Tag Archives: featured

Amanda, Angie, Black & White, Calendar, Candid Portrait, Carla, Cathie, Dawn, Elainie, Elizabeth, Holidays, Jen, Jesse, Kim, Kio, Logan, Michelle, Micky, Nature, Sara, Tamara, Teresa, WPC - Submissions

WPC – 327 – CANDID PORTRAIT

December 20, 2021 Christopher D. Bennett

The January image for the 2022 Photography 139 Calendar is an image I took for THE WEEKLY PHOTO CHALLENGE. It is of a corn crib (methinks) that was blown askew by the derecho. It is slightly east of Boone on US-30.

Tomorrow I will reveal the February image.

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Thus far, CANDID PORTRAIT has proven to be a very popular theme.

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

Kim Barker

Elizabeth Nordeen

Carla Stensland

Shannon Bardole-Foley

Christopher D. Bennett

Tamara Peterson

Jesse Howard

Jen Ensely-Gorshe

Angie DeWaard

Jen Ensley-Gorshe

Teresa Kahler

Michelle Haupt

Kio Dettman

Micky Augustin

Logan Kahler

Dawn Krause

Logan Kahler

Cathie Raley

Sara Lockner

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:

HOLIDAYS

HOLIDAYS! What a great theme for Year 8 of THE WEEKLY PHOTO CHALLENGE! But wait, I thought the themes were random? Seems also convenient that HOLIDAYS is the theme the same week as Christmas? Yeah, it does seem convenient. Perhaps even desperately random…

But what exactly is a HOLIDAYS image? Simply put, a HOLIDAYS image is just any image that suggest the celebration of a HOLIDAY. Opening presents, decorations, making treats, hanging with family or friends or co-workers. There are so many possibilities! And yes, Christmas is this week, but that doesn’t mean you can’t go to the basement and pull out your favorite Arbor Day decoration and take a picture of that.

While considering your possible subjects for your HOLIDAYS image, consider the following quote:

A lovely thing about Christmas is that it’s compulsory, like a thunderstorm, and we all go through it together.
-Garrison Keillor

RULES

The picture has to be taken between 12:01 PM today and 11 AM next Monday. This isn’t a curate your photos project. This is a get your butt off the couch (unless you are taking your picture from the couch) and take pictures challenge.

You can send your images to either bennett@photography139.com OR you may text them to my Pixel 5.

That is all I got, so if the good Lord’s willin’ and the creek don’t rise, we will all be sharing our idea of HOLIDAYS in this place that is little more than where I go for my personal holidays next Monday.

Art, Black & White, Brandon, Calendar, Candid Portrait, History, Logan, Mom, Nature, Road Trip, Ruins

Cass County Auxiliary Images Vol. 2

December 19, 2021 Christopher D. Bennett

It is time I start revealing the images that are included in the 2022 Photography 139 Calendar. Each picture was chosen for one reason or another. I might reveal the reason why those images were picked or I might not. It is a mystery. But the pieces are there, if you can put them together.

I tried to represent all the photo projects I’ve worked on or the pictures I entered into Photo Contests, but I only entered one photo contest this past year and most of those pictures were in last year’s calendar. However, THE TOWN SIGN PROJECT is represented by 3 of the images. 3 of the pictures were auxiliary images taken on THE TOWN SIGN PROJECT road trips. THE WEEKLY PHOTO CHALLENGE is represented by 2 images. I also included 2 drone images, even though I barely took any drone images this year. I didn’t include any pictures from THE SELFIE PROJECT, cause nobody wants to stare at this mug for 31 days. I also didn’t include any images from the abandoned POSTCARD RECREATION PROJECT. None of them seemed to fit any of the prerequisites that I have inside my head for each month’s image.

Here is the image that graces the front cover:

This picture of a Banksy inspired mural was found on the side of a building in Creston, Iowa. To know me at all is to know that I love Banksy. I took this picture on the last town sign harvesting trip I took with my Mom.

Tomorrow I will reveal January’s image.

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Here is the balance of the images I took on my road trip with Logan and Brandon to harvest the town signs of Cass County:

Cold Springs State Park

Lewis

Hitchcock House

Atlantic

Tree in the Road – Audubon County

Grand Junction – Greene County

Here is the story behind the Tree in the Road from the Travel Iowa website:

This is a Cottonwood tree that has become a landmark in Audubon County. The story is when the county lines were being established the surveyor placed a green cottonwood stick into the ground at the exact point where the lines crossed and grew into the present tree.

The next set of auxiliary images will come from southwest Iowa.

Black & White, Candid Portrait, Jesse, Ruins, Sarah Toot, Still Life, Street Photography, Travel

NYC – Five

December 18, 2021 Christopher D. Bennett 2 Comments

Here is another collection of images from my trip to New York City with Jesse. It wasn’t exactly to visit my cousin Sarah, but that was really the highlight of the trip.

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:

MORE RANDOM NYC

PERSONAL PHOTO PROJECT OF THE WEEK #64

Next Saturday’s walk down memory lane will still include more New York City.

Billy, Candid Portrait, Dory, Event, J.T., Laura, Nate, WPC - Reminder

Natuation

December 17, 2021 Christopher D. Bennett

Last Saturday I went down to Manhattan, Kansas to watch Nate graduate from Kansas State University with a degree in Food Science. He will be finding another job soon and hopefully moving closer.

Here are some pictures from the party:

I transported the cake from Boone. Don’t worry, I didn’t make it. Dutch Oven did. It will be fascinating to see where life takes Nate, Laura, and the kids next!

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

CANDID PORTRAIT

CANDID PORTRAIT! What a great theme for Year 9 of THE WEEKLY PHOTO CHALLENGE!

But what is a CANDID PORTRAIT image? A CANDID PORTRAIT image is simply an image where the person that is the subject of the photo isn’t posing for the picture. It doesn’t necessarily mean they don’t know their picture is getting taken, but they definitely aren’t posing for the picture. They are just being themselves. Which is why I prefer CANDID PORTRAITS a gazillion to one over formal portraits. But that is just me.

Happy photo harvesting!

Flowers, Macro, Mom, Nature

Walk on By

December 16, 2021 Christopher D. Bennett 2 Comments

Here is another collection of flower pictures from my Mom’s yard. These pictures were taken on July 11, 2021.

There are still more flower pictures to come.

Art, Brandon, Flowers, History, Logan, Railroad, Road Trip, Ruins

Cass County Auxiliary Images Vol. 1

December 15, 2021 Christopher D. Bennett 2 Comments

Several weeks back Logan and Brandon accompanied me on a town sign harvesting trip to Cass County Iowa. Here is the first collection of auxiliary images from that trip:

Adair County

Anita

Wiota

Cumberland

Griswold

Cold Springs State Park

I do want to point out that I do not venerate Jesse James. Many criminals in our history our venerated. Some deserve it. Some do not. Jesse James was a trash human being that shouldn’t be thought of as a hero.

There is still another collection of images to come from this amazing road trip to and through Cass County.

Art, Road Trip, Town Sign Project

Town Sign Project: Winnebago County

December 14, 2021 Christopher D. Bennett 2 Comments

A few weeks back I hit the open road to harvest the town signs of Winnebago County.

Here are some facts about Winnebago County:

+ The population is 10,679 making it the 69th most populous county in Iowa. Behind Hancock County and above Guthrie County. (Unrelated question, do you think that whenever teachers ask their classes to pick a number, do they still always pick 69 and the laugh uncontrollably? I bet they still do.)
+ The largest town and county seat is Forest City, which is partially in Hancock County.
+ Founded in 1847.
+ Founded after the Native American tribe also known as the Ho-Chunk.
+ Location of motor home manufacturers Winnebag.
+ Major highways are US-69 and US-9. (Unrelated, but back in the day college students used to steal Highway 69 signs and thought it was hilarious. I bet they still do.)
+ Adjacent counties are Worth, Hancock, Kossuth, and Cerro Gordo.
+ Population peaked in 1940 at 13,972.

The Winnebago Courthouse is pretty sweet. Especially the fountain out front.

The Winnebago Courthouse in Forest City, Iowa.

The Winnebago County Freedom Rock is located in Lake Mills, Iowa.

If you ever want to check out all the Freedom Rocks and Courthouses to date, just click on this link below:

Courthouses and Freedom Rocks

With Winnebago County conquered, this is the updated Photography 139 Conquest Map:

PURPLE=COMPLETED

49 counties completed. 49.5% of the Cyclone State conquered!

Here are the town signs of Winnebago County:

Forest City, Iowa (Partially in Hancock County)
Forest City
Population: 4,285 (+134)

Lake Mills, Iowa
LAKE MILLS
EST. 1869
Population: 2,143 (+43)

Buffalo Center, Iowa
WELCOME TO… BUFFALO CENTER
Population: 857 (-48)

Thompson, Iowa
Thompson
Est. 1892
Population: 495 (-7)

Leland, Iowa
WELCOME TO… LELAND
WATERMELON DAYS SINCE 1934
A GREAT PLACE TO CALL HOME.
Population: 249 (-40)

Rake, Iowa
Velkommen
RAKE IOWA
EST. 1900
A Little Bit of Norway And A Lot Of Pride
Population: 186 (-39)

Scarville, Iowa
SCARVILLE
Population: 74 (+2)

I don’t think there is a bad town sign in the bunch. If I had to pick a least favorite, it would probably be Lake Mills or Thompson gets points for the at least using a fun font.

Best in Show is pretty obvious. I like the town signs of Leland and Rake, but really it is all about the Buffalo.

Buffalo Center – Best in Show – Winnebago County

When I worked at the Campus Outpost of the Evil Clown Empire my Breakfast Assistant was a woman named Jean Smith. She was from Buffalo Center, Iowa. Jean passed away a few years after I left for the Computer Mine. She was a fascinating person and have many fond memories of her. I thought about her as I drove through Buffalo Center.

A few towns in Winnebago County have alternate town signs:

Thompson – Alternate

Rake – Alternate

Buffalo Center – Alternate

Here is the current list of Best in Shows:

Best in Show – Adair County

Best in Show – Adams County

Best in Show – Audubon County

Best in Show – Benton County

Best in Show – Boone County

Best in Show – Bremer County

Best in Show – Butler County

Best in Show – Calhoun County

Best in Show – Carroll County

Best in Show – Cass County

Best in Show – Cerro Gordo County

Best in Show – Clarke County

Best in Show – Crawford County

Best in Show – Dallas County

Best in Show – Franklin County

Best in Show – Fremont County

Best in Show – Greene County

Best in Show – Grundy County

Best in Show – Guthrie County

Best in Show – Hamilton County

Best in Show – Hancock County

Best in Show – Hardin County

Best in Show – Humboldt County

Best in Show – Ida County

Best in Show – Jasper County

Best in Show – Kossuth County

Best in Show – Lucas County

Best in Show – Madison County

Best in Show – Marion County

Best in Show – Marshall County

Best in Show – Mills County

Best in Show – Monona County

Best in Show – Montgomery County

Best in Show – Page County

Best in Show – Pocahontas County

Best in Show – Polk County

Best in Show – Poweshiek County

Best in Show – Ringgold County

Best in Show – Sac County

Best in Show – Shelby County

Best in Show – Story County

Best in Show – Tama County

Best in Show – Taylor County

Best in Show – Union County

Best in Show – Warren County

Best in Show – Webster County

Best in Show – Winnebago Count

Best in Show – Worth County

Best in Show – Wright County

The next time we hit the dusty road for THE TOWN SIGN PROJECT we will head south to Decatur County.

Andy, Angie, Bill, Candid Portrait, Carla, Cathie, Dory, Elizabeth, J.T., Kim, Kio, Michelle, Micky, Monica, Nate, Shannon, Tamara, Teresa, Vest, WPC - Submissions

WPC – WEEK 326 – ODD CAMERA ANGLE

December 13, 2021 Christopher D. Bennett

ODD CAMERA ANGLE has proven to be an oddly successful theme!

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

Andy Sharp

Submitted by Andy Sharp – Photo by Don Lester

Angie DeWaard

Bill Wentworth

Christopher D. Bennett

Michelle Haupt

Tamara Peterson

Shannon Bardole-Foley

Kio Dettman

Teresa Kahler

Kim Barker

Micky Augustin

Cathie Raley

Elizabeth Nordeen

Carla Stensland

Monica Henning

Mike Vest

CANDID PORTRAIT

CANDID PORTRAIT! What a great theme for Year 9 of THE WEEKLY PHOTO CHALLENGE!

While thinking on your subjects for your CANDID PORTRAIT image, meditate on the following quote:

If indeed you must be candid, be candid beautifully.
-Unknown

RULES

You can send your images to either bennett@photography139.com OR you may text them to my Pixel 5.

That is all I got, so if the good Lord’s willin’ and the creek don’t rise, we will all be sharing our idea of CANDID PORTRAIT in this place that is little more than me being candidly candid next Monday.

Flowers, Macro

Summer Has Come and Passed

December 12, 2021 Christopher D. Bennett

Here is a collection of pictures I took in my yard back in September:

I’m ready for flowers to come back.

Animals, Black & White, Candid Portrait, Jesse, Sarah Toot, Still Life, Street Photography, Travel

NYC – Four

December 11, 2021 Christopher D. Bennett

Here is another collection of images from my trip to New York City I took with Jesse. This collection is a bit more random. Some are taken on Liberty Island. The rest are kind of random.

I hope if you ever make it to New York City, you have as great as a tour guide as my cousin Sarah. Even though, she herself doesn’t go to touristy places.

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

MORE RANDOM NYC – LIBERTY ISLAND AND DAY 3

Next Saturday’s walk down memory lane will still involve this trip to New York City.