ongoing and you can check it out by following the link below:

THE SELF-PORTRAIT PROJECT

That is it for today. I look forward to all the LANDMARKS that end up in my inbox.

Angie, Art, Carla, Derrick, Dustin, Flat Earth Joe, Jill, Pastor Sarah, Shannon, WPC - Submissions

WEEKLY PHOTO CHALLENGE – WEEK 19 – GRAFFITI

January 25, 2016 Christopher D. Bennett 3 Comments

It is exciting times around the PHOTOGRAPHY 139 WORLDWIDE HEADQUARTERS. There is a first time submitter in Dustin Jackson this week.

Dustin is a very talented photographer and I would encourage you to follow him on his Facebook page, if you haven’t. I would post a link, but then I’d have to go on Facebook and this has been a pretty great week so far. My disdain for humanity is at a low and I don’t want that to go away right now.

Maybe later.

Either way, I’m super excited to have Dustin as a fairly regular contributor. I’m expecting great things from him!

Here are this week’s submissions for GRAFFITI:

ANGIE DEWAARD 1

ANGIE DEWAARD 2

DUSTIN JACKSON

CHRISTOPHER D. BENNETT

SHANNON BARDOLE

SARAH KARBER

CARLA STENSLAND*

KIM BARKER

But what is this week’s theme? Well, you don’t have to wait any longer!

MUSIC!

As always, you can define MUSIC any way you want. For example, I know people that define Five Finger Death Punch as music, whereas I do not. Good luck to everybody participating.

A quick review of the rules.

RULES

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.
2. Your submission needs to be emailed to bennett@photography139.com by noon 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.

HOUSEKEEPING

PHOTOGRAPHY 139 SHAMELESS SELF-PROMOTION DIVISION

I told you this is a great week! I get to proudly announce that there have been not ONE, but TWO people that have exercised their keen intellect by displaying both their taste and sophistication by becoming Photography 139 email subscribers. Please welcome aboard Dustin Jackson and Derrick Gorshe. If you see them out and about walking the mean streets of Ogden or Ames, feel free to give them a knowing glance.

I’ve known both Dustin and Derrick for what feels like forever. All of us used to toil in the mines of the Evil Clown Empire in another life. Back then Dustin used to go by the moniker Action Jackson and Derrick used to go by the name D-Rock. They are also both amazing cooks and are both married to smart, beautiful, strong, amazing women. I’m going to guess this is the result of their keen intellects and their sophisticated tastes.

Dustin and I were founding members in an underground beverage society that supported and encouraged the drinking of Jones Soda. We once fought the good fight against Jones Soda suppression that the local Hy-Vee was engaged in. Although we lost the battle, Hy-Vee definitely knew they were in a fight.

Derrick and I were once in the faux jam band Bratwurst Explosion. We definitely rocked many a faux stage in our day. Derrick, to his credit, also rocked many a real stage in his youth.

Derrick is also the twin brother of longtime Photography 139 supporter Jill Gorshe.

Dustin does not have a twin, but I don’t hold that against him. As long as he keeps feeding me homemade pretzel buns!

Welcome aboard Dustin and Derrick. I know you shall fare well.

PHOTOGRAPHY 139 SHAMELESS COMMENTARY DIVISION

In the last couple of weeks, both Russell Kennerly and Jason Baier have earned their own avatars for use in the COMMENTS section of this here blog. Hopefully, they won’t be the last and hopefully, they will put these to good use in the future.

PHOTOGRAPHY 139 SECRET HANDSHAKE DIVISION

It is with some sadness and a certain degree of remorse, that I’ve had to fold the PHOTOGRAPHY 139 SECRET HANDSHAKE DIVISION. They just weren’t making satisfactory progress. While I never like to see people put out of their jobs, sometimes, it just has to be done. I have given them the requisite pretzels, to let them know that they are being closed down.

So now and on into the future, we will go back to pretending that there is a super-secret Photography 139 secret handshake. Isn’t pretending more fun anyways?

*Technically I took this photo, but Carla told me to take it because she couldn’t.