The Moving Wall
James Krick, a veteran from Shawnee, Okla., looks at The Moving Wall exhibit, a replica of Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington DC, at Woodland Park in Shawnee , Okla., on Sunday, August 23, 2009. By John Clanton, The Oklahoman
When I was a kid, my father, a Vietnam Veteran, took his family to see The Moving Wall when it came to Veteran’s Park in Tulsa. I was young, and I’m sure I didn’t fully comprehend or appreciate what I was seeing. My dad, like many Vietnam veterans, knew people back in 1968 whose names are now on the wall. I remember thinking that for such a large exhibit, the names were very small.
A bottle of beer left near a flag at The Moving Wall exhibit, a replica of Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington DC, at Woodland Park in Shawnee , Okla., on Sunday, August 23, 2009. By John Clanton, The Oklahoman
I’m 23 years older, with a family of my own now, so the wall was infinitely more meaningful to me, seeing it at a park in Shawne, Okla., on Sunday afternoon. Most people around me were in their church clothes, looking at the wall, touching it and taking pictures. Photographing it for the newspaper, I wanted to keep in mind the small type on the wall, and how many names it takes to fill the panels.
Mary Morse, of Shawnee, is reflected in The Moving Wall exhibit, as she look at the memorial, a replica of Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington DC, at Woodland Park in Shawnee , Okla., on Sunday, August 23, 2009. By John Clanton, The Oklahoman
-John Clanton
Prep Photo Day
Three times a year the Sports Department invites metro-area high school coaches to bring themselves and their players into The Oklahoman’s offices for picture day. We catalogue the pictures for use in our Prep Grid every week or when players achieve something outstanding in their sport. Then we use the pictures in the paper or on NewsOK.com. For nearly four years of working here, I’ve somehow managed to miss this assignment. Wednesday afternoon, though, I loaded up lights, background, light stands and background stands, extension cords and cameras and hauled them to the banquet hall of our offices in Oklahoma City for Prep Photo Day.
Several participants accurately described the process as they walked toward the “X” I had marked on the carpet. “mug shots…like in jail.” Exactly. With nearly 400 people showing up to have their pictures taken, we need a way to elimiate mistakes. Each person holds a piece of paper with their name, high school and sport written on it. That way, when I write the cutlines, the chances of getting the names wrong goes down drastically.
Just a few pictures in, I decided to keep an eye out for interesting moments. Most of the high school boys try to look tough, while their teammates stand behind me, trying to get them to smile. A couple of girls from Blanchard, Okla., ask me to take funny pictures. One coach suggested I take a picture “like this” as she held her name card in front of her face. Two girls asked for a picture together, and a kid from Santa Fe South High School was just dazed by how bright the lights were.
I put together a video of all 380 athletes and their coaches. You can see all 779 pictures in less than a minute, while it took nearly 5 hours to photograph them all.
-John Clanton
Just a lightning strike away…
Hugh Scott doesn’t get many bylines in the paper because most of his work is for the advertising and marketing departments at OPUBCO. But he has a collection of lightning photos that is insane! Here are a few from an early August storm. Seems like we’ve had more than normal for this time of the year.
Lightning strikes over the OPUBCO Communications building late Wednesday, Aug. 5, 2009, night as storms rolled across central Oklahoma. Photo by Hugh Scott, The Oklahoman.
Lightning strikes over the OPUBCO Communications building late Wednesday, Aug. 5, 2009, night as storms rolled across central Oklahoma. Photo by Hugh Scott, The Oklahoman.
Lightning strikes over the OPUBCO Communications building late Wednesday, Aug. 5, 2009, night as storms rolled across central Oklahoma. Photo by Hugh Scott, The Oklahoman.
Lightning strikes over the OPUBCO Communications building late Wednesday, Aug. 5, 2009, night as storms rolled across central Oklahoma. Photo by Hugh Scott, The Oklahoman.
-Doug Hoke
“It’s pretty wild.”
Staff Photographer Bryan Terry attended the Oklahoma State Prison Rodeo in McAlester on Friday night. He photographed the event for the newspaper, but also produced this video for the website.
The rodeo didn’t get going until 8:30pm. That’s a fairly late start when editors start worrying about art for the paper by about 9pm. Bryan had to take pictures quickly, send them back to the office by 9pm and then continue working on the video.
An inmate breaks his ankle as he falls off a horse during the Mad Scramble event at the Oklahoma State Prison Rodeo in McAlester, Okla., Friday, August 14, 2009. By Bryan Terry, The Oklahoman
-John Clanton
Troops return
Oklahoma National Guard Soldiers returned home after spending 9 months in Kuwait. Here are a few images from their homecoming.
Jenny Kramer gets a kiss from her boyfriend Barrett Alexander as the troops return from Kuwait to Southwestern Oklahoma State University in Weatherford, Okla on Monday, August 10, 2009. By John Clanton, The Oklahoman
Sgt. Greg Brown (left), of Norman, Okla., gets a kiss from his wife Crystal Brown while Greg's brother Sherman Brown, Jr., (background) gets a hug from his wife Ashley Brown as the troops return from Kuwait to Southwestern Oklahoma State University in Weatherford, Okla on Monday, August 10, 2009. By John Clanton, The Oklahoman
Brandon Weidner, of Ponca City, gets a hug from his father Ronald Weidner while his mother Lysetta Weidner (left) and grandmother Neva McGill look on as the troops return from Kuwait to Southwestern Oklahoma State University in Weatherford, Okla on Monday, August 10, 2009. Brandon Weidner's younger brother was killed in a car wreck while Brandon was overseas. By John Clanton, The Oklahoman
-John Clanton
Stained Glass
Here’s a quick video that I posted this morning about the art of stained glass. I tried to show a little bit of the process behind the windows you might see at church on Sunday.
-John Clanton
Our summer intern
Mae, left, and Wes Roe renew their vows for each other at their fiftieth wedding anniversary party at Church of Christ in Edmond, Okla. Saturday, June 28, 2009. The Roes were married fifty years ago on July 4 which is also both of their birthdays. By Ashley McKee, The Oklahoman
Ashley McKee finished up her summer internship at The Oklahoman and headed for home last Friday. Ashley, who came to Oklahoma for the first time this summer, lives in Montana. She did a great job working in the photo department this summer.
Ashley had a chance to cover a variety of assignments. She went to the International Finals Youth Rodeo, her first wheat harvest, the Red Earth Festival and the Woody Guthrie Festival just to name a few. Ashley’s enthusiasm for photojournalism was contagious. Thanks for your hard work, Ashley. And good luck with your career.
Here are a few of the highlights from her short, eight week stay with us.
Stetson Cravens of Eufaula, Okla. falls to the ground after being dragged by a bucking bronc during the bareback bronc at the International Finals Youth Rodeo in Shawnee, Okla. Thursday, July 16, 2009. By Ashley McKee, The Oklahoman
Joseph Marcotte, left, and his wife Bernice Marcotte, who is the great-grandmother of Allie Croom, watch Croom's funeral service through a window at the Hibb's Funeral Home in Choctaw, Oklahoma June 23, 2009. Croom's death is under investigation and her mom's boyfriend is accused of drowning her last Thursday. By Ashley McKee, The Oklahoman
Robert Girard signs for his interpreter in his home in Oklahoma City Monday, June 29, 2009. By Ashley McKee, The Oklahoman
Maria Hurdle, a Coyote girl, gets excited while serving drinks during the opening of Coyote Ugly in Oklahoma City Wednesday, June 24, 2009. By Ashley McKee, The Oklahoman
Bones howls in his cage at the Stillwater Humane Society in Stillwater, Okla. Wednesday, July 8, 2009. Photo by Ashley McKee, The Oklahoman
-John Clanton
People on Sundays
Antonio Aguirre fulfills a promise as he and his family visit the National Shrine Infant Jesus of Prague at St. Wenceslaus Catholic Church in Prague, Oklahoma on Sunday, August 2, 2009. By John Clanton, The Oklahoman
Antonio Aguirre promised he would do this. He stands in line after Mass with his daughter, Galilea, strapped into her car seat, waiting for his turn to approach the National Shrine Infant Jesus of Prague. Like other visitors to Mass at St. Wenceslaus Catholic Church on Sunday, Antonio, who lives in Oklahoma City, wants a chance to touch the robes of the small Shrine. He stands at the front of the sanctuary for several minutes, bending his head close to his daughter. He gets Galilea out of her car seat and holds her up to the Shrine. A family member gently touches Galilea’s forehead and cheek with the tiny robes.
St. Wenceslaus Catholic Church, located in Prague, Oklahoma, about an hour east of Oklahoma City, celebrated the 60th Anniversary of becoming a National Shrine on Sunday, August 2, 2009. There was Mass, a barbeque lunch, Novena Prayers, and outside, a small carnival with horseshoes, inflatable toys and volleyball games.
Inside the church, Antonio’s family moves aside, letting others take their turn. We quickly find a bilingual teenager to translate for us. “He says he promised he would bring the baby when she was two weeks old.” says the teenager as Antonio speaks in Spanish. “Promised who?” I ask. Nodding toward the shrine he says, “Him.”
-John Clanton
