Daisy, a Cocker mix, belonging to Pam Lanman, rests after competing in the Look Alike category with Katie Thornton, 5, Pam's granddaughter during the Krazy Kids Dog Show at Shannon Miller Park in Edmond Saturday, September 24, 2011. Photo by Doug Hoke, The Oklahoman.

Riley Cranford, 2 1/2, plays with her wand during the Faerie Ball in the Paseo Saturday, September 24, 2011. Photo by Doug Hoke, The Oklahoman

Amanda Lane watches her daughter play during the Faerie Ball in the Paseo Saturday, September 24, 2011. Photo by Doug Hoke, The Oklahoman

Faerie dancer performs during the Fairy Ball in the Paseo Saturday, September 24, 2011. Photo by Doug Hoke, The Oklahoman

To see a photo gallery from the Krazy Kids Dog show click here.

To see a photo gallery from the Faerie Ball in Paseo click here.

In all, it was a magical day taking photos.

-Doug Hoke…

The mob dance was organized by the YMCA of Greater Oklahoma City to post on the “Let’s Make Ellen our #1 Thunder Girl” Facebook page. Thunder Girls taught the crowd a dance routine that goes with a Thunder song. If I hadn’t been there and seen it with my own eyes, I wouldn’t have thought you could teach several hundred fans of all shapes and sizes a dance routine in 30 minutes, but they did. I was amazed at how in synch everyone became in such a short time. Great team work!

Tania Way-Garcia, left, and Ashlee Paul practice the dance moves during a Thunder mob dance to send to Ellen DeGeneres at Hafer Park in Edmond Wednesday, May 18, 2011. Photo by Doug Hoke, The Oklahoman.

The crowd practices the dance steps during a Thunder mob dance to send to Ellen DeGeneres at Hafer Park in Edmond Wednesday, May 18, 2011. Photo by Doug Hoke, The Oklahoman.

Girls with Ellen on their shirts learn the dance steps during a Thunder mob dance to send to Ellen DeGeneres at Hafer Park in Edmond Wednesday, May 18, 2011. Photo by Doug Hoke, The Oklahoman.

The crowd practices the dance steps during a Thunder mob dance to send to Ellen DeGeneres at Hafer Park in Edmond Wednesday, May 18, 2011. Photo by Doug Hoke, The Oklahoman.

Leah Sparks learns the dance steps with an Ellen mask on her head during a Thunder mob dance to send to Ellen DeGeneres at Hafer Park in Edmond Wednesday, May 18, 2011. Photo by Doug Hoke, The Oklahoman.

A lot of energy and fun! To see more photos click here.

To watch video of the mob dance click here.

Go Thunder!

-Doug Hoke…

Young girls work on their ballet routine during practice for Metropolitan School of Dance Saturday, May 7, 2011. Photo by Doug Hoke, The Oklahoman

Donnavya Neal, 5, works on her ballet during practice for Metropolitan School of Dance Saturday, May 7, 2011. Photo by Doug Hoke, The Oklahoman

Akia Johnson, 8, left, and Michelle Taffe, 9, during ballet practice for Metropolitan School of Dance Saturday, May 7, 2011. Photo by Doug Hoke, The Oklahoman

Madison Edwards during ballet practice for Metropolitan School of Dance Saturday, May 7, 2011. Photo by Doug Hoke, The Oklahoman

Thanks girls!!!

To see more photos click here.

To watch a video click here.

-Doug Hoke

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Complete lunar eclipse Tuesday, Dec. 21, 2010. Photo by Doug Hoke, The Oklahoman.

Tuesday’s lunar eclipse was the first time that it has coincided with winter’s solstice since 1638, 372 years! A once in a lifetime occurrence, so I decided to stay up and take photos. First thing was look up the times that the eclipse would occur and hope that there were no clouds. I gathered my equipment and then took a nap for an hour, setting my alarm for 12:40 am., which was the start time. After waking and going outside to see if it was clear, I grabbed my camera gear.

Before the lunar eclipse Tuesday, Dec. 21, 2010. Photo by Doug Hoke, The Oklahoman.

To shoot the moon you need a long lens, 300mm minimum, the longer the better. I used a 300mm f2.8 Canon L lens and added a 2X extender to create a 600 f 5.6 lens. I then used a 50D body which has a 1.6 crop factor for the chip, which basically gave me a 960mm f 5.6 lens. Next thing to grab was the sturdiest tripod I had which had a Slik Pro Ball head on it. The eclipse was almost straight up, so the ball head worked well.

Start of the lunar eclipse Tuesday, Dec. 21, 2010. Photo by Doug Hoke, The Oklahoman.

Not having a remote cord handy, I set the self timer to the 2 sec. delay. That allows the camera to settle down after the shutter button is pushed. Next thing is to determine exposure. Because of the 2X extender, I knew I wanted to use f8 so that the lens would be stopped down one f-stop from wide open to improve sharpness. I started with iso 800. While the sun was still on the moon that gave me a shutter speed somewhere around 1/500. There were light clouds that cut the exposure down some.

About halfway to the lunar eclipse Tuesday, Dec. 21, 2010. Photo by Doug Hoke, The Oklahoman.

I used the camera in manual mode and proofed the exposure on the camera monitor. Automatic will not work in a situation like this because of all of the black surrounding a bright white object. If your camera has a “spot” meter setting, this is the time to use it!

About 1/4 to go to the lunar eclipse Tuesday, Dec. 21, 2010. Photo by Doug Hoke, The Oklahoman.

Once the earth’s shadow had completely covered the moon, about 1:40 am, I had to move my iso to 2500 and slow the shutter down to about 1/2 sec. to expose the red glow of the moon. I was really  glad the Oklahoma wind was still, or everything would have been shaking at those slow shutter speeds. Next time there is a lunar eclipse, plan ahead and give it your best shot!

Down to the last sliver of moon left before the complete lunar eclipse Tuesday, Dec. 21, 2010. Photo by Doug Hoke, The Oklahoman.

-Doug Hoke…

A 1952 Porsche 356 Cabriolet owned by Dr. Robert Wilson is the oldest surviving Porsche sold in America according to Porsche. It was rescued from a salvage yard and restored. Wednesday, Oct. 27, 2010. Photo by Doug Hoke, The Oklahoman.

Make no mistake, being a photographer for a newspaper is a great job, but most of the time we take photos for stories that, while interesting and challenging, are not by choice. Oct. 27 was different. There was an assignment I wanted to do. I mean REALLY wanted to do. The oldest Porsche sold in America, a 1952 Porsche Cabriolet.

As a life-long car enthusiast, there are few things I would rather do than photograph cars or talk about cars. I got the bug from my Dad. During my middle and high school years he bought, worked on and traded sports cars and I went along for the ride. At one point Dad had a yellow 1956 Porsche 356a with a sunroof, so that piqued my interest in Dr. Robert Wilson’s Porsche.

I love to explore the lines of the older cars that were built when the designers ruled, not the accountants and marketing teams. And this 356 is a jewel. Learning about the history of the car was exciting. To learn more, watch the video.

Hope you enjoy looking at the photos as much as I did taking them. To see a gallery click here

The front hood of a 1952 Porsche 356 Cabriolet owned by Dr. Robert Wilson is the oldest surviving Porsche sold in America according to Porsche. It was rescued from a salvage yard and restored. Wednesday, Oct. 27, 2010. Photo by Doug Hoke, The Oklahoman.

-Doug Hoke…

Teammates congratulate Barry Sanders, Jr. after his 3rd touchdown during the high school football game between Heritage Hall and NOAH in Oklahoma City, Friday, Oct. 1, 2010. Photo by Doug Hoke, The Oklahoman.

Barry Sanders, Jr. puts his helmet back on after his third touchdown as he goes on defense during the high school football game between Heritage Hall and NOAH in Oklahoma City, Friday, Oct. 1, 2010. Photo by Doug Hoke, The Oklahoman.

Barry Sanders, Jr. pushes away Justus McGuire to get to the end zone for a 4th time in the first half during the high school football game between Heritage Hall and NOAH in Oklahoma City, Friday, Oct. 1, 2010. Photo by Doug Hoke, The Oklahoman.

Barry Sanders, Jr. tosses back a water bottle as he goes back on the field to play defense after his 3rd TD during the high school football game between Heritage Hall and NOAH in Oklahoma City, Friday, Oct. 1, 2010. Photo by Doug Hoke, The Oklahoman.

One of the fun things about my long career at The Oklahoman (33 years) is photographing the children of the people I’ve photographed over the years. In the 80′s it was Barry Sanders at OSU and now it’s Barry Sanders, Jr. at Heritage Hall. Who knows, maybe I’ll be around long enough to photograph his children!

-Doug Hoke…

-Doug Hoke…

SMOKIN' Steam rises from the head of Nicholas Nealy as he rests on the sideline during the high school football game between Douglass and Weatherford at Douglass High School Friday, Oct. 23, 2009. Photo by Doug Hoke, The Oklahoman

-Doug Hoke…

Doug Hoke with his denim 1970's photo vest and retro look.

OSU coach Mike Gundy and OSU president Burns Hargis watch as Boone Pickens cuts the ribbon to officially open the new stadium before the college football game between OSU and the University of Georgia at Boone Pickens Stadium on the campus of Oklahoma State University in Stillwater Saturday, Sept. 5, 2009. Photo by Doug Hoke, The Oklahoman.

When I started coming to Stillwater for The Oklahoman the stadium was not much more than rusty bleachers and now it is one of the finest facilities in the Big 12 if not the country. As I made my way through the press box and worked the sidelines there were only 5 faces I saw that had been around as long. Mike Holder who was golf coach back then is now the Athletic Director. Pat Quinn was the SID when I started, but long since retired. Dr. Cooper is still patrolling the sidelines as is Steve Ingram, an OSU campus police officer who I have seen just about every season. And John Biever with Sports Illustrated was at the game too.

Not many working peers left, but lots of athletes in front of the lens. A few stand out. The best receiver I ever covered was Hart Lee Dykes. The guy could catch anything thrown his direction. Speaking of throwing, another OSU player named Mike Gundy stands out. Don’t know if he’s the best, but I have covered him at MWC high school, OSU as a player and now a coach. That’s history.

Hart Lee Dykes is congratulated by teammates after a touchdown in 1988 against Texas A&M. Photo by Doug Hoke.

OSU head coach Pat Jones, left, talks with an assistant coach as quarterback Mike Gundy looks on Saturday. Photo by Doug Hoke

oach Mike Gundy talks with an official during the college football game between OSU and the University of Georgia at Boone Pickens Stadium on the campus of Oklahoma State University in Stillwater Saturday, Sept. 5, 2009. Photo by Doug Hoke, The Oklahoman.

Thurman Thomas and a guy named Barry Sanders are near the top of the running back list. But my favorite all time running back to photograph was Billy Sims. I just like the way he glided around the field. Add two other Heisman winners, Jason White and Sam Bradford and that’s four Heisman players I’ve covered.

A couple of others who stand out are Brian Bosworth and Adrian Peterson. Bosworth played with passion and Peterson is, well, AD. I’m horrible with names, so I’m sure there are others I should mention, especially members of OSU’s swarming defenses over the years that I made iconic images of.

Barry Sanders 89 yard TD, outruns the Miami of Ohio defense. Staff Photo by Doug Hoke

1/2/79. Orange Bowl. OU-Nebraska. Oklahoma halfback Billy Sims outruns Nebraska's Jim Pillen on his way to his first Orange Bowl touchdown as the Sooners downed the Huskers

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Tall grass is silhouetted against the setting sun along 33rd street in Edmond near Coltrane Tuesday, Sept. 1, 2009. Photo by Doug Hoke, The Oklahoman.

-Doug Hoke…