Deja Vu
“Barry Sanders scores his third touchdown” is something I have not put in a photo caption for quite awhile, but I did last night. Not THE Barry Sanders from OSU and the NFL Hall of Famer, but his son, Barry Sanders, Jr., a running back at Heritage Hall. Heritage Hall played last night against NOAH, a school from Tulsa, and it was Senior Night. During the first half while I was there, Barry Sanders, Jr. scored four touchdowns on runs of 73, 72, 62 and 31. He added one more TD in the second half and finished with 313 total yards. Deja Vu!
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
Miscellaneous Debris
James Bowman gets a hug from one of his caregivers, Sherry Spangler, at a home he shares with roommates in Oklahoma City on Wednesday, August 25, 2010. Photo by John Clanton, The Oklahoman
Eight hundred pounds of bacon in Enid, Oklahoma, kayaks on The Oklahoma River, small college football, and a nice moment in a home for disabled adults all made for an interesting weekend in photographs. If either of you haven’t looked at our galleries lately, then click here and take a look.
Sam Ellis, 9, of Moore, Okla., wears two fake pig noses during Baconalia 2010, a bacon festival, in Enid, Okla., Saturday, August 28, 2010. Photo by Nate Billings, The Oklahoman
Bruce Hatton has his arm iced down during the college football game between Southwestern Oklahoma State University (SWOSU) and Emporia State in Weatherford, Oklahoma, Wednesday, Aug. 25, 2010. Photo by Doug Hoke, The Oklahoman
David Holubek, of Denver, Colorado, carries his kayak following competition at the USA Canoe/Kayak Sprint National Championships on The Oklahoma River in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma on Sunday, August 29, 2010. Photo by John Clanton, The Oklahoman
Matthew Davis, 11, starts the running portion of an Oklahoma City River Sport Challenge race during the USA Canoe/Kayak Sprint National Championships on the Oklahoma River in Oklahoma City, Saturday, August 28, 2010. Photo by Bryan Terry, The Oklahoman
-John Clanton
Behind the Photo-Studio Photography
I mentioned yesterday that The Oklahoman Photography staff did well at this year’s Great Plains Journalism Awards. A contest that includes Oklahoma, Kansas, Nebraska, South Dakota, Missouri, Arkansas, North Dakota and Iowa. One of the categories that we don’t have in our local AP/ONE and SPJ contests is Studio Photography. Basically, the best picture taken in a Studio. This year, Our Director of Photography, Doug Hoke, was the Winner in this category. Here’s what he wrote about the winning photograph.
Tre Porter, of Carl Albert, for the cover of the high school football playoff special section themed, "Dark Horse" at OPUBCO studio Saturday, Nov. 7, 2009. Photo by Doug Hoke, The Oklahoman
The sports department chose the theme of “Dark Horses” for it’s high school football playoff section. A different way of approaching the playoffs. When the writer contacted me about the assignment, he described the idea and said he had a model, one of the local stars, and the eye-black patches. I wanted to keep the photo simple and one that worked either in color or black and white, since we didn’t know where the photo was to appear in the section. I decided to use an 85mm lens wide open at f 1.8 to limit the depth-of-field to draw the focus to the words “dark horse.” So, although I shot in the studio where we have over 4,000 watts of strobe power available, I just used the 250 watt modeling light in one head with a 8” reflector and a grid above the camera, to concentrate the light on the player’s face. I kept the player well away from the background so that it would drop to black. I then moved in as tight as the lens would focus, keeping the framing horizontal to add power to the face and let the sides drop to black.
Chris Landsberger was named as a finalist in this category.
-John Clanton
Thunder Quiz
Who are these members of the Thunder captured at practice today?
-Doug Hoke
Marathon Day
Catherine Tedesco and James Tedesco hold hands as they cross the finish line during the Tenth Annual Oklahoma City Memorial Marathon in Oklahoma City on Sunday, April 25, 2010. By John Clanton, The Oklahoman
I enjoy photographing the finish line at a marathon. There’s so much emotion, exhaustion, relief all at once. So many stories. Some runners celebrate when they get to the end, others cry or get a hug from a family member, some just turn off their stopwatch and keep moving. I want to chase down every person that reacts as they cross the finish line. Ask them where they’re from, what makes them run, why they’re so excited. But right then, another couple crosses the line, holding hands and smiling. I forget the last runners and wonder about them instead.
B.J. and Stephanie Garcia embrace as they finish the half marathon during the Tenth Annual Oklahoma City Memorial Marathon in Oklahoma City on Sunday, April 25, 2010. By John Clanton, The Oklahoman
Take a look at some of the images from today’s marathon by clicking here.
-John Clanton
Ye Olde Take My Picture
On Sunday, I photographed the Medieval Fair at Reaves Park in Norman, Okla. I took pictures of a character called King Henry I as he knighted people in the center of the park, and after a few of the ceremonies, he turned toward my camera for an ‘official’ picture.
King Henry I, played by George Williams of Oklahoma City, poses with Draven Pierce, age 7, of Oklahoma City after Draven was knighted during a brief ceremony at the 34th annual Medieval Fair at Reaves Park in Norman on Sunday, March 28, 2010. Photo by John Clanton, The Oklahoman
If either one of you has forgotten about our ‘Take My Picture’ entries, you can click here to check them out. I’ve put up a gallery of images that we gathered from the fair, take a look at those by clicking here.
-John Clanton
Best of 2009 preview
Over the last couple of days the photographers at The Oklahoman have been compiling their five best pictures from 2009. On the 8th floor, the NewsOK.com designers are getting a page designed for us to display our favorite images, slideshows and videos from the last year.
We’re still working on the details, trying to get it down to 5 pictures per photographer but here’s a few pictures that will certainly make the cut.
Virgil "Cowboy" Kalbaugh places his hand against a panel of the Dignity Memorial Vietnam Wall on the name of Brent Street, Sunday, July 5, 2009, in Piedmont. Photo by Sarah Phipps, The Oklahoman
OU quarterback Sam Bradford (14) lays on the turf after being injured late in the second quarter during the college football game between the Brigham Young University Cougars (BYU) and the University of Oklahoma Sooners (OU) at Cowboys Stadium in Arlington, Texas, Saturday, September 5, 2009. Bradford left the field after the play and did not return. BYU won, 14-13. By Nate Billings, The Oklahoman
Tre Porter, of Carl Albert, for the cover of the high school football playoff special section themed, "Dark Horse" at OPUBCO studio Saturday, Nov. 7, 2009. Photo by Doug Hoke, The Oklahoman
Look for the Best of 2009 photo page at NewsOK.com
-John Clanton
Pictures I Like-Sports
Staff Photographers have been busy lately with sports coverage. There was Bedlam Football, of course, but also Thunder, and high school football, which will wrap up with the state championship games this weekend.
OSU defenders block a field goal attempt during the second half of the Bedlam college football game between the University of Oklahoma Sooners (OU) and the Oklahoma State University Cowboys (OSU) at the Gaylord Family --Oklahoma Memorial Stadium on Saturday, Nov. 28, 2009, in Norman, Okla. Photo by Bryan Terry, The Oklahoman
Oklahoma City's Kevin Durant (35) dunks the ball over Houston's Carl Landry (14) during the NBA basketball game between the Oklahoma City Thunder and Houston Rockets, Sunday, Nov. 29, 2009, at the Ford Center in Oklahoma City. Photo by Sarah Phipps, The Oklahoman
An OU cheerleader flies through the air during the first half of the Bedlam college football game between the University of Oklahoma Sooners (OU) and the Oklahoma State University Cowboys (OSU) at the Gaylord Family -- Oklahoma Memorial Stadium on Saturday, Nov. 28, 2009, in Norman, Okla. Photo by Bryan Terry, The Oklahoman
OU's Corey Wilson, left, walks on Owen Field as his brother Travis Wilson applauds before the Bedlam college football game between the University of Oklahoma Sooners (OU) and the Oklahoma State University Cowboys (OSU) at the Gaylord Family -- Oklahoma Memorial Stadium on Saturday, Nov. 28, 2009, in Norman, Okla. This was the first time Wilson had walked on Owen Field at a game since a car wreck in February left him partially paralyzed. Photo by Nate Billings, The Oklahoman
JHS quarterback Sawyer Kollmorgen (9) is dropped for a loss by SM Austin Haywood (88) and LaBron Brown (9) during the high school semifinal playoff football game between Southmoore and Jenks at Putnam City Stadium Saturday, Nov. 28, 2009. Photo by Doug Hoke, The Oklahoman
-John Clanton
Smokin’ !!!
Last night I was at the Douglass/Weatherford football game and while switching ends of the field going through the Trojan bench area I saw something amazing. Of at one end of the bench stood Nicholas Nealy and it looked like he was on fire! I’ve seen players steam before, but never rising as high and as fast as it was coming off his head. It looked like he was on fire. This photo didn’t make the paper, sp I thought I would share it with you here.
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
32 years and counting…
Recently I covered the ribbon cutting ceremony at the new Boone Pickens Stadium at OSU before the Georgia game. Not one to normally be nostalgic, I none-the-less started thinking back about the 32 years I’ve been covering football at OSU and OU too. Maybe it was wearing the 1970′s denim photo vest that staffer John Clanton and his wife Julie had dared me to wear. I accepted and then went full retro (except using digital cameras instead of film). See photo. I somehow convinced Epperson’s Photo of how smart it would be for them to give me the vest, since I was such an important photographer! LOL
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 31-24 in Miami. Staff photo by Doug Hoke
University of Oklahoma vs Baylor University in Norman, Okla. on Saturday October 20, 2001. OU quarterback Jason White scrambles looking for a receiver late in the game. Staff photo by Doug Hoke.
Sam Bradford, Putnam City North, high school football. Staff photo by Doug Hoke.
Sam Bradford throws a pass during the first half of the college football game between the University of Oklahoma Sooners (OU) and Oklahoma State University Cowboys (OSU) at Boone Pickens Stadium on Saturday, Nov. 29, 2008, in Stillwater, Okla.
After a week off for a wedding, I’m back in Stillwater today covering the game with Rice. Please, no rain! I’m starting to feel old.
-Doug Hoke
