Gersh Photo Post | Max Gersh | Multimedia Photojournalist

Some assignments can sound that boring. I’ve been told to go out and photograph a building for a story. Too many times.

Most architectural photographers will either use tilt-shift lenses on a 35mm camera or some sort of larger format of camera that can adjust the lens and film planes accordingly. This is because on a standard lens, the lines on a building appear to converge. This is known in the photographic world as keystoning or tombstoning. Proper usage of a tilt-shift can keep the lines straight.

That being said, I’m not an architectural photographer. I need a nice image that gives clear visual representation of the pictured building. I try to turn a building photograph into a building portrait.

To make an interesting photo of a building, I often rely on fundamental photography skills. Look for unique angles. Find patterns. Wait for nice light.

For me, this often leads me to look up. I have had editors say that the ground should be included in building images to provide a reference point for the viewer. I can see that justification in some circumstances. However, I shot some of my most compelling building photos (if you can truly call any building picture compelling) while looking up.

I had to shoot an under-construction apartment building for the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. I took one photograph that included the ground and gave a view of most of the building.

The Ford apartments building remains boarded up at the intersection of Pine Street and 14th Street. Max Gersh | Post-Dispatch ©2008

I thought it was kind of boring. However, it showed what the building looked like. This building is filled with patterns so I started to experiment with my angles until I found something I really liked.

When I looked up at the building from the sidewalk, my eyes followed the not-so-yellow brick road. The building’s inherent depth almost gives the illusion that it is laying on its side.

The Ford apartments building remains boarded up at the intersection of Pine Street and 14th Street. Max Gersh | Post-Dispatch ©2008

As much as I enjoyed the above picture, I wanted to find a better way to illustrate this particular building. I tried to work with the available patterns and incorporate the building’s awning which included its address.

The Ford apartments building remains boarded up at the intersection of Pine Street and 14th Street. Max Gersh | Post-Dispatch ©2008

I liked the idea but not the execution. The photo was bland. So again, I moved around, got close and looked up.

The Ford apartments building remains boarded up at the intersection of Pine Street and 14th Street. Max Gersh | Post-Dispatch ©2008

This photo incorporated the best parts of each photo. Angle. Patterns. Awning. Address. This was the published piece.

I recently had to shoot another building. Since this building is only a block away from my office, I was able to wait for opportune lighting.

First I looked for patterns.

An old cigar ad remains on the side of what will be the Maxwell Commons in downtown New Castle after much of the building has received a coat of paint. (C-T photo Max Gersh) ©2010

Then I looked for a better angle.

Restoration on the building that will be the Maxwell Commons is well underway in downtown New Castle. (C-T photo Max Gersh) ©2010

Both photographs ran in the paper.

These are by no means Pulitzer winning photos. They are representative of how a photojournalist can rely on artistic knowledge to compose a printable image of the most mundane and static subjects.

My paper has started a project called 20 under 40. Citizens under 40 years old were nominated for profile pieces that would appear in our paper.

Each one needs a storytelling portrait.

It has presented a unique opportunity to really think on my feet for a good environmental portrait for so many different professions. We are only half way through the project and I haven’t shot every single one that has been published. Here are a few of my favorites thus far.

Each portrait delivered a new set of challenges. For this portrait of Jerry Ingalls, senior pastor at First Baptist Church, I had to find a location that focused on him but still had a churchy feel. When he told me about how he really likes to interact with his congregation, I thought it would be best to sit him in the pews near some stained glass.

I try to pay a little extra attention to the details with portraits. For example, I didn’t want a big highlight from my strobe (I used my DIY beauty dish on all of these) on the stained glass so I had to angle it just right. Also, I positioned myself so the pew on the right hid an electrical outlet on the wall.

Jerry Ingalls came to New Castle in January of 2010 to lead the First Baptist Church as senior pastor. (C-T photo Max Gersh) ©2010

For some of these portraits, I had very little time to work with the subject. For example, I met up with Dr. Damion Harris at his work during his clinic hours. Needless to say, he wanted to be in and out. He mentioned that he could pull up an x-ray on his computer and we went with it. Within five minutes, we were done.

Dr. Damion Harris is an orthopedic surgeon at the Forest Ridge Medical Pavilion. Harris came to the New Castle facility about seven months ago and specializes in shoulders. (C-T photo Max Gersh) ©2010

Reflections were again a huge issue while photographing Adam Bowman in Myers Furniture and Appliance. The light had to be just right to minimize huge glares. It was also interesting trying to balance the exposure on him and on the surrounding HDTVs in a very dimly lit room.

Adam Bowman is head of electronics at Myers Furniture and Appliance in New Castle. (C-T photo Max Gersh) ©2010

Weather was the tricky factor for Lindsay Brown’s portrait. It stormed very heavily the morning of the shoot. I wasn’t sure what was going to be happening by the time of we met up. The clouds broke and we had sun. Lots of sun. So much sun that I had to shoot at ISO 50 and f/8 to get my shutter slow enough to sync with my flash  (1/250th sec) which I needed to fill in shadows.

Lindsay Brown has been working at Henry County Hospital for almost five years, currently working in the emergency room as a nurse. (C-T photo Max Gersh) ©2010

For Seth Stevens, the biggest challenge I thought I would be facing was the location. When I heard banker, I immediately wanted to shoot by or in the vault. I was almost certain they wouldn’t allow it for security reasons. But it never hurts to ask.

Seth Stevens is the business development officer for Citizen's State Bank in New Castle. (C-T photo Max Gersh) ©2010

I still have more portraits to shoot in the coming weeks so I look forward to seeing what kind of fresh ideas I come up with.

For as small of a town as New Castle, Indiana is, we sure do have a lot of skateboarders. There has been a recent push to install a skate park at Baker Park, the park in the center of town.

I went out looking for some skater kids to photograph for our story on the possible skate park. I went to Baker Park where they often congregate. Jackpot.

Alex Chamberlin practices a 360 kickflip in a Baker Park parking lot Wednesday evening. "This is the only place we really don't get in trouble for skating," said Chamberlin. (C-T photo Max Gersh) ©2010

After taking a few shots there, they headed north to skate in the city. I followed. They started jumping down a flight of six steps in front of a local consignment shop.

I rarely take out my fisheye lens but for skateboarding, it often adds a nice look so I gave it a whirl. The lighting in the background was just right but I needed a little fill flash to illuminate the skater.

Ethan Jester does a kickflip down a set of steps in front of Fashion Trends Consignment Shop in New Castle Wednesday evening. (C-T photo Max Gersh) ©2010

I was happy with the results. Nice light. Nice framing. Nice action. I can’t ask for too much more.

I was going through my May clips yesterday picking out my favorites for potential contest entry. Here are a few that stood out to me for one reason or another.

I hate working around film crews. I can’t take pictures while they are recording. Their mics will pick up my camera shutter noise. When they aren’t filming, the scene is often times less interesting. I felt like this shot of a TV crew filming “Savor Indiana” turned out nice showing the entire scene with nice lighting and at a somewhat interesting moment.

Dean Wilson, host of "Savor Indiana," licks his fingers after tasting Durham's crab bread Tuesday afternoon. Rosie Shank, left, Durham's kitchen manager, talks with cameraman Greg Williams, seen in the mirror. Also pictured is Keith Jackson, production assistant at right. (C-T photo Max Gersh) ©2010

Sometimes the action isn’t in front of you. I try to remember that when I’m photographing stage performances such as concerts or plays. At this Duke Tumatoe concert, the crowd began to interact with Duke. It turned what would be a mundane concert photo into a fun and funny piece of art for the page.

Dan, left, and Beth Conway of New Castle sing along at the Duke Tumatoe concert Friday night at the Arts Park. Tumatoe repeatedly yelled "Let's get loose" and requested that the crowd respond by yelling "Loose" back. (C-T photo Max Gersh) ©2010

This time, I had to hunt for what wasn’t in front of me. On primary election night, I snapped this photo of one of the Sheriff’s candidates as the numbers were coming in. Needless to say, they weren’t in his favor.

Kim Cronk, a candidate in the Henry County Sheriff's race, reacts as results are projected on a screen Tuesday night in the Henry County Republican headquarters. (C-T photo Max Gersh) ©2010

Because of privacy laws, it can be a little tricky to photograph inside a hospital, let alone inside a hospital room. After gaining the trust and permission from the supervisors, I was granted permission to follow a couple of nurses into a patients room to illustrate a story on national Nursing Services Week.

Anita Reinhart listens to the heart and lungs of a patient Wednesday evening in the Progressive Care Unit at Henry County Hospital. Dianne Stephens, left, assisted Reinhart with an IV change. (C-T photo Max Gersh) ©2010

It’s not often I get to photograph wiffle ball let alone a double play during a wiffle ball match.

After making a diving tag at home plate, Jake Nicholson turns to throw the ball to second base for a double play during a students vs. teachers wiffle ball match. (C-T photo Max Gersh) ©2010

Chasing a train around town can be tedious. If you don’t get where you need to be before the train does, you might be stuck on the wrong side of the track. Timing is essential.

A train engine blocks part of A Avenue Friday morning as it connects with train cars that have been stored on New Castle tracks for over two years. (C-T photo Max Gersh) ©2010

You never know who you will meet on assignment. Wayman Hoots is quite the interesting character. Hopefully I’ll have an opportunity to do a story on his fishing techniques.

Indiana Conservation Officer Zach Walker, right, talks with New Castle resident Wayman Hoots Wednesday, May 19 in Memorial Park. Walker was checking on Hoots' catch for the day to make sure he was within the legal limit. (C-T photo Max Gersh) ©2010

A level of sensitivity is required when photographing a tragedy. After loosing most of their belongings in a fire, they were still gracious enough to let me in to see a slice their past salvaged from their house. As they sorted through the now dirty photographs, I gave them tips on  how to safely clean the prints.

Juliana, left, and Brooke Hughes sort through salvaged photographs Wednesday afternoon. A fire broke out Wednesday morning in their shared closet while they were at school. (C-T photo Max Gersh) ©2010

If you’re not expecting it, it will happen. Just after the Memorial Day parade, a Winnebago burst into flames relatively close to my office. Instead of fighting traffic and driving there, I sprinted down the sidewalk. The responding fire department was from out-of-town. They drove an engine in the parade. While they had no fire protection gear, they still broke out their hoses and extinguished the fire.

New Lisbon firefighter Eric Keesling finishes extinguishing a Winnebago that burst into flames Monday shortly after the Memorial Day parade in New Castle. Keesling and other members of the New Lisbon Fire Department were headed home when they saw the RV on fire. (C-T photo Max Gersh) ©2010