2012 Pictures of the Year

Jim Beckel been a member of The Oklahoman's photo staff for 25 years. During that time, he and his cameras have covered virtually every type of news and feature story imaginable, traveling to all regions of Oklahoma to document events and provide photo coverage to accompany reporters' stories.

The greatest benefit of his job is the opportunity to meet a wide variety of wonderful people, from all walks of life, who allow him to share their stories through his photos. His career as a photojournalist has allowed him to understand that covering the plight of a homeless veteran is every bit important as photographing a high-ranking state official speaking about policy matters.

While it's true that I am employed by The Oklahoman, I try to be constantly mindful that the person I am actually working for is the reader of our newspaper.

Nate Billings never planned to become a photojournalist. He took pictures as a hobby growing up and worked as an assistant for his father, a commercial still and video photographer, but chose to study English Literature in college. Billings did not consider photography as a career until he was offered a summer internship at The Oklahoman in 2000 while working as the photo editor at Oklahoma State University's student newspaper, The Daily O'Collegian. He stayed on at The Oklahoman when offered a job in the fall, saying he would keep working in photojournalism as long as he was having fun. And, he still is. Billings graduated from Booker T. Washington High School in Tulsa, Okla., and earned his bachelor's degree from OSU and his master's in English from the University of Central Oklahoma.

Chris Landsberger is a native of Oklahoma and, as a photographer, has been able to travel coast to coast and everywhere in between to cover news for the last 13 years. He has been a part history that included coverage of Oklahoma City bomber Timothy McVeigh's trial and execution, President George W. Bush, and Super Bowl coverage. Landsberger, 38, is a photographer and asst. director of photography for The Oklahoman. He received a bachelor's degree in photojournalism in 1999 from the University of Central Oklahoma. He has worked his way from being a staff photographer at the Edmond Sun to chief photographer at the Enid News & Eagle and director of photography at the Topeka Capital-Journal. He has worked at The Oklahoman for 6 years.

Bryan Terry is a native of Oklahoma and is a graduate of Yukon High School. He first picked up a camera while attending the University of Central Oklahoma. After working for the school newspaper, The Vista, he interned at The Oklahoman. He graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Journalism/Photographic Arts and joined the staff of The Oklahoman in 1999.