http://www.tulsaworld.comThe latest news and information from the Tulsa World.5Copyright 2013, World Publishing Co. All rights reserved.Yesterday at lunch, photo editor Christopher Smith and I were talking about projects I could do this summer for the blog. We started to talk about ways I could explore neighborhoods of Tulsa and make ......http://www.tulsaworld.com/blogs/post.aspx/Intersections_122nd_and_Albuquerque/20832?subj=4Tue, 18 Jun 2013 18:14:00 CDTI held certain beliefs before I met Magenia Parish. I believed that a child could never be homeless and alone. I thought there were too many safeguards in place. From DHS to the schools to local ......http://www.tulsaworld.com/blogs/post.aspx/A_life_worth_living/20801?subj=4Sun, 16 Jun 2013 06:00:00 CDT'This one feels right.' Its not Margaret Owens turn yet, but she holds a domino in the palm of her hand, hovering above the table, waiting for the chance to smack it down on the table. There's alot ......http://www.tulsaworld.com/blogs/post.aspx/You_gonna_play_or_are_you_still_counting_your_dominoes/20800?subj=4Sat, 15 Jun 2013 20:00:00 CDTAs I scroll through the multitude of images from the Associated Press always makes the world seem vast and exotic and small and familiar all at once. I am reminded of the many corners of the world that ......http://www.tulsaworld.com/blogs/post.aspx/Photos_from_around_the_world/20782?subj=4Thu, 13 Jun 2013 17:03:26 CDTI was sent to shoot a Mustang car collector last week, and upon my arrival it was obvious how avid a collector he was, sprawled all over his office were memorabilia, trophies, and miniatures. That ......http://www.tulsaworld.com/blogs/post.aspx/Shooting_in_confined_spaces/20781?subj=4Thu, 13 Jun 2013 16:52:51 CDTWhen the 'centurions' blow their whistles, you've got to get behind the orange line, a few seconds later, a volkswagen clears the way for riders who speed past flag-waving, costumed, water-soaked, shirtless ......http://www.tulsaworld.com/blogs/post.aspx/The_best_street_party_in_Tulsa/20705?subj=4Mon, 10 Jun 2013 13:59:00 CDTHere's a look at Saturday's Tulsa Tough bicycle races in the Brady District. A noticeable difference from last year: many buildings that were gutted down to 2x4s and plywood have finished construction ......http://www.tulsaworld.com/blogs/post.aspx/Photo_report_Tulsa_Tough_in_the_Brady_District/20696?subj=4Sat, 08 Jun 2013 15:55:00 CDTFor three days of the last month I spent a day with each of the three Mayoral candidates for stories leading up to the June 11 election. The stories have run in the Tulsa World over the last three days, ......http://www.tulsaworld.com/blogs/post.aspx/Speeches_meetings_and_looking_for_moments_on_the_campaign/20652?subj=4Thu, 06 Jun 2013 09:34:25 CDTAfter driving to Dewar on Saturday to photograph the flood damage, I was struck by one particular couple, Troy and Remona Withrow. This was the second time their home had been flooded, the first being ......http://www.tulsaworld.com/blogs/post.aspx/Storms_bring_people_together/20602?subj=4Sun, 02 Jun 2013 15:09:54 CDTAfter the monster tornado which devastated Moore recently, people are understandably on edge when severe storms approach, and the last few days of May are packing quite a punch. I'm sure I was not ......http://www.tulsaworld.com/blogs/post.aspx/Severe_Weather_hits_Tulsa/20583?subj=4Fri, 31 May 2013 13:08:08 CDTConstruction projects of all kinds were in the works Thursday at a Lego-building contest for youngsters. The Tulsa City-County Library is putting on several of the events as its summer ......http://www.tulsaworld.com/blogs/post.aspx/A_blueprint_for_fun/20577?subj=4Fri, 31 May 2013 00:00:00 CDTMonday was my day off, but I was called into the office after the tornado in Moore hit, unaware of the gravity of what had just happened. Making sense of the chaos around me was difficult - ......http://www.tulsaworld.com/blogs/post.aspx/Moore_Tornado_Aftermath_Coverage/20553?subj=4Wed, 29 May 2013 14:32:00 CDTThe grime and the beauty of a city are magnified from a few stories up. Something about being up high - atop downtown Tulsa's parking garages, in this case - brings out the visual appeal ......http://www.tulsaworld.com/blogs/post.aspx/SEEN_Up_on_the_roof/20516?subj=4Mon, 27 May 2013 08:55:00 CDTAfter spending two days covering stories related to last Monday's devastating tornado in Moore, there were many things that will stay with me, but two moments in particular. Standing in a room at ......http://www.tulsaworld.com/blogs/post.aspx/Moore_Tornado_survivors_tell_their_stories/20512?subj=4Sat, 25 May 2013 14:51:00 CDTEven in the dark, I knew this was the worst tornado damage I'd ever seen. I walked into the neighborhood hardest hit in Moore late Monday. I had heard the news on the radio on the way there, ......http://www.tulsaworld.com/blogs/post.aspx/Walking_through_a_neighborhood_in_Moore/20494?subj=4Thu, 23 May 2013 15:55:00 CDTResidents in Moore, Ok. were told they would be allowed to get back to salvage what they could of their homes at 3:00 pm Wednesday. As I arrived at the intersection of Southwest 4th Street and Wilson Blvd. ......http://www.tulsaworld.com/blogs/post.aspx/Reaction_to_a_terrible_situation/20473?subj=4Wed, 22 May 2013 17:42:34 CDTOn May 3,1999 I was in my mid twenties, and was sent to Moore to cover the tornado that devastated the town. I was young, slept in my car along with fellow staff photographer(and wife) Brandi Stafford. ......http://www.tulsaworld.com/blogs/post.aspx/Moore_hit_again/20450?subj=4Tue, 21 May 2013 21:46:00 CDTI've written in this space before about my new 'old love' of shooting film with cheap plastic cameras - known as toy cameras in the photo world. I recently got a roll of film processed and ......http://www.tulsaworld.com/blogs/post.aspx/Dont_think_Just_shoot/20409?subj=4Sun, 19 May 2013 15:36:57 CDTMayfest is here again, and just like every year, us photographers are let loose to find creative new ways to capture the festival on camera. Getting colorful lively photos of the festival is easy, ......http://www.tulsaworld.com/blogs/post.aspx/Welcome_to_Mayfest_Welcome_to_Mayfest/20407?subj=4Sun, 19 May 2013 11:18:00 CDTHundreds of images come in over the Associated Press wire everyday. Sometimes the best, most compelling images are easy to spot. Other times there are too many mug shots of alleged criminals or group ......http://www.tulsaworld.com/blogs/post.aspx/Photos_from_around_the_world_and_above_it/20386?subj=4Thu, 16 May 2013 15:58:08 CDTAs photographers we are always having the unexpected happening while we are shooting an assignment and sometimes it's for the best but then there are those times it's not so great. I was at a Tulsa Drillers ......http://www.tulsaworld.com/blogs/post.aspx/My_Great_Photo/20372?subj=4Wed, 15 May 2013 15:56:11 CDTLove's Thunder Alley is in limbo, tonight. If the Oklahoma City Thunder win both games 5 (tonight in Oklahoma City) and 6 (Friday in Memphis) against the Memphis Grizzlies, Thunder Alley ......http://www.tulsaworld.com/blogs/post.aspx/OKC_Thunder_can_prevent_end_to_Thunder_Alley/20371?subj=4Wed, 15 May 2013 15:26:04 CDTI don't usually root for the teams I cover. Whether it be OU, OSU whatever, it isn't my job to root for a team. When I photograph a sporting event, I honestly don't care who wins. I just want to tell an ......http://www.tulsaworld.com/blogs/post.aspx/A_journalist_becomes_a_little_biased/20311?subj=4Mon, 13 May 2013 09:41:00 CDTBefore the gates to the The Castle open and tickets are taken, people file past a troupe of Belly Dancers, their zills clinking in unison while drummers play in the background. King Henry VIII is on a ......http://www.tulsaworld.com/blogs/post.aspx/SEEN_Experiencing_1539_AD_in_Muskogee/20278?subj=4Sun, 12 May 2013 08:37:00 CDTWhat would you do if a 6-foot-3, 187-pound, muscle-bound basketball player was high in the air, falling down toward you? What if his 7-foot-3, 263-pound teammate was sprinting for the basketball, ......http://www.tulsaworld.com/blogs/post.aspx/Thundering_Up_OKCs_first_two_playoff_rounds/20282?subj=4Thu, 09 May 2013 19:53:00 CDTThey're holding bright green compound bows in the parking lot. Can't ignore that. I've heard of bowfishing, but these guys plan to fish from the pedestrian bridge 20-something feet above the water. The ......http://www.tulsaworld.com/blogs/post.aspx/SEEN_Bowfishing_from_the_bridge/20256?subj=4Wed, 08 May 2013 16:15:00 CDTWhile walking to an assignment in the Brookside area today, I saw a vacant lot. It caught my attention because real estate is at such a premium in the area that it seems you rarely see any unused property. ......http://www.tulsaworld.com/blogs/post.aspx/Wildflowers_or_weeds/20193?subj=4Sun, 05 May 2013 17:55:46 CDTThe Kentucky Derby is an event rich with tradition, color and culture that spills beyond the track itself. Though the main event isn't until tomorrow, there is an abundance of great photos coming from ......http://www.tulsaworld.com/blogs/post.aspx/Moments_of_color_and_pageantry_from_the_Kentucky_Derby/20187?subj=4Fri, 03 May 2013 17:32:46 CDTMourners came together to remember Nate Waters on Thursday. The weather was cold, rainy and pretty miserable. But, as I spoke with people who walked from Bartlett Square to First United Methodist Church ......http://www.tulsaworld.com/blogs/post.aspx/Mourning_Nate_Waters/20164?subj=4Thu, 02 May 2013 17:07:00 CDTRemember that tear gas launcher Arnold Schwarzenegger used in the 'Terminator 2' movie? I got a demo of something similar last week. Ryan Perkins, the commander of TPD's Special Operations ......http://www.tulsaworld.com/blogs/post.aspx/Shooting_something_besides_photos/20095?subj=4Mon, 29 Apr 2013 15:20:00 CDTI've done many police ride alongs in my time as a photojournalist. Most of the time the police department sends us out with a veteran officer. The conversation is usually guarded, but cynical. Being somewhat ......http://www.tulsaworld.com/blogs/post.aspx/Going_solo_to_make_the_city_better/20076?subj=4Mon, 29 Apr 2013 09:27:44 CDTIt's cold out on Tuesday night. Aaron Whisner and Justin Baney are 25 feet above the sidewalk on a scissor lift painting the detail onto Woody Guthrie's face. People come out of local bars and restaurants ......http://www.tulsaworld.com/blogs/post.aspx/Seen_Painting_the_Woody_Guthrie_Mural/19965?subj=4Mon, 22 Apr 2013 10:23:52 CDTIn my career as a photojournalist, I have driven to many small towns to cover a tornado or storm damage. The sight as I arrive always amazes me. Driving into Spavinaw, Ok. this morning after storms damaged ......http://www.tulsaworld.com/blogs/post.aspx/Storms_rip_through_Oklahoma/19934?subj=4Thu, 18 Apr 2013 16:45:00 CDTWith your eyes closed, you'd think you were in Mexico. That was my first impression at Tulsa's Eisenhower International School, where kids read, write, talk and count in Spanish. It's ......http://www.tulsaworld.com/blogs/post.aspx/The_Very_Busy_Araa/19929?subj=4Thu, 18 Apr 2013 12:43:00 CDT'Would you like to see the plate and the bowl that I made?' Jamie Slimp, age 8, is standing in front of her paintings but weaves her way through the crowd to show off some other work she made at Tulsa ......http://www.tulsaworld.com/blogs/post.aspx/Artwork_on_display_at_Tulsa_Girls_Art_School/19877?subj=4Tue, 16 Apr 2013 10:42:00 CDTI typically start my shift at 9:00 am. Some days, like today, my first assignment is at 9:30 am. I love these days because I almost always have time to drive around and look for photos. Today I saw ......http://www.tulsaworld.com/blogs/post.aspx/A_patriot_out_for_a_walk/19871?subj=4Mon, 15 Apr 2013 16:02:24 CDTI've been living in Oklahoma and working at the Tulsa World for almost thirteen years now, and in that time I've been on dozens of hair raising storm chases. Being from England, this was new territory ......http://www.tulsaworld.com/blogs/post.aspx/Storm_Photographs_from_my_time_at_the_Tulsa_World/19852?subj=4Fri, 12 Apr 2013 15:21:00 CDTYesterday in the midst of a rather depressing assignment, the fatal plane wreck in Collinsville, I saw a scene across the street that put a smile on my face. It was my second day photographing the aftermath ......http://www.tulsaworld.com/blogs/post.aspx/A_smile_on_a_sad_assignment/19802?subj=4Tue, 09 Apr 2013 16:17:20 CDTLouisville won the NCAA Championship game last night, beating Michigan 82-76. Meanwhile, over the last few days, fans and athletes of other sports around the country and the world celebrated wins, endured ......http://www.tulsaworld.com/blogs/post.aspx/Louisvilles_big_win_and_other_images_from_around_the/19791?subj=4Tue, 09 Apr 2013 09:44:01 CDTLaw officers arrested almost two dozen people Friday morning in a warrant sweep intended to cut the supply of meth from Mexico into Tulsa. Officials from the Oklahoma Bureau of Narcotics ......http://www.tulsaworld.com/blogs/post.aspx/The_front_lines_of_the_fight_against_meth/19760?subj=4Fri, 05 Apr 2013 13:12:20 CDTMonths ago, my neighbors set a perfectly good 10 gallon fish tank on the curb for trash day. I stopped and picked it up, but it sat in my garage for weeks. I figured I'd either get an assignment I could ......http://www.tulsaworld.com/blogs/post.aspx/One_mans_trash_is_another_mans_underwater_camera_housing/19743?subj=4Thu, 04 Apr 2013 13:35:49 CDTI worked Easter Sunday. My assignments took me to two very different parks in very different parts of the city. What I found, at first seemed to be very different scenes at Woodward Park and Mohawk Park. ...http://www.tulsaworld.com/blogs/post.aspx/Sunday_in_the_park/19719?subj=4Wed, 03 Apr 2013 10:22:01 CDTYesterday, on my way home from work, I passed the Mohawk Soccer Complex and saw smoke. When I looked over from Highway 75, I saw a grassfire burning. Not unusual this time of year. What was unusual was ......http://www.tulsaworld.com/blogs/post.aspx/An_unusual_fire/19704?subj=4Tue, 02 Apr 2013 13:07:05 CDTThe best thing about this job is the variety. No two days are the same. No two assignments are alike. Two of my assignments on a recent day were different: A tour of the Tulsa Zoo's new four-building complex ......http://www.tulsaworld.com/blogs/post.aspx/The_human_animal/19689?subj=4Mon, 01 Apr 2013 15:38:00 CDTWhile working on this story about Mike Salerno and the volunteers at H.A.N.D.S. ......http://www.tulsaworld.com/blogs/post.aspx/Letting_the_kids_take_picures/19668?subj=4Mon, 01 Apr 2013 08:40:00 CDTNature is fertile ground for photos, especially shots of exotic animals. The shapes and textures are so unusual - sometimes bordering on bizarre - that they deserve a closer look. On ......http://www.tulsaworld.com/blogs/post.aspx/Getting_close_REALLY_close_to_Tulsas_exotic_animals/19682?subj=4Sun, 31 Mar 2013 16:20:00 CDTRecently I've been shooting several live concerts from Diana Ross to Justin Bieber, and it's interesting to compare the different experiences we have as photographers depending on the artist and venue....http://www.tulsaworld.com/blogs/post.aspx/Shooting_Live_Concerts/19636?subj=4Wed, 27 Mar 2013 17:55:02 CDTFormer newspaper reporter Allyson Bird has written a blog about why she left her career in newspapers, or as my wife and ......http://www.tulsaworld.com/blogs/post.aspx/Why_I_love_the_news/19542?subj=4Wed, 20 Mar 2013 17:58:00 CDTTen years after the war in Iraq, Associated Press photographer Maya Alleruzzo juxtaposed photos taken during the war against the landscapes as they appear today. In some cases they show an Iraq that is ......http://www.tulsaworld.com/blogs/post.aspx/Iraq_Ten_years_later/19522?subj=4Wed, 20 Mar 2013 09:00:00 CDTMost of the trees in Tulsa are still grey and bare. The grass is still brown and frosty on chilly mornings. Signs of spring, though are starting to emerge. Pink buds are opening up on tulip trees while ......http://www.tulsaworld.com/blogs/post.aspx/SEEN_The_first_signs_of_Spring/19503?subj=4Mon, 18 Mar 2013 13:37:00 CDT