Alternate Crop » Weather Art

Fishing at night

john clanton — Thu, 08 Oct 2009 13:00:16 +0000

A small fish, that was eventually thrown back, hangs from a hook at Lake Hefner in Oklahoma City on Sunday, Sept. 27, 2009. By John Clanton, The Oklahoman

As a photographer, when I think of ideas for an audio slideshow, I usually think of what pictures I might be able to get to go with a particular story, and then I back up the pictures with audio from the event. A few weeks ago I went out to Lake Hefner and hatched an idea for a new slideshow by doing the opposite. I listened to the sounds of the lake and how peaceful it was late at night, the animals, the water, the creaking of the docks, and decided to take pictures that would back up the sounds of the lake. On three trips to the lake, mostly late at night, I met people who fish off the docks at Lake Hefner. Some people said they spend all day at the lake. They’ll start fishing at 2 pm and keep fishing until atfter 10 pm. Another group said they usually show up after work at 10 pm and sometimes fish until 3 or 4 in the morning.

A plane passes over Lake Hefner in Oklahoma City on Tuesday, Oct. 6, 2009. This is a 25 second exposure taken at about 9:30 pm. By John Clanton, The Oklahoman

For pictures of the fishermen and the fish, I used 50mm and 35mm lenses. The Canon 5d markII takes pictures very well at high ISO, so I usually set it at 5000 ISO. Just last night I took a tripod out to the lake and used a 24-70mm lens and a really long shutter speed to photograph the docks. I did almost no color correction to the pictures in the slideshow. There are so many sources of light that are mixing together in the pictures, that I wanted them to look as natural as possible. There’s the moonlight, the yellow lights inside the dock and on the streetlights, and the white and green lights above the dock, lighting up the water. I almost never use a tripod for still photographs. I can’t remember the last time I did, but before I knew it last night, an hour and a half had melted away while I took pictures. When I sat on the rocks on the shore long enough for a spider to crawl up my leg, I knew it was time to leave. You can see the final slideshow by clicking here.

Lake Hefner in Oklahoma City on Tuesday, Oct. 6, 2009. By John Clanton, The Oklahoman

-John Clanton

The Fair, Football and Rain

nate billings — Fri, 18 Sep 2009 19:50:04 +0000

Usually the start of the Oklahoma State Fair brings rain to Oklahoma City. This year the rain showed up a week or so early. I managed to get soaked at the Mustang at Edmond North football game last week. It took about two days to get my equipment dried out properly (even with protective gear) just in time for the OSU vs. Houston game. And since the fair began yesterday, something tells me we may have to deal with more weather on the sidelines the next two weekends.

Here’s a few pictures I like that we didn’t have space to put in the paper that are of the State Fair, football and rain.

Members of the Edmond North band cheer in the rain with other students and fans before the high school football game between Mustang and Edmond North at Wantland Stadium in Edmond, Okla., Thursday, September 10, 2009. The game was eventually postponed until Saturday due to the weather. By Nate Billings, The Oklahoman

A man climbs on a ladder up the face of a video board before the college football game between the University of Houston Cougars and the Oklahoma State University Cowboys at Boone Pickens Stadium in Stillwater, Okla., Saturday, September 12, 2009. Photo by Nate Billings, The Oklahoman

OSU's Dez Bryant (1) stands on the gate in front of the team before taking the field for the college football game between the University of Houston Cougars and the Oklahoma State University Cowboys at Boone Pickens Stadium in Stillwater, Okla., Saturday, September 12, 2009. Photo by Nate Billings, The Oklahoman

Chandler Hardy, 2010 Miss Oklahoma State Fair's Outstanding Teen, talks with Kylie Hart, 4, and Kylie's mother, Jana Hardy, of Oklahoma City, during the Oklahoma State Fair at State Fair Park in Oklahoma Ctiy, Thursday, September 17, 2009. Photo by Nate Billings, The Oklahoman

Regan The Entertainer, right, tries to get a reaction from eight-month-old William East, of Luther, Okla., as his parents, Rebecca East and Billie East, looks up during the Oklahoma State Fair at State Fair Park in Oklahoma Ctiy, Thursday, September 17, 2009. Photo by Nate Billings, The Oklahoman

-Nate Billings

Great Ball of Fire!!

dhoke — Wed, 02 Sep 2009 03:01:53 +0000

When I left the office tonight (Sept. 1) at Britton and Broadway Extension a little after 7:00, I noticed the sun was a big red ball in the sky. Knowing the conditions for this type of sunset are rare I kept an eye on it while looking for something to put in front of it during the drive home. As it fell lower and lower, it opened up a lot of opportunities. As I headed west on 33rd toward Coltrane I spotted the tall grass I put in the foreground, which luckily was right by a turn-off in the road. I whipped the car in and jumped out to get my Canon 40D and 300mm f2.8 lens and plopped on the ground and started shooting. For situations like this, I like to shoot in the jpeg + raw mode which allows quick editing for the newspaper deadlines, but also gives me more detail if I need it. The great thing about these type of sunsets is the exposure is so close to the ambient light, thereby maintaining detail in the sun. I varied the size the sun appeared by using different f-stops. The larger the aperture, the larger the sun. This frame was shot at iso 200 1/1600 at f2.8 to give the sun its maximum size. I think it was worth pulling over for and I hope you do to.

Tall grass is silhouetted against the setting sun along 33rd street in Edmond near Coltrane Tuesday, Sept. 1, 2009. Photo by Doug Hoke, The Oklahoman.

-Doug Hoke

Just a lightning strike away…

dhoke — Fri, 21 Aug 2009 03:11:01 +0000

Hugh Scott doesn’t get many bylines in the paper because most of his work is for the advertising and marketing departments at OPUBCO. But he has a collection of lightning photos that is insane! Here are a few from an early August storm. Seems like we’ve had more than normal for this time of the year.

Lightning strikes over the OPUBCO Communications building late Wednesday, Aug. 5, 2009, night as storms rolled across central Oklahoma. Photo by Hugh Scott, The Oklahoman.

Lightning strikes over the OPUBCO Communications building late Wednesday, Aug. 5, 2009, night as storms rolled across central Oklahoma. Photo by Hugh Scott, The Oklahoman.

Lightning strikes over the OPUBCO Communications building late Wednesday, Aug. 5, 2009, night as storms rolled across central Oklahoma. Photo by Hugh Scott, The Oklahoman.

Lightning strikes over the OPUBCO Communications building late Wednesday, Aug. 5, 2009, night as storms rolled across central Oklahoma. Photo by Hugh Scott, The Oklahoman.

-Doug Hoke

Fourth of July wrap-up

nate billings — Mon, 06 Jul 2009 19:39:52 +0000

Fans watch fireworks at the AT&T Bricktown Ballpark, Saturday July 4, 2009, in Oklahoma City. Photo by Sarah Phipps, The Oklahoman

The photographers of The Oklahoman were out in force to cover Independence Day. The weather shifted from nice to muggy and then rain in the evening. I’m glad we got the rain, but just wish it had happened either the day before or the day after. The RedHawks didn’t play their baseball game, but did have fireworks. Other fireworks shows were postponed. Here are some of the photos from the day.

To see a gallery from events around the metro area, click here.

For former President George W. Bush’s Independence Day visit to Woodward, click here.

A gallery of photos from Edmond’s LibertyFest parade is here.

And Bryan Terry did a cool time-lapse video from the LibertyFest parade that we highlighted in this blog entry.

Jesse Hardiman and Ava Welch, 1, walk during Bethany's Centennial Freedom Festival, Saturday, July 4, 2009, at Eldon Lyon Park in Bethany, Okla. Photo by Sarah Phipps, The Oklahoman

Boy Scouts carry a huge American flag in the LibertyFest Parade in downtown Edmond, OK, Saturday, July 4, 2009. By Paul Hellstern, The Oklahoman

Trent Nondorf, 4, left, and Ethan Nondorf, 2, wait for the start of the Quail Creek Fourth of July parade in Oklahoma City, Saturday, July 4, 2009. Photo by Nate Billings, The Oklahoman

Kristen Gregory sported a festive Fourth of July headband during LibertyFest at UCO campus in Edmond, Okla. Saturday, July 4, 2009. Photo by Ashley McKee, The Oklahoman

Former President George W. Bush and wife, Laura, were given a warm reception when they arrived at Woodward's July 4th celebration and re-dedication of Crystal Beach Park. Photo by Jim Beckel, The Oklahoman

Lauren Atkins, 9, from Norman, eats free watermelon at the Norman Independence Day Celebration at Reaves Park in Norman, Okla., on Saturday, July 4, 2009. Photo by Steve Sisney, The Oklahoman

Darren Ransley slides on the tarp during a rain delay of the Oklahoma City RedHawks and Omaha Royals at the AT&T Bricktown Ballpark, Saturday July 4, 2009, in Oklahoma City. Photo by Sarah Phipps, The Oklahoman

-Nate Billings

Hey, take my picture, drag boat edition

nate billings — Mon, 08 Jun 2009 19:00:04 +0000

I spent part of the weekend taking photos at the Oklahoma City Nationals drag boat races. For much of the time I was at the river, racing was stopped because the wind had made the water too choppy. Eventually, the water calmed down and racing got going. Because of the delay, I spent a lot time just talking to fans. Here’s a fan shot, a cool helmet and a pic for our on-going feature “Hey, take my picture!”

Fans Dee Dee Hayes, left, and Mitchel Watan watch a boat take a test run during the Oklahoma City Nationals drag boat races on the Oklahoma River, Saturday, June 6, 2009. Photo by Nate Billings, The Oklahoman

Dan Rogers waits at the ramp in his boat, Flat Black, for his qualifying race during the Oklahoma City Nationals drag boat races on the Oklahoma River, Saturday, June 6, 2009. Photo by Nate Billings, The Oklahoman

HEY, TAKE MY PICTURE-From left, fans Betty Harwick, Jo Choate and R.T. MacIntosh hang out during the Oklahoma City Nationals drag boat races on the Oklahoma River, Saturday, June 6, 2009. Photo by Nate Billings, The Oklahoman

-Nate Billings

Bring On Summer

chris landsberger — Tue, 26 May 2009 14:19:42 +0000

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

Storm Clouds Build

chris landsberger — Thu, 14 May 2009 01:14:53 +0000

I have always found that I really enjoy the Spring and the storms that come with it. Here are a few storm cloud photos I took Wednesday evening as thunderstorms began to build over Yukon, Okla.

Storm clouds build over a house in Yukon, Okla. on Wednesday, May 13, 2009. Photo by Chris Landsberger, The Oklahoman

Storm clouds build over Yukon, Okla. on Wednesday, May 13, 2009. Photo by Chris Landsberger, The Oklahoman

Storm clouds build over a house in Yukon, Okla. on Wednesday, May 13, 2009. Photo by Chris Landsberger, The Oklahoman

-Chris Landsberger

VORTEX2 Day 4 Back to Oklahoma

stevesisney — Wed, 13 May 2009 19:57:58 +0000

Bad, overpriced breakfast at my okay hotel in Childress, Texas was followed by watching the VORTEX2 team (they stayed at the Hampton Inn) enjoy relative luxury and a free breakfast. Now it is 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

VORTEX2 Gathers in Texas to Wait

stevesisney — Wed, 13 May 2009 05:00:48 +0000

We left Clinton in half panic mode to get to the target area in the Texas panhandle. I’m beginning to think this was just a trial run to see how fast you can muster over 100 people and 40 vehicles. The drive was cold and damp till we got half way into the panhandle (the scientists don’t want the media to disclose the exact location because of safety concerns). We went from temperatures in the 50’s to temps in the 80’s after traveling about 150 miles. We also went from fog to sunshine. The meteorology community had on their shorts and flip flops and I was sweating in jeans and a long-sleeve shirt. I wish they had a clothing forecast.

Erik Rasmussen, co-principal investigator, shows the members of VORTEX2 data and the reason for targeting the Texas panhandle. He is giving the morning briefing in the restaurant of the Ramada Inn in Clinton, Okla. on Tuesday, May 12, 2009 at 10:00 am. The order came to leave immediately for Texas. Photo by Steve Sisney, The Oklahoman

Conrad Ziegler, research scientist with NSSL (left), Renee Curry, OU graduate student and scout car driver, and Mike Biggerstaff, University of Oklahoma professor, confer on a more precise target for the SR1 doppler radar on the third day of VORTEX2 as the team arrives in the panhandle of Texas on Tuesday, May 12, 2009. Photo by Steve Sisney, The Oklahoman

A member of the "Sticknets" mobile mezonet deployment team waits for a super cell thunderstorm to develop early in the afternoon. After leaving temperatures in the 50s in Clinton, Okla. in the morning the temperature at this rest stop approached 90 degrees. The crew of VORTEX2 searched for super cell thunderstorms in the panhandle of Texas. on Tuesday, May 12, 2009. Photo by Steve Sisney, The Oklahoman

For a gallery of Tuesday’s photos click here.

-Steve Sisney