Best of the Year

The Oklahoman Staff Photographer Jim Beckel has placed in NPPA’s Best of Photojournalism Contest.

FIRES: Paul Norwood watches helplessly as his neighbor's home is destroyed by wildfires in eastern Oklahoma County Thursday, April 9, 2009. These homes are in Oakwood East housing addition, near SE 15 and Westminster. Photo by JIM BECKEL, THE OKLAHOMAN ORG XMIT: KOD

Last year, during an outbreak of wildfires, Beckel was sent to a neighborhood in Midwest City that is less than half a mile from his home. Beckel described a scene of chaos, but what caught his eye amid all the smoke, was a bright yellow truck. Paul Norwood, the subject of the picture, had helped firemen push the truck out of the garage moments before Beckel arrived. From across the street, Beckel began taking pictures. He took fewer than five pictures before Paul looked up at the smoke and Beckel captured an award winning picture. “It was a lucky picture,” said Beckel. Director of Photography Doug Hoke said today after we heard that Beckel had placed in NPPAs worldwide contest, that he doesn’t remember anyone at The Oklahoman ever placing in the contest.  To see Jim’s entry, click here, or for NPPA’s Best of Photojournalism website, click here. Congratulations to Jim.