Most photographers would agree: a 50mm lens is a great addition to your lens collection. The 50mm focal length has always been popular, and 50mm lenses tend to be cheap, lightweight and small. There are a couple of odd exceptions. Many lens makers use this focal length to create what are called “halo” products: large,…
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My readers know that I love a good used digital camera. Why? I love the idea of taking something that was once valuable, then discarded, and giving it new life. I love the idea of recycling. I also love the idea that I make better pictures (hopefully pictures that my readers enjoy) not because I…
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As spring approaches, and with the arrival of Daylight Saving Time, I am outdoors more, both as a journalist and as a homeowner. Since I am a photographer both as a profession and for a hobby, I am always taking pictures. Some of these pictures are very straightforward, like tornado damage, flowers blooming, or kids…
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I recently spoke to the Byng School student body as part of Journey of Hope, a program from the Oklahoma City National Memorial, about my experience as a journalist covering the terrorist bombing of the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building in Oklahoma City on April 19, 1995. At the end of the session, organizers opened…
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As I write this, my community and I are mostly idle, since most activities have been halted by a sharp cold snap, accompanied by freezing rain, sleet, and snow. Despite the outdoors being somewhat inhospitable, life goes on, and we all try to do something inside. Housecleaning is productive. Movie night is fun. Eating hot…
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I made these images one very early Christmas Eve in 2012, in my wife’s hometown, Ryan, Oklahoma. I was out extra early to walk our dogs. I shot these with my Sony Cybershot F828. Images like this remind us the the value of always being ready to make pictures.
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My readers know that I tend to be a healthy eater. One thing that makes eating healthy easier is that I have very little “sweet tooth.” The result is that I seldom have added-sugar foods in my home, foods like candy and cake, and only eat them sparingly when I encounter them elsewhere. And I…
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My readers know that among my favorite things in the world, not just in my photography, are lenses. I like old and new, heavy and light, complex and simple, and on and on. There are almost no lenses that don’t intrigue me. One class of lenses I find the most satisfying to work with are…
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When I was 16 years old, my father and I watched Super Bowl XIII, January 21, 1979. My dad was a chronic TV watcher, so as soon as NBC’s coverage started, the TV was on, and, because my dad was hard of hearing, cranked up loud enough to rattle the windows. I believe that during…
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I recently learned of a fun hack photographers can perform on the Sony DCS-F828 digital camera of 2002 vintage. I happen to have a sort-of-working F828 in my photo closet, so I thought I’d try it out. The fact that I just learned about it doesn’t mean it’s new. It only means that I stumbled…
Continue reading →Continuing with a series of scans from my newspaper files from the film era, these images are from a photo essay to go with a story about the Ada Police Department training in special tactics in February 1990. This is an interesting study in the evolution of police gear, attire, weapons, and tactics. I made…
Continue reading →Here are a few recent images that passed my eyes on the job, but which weren’t suitable as content for my newspaper.
Continue reading →I sometimes miss the days of Internet past, when a search yielded an interesting web page that had links in it to other links, which might have still more links. I loved clicking around to see everything from dancing hamsters to moon landing hoaxes. Now, I say with a heavy sign, the Internet seems to…
Continue reading →I was sorry to see the Ada Cougars football team’s season come to an end Friday with their loss to Bethany. At the same time, I am definitely a forward-looker, and I am looking forward to basketball season. Honestly, every season is great, as long as I and mindful of what matters most: being the…
Continue reading →The Ada Cougars’ recently enjoyed pep rallies in advance of their playoff football games. Both pep rallies were hosted by Doc’s Food Truck Park, which is fun and says that Doc’s is really engaging with the community. The stage and a sound system are lit by couple of street lights, various LED lights on food…
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