Cowboys upset the Tigers
Oklahoma State's Le'Bryan Nash celebrates with fans following an NCAA college basketball game between the Oklahoma State University Cowboys (OSU) and the Missouri Tigers (MU) at Gallagher-Iba Arena in Stillwater, Okla., Wednesday, Jan. 25, 2012. Oklahoma State won 79-72. Photo by Bryan Terry, The Oklahoman
Missouri's Phil Pressey (1) and Oklahoma State's Keiton Page (12) fight for the ball during an NCAA college basketball game between the Oklahoma State University Cowboys (OSU) and the Missouri Tigers (MU) at Gallagher-Iba Arena in Stillwater, Okla., Wednesday, Jan. 25, 2012. Photo by Bryan Terry, The Oklahoman
Oklahoma State's Brian Williams celebrates with fans following an NCAA college basketball game between the Oklahoma State University Cowboys (OSU) and the Missouri Tigers (MU) at Gallagher-Iba Arena in Stillwater, Okla., Wednesday, Jan. 25, 2012. Oklahoma State won 79-72. Photo by Bryan Terry, The Oklahoman
Click here to see more photos from the game.
— Sarah Phipps
I root for good pictures.
Kendrick Perkins (5) celebrates along with fans and head coach Scott Brooks, right, after Kevin Durant (35), left, hit the game-winning shot as time expired in an NBA basketball game between the Oklahoma City Thunder and the Dallas Mavericks at Chesapeake Energy Arena in Oklahoma City, Thursday, Dec. 29, 2011. Oklahoma City won, 104-102. Photo by Nate Billings, The Oklahoman
I’m often asked when photographing sports who I’m rooting for. I always give the same selfish answer, “I’m rooting for good pictures.” It’s nice to see the local teams I cover do well because it’s good for our community and our business here at The Oklahoman and NewsOK, but what I really want are exciting plays that make compelling pictures.
Last night’s game between the Oklahoma City Thunder and Dallas Mavericks put me through the typical thought process I have during a close game that would probably seem completely foreign to most sports fans. With 1.4 seconds left, Vince Carter hit shot to give the Mavericks the lead. At this point, things looked grim for the Thunder and fans were probably not feeling too great about the team’s chances, but I felt good because I had a nice shot of the Mavericks celebrating. If the Thunder go on to lose, I’ve made a compelling picture of the key moment of the game. If Oklahoma City pulls out a win, I’ve got a chance for more exciting photos.
Vince Carter (25) and Jason Terry (31), right, of Dallas celebrate a shot by Carter with 1.4 seconds left to give the Mavericks a 102-101 lead in the fourth quarter of an NBA basketball game between the Oklahoma City Thunder and the Dallas Mavericks at Chesapeake Energy Arena in Oklahoma City, Thursday, Dec. 29, 2011. Kevin Durant hit a shot as time expired to give Oklahoma City a 104-102 win. In the background is Jason Kidd. Photo by Nate Billings, The Oklahoman
Kevin Durant’s buzzer beater made the above photograph worthless for the next day’s paper, but provided some nice reaction too.
Oklahoma City fans react after Kevin Durant (35) hit the game-winning shot as time expired in an NBA basketball game between the Oklahoma City Thunder and the Dallas Mavericks at Chesapeake Energy Arena in Oklahoma City, Thursday, Dec. 29, 2011. Oklahoma City won, 104-102. Photo by Nate Billings, The Oklahoman
Part of being a sports photographer is sometimes making good pictures that end up being worthless because of the outcome of the game. Sometimes what we wish could be the play of the game just turns out to be another dunk, turnover or touchdown, a nice shot graphically without much meaning to the story of the game. Lucky for me, in the process of ruining the need for my Dallas celebration shot, Kevin Durant gave me the opportunity for some new nice pictures.
If you’ve got the time, check out this photo gallery from the game.
-Nate Billings
A defense-free basketball exhibition
J.D. Sims (center) of Lawton, Gaylan Towle (right), of Edmond, and other fans watch Kevin Durant walk onto the court during the US Fleet Tracking Basketball Invitational at the Cox Convention Center in Oklahoma City Sunday, Oct. 23, 2011. Photo by John Clanton, The Oklahoman
Kevin Durant, a few of his Thunder teammates and other locked-out NBA players, put on an exhibition game at the Cox Convention Center in Oklahoma City on Sunday night. Here are a few of the pictures from the game that ended with Kevin Durant and the White Team ahead of Carmelo Anthony and the Blue team by a score of 176-171.
You can see more pictures from the game or read stories by Darnell Mayberry and John Rohde.
Russell Westbrook slams the ball during the US Fleet Tracking Basketball Invitational at the Cox Convention Center in Oklahoma City Sunday, Oct. 23, 2011. Photo by John Clanton, The Oklahoman
Michael Beasley (right) puts up a shot in front of Kevin Durant during the US Fleet Tracking Basketball Invitational at the Cox Convention Center in Oklahoma City Sunday, Oct. 23, 2011. The White Team defeated the Blue Team 176-171. Photo by John Clanton, The Oklahoman
-John Clanton
Good things happen in threes
As journalists we cover a lot of news. Not all the news is good news, so it is nice when we photograph happy events. Over the weekend, I was able to cover three positive stories. The first was a story on puppy fostering. Who doesn’t like puppies? The second was a story on an Oklahoma soldier who was on a 10-day leave from Afghanistan to see his 5-day old baby. Finally on Saturday, I covered an OU alumni basketball game and took pictures of 84 year old Keith Miller warming up on the court along with other alumni. Miller was on the OU basketball team from 1948 to 1950. It was on his bucket list to suit up for the Sooners once again.
Foster puppies play at the home of Ben Brown in Oklahoma City, Friday, Aug. 26, 2011. Photo by Sarah Phipps, The Oklahoman
Spc. Cory McCarty holds his 4-day old son, Tyesin, at his home in Moore, Okla., Friday, Aug. 26, 2011. Photo by Sarah Phipps, The Oklahoman
Keith Miller, 84, is introduced before the reunion basketball game at the Sooner Basketball Family Weekend at Lloyd Noble Center in Norman, Okla., Saturday, Aug. 27, 2011. Miller was on the OU basketball team from 1948 to 1950. Photo by Sarah Phipps, The Oklahoman
Keith Miller, 84, warms up before the reunion basketball game at the Sooner Basketball Family Weekend at Lloyd Noble Center in Norman, Okla., Saturday, Aug. 27, 2011. Miller was on the OU basketball team from 1948 to 1950. Photo by Sarah Phipps, The Oklahoman
— Sarah Phipps
The Next Step is free
This photograph, featured on pages 20 and 21 of a new book called "The Next Step", shows Oklahoma City's Russell Westbrook dunking in front of the Milwaukee Bucks' defense at The OKC Arena in Oklahoma City. Photo by Bryan Terry, The Oklahoman
A new book titled The Next Step, published by the OPUBCO Communications Group, features images and stories from the Oklahoma City Thunder’s 2010-2011 season. Graphic Designer Matt Clayton designed the book and filled it with images from staff photographers at The Oklahoman and stories about the team from staff writers in the Sports Department. Here are a few of the images that appear in the book and a preview of a few of the pages.
The Next Step will be available for free at convenience stores around the Oklahoma City metro area starting on Saturday, July 23, 2011. You can read more about the Thunder by clicking here, or you can follow this link to see more pictures by The Oklahoman’s Photography Department. You can also get a closer look at any picture featured on Alternate Crop by clicking on the picture.
This layout on pages 10 and 11 features images of Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook (left) by Staff Photographer Sarah Phipps and Kevin Durant in action against the New York Knicks by Staff Photographer Bryan Terry (right)
Oklahoma City Thunder fans cheer as the Thunder score the first points of the game during the first round NBA Playoff basketball game between the Thunder and the Denver Nuggets at OKC Arena in downtown Oklahoma City on Wednesday, April 20, 2011. Photo by John Clanton, The Oklahoman
Oklahoma City's Russell Westbrook (0) reacts during the first round NBA basketball playoff game between the Oklahoma City Thunder and the Denver Nuggets on Sunday, April 17, 2011, in Oklahoma City, Okla. Photo by Chris Landsberger, The Oklahoman
Oklahoma City mascot Rumble the Bison slaps the hands of Thunder fans during the NBA basketball game between the Orlando Magic and Oklahoma City Thunder in Oklahoma City, Thursday, January 13, 2011. Oklahoma City won, 125-124. Photo by Nate Billings, The Oklahoman
-John Clanton
Pictures I Like-Early summer version
Bill Zitzow, of Oklahoma City, holds an historic 15 star flag during the Flag Day Celebration ceremony at Midwest City Elks Lodge #1890 in Midwest City, Okla., on Sunday, June 12, 2011. Photo by John Clanton, The Oklahoman
Some interesting pictures have been turned in by staff photographers at The Oklahoman over the last week or so. With only one exception, this collection of pictures was never published in the paper. There are galleries with more images from the Flag Day Celebration, the endeavor games, the Ozarka Oklahoma City Nationals Drag Boat Races, Mugglefest, the Mission Academy Graduation, and pictures from the last day of the NCAA Div. 1 Men’s Golf Championship at Karsten Creek.
The main dish at the Crawfish Festival in Yukon, June 4 2011. Photo by Garett Fisbeck, The Oklahoman
Richard Browne, Endeavor Games athlete from Jackson, Mississippi practices the high jump in Edmond, Oklahoma , Friday, June 10, 2011. Photo by Steve Gooch, The Oklahoman
Team Oklahoma's Taggart Lockhart of Talihina, left, collides with Daniel Green of Team Texas during the Faith 7 Basketball Bowl at the Noble Complex on the campus of Oklahoma Baptist University in Shawnee, Okla., Saturday, June 11, 2011. Photo by Nate Billings, The Oklahoman
The 2011 graduation class gathers in prayer with Oklahoma Outreach Foundation Board of Director Karen Mather during the Mission Academy graduation at the OPUBCO Auditorium on, Tuesday, June 7, 2011. Photo by Chris Landsberger, The Oklahoman
-John Clanton
Cricket in Compton and other pictures from around the world
Ted Hayes, co-founder, player and coach of the Compton Cricket Club bowls against the Simi Sluggers in Los Angeles. American cricketers are already an anomaly, but even more surprising when they come from Compton, a city on Los Angeles' southern border known more for gangsta rap and gang shootings. The cricketers say the sport is more than just winning and losing. The game's etiquette has helped them mature beyond the confines of urban street culture, learning to mingle with people of different backgrounds, gain self-confidence and control their tempers. (AP Photo/David McNew)
I was out of the office last week and didn’t look in Merlin for interesting pictures from around the world. Here’s a few pictures from Los Angeles, India, Spain, and Miami that were turned in over the last ten days or so. You can see more photo galleries by clicking here.
Indian journalists hold a photo of Jay Dey, a well-known investigative journalist who was gunned down Saturday by assailants, as they march to protest his killing in Mumbai, India, Monday, June 13, 2011. Jay Dey was known for his reporting on Mumbai's underworld and had worked as investigative editor for the city's Mid-Day newspaper for more than 15 years, the paper said. (AP Photo/Rajanish Kakade)
A member of the Goud family Harinath Goud administers live sardines smeared with secret herbs, believed to be a cure for asthma, to a patient in Hyderabad, India. People travel every June from across India to Hyderabad for the treatment offered free by one family on a day chosen by astrologers. The Goud family says it received the secret formula from a Hindu saint about 170 years ago, but refuse doctors' requests for the herbal mix, saying the saint warned it would lose its potency if commercialized. (AP Photo/Mahesh Kumar A.)
Demonstrators kiss during a demonstration in Madrid, on the early hours of Monday, June 13, 2011. Tens of thousands of mostly young people have set up around-the-clock protest camps in cities and town across Spain since May 15 to complain about the government's handling of the economic crisis and what they see as a corrupted political party system. (AP Photo/Daniel Ochoa de Olza)
The Dallas Mavericks celebrate after Game 6 of the NBA Finals basketball game against the Miami Heat Sunday, June 12, 2011, in Miami. The Mavericks won 105-95 to win the series. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)
Boston Bruins center Rich Peverley (49) watches as the puck slides to the back of the net as Vancouver Canucks goalie Roberto Luongo (1) looks on in the first period during Game 4 of the NHL hockey Stanley Cup finals, Wednesday, June 8, 2011, in Boston. (AP Photo/Harry Howe, Pool)
-John Clanton
Westbrook the photographer
Before the start of game 3 of the Western Conference Finals of the NBA basketball playoffs Russell Westbrook walked by my remote camera and pressed the shutter button.
It was nice of him to make sure my camera was working before the start of the game. Below is a picture I took of him taking a picture and the photo he took with the remote camera.
See our photo gallery of game 3 by clicking here.
Oklahoma City's Russell Westbrook takes a picture with Oklahoman photographer's Sarah Phipps' remote camera before the start of game 3 of the Western Conference Finals of the NBA basketball playoffs between the Dallas Mavericks and the Oklahoma City Thunder at the OKC Arena in downtown Oklahoma City, Saturday, May 21, 2011. Photo by Sarah Phipps, The Oklahoman
Oklahoma City's Russell Westbrook takes picture on Oklahoman photographer's Sarah Phipps' remote camera before the start of game 3 of the Western Conference Finals of the NBA basketball playoffs between the Dallas Mavericks and the Oklahoma City Thunder at the OKC Arena in downtown Oklahoma City, Saturday, May 21, 2011. Photo by Russell Westbrook, Alternate Crop special contributor
— Sarah Phipps
So you think you can dance…
I had a fun assignment Wednesday night in Edmond. Hundreds of Thunder fans gathered together for a “flash mob dance” tribute for Ellen DeGeneres. In case you didn’t know, the Thunder have been trying to get Ellen to commit to supporting the Thunder for the playoffs and get her court side for a game. Oklahoman Kristin Chenoweth was on her show and brought along Rumble to load Ellen up with Thunder gear.
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
Three photographers and thousands of Thunder pictures
Oklahoma City's Kevin Durant (35) dunks the ball as Russell Westbrook (0) celebrates near Mike Conley (11) and Shane Battier (31) of Memphis in the fourth quarter during game 7 of the NBA basketball Western Conference semifinals between the Memphis Grizzlies and the Oklahoma City Thunder at the OKC Arena in Oklahoma City, Sunday, May 15, 2011. Photo by Sarah Phipps, The Oklahoman
The Oklahoma City Thunder beat the Memphis Grizzlies on Sunday at the OKC Arena. They’ll advance to the Western Conference Finals against the Dallas Mavericks. Three photographers covered game 7 for the Oklahoman. Using remotes, hand held cameras and one photographer roaming the OKC Arena for pictures of fans reacting to the game, we took a total of 8,916 pictures. Then we spent several hours sorting through the images that we use to tell the story of the game.
You can see all of our final images by clicking here or read more about the Thunder and their win over the Grizzlies by clicking here.
Wearing a foam finger and cheering from Loud City, Sabrina Darville, of Oklahoma City, celebrates a Thunder basket during the second half of game 7 of the NBA basketball Western Conference semifinals between the Memphis Grizzlies and the Oklahoma City Thunder at the OKC Arena in Oklahoma City, Sunday, May 15, 2011. Photo by John Clanton, The Oklahoman
Oklahoma City's Russell Westbrook (0) takes the ball to the hoop past Marc Gasol (33) of Memphis in the first half during game 7 of the NBA basketball Western Conference semifinals between the Memphis Grizzlies and the Oklahoma City Thunder at the OKC Arena in Oklahoma City, Sunday, May 15, 2011. Photo by Nate Billings, The Oklahoman
-John Clanton
