Bring On Summer
Well it is here, the unofficial first day of Summer has finally arrived for us here in Oklahoma. To kick off the season I had an assignment to go take pictures of 1400 third and fourth grade Oklahoma City Public School students taking a water safety class at White Water Bay. The result was this photo that ran on page 1 Friday.
A few of the 1400 third and fourth grade Oklahoma City public school students swim during the Wacky Water Wahoo water safety class at White Water on Thursday, May 21, 2009, in Oklahoma City, Okla. Photo by Chris Landsberger, The Oklahoman
After it ran in the paper I received a number of inquires about how I took the photo. So, I thought I would take a few minutes and give a run down on how it was taken.
Overall, it was not very different from most other assignments that I go out on each day. The only difference was the equipment used to take the photo. Instead of the normal cameras I use from day to day, I used a Canon G9 point and shoot camera and an underwater housing that allows me to take the camera up to 140 feet under water. Luckily I did not have to go diving that deep in order to get the photo.
The next step was just trying to get a photo that I liked. As any of you who have been around a lot of kids playing and have a great time at a swimming pool know, it is chaotic to say the least. Knowing this, I settled in to be patient, and wait and shoot and wait and shoot……well you get the idea, till I got the photo that would work. I set the camera to a wide angle setting, and put the camera half way into the water with half the lens above the water and half under. From there I hoped to capture kids swimming above and below the surface. It took me about 45 shots or so till I got the one I wanted, which I believe was the 43 photo I took. As they say patience is a virtue.
–Chris Landsberger
VORTEX2 Day 4 Back to Oklahoma
Jacob Carley, Purdue, uses his computer in luxary in the lobby of the hotel as VORTEX2 prepares to leave the panhandle of Texas back to Oklahoma on Wednesday, May 13, 2009. Photo by Steve Sisney, The Oklahoman
After four days trying to shoot researchers deploying a research pod in the path of a storm, my safety minded driver drove past the deployment of the distrometer (laser rain guage) and by the time we turned around and I had jumped out of the car, the pod was out and on the ground. I got off three frames with a flash on camera. Two minutes and a mile later, the rain came in sheets, hail made the researchers put on bicycle helmets, and the light dropped to nothing. My flash shorted out after a coouple shots of the outside of the van. With my second camera maxed out at 3200 ISO I had to shoot at 1/15 second at f2.8. One shot was somewhat sharp.
Isaac Hankes and research scientist Glen Romine from the University of Illinois deploy a laser distrometer to measure particle size, rate, and direction (raindrops) as members of VORTEX2 track an emerging super cell in central Oklahoma on Wednesday, May 13, 2009. Photo by Steve Sisney, The Oklahoman
Isaac Hankes and research scientist Glen Romine from the University of Illinois deploy a second laser distrometer to measure particle size, rate, and direction (of raindrops) as members of VORTEX2 track an emerging super cell in central Oklahoma on Wednesday, May 13, 2009. Less than a mile from deploying the first unit, the light falls to almost nothing, the rain comes in torrents, and they must now don head gear to protect from the quarter sized hail. Photo by Steve Sisney, The Oklahoman
–Steve Sisney
Club Rodeo
A bullrider waits for his turn during a night at Club Rodeo in Oklahoma City last Summer.
Last Summer, one of the reporters from The Oklahoman and I went to a club to photograph bull riders. Club Rodeo in Oklahoma City has an intriguing juxtaposition. There’s dancing and drinking at one end of the large room, but a few times a night, everyone gathers around to see amateur bull riders trying to earn a few hundred bucks.
Riders get into the gates during a session at Club Rodeo. Photo by John Clanton, The Oklahoman
Some of the guys were looking for an adrenaline rush, others were riding for practice, hoping to get to another level. There were a couple of interesting stories at the club on south Meridian. We planned to produce a story or multimedia package, but as often happens, we got busy. Then he got laid off, so that put an end to the Club Rodeo story. I found these images last week when I was cleaning off my computer’s hard drive. It seemed a shame that nobody would ever see them, so I put them here for both of you to enjoy.
At the opposite end of the club from the bulls, patrons dance under bright lights. Photo by John Clanton, The Oklahoman
Riders gather under banners and an American flag as they get their gear ready and wait for the bull riding to start. Photo by John Clanton, The Oklahoman
Fans watch and react to their friend's attempt in the bull riding ring. Photo by John Clanton, The Oklahoman
-John Clanton
VORTEX2 Destination Clinton, OK.
I heard from the Erik Rasmussen, co-chief investigator for VORTEX2, that the best staging area for Tuesday weather is in Clinton, Okla. The vehicles are leaving throughout the day to rendezvous in Clinton. I saw a team member in the parking lot of the Norman Holiday Inn putting Rainx on the windows of her vehicle. She is from Oklahoma City. Saw a guy carrying his computer around the parking lot and thought he was testing equipment. Turns out he is from Italy and was using his laptop web cam to show the radar and other vehicles to his friends and co-workers back home. Small World.
Jennifer Standridge with the National Center for Atmospheric Research puts rain shedding material on her vehicle as the group prepare to leave for Clinton, Okla. on the second day of VORTEX2 prepares to leave for Clinton, OK as a staging area from the Holiday Inn in Norman, Okla. on Monday, May 11, 2009. Standridge is from Oklahoma City. Photo by Steve Sisney, The Oklahoman
Gabriele Formentini from Italy uses his computer web cam to give a tour of the parking lot to his friends back home on the second day of VORTEX2. He and other scientists are preparing to leave for Clinton, OK to stage for Tuesday storms. The Italian audience get a tour of vehicles parked at the Holiday Inn in Norman, Okla. on Monday, May 11, 2009. Photo by Steve Sisney, The Oklahoman
Clinton residents Pauline Lee and her daughter Jennifer Lee couldn't help notice the Doppler on Wheels, command and support vehicles lined up in the parking lot of the Ramada Inn on the second day of VORTEX2 as the team arrives in Clinton, Okla. on Monday, May 11, 2009. Photo by Steve Sisney, The Oklahoman
Doppler on Wheels, command and support vehicles line up in the parking lot of the Ramada Inn on the second day of VORTEX2 as the team arrives in Clinton, Okla. on Monday, May 11, 2009. Photo by Steve Sisney, The Oklahoman
See Monday’s VORTEX2 gallery by clicking here
-Steve Sisney
Golfing with Wet Shoes
The state 5A Girls Golf Campionships were played in what one golfer optimistically called “heavy humidity.” When I got there at around 9:30, the golfers had been going for an hour and it had just barely cleared up enough to see the edge of the greens.
Lilian Seay, Carl Albert freshman, lines up a putt during the Girls 5A State Golf Championship at Earlywine Golf Course in Oklahoma City, Okla. on Thursday, May 7, 2009. Photo by Steve Sisney, The Oklahoman
Mary Kirk, Bishop Kelley; Lilian Seay, Carl Albert; and Ryann Uselton, McAlester, walk over a wet fairway during the Girls 5A State Golf Championship at Earlywine Golf Course in Oklahoma City, Okla. on Thursday, May 7, 2009. Photo by Steve Sisney, The Oklahoman
-Steve Sisney
‘Weather’
I got a text from our Director of Photography this morning that said ‘Weather.’ That means the same thing to newspaper photographers all over the country. If there’s inclimate weather of any kind we get pictures of people either being in it or staying out of it. We keep an eye out for weather art when it’s too hot, too cold, too wet, too windy and even if it’s just right.
Bobbi Carter, a visitor to the state Capitol in Oklahoma City, tries to keep dry on Wednesday, April 29, 2009. Photo by John Clanton, The Oklahoman
An unidentified woman holds a duck umbrella as she waits for a bus on NW 10th near Rockwell on Wednesday, May, 7, 2008. By John Clanton, The Oklahoman
Generally speaking, features are more light-hearted than spot news. If the rain turns into flooding, then we get a different type of pictures. If time permits, I try to keep an eye out for unusual things. People taking cover from rain in odd places, people using something other than umbrella to stay dry, that kind of thing. Here’s a couple of examples of weather features over the last few years that were never published.
Hunter White caries his sled up a hill at Mitch Park in Edmond, Okla., Tuesday, January 27, 2009. Photo by Bryan Terry, the OKlahoman
An unidentified man takes cover from the cold weather under a blanket as he sits on a bench at NW 25th and Classen in Oklahoma City on Monday, Nov. 10, 2008. By John Clanton, The Oklahoman
-John Clanton
Double Takes……..Another Look.
Each month I am part of the team that puts together the publication OKC Nstyle. I provide the photography that makes up the visual elements of the monthly featured fashion spread, and the oh so important cover.
When the photo shoot is done for each issue, I go through hundreds of photos, and edit out photos that I feel best represent the section. Some of the photos are to run for the inside spread, and then there are others those that are potential cover options. The cover options are a little more difficult to edit out. They have to meet a very specific size constraint that is very narrow, but also keeps the visual requirements of artistic value, composition and content. In the end there are usually between 7-12 photos that make the cut as options for the cover.
From there section designer Suzanne Green takes these options and makes up a few mock cover choices for the team to look over and proof.
As with all committee type input sessions, everyone has different cover options that are their favorite(s). After everyone has their input and offers up critiques, sometimes the cover that is chosen is the one we were hoping for, and other times it is not. Maybe next time right?
So after thinking about it for a while, I thought why can’t the next time be now. Why not provide a little behind the scenes look at some of the hard work that goes into the other cover options, and keep them from being lost in the mix.
To provide for your visual consumption, Each month when the new OKC Nstyle is published I will post the 2-4 cover options that did not make it to the presses. As and added bonus for the first installment there will be cover options from the last few month that differ from those that were actually published.
Hope you enjoy another look.
November 2008 Cover. Photo by Chris Landsberger/Cover Design by Suzanne Green
December 2008 Cover. Photo by Chris Landsberger/Cover Design by Suzanne Green
February 2009 Cover. Photo by Chris Landsberger/Cover Design by Suzanne Green
March 2009 Cover. Photo by Chris Landsberger/Cover Design by Suzanne Green
NoApril 2009 Cover. Photo by Chris Landsberger/Cover Design by Suzanne Green
Don’t for get to check out the online version of April issue of OKC Nstyle at okcnstyle.com, and fashion editor Linda Miller’s blog at Fashion Matters.
-Chris Landsberger
Iron Thistle Scottish Heritage Festival
Tom Hendrix plays the drums for the Pipes and Drums of the Highlanders of Oklahoma at the Iron Thistle Scottish Heritage Festival and Highland Games at the Kirkpatrick Family Farm in Yukon Saturday March 21, 2009. Photo by Doug Hoke, The Oklahoman
Every now and then Doug Hoke, our director of photography, will leave the office to take photos because we are short-handed or he just wants to remind all of us that he’s not just our boss, but a pretty darn good shooter as well.
Last Saturday, Doug photographed the Iron Thistle Scottish Heritage Festival and Highland Games in Yukon, Okla. We were short on photographers that day, however, I think he just did it for fun.
If you’d like to see a gallery of even more photos by Doug from the event, click here.
Benny Hughes, drum major for the Oklahoma Scottish Pipe and Drums, bows his head during the prayer at the opening ceremony at the Iron Thistle Scottish Heritage Festival and Highland Games at the Kirkpatrick Family Farm in Yukon Saturday March 21, 2009. Photo by Doug Hoke, The Oklahoman
Chad Justin, Lawrence, Kansas, competes in the weight for distance at the Iron Thistle Scottish Heritage Festival and Highland Games at the Kirkpatrick Family Farm in Yukon Saturday March 21, 2009. Photo by Doug Hoke, The Oklahoman
Christopher Jones, Beggs, Okla. competes in the stone put for distance at the Iron Thistle Scottish Heritage Festival and Highland Games at the Kirkpatrick Family Farm in Yukon Saturday March 21, 2009. Photo by Doug Hoke, The Oklahoman
Members of the Pipes and Drums of the Highlander's of Oklahoma play after the opening ceremonies at the Iron Thistle Scottish Heritage Festival and Highland Games at the Kirkpatrick Family Farm in Yukon Saturday March 21, 2009. Photo by Doug Hoke, The Oklahoman
-Nate Billings
Thunder Super Fans
Thunder super fans, from left, Zeb Benbrook, Thunder Man, Derrick Seys, and Angela Love pose for a portrait outside the Ford Center in Oklahoma City, Thursday, Feb. 12, 2009. PHOTO BY BRYAN TERRY, THE OKLAHOMAN
Here’s a little something that I wanted to share with you all from last month. Bryan Terry took photos of super fans of the Oklahoma City Thunder for a Jenni Carlson story. Originally, the editors just wanted to get pictures of the NBA fans cheering at the games. Bryan decided it might make more interesting photos to take portraits of the super fans outside of the Ford Center. He even lit them to give a super-hero quality to the shots.
Check out some of the pictures below, along with a couple of photos showing his lighting set up.
You can see a gallery of all of the photos here.
Thunder super fan Zeb Benbrook poses for a portrait outside the Ford Center in Oklahoma City, Thursday, Feb. 12, 2009. PHOTO BY BRYAN TERRY, THE OKLAHOMAN
Thunder super fan Derrick Seys poses for a portrait outside the Ford Center in Oklahoma City, Thursday, Feb. 12, 2009. PHOTO BY BRYAN TERRY, THE OKLAHOMAN
Thunder super fan Thunder Man, who keeps his real identity a secret, poses for a portrait outside the Ford Center in Oklahoma City, Thursday, Feb. 12, 2009. PHOTO BY BRYAN TERRY, THE OKLAHOMAN
Thunder super fan Angela Love poses for a portrait outside the Ford Center in Oklahoma City, Thursday, Feb. 12, 2009. PHOTO BY BRYAN TERRY, THE OKLAHOMAN
A wide shot of Thunder Man showing part of the lighting set up.
Here you can see all three lights used in the photo. Our intern, Brenda O’Brian, who assisted Bryan on the shoot, is on the left in the photo.
To see all the photos, click here.
To read Jenni Carlson’s story, click here.
-Nate Billings
The Big House and strobe lights
In this view from the catwalk, workers assemble the Big House floor at State Fair Arena in preparation for the state high school basketball championships, in Oklahoma City, Monday, March 2, 2009. BY NATE BILLINGS, THE OKLAHOMAN
The Oklahoma State Basketball Tournament begins tomorrow with Class A and B high schools at the Big House. For those of you who do not follow high school basketball, the Big House is the nickname given to State Fair Arena in Oklahoma City for the state basketball championships. Class B through 4A play at the Big House, while the 5A and 6A championships are at other arenas. This year 5A and 6A are at Lloyd Noble Center in Norman, Okla.
The yearly ritual for photographers at The Oklahoman is to go down to State Fair Arena and check our strobe lights. Sports photographers often install strobes lights that can be triggered remotely at arenas for basketball games when the available light is too dark to stop the action in photographs or the light is just plain ugly. The Big House is too dark to shoot without some sort of flash.
Oklahoman staff photographer Chris Landsberger cuts cable to connect a strobe light in the catwalk at State Fair Arena in preparation for the state high school basketball championships, in Oklahoma City, Monday, March 2, 2009. BY NATE BILLINGS, THE OKLAHOMAN
We also have lights in the Ford Center, Gallagher-Iba Arena, and the Lloyd Noble Center. Those arenas are just bright enough to photograph with available light, however, we often use our strobes for remote cameras or when we just want the photos to look better. Instead of taking pictures at 1600 ISO or higher, we are able to shoot at 200 ISO with the strobes installed in the ceiling. The lower the ISO, the better the quality. The downside to using the strobe lights is you can only get one shot about every two seconds while the lights recycle. Without the lights, our cameras will shoot between 5 and 8 frames per second.
On Monday, Chris Landsberger with a little help from me went down to State Fair Arena to check our lights and reinstall the the cable that links all four lights together. There are two radio receivers attached to the cable. The radios receive a signal from our cameras and then fire the strobe lights (there’s one in each corner) in sync with our cameras.
A view of the spookiest part of the catwalk at State Fair Arena, the walk from the stands to the ring around the ceiling of the arena, in Oklahoma City, Monday, March 2, 2009. BY NATE BILLINGS, THE OKLAHOMAN
I’m not a big fan of heights, but the State Fair Arena catwalk doesn’t bother me as much as the one at the Ford Center. Perhaps that is because the Ford Center’s catwalk is more than twice as high. However, the catwalk at the State Fair Arena is very dark, dirty, and sways back and forth when you walk on it. Not very reassuring.
Look for our photos from the championships for the next couple of weeks in The Oklahoman, on our photo page NewOK.com, and on this blog.
We’ve also got a gallery of some of the pictures from past state tournaments. You can check that out here.
-Nate Billings
