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Challenge #17: Best of 2006
Ends: Monday, Jan 1st 6:00 PM EST

From all of us at photogmo, we want to wish you and your loved ones Happy Holidays and a Happy New Year!

Thank you to all our contributors for some truly amazing photography! Wow. Keep it coming!

Our last challenge for the year is less of a challenge and more of an exhibition. Share one or two of your favorite photographs that you took this year. See you in 2007!

What do you see?

One early morning, back in the days of taming the frontier, three nuns stumbled upon the priest of San Jose mission, gagged and tied to one of these columns. How trite and cliche you say? Well yes, but that tired scenario had to originate somewhere.

As they untied him, he told them what had happened late the night before, long after everyone had returned to their homes after evening mass. The Father was walking from the chapel to his parsonage, when the YellerBelly gang (yes, THE YellerBellies!) jumped from behind the dark columns and stole his satchel of the evening's offerings.

For those of you who didn't have to take two years of Texas history, the YellerBellies were bunch of vagabons constantly running from someone, so they joined forces thinking that five men could run faster than one. The leader of the gang was an Comanche half-breed horse thief who had been running ever since his brother was caught and stabbed to death by an angry ice-pick-wielding farmer. Two of the members were twin Mexicans whose father was a spy for Texans in the revolution, but were orphaned after the war and outcast by their native country and not accepted by the new one. The fourth was a runaway slave, and being in the South at the brink of the Civil War, prefered to keep the bandana tied high over his face and keep running. The final member was an Irish chap that just didn't have anything better to do.

Back to the Padre... after the gang had grabbed the satchel, they knew they had to dispose of the priest because of his bad-ass reputation. Legend had it that he brushed his teeth with rattle snake venom just to challenge God and his promise to heal-- or raise from the dead. Well, the gang left the Irish guy in charge of the priest because they were yeller and already running. But being Catholic and instilled with the fear of God and supreme guilt--and taking the static shock from the priest's robe as a warning from God-- Irish couldn't kill the priest, thus the gag and tie.

"Well, I suppose they were sorely disappointed when they found nothing but corn and a couple pennies in the satchel," said one nun. They had anticipated an attempted robbery and the nuns had stuffed their undergarments with the offering.

The Padre dusted off his robe and said, "Probably not. They came back again this week, didn't they?"

THE END.
(I don't expect any of the stories to be this long! I just kept writing because it kept coming!)

Challenge #16: hiSTORY
Ends: Sunday, Dec 24th 6:00 PM EST

Most everyone has photos of historical places, but this challenge is to put your own creative spin on the photo:
1. post a photo of any thing/place historical.
2. write a caption that's completely fictitious-- something that could have happened at any point in time. it's your STORY.
3. comment on the photos, BUT write a new caption (story) inspired by the photo.

Use the ancient art of story-telling this week! Let us see how creative everyone is!

What do you see? and what do you say?

Fruit Basket 2

I just love the way light works off of vegtables.

Fruit Basket

I found this topic a challenge - I haven't tried still life before.
Any comments and critiques will be appreciated. Thanks.

I thought in honor of the holidays I would use candy canes as my still life (food). I would love to recieve feedback.

One Down, Two to Go!

I apologize for the rotation. The image in landscape everywhere but here! Any ideas?

Challenge #15: Food as Still-Life
Ends: Sunday, Dec 17th 6:00 PM EST

Food is great to eat. It's also a great subject for still-life photography! Meat, fish, bread, fruits, pastries... Who says food can't be art?

What do you see?

Sister Mary frightened

Wisdom of the Years

Risien is originally from Shri Lanka (Ceylon) a good friend; retired dentist; a fellow magician and at 84 still sings.

Intense Thoughts

Close friend Keith is an intense person and every thing he does has to be perfect. He is a fellow magician and is back at university studying to be a Social Worker.

Both photos taken with Nikon D50 DSLR

Don't Mess with Texas!

For every action there is a reaction!

You Talkin' to Me?

Sometimes personality appears where you least expect it. I enjoy finding it in birds. What do you think?

--Larry

http://www.LarryEiss.com

Challenge #14: Character and Expression
Ends: Sunday, Dec 10th 6:00 PM EST

Portaits can capture the character and expression of an individual.

What do you see?

Eiffel Tower

Refracted prism from stained glass window at La Mezquita in Spain