Veterans Day in Oklahoma

John Marshall High School Air Force JROTC Kahlil Denson presents the colors during the 45th Infantry Museum's Veterans Day ceremony in Oklahoma City , Friday November, 11, 2011. Photo by Steve Gooch

More important than being 11-11-11, Friday was Veterans Day. Across the country, communities honored our veterans, and photographers hoped color guard members would be wearing polished helmets at the ceremonies (it always makes a pretty picture).

Thank you, veterans. We appreciate your service and sacrifice.

Here are more of our Veterans Day photos.

William D. Trumbly, Norman, stands at the Cleveland County Veterans Memorial wearing his World War II uniform with his Bronze Star and Purple Heart medals during the Veterans Day ceremony in Norman Friday, Nov. 11, 2011. Trumbly was a 1st Lieutenant in the 2nd Infantry in Europe and was wounded at the Battle of the Bulge. Photo by Paul B. Southerland, The Oklahoman

Retired Air Force SSgt. Brown Hudson (left) and Dr. Calvin Turpin, retired Army PFC, salute during the presentation of the colors, as the University of Central Oklahoma Veteran Support Alliance honors veterans with a ceremony on Veterans Day at UCO's Plunkett Park in Edmond, OK, Friday, Nov. 11, 2011. By Paul Hellstern, The Oklahoman

-Nate Billings


Pictures I Like-getting caught up

Honor guard carries the flag draped coffin during the funeral for 2nd Lt Jered Ewy, 33, of Edmond, at Henderson Hills Baptist Church, Thursday, August 11, 2011. Photo by David McDaniel, The Oklahoman

In the last 12 days, the War in Afghanistan has affected families close to home, we’ve had swings in the weather between extreme heat and severe storms, OU and OSU started up the football season, students went back to school and grass fires started around the Oklahoma City Metro area.

Here’s a couple of pictures that stood out over the last two weeks. You can see all of our photo galleries by clicking here.

Music teacher Amy Thomas greets students arriving by bus as a thunderstorm moves through on the first day of school at Rose Union Elementary in the Deer Creek School District in Oklahoma City Thursday, Aug. 11, 2011. Photo by Paul B. Southerland, The Oklahoman

Norman firefighters work to put out a fire that totally involved numerous apartments at 1111 Oaktree Avenue on Friday, August 5, 2011, in Norman, Okla. Photo by Steve Sisney, The Oklahoman

Scott Sanchez prays over Manuel Garcia, a homeless man, after providing him with water from the City Rescue Mission in Oklahoma City Friday, Aug. 5, 2011. Photo by Garett Fisbeck, The Oklahoman

Two women walk to further inspect a large fire in Edmond on Saturday, August 6, 2011. Photo by Zach Gray, The Oklahoman

-John Clanton


Storm coverage in Oklahoma

Miranda Lewis makes the best of a bad situation as she models a dress that was undamaged by Tuesday's tornado that destroyed her family's home west of El Reno, Wednesday, May 25, 2011. Photo by Chris Landsberger, The Oklahoman

Staff Photographers at The Oklahoman went out Tuesday night to photograph the severe thunderstorms east of the metro area. Early Wednesday morning, the same photographers went back out to the areas most affected by the tornadoes hoping to meet people and help tell their stories.

We made a photo gallery with 73 pictures that were sent in on Tuesday, May 24, 2011. You can see photographs from Wednesday, or look at any of our photo galleries by clicking here.

A family photo is stuck through the wall in the home of Robert Todd west of El Reno, Wednesday, May 25, 2011. Photo by Chris Landsberger, The Oklahoman

A half-mile-wide tornado moves north in Canadian County having just crossed SH 3, the Northwest Expressway, west of SH 4 moving towards Piedmont Tuesday, May 24, 2011. Photo by Paul B. Southerland, The Oklahoman

Sonny Hale comforts his mother Debra Lee after a tornado swept through the area, tearing the roof off of their house on Tuesday, May 24, 2011, in Newcastle, Okla. Photo by Steve Sisney, The Oklahoman

Branches of a tree are snagged in the wires of this bent utility pole on SH 74 near Cashion, Oklahoma after a tornado touched down in the area on Tuesday, May 24, 2011. Photo by Jim Beckel, The Oklahoman

-John Clanton

 


Lost in the shuffle

Firemen working an early morning apartment fire at 12478 Trail Oaks Drive near NW 122 Street and May Avenue in Oklahoma City Monday, April 25, 2011. Photo by Paul B. Southerland, The Oklahoman

Somewhere between posts about the Oklahoma City Thunder, the National Day of Prayer, the Oklahoma City Memorial Marathon and a rainy Sunday afternoon, there were some nice images taken by photographers at The Oklahoman that got left off of Alternate Crop. Here’s a few of them. A couple of these were published in the paper, but a couple of them weren’t.

You can see more our photo galleries by clicking here, or follow these links to skip directly to galleries from a Touch a Truck event, high school baseball championships, the Yukon Spirit League, or Oklahoma State University’s Spring Commencement.

Tatum Parham adjusts her cap before University of Central Oklahoma graduation ceremonies at UCO on Friday, May 6, 2011. Photo by Bryan Terry, The Oklahoman

Roff's Timothy Wallen tries to field a grounder during the Class A state championship baseball game between Roff and Okarche, Saturday, May 7, 2011, at Dolese park in Oklahoma City. Photo by Sarah Phipps, The Oklahoman

Leedey pitcher Sarah Penry (left) gets a hug from teammate Sydney Harrel as the team wins the Class A State Slowpitch Softball Championship at ASA Hall of Fame Stadium in Oklahoma City on Tuesday, May 3, 2011. Leedey beat Red Oak 16-4 in four innings to win the championship. Photo by John Clanton, The Oklahoman

-John Clanton


Construction continues

Devon construction at Sheridan and Hudson in downtown Oklahoma City Thursday Feb. 17, 2011. Photo by Paul B. Southerland, The Oklahoman

Oklahoma City’s skyline is changing. After two years of construction, the new Devon Energy Tower is now taller than the Chase Tower, and construction is still underway. So far, we’ve turned in about 250 pictures going back to a press conference about the proposed building in August 2008. Since then nearly every staff photographer has a picture of some aspect of the construction, whether it’s a skyline picture, weather feature, construction picture and even a crane that tipped over.

Here’s a few pictures over the last couple of years. I’ve made a gallery featuring more of the 250 pictures that you can see here.

A welder straddles a beam while working on the Garden Wing at the Devon construction site, Sheridan and Hudson, in downtown Oklahoma City Monday, Feb. 28, 2011. Photo by Paul B. Southerland, The Oklahoman

The Devon Tower is still under construction in the background as pedestrians walk by in front of the Cox Convention Center in Oklahoma City on Sunday, Nov. 7, 2010. Photo by John Clanton, The Oklahoman

Construction continues as Devon Energy Center, left, rises into the skyline surpassing Chase Tower, right, as the tallest building in downtown Oklahoma City in this photo taken looking across the Oklahoma River near SE 15 and Central Avenue Tuesday, March 1, 2011. Photo by Paul B. Southerland, The Oklahoman

Klay Kimker, vice president of administration at Devon Energy, takes a picture at the construction site of the new Devon Tower in downtown Oklahoma City on Wednesday, March 3, 2010. Photo by John Clanton, The Oklahoman

-John Clanton


Respect and Resolve

Charlene Green (left) and Mabel Knight cry as they join other family members and friends around LaKesha Levy's chair following the Fifteen Years Respect and Resolve ceremony at the Oklahoma City National Memorial and Museum in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, on April 19, 2010. By John Clanton, The Oklahoman

Fifteen years have passed since the bombing of the Alfred P. Murrah building in Oklahoma City. A ceremony held today at the Oklahoma City National Memorial and Museum commemorated the anniversary. Hundreds of people attended the ceremony, which ended with family members placing items on the chairs of their lost family members in the Field of Chairs. Three photographers covered the event for The Oklahoman. Here’s a slideshow of some of our best images, or you can take a look at the gallery by clicking here.

A vase of fresh flowers sits next to the reflecting pool during ceremony to remember and commemorate the 15th anniversary of the bombing of the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building. The flowers were later placed at the chair of a victim of the bombing. Photo by Jim Beckel, The Oklahoman

-John Clanton


Winter Storm 2010

Cattle with snow and ice covering their backs on SH 4 just south of Piedmont Friday, Jan. 29, 2010. Photo by Paul B. Southerland, The Oklahoman

Cattle with snow and ice covering their backs on SH 4 just south of Piedmont, Okla., Friday, Jan. 29, 2010. Photo by Paul B. Southerland, The Oklahoman

Oklahomans are digging out from the winter storm that hit the state beginning last Thursday. Below are some of the photos Oklahoman staff photographers have taken out in the snow and ice. To see galleries of even more photos from the ice and snow, follow the links below.

Thursday, January 28, 2010

Friday, January 29, 2010

Saturday, January 30, 2010

A crowd of people make their way up a hill as people sled at Will Rogers Park in Oklahoma City, Saturday, Jan. 30, 2010.  Photo by Bryan Terry, The Oklahoman

A crowd of people make their way up a hill as people sled at Will Rogers Park in Oklahoma City, Saturday, Jan. 30, 2010. Photo by Bryan Terry, The Oklahoman

A mail box is covered in ice on Pine road in Logan County, Okla., January 29, 2010. Photo by Steve Gooch, The Oklahoman

A mail box is covered in ice on Pine road in Logan County, Okla., January 29, 2010. Photo by Steve Gooch, The Oklahoman

Purcell firefighter Jason Benefiel cuts limbs obstructing traffic on Friday, Jan. 29, 2010, in Purcell, Okla., after a winter storm.  Photo by Steve Sisney, The Oklahoman

Purcell firefighter Jason Benefiel cuts limbs obstructing traffic on Friday, Jan. 29, 2010, in Purcell, Okla., after a winter storm. Photo by Steve Sisney, The Oklahoman

Icicles on the trunk of a car, Friday,  Jan. 29 , 2010. Photo by Jim Beckel, The Oklahoman

Icicles on the trunk of a car, Friday, Jan. 29 , 2010. Photo by Jim Beckel, The Oklahoman

City workers clear the sidewalks in downtown Edmond, Okla., Friday , January 29, 2010. Photo by David McDaniel, The Oklahoman

City workers clear the sidewalks in downtown Edmond, Okla., Friday , January 29, 2010. Photo by David McDaniel, The Oklahoman

Cars are scarce on I-35 in Edmond, Okla., Friday, Jan. 29, 2010. By Paul Hellstern, The Oklahoman

Cars are scarce on I-35 in Edmond, Okla., Friday, Jan. 29, 2010. By Paul Hellstern, The Oklahoman

 A woman, who only would  gave her name as Florence, knocks snow from her shoes as she stands beneath a curtain of icicles after clearing snow from  her car at her Del City apartment on Tyanne Blvd., Jan. 30, 2010.  Photo by Jim Beckel, The Oklahoman

A woman, who only would gave her name as Florence, knocks snow from her shoes as she stands beneath a curtain of icicles after clearing snow from her car at her Del City apartment on Tyanne Blvd., Jan. 30, 2010. Photo by Jim Beckel, The Oklahoman

Nancy Mergler, University of Oklahoma  Provost, clears her rear windshield to head home at 1:15 pm. President David Boren called off classes for the remainder of Thursday and all of Friday as a winter storm moved into the area on Thursday,  Jan. 28, 2010, in Norman, Okla.  Photo by Steve Sisney, The Oklahoman

Nancy Mergler, University of Oklahoma Provost, clears her rear windshield to head home at 1:15 pm. President David Boren called off classes for the remainder of Thursday and all of Friday as a winter storm moved into the area on Thursday, Jan. 28, 2010, in Norman, Okla. Photo by Steve Sisney, The Oklahoman

Oklahoma City resident Timothy Hickey puts the finishing touches on a polar bear at his home in Oklahoma City, Saturday, Jan. 30, 2010. By Paul Hellstern, The Oklahoman

Oklahoma City resident Timothy Hickey puts the finishing touches on a polar bear at his home in Oklahoma City, Saturday, Jan. 30, 2010. By Paul Hellstern, The Oklahoman

 WINTER STORM / SNOW STORM: Chris Roberts is pulled by a power kite on a snowboard at Lake Hefner during a winter storm in Oklahoma City, Friday, January 29, 2010. Photo by Nate Billings, The Oklahoman

Chris Roberts is pulled by a power kite on a snowboard at Lake Hefner during a winter storm in Oklahoma City, Friday, January 29, 2010. Photo by Nate Billings, The Oklahoman

-Nate Billings


Back at work

My ten-day vacation just came to an end. When I got to work today I searched through our archive system called Merlin to see what the staff had been up to while I was gone. There were plenty of great shots but I narrowed it down to five of my favorites.

Flaming Lips front man Wayne Coyne poses for a photo in the OPUBCO Studio on Tuesday, Dec. 15, 2009, in Oklahoma City, Okla  Photo by Chris Landsberger, The Oklahoman

Flaming Lips front man Wayne Coyne poses for a photo in the OPUBCO Studio on Tuesday, Dec. 15, 2009, in Oklahoma City, Okla Photo by Chris Landsberger, The Oklahoman

Norman firefighters responded to a fire at 3700 Burlington at 1:28 pm on Friday, Dec. 18, 2009, in Norman, Okla.   Embers from the first fire caught the roof of a house at 3617 Glenbrook on fire.  The Burlington house was a total loss and damage was estimated at $375,000.  The damage to the house on Glenbrook was $100,000.  Photo by Steve Sisney, The Oklahoman

Norman firefighters responded to a fire at 3700 Burlington at 1:28 pm on Friday, Dec. 18, 2009, in Norman, Okla. Embers from the first fire caught the roof of a house at 3617 Glenbrook on fire. The Burlington house was a total loss and damage was estimated at $375,000. The damage to the house on Glenbrook was $100,000. Photo by Steve Sisney, The Oklahoman

Cleveland's Zydrunas Ilgauskas (11) and Oklahoma City's Shaun Livingston (14) and Nick Collison (4) fight for a loose ball during the NBA basketball game between the Oklahoma City Thunder and the Cleveland Cavaliers, Sunday, Dec. 13, 2009, at the Ford Center in Oklahoma City. Photo by Sarah Phipps, The Oklahoman

Cleveland's Zydrunas Ilgauskas (11) and Oklahoma City's Shaun Livingston (14) and Nick Collison (4) fight for a loose ball during the NBA basketball game between the Oklahoma City Thunder and the Cleveland Cavaliers, Sunday, Dec. 13, 2009, at the Ford Center in Oklahoma City. Photo by Sarah Phipps, The Oklahoman

Kevin Durant (35) of Oklahoma City blocks the shot of Detroit's Will Bynum (12) in the fourth quarter of the NBA basketball game between the Oklahoma City Thunder and the Detroit Pistons at the Ford Center in Oklahoma City, Friday, December 18, 2009. Oklahoma City won, 109-98. Photo by Nate Billings, The Oklahoman

Kevin Durant (35) of Oklahoma City blocks the shot of Detroit's Will Bynum (12) in the fourth quarter of the NBA basketball game between the Oklahoma City Thunder and the Detroit Pistons at the Ford Center in Oklahoma City, Friday, December 18, 2009. Oklahoma City won, 109-98. Photo by Nate Billings, The Oklahoman

Parking lot during Christmas shopping at Penn Square Mall in Oklahoma City Friday, Dec. 18, 2009. Photo by Paul B. Southerland, The Oklahoman

Parking lot during Christmas shopping at Penn Square Mall in Oklahoma City Friday, Dec. 18, 2009. Photo by Paul B. Southerland, The Oklahoman

-John Clanton


Your AP monthly contest results

I have gotten behind on posting our department’s winning images from the monthly AP photo contest. Here are our winners from recent months. Congratulations to all.

feb1st

FIRST PLACE, FEBRUARY: Residents work to clean up damage to a home in the Oak Tree housing addition on Wednesday, Feb. 11, 2009, after a tornado hit the area on Tuesday in Edmond, Okla. Photo by Chris Landsberger, The Oklahoman

feb3rd

THIRD PLACE, FEBRUARY: Firefighters work to extinguish flames in a barn that was set ablaze by a grass fire near SE 108th and Maguire Road in Slaughterville, Oklahoma, on Friday February 20, 2009. Photo by Steve Sisney, The Oklahoman

april2nd

SECOND PLACE, ARPIL: Flames leap out of a broken gas line in Midwest City, Okla., Thursday, April 9, 2009. Fire crews in Oklahoma and Texas raced Thursday to control wind-whipped wildfires that destroyed dozens of homes, forced evacuations and shut down parts of a major highway. Photo by Bryan Terry, The Oklahoman

april3rd

THIRD PLACE, APRIL: Iowa Tribe volunteer firefighter David Milby with his wife Bonnie Milby at the Integris Baptist Burn Center in Oklahoma City Monday, April 13, 2009. Photo by Paul B. Southerland, The Oklahoman

may1st

FIRST PLACE, MAY: 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. Photo by Chris Landsberger, The Oklahoman

may2nd

SECOND PLACE, MAY: Graduates watch fireworks following the 2009 University of Oklahoma Commencement at the Gaylord Family -- Oklahoma Memorial Stadium, Friday, May 15, 2009, in Norman, Okla. Photo by Sarah Phipps, The Oklahoman

-Nate Billings


Lone Grove Tornado

So far, at least eight people, possibly nine, are dead after a tornado moved through Lone Grove, Okla., Tuesday night as part of the rare February severe storms that struck our state. Usually after a big news event, I feel like writing something about what it was like for us as photographers or how hard we worked to cover the story. We had people working Tuesday night and others starting before dawn Wednesday morning, but I don’t want to write about that today.

Right now, the details of how we spent Wednesday don’t seem very interesting compared to what the people and emergency workers in Lone Grove have been through or what many of them have lost. So, let’s keep the attention on them.

Here’s some of our photos from Lone Grove.

Lone Grove Tornado

Lone Grove firefighter Greg Allen (top) and volunteer Jack Brown search through broken trees north of Highway 70 in Lone Grove following deadly storms the day before around Lone Grove, Okla., Feb. 11, 2009. By John Clanton, The Oklahoman 

Lone Grove Tornado

Margie Hughes, left, gets a hug from her sister Neda Wilson as they look at Margie’s destroyed home following deadly storms the day before around Lone Grove, Okla., Feb. 11, 2009. By John Clanton, The Oklahoman

Lone Grove Tornado

John Taliaferro sees the remains of his furniture store in first light after Tuesday’s deadly tornado in  Lone Grove, Okla., on Wednesday, Feb. 11, 2009. Photo by Steve Sisney, The Oklahoman

Lone Grove Tornado

A home on Highway 70 was destroyed in Tuesday’s deadly tornado in  Lone Grove, Okla., on Wednesday, Feb. 11, 2009. Photo by Steve Sisney, The Oklahoman

Lone Grove Tornado

Lone Grove firemen search a home for unaccounted people on the north side of SH 70 in Lone Grove, Wednesday, Feb. 11, 2009. BY PAUL B. SOUTHERLAND, THE OKLAHOMAN

Lone Grove Tornado

Trina Quinton sits with a lost dog at her cousin’s destroyed furniture store, John’s Furniture, on the north side of SH 70 in Lone Grove, Wednesday, Feb. 11, 2009. BY PAUL B. SOUTHERLAND, THE OKLAHOMAN

Lone Grove Tornado

Searchers look through mobile home debris for four unaccounted for persons on Brock Road in Lone Grove, Wednesday, Feb. 11, 2009. The rails in the tree are the base of a mobile home. BY PAUL B. SOUTHERLAND, THE OKLAHOMAN 

Lone Grove Tornado

Deric Brawley, 12, sits with his dog on a friend’s couch inside their destroyed home following deadly storms the day before around Lone Grove, Okla., Feb. 11, 2009. By John Clanton, The Oklahoman

Lone Grove Tornado

Gov. Brad Henry talks with Sue Rose while surveying damage at the Bar K Mobile Home Park in Lone Grove, Okla., Wednesday, February 11, 2009. On Tuesday, February 10, 2009, a tornado moved through Lone Grove killing at least eight people. Rose was unable to seek shelter in time to avoid the tornado and rode out the storm in a mobile home with four other people. The mobile home was damaged, however, the people survived. BY NATE BILLINGS, THE OKLAHOMAN

Lone Grove Tornado

Dennis Parker holds his granddaughter, Brooklyn Hickman, 3, while sifting through belongings from his destroyed mobile home at the Bar K Mobile Home Park in Lone Grove, Okla., Wednesday, February 11, 2009. On Tuesday, February 10, 2009, a tornado moved through Lone Grove killing at least eight people. BY NATE BILLINGS, THE OKLAHOMAN

Lone Grove Tornado

Tammie Rose searches for items to salvage from the destroyed mobile home in which her daughter, Shawna Inlow, used to live in Lone Grove, Okla., Wednesday, February 11, 2009. On Tuesday, February 10, 2009, a tornado moved through Lone Grove killing at least eight people. Inlow and her three boys were able to ride  out the storm safely in Rose’s cellar. BY NATE BILLINGS, THE OKLAHOMAN

Lone Grove Tornado

Neda Wilson reacts as she looks at her sister’s destroyed home following deadly storms the day before around Lone Grove, Okla., Feb. 11, 2009. By John Clanton, The Oklahoman

To see a photo gallery of more pictures from Lone Grove and photos from damage in the metro area, click here.

-Nate Billings