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 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
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
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
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 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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
Thousands of pictures
One question sports photographers get asked is how many pictures they shoot during a game. Here’s some numbers from tonight’s Oklahoma State game against Missouri.
Staff Photographer Steve Sisney shot with 2 camera bodies. Both are Canon Mark IINs. John Clanton used 3 camera bodies. A Canon 40D, a Canon 5D and a Canon MarkII N. These cameras are pretty fast. The MarkIIs shoot 8 frames per second, the 40D is a little slower and the 5D only does about 4 frames per second.
Here are the totals:
Sisney:
Pregame features-71 frames,
First half game action-713 frames
Second half game action- 544 frames
for a total of 1328 pictures
Clanton shot:
Pregame features-73 frames
First half-635 frames
second half -503 frames
for a total of 1211 pictures.
At halftime and after the game we run up to the pressbox and edit as fast as we can and get our pictures narrowed down to the absolute best pictures that tell the story of the game. We send them in via Wi-Fi to the paper. Sisney got his narrowed down to 49 pictures that he sent in to the paper. Clanton only found 15 pictures that he liked enough to send in. (He doesn’t shoot football very often)
Kendall Hunter breaks away from Hardy Ricks for a long touchdown run in the second half as Oklahoma State University Cowboys (OSU) plays the University of Missouri Tigers (MIZZOU) at Faurot Field in Columbia, Mo. on Saturday October 11, 2008. BY STEVE SISNEY, THE OKLAHOMAN
Patrick Lavine intercepts a final pass by Chase Daniel in the second half as Oklahoma State University Cowboys (OSU) play the University of Missouri Tigers (MIZZOU) at Faurot Field in Columbia, Mo. on Saturday October 11, 2008. BY STEVE SISNEY, THE OKLAHOMAN
Oklahoma State defenders stand around Missouri QB Chase Daniel after he was sacked during the second half as Oklahoma State University Cowboys (OSU) plays the University of Missouri Tigers (MIZZOU) at Faurot Field in Columbia, Mo. on Saturday October 11, 2008. Oklahoma State beat Missouri 28-23. BY JOHN CLANTON, THE OKLAHOMAN
-John Clanton
It’s time for the Red River Rivalry
Jan Gillespie from Norman, Okla, yells at Texas fan Sam Hilpirt, from Denton, Texas, in the West End District of Dallas, October 7, 2005. BY BRYAN TERRY, THE OKLAHOMAN
As the annual big football game between OU and Texas approaches, I thought I’d post some pictures from previous years. The set today is of the fans. Although the action of the game is always good, the fans really make the atmosphere.
By the way, the woman in the above photo, Jan Gillespie, is such a vocal fan that we seem to get great pictures of her every year. I put a second picture of her in this collection because her screaming is just that good. Enjoy.
Oklahoma RUF/NEKS President Sean Hood shaves the hair of Silver Spur Byton McCaffree after OU’s win over Texas at the Cotton Bowl in Dallas, Oct. 7, 2000. BY TY RUSSELL, THE OKLAHOMAN
Alan Simpson of Norman, Okla., shows his support for OU over Texas, with his tattoos, prior to the University of Oklahoma Sooners college football game against the University of Texas at the Cotton Bowl in Dallas, Saturday, October 8, 2005. BY STEVE SISNEY, THE OKLAHOMAN
Oklahoma fans taunt the Texas flag corps during the first half of the college football game between the University of Oklahoma Sooners and the University of Texas Longhorns at the Cotton Bowl in Dallas, Texas, on Saturday, Oct. 6, 2007. BY NATE BILLINGS, THE OKLAHOMAN
Fans wait for the teams to arrive before the football game between the OU Sooners and UT Longhorns at the Cotton Bowl on Saturday, Oct. 6, 2007, in Dallas. BY BRYAN TERRY, THE OKLAHOMAN
A group of OU fans stop at the Texas state line the day before the Oklahoma vs. Texas college football game, Friday, October 8, 2004. BY BRYAN TERRY, THE OKLAHOMAN
OU fans reach out to celebrate OU’s 12-0 win over Texas with Cory Bennett (97) Saturday, October 9, 2004, in Dallas. BY NATE BILLINGS, THE OKLAHOMAN
A screaming OU fan gives the inverted ‘Horns sign during the OU-Texas game, October 11, 2003. OU beat Texas, 65-13. BY JIM BECKL, THE OKLAHOMAN
Sooner fan Jan Gillespie, of Norman, Okla., greets the players as they get off the bus before the game between the Oklahoma and Texas at the Cotton Bowl on Saturday, Oct. 6, 2007, in Dallas. BY CHRIS LANDSBERGER, THE OKLAHOMAN
-Nate Billings
