Gersh Photo Post | Max Gersh | Multimedia Photojournalist

As I’ve said many times before, some assignments in the life of a photojournalist can be really boring. REALLY boring. But the worst of the worst are worth it for the best.

I walked into work one August morning and checked my assignment bin. I did a double take when I read that I was going to a local high school to watch different police organizations do active shooter training. First, I didn’t really know what this meant. Second, police running around an empty high school with guns!? How could this not be a fun assignment?

I got to the school about 20 minutes early because I didn’t want to miss a second of this shoot. I was glad that I did because it gave me an opportunity to talk with one of the chiefs that was running the show. He explained more specifically what this training was for.

In essence, it’s all for worst case scenario. Think Columbine. An “active shooter,” or a bad guy with a gun that is using it, in a crowded environment like a school, business place or mall. This training was to teach law enforcement how to respond.

They learned different tactics for moving through hallways as teams and individually.

MAX GERSH | ROCKFORD REGISTER STAR Jason Hergenroeder (left) of the U.S. Marshals Service and Ryan Fulton of the Cherry Valley Police Department practice going down a hallway with a team Wednesday, Aug. 10, 2011, during rapid deployment to an active shooter training at Harlem High School in Machesney Park. ©2011

They trained with different tools including a shield.

MAX GERSH | ROCKFORD REGISTER STAR Adrienne Horn of the Rock Valley College Police Department takes cover behind a shield Wednesday, Aug. 10, 2011, during rapid deployment to an active shooter training at Harlem High School in Machesney Park. ©2011

Then they started scenarios. The “responding officers” had to follow the sounds of gun shots. They didn’t know what they would run into. One of the chiefs fired starter pistols to draw the attention of the officers. I was glad I had my ear plugs in because those rounds are very loud inside a school building.

MAX GERSH | ROCKFORD REGISTER STAR Chief of Police for the Rock Valley College Police Department Joe Drought loads starter pistols Wednesday, Aug. 10, 2011, during rapid deployment to an active shooter training at Harlem High School in Machesney Park. ©2011

The other cheif that was there followed behind the teams to ensure safety as they moved through the halls. There were dummy pistols, grenades and other dangerous objects on the ground along the way. The only immediate danger would be tripping on one of them.  But they certainly elevate your heart rate as you think about the real possibilities.

MAX GERSH | ROCKFORD REGISTER STAR Cherry Valley Police Chief Todd Houde (back right) watches as Clint Wagner (from left) of the Rockford Police Department, Jason Hergenroeder of the U.S. Marshals Service (rear center), Robert Lewis of the Roscoe Police Department and Ryan Fulton of the Cherry Valley Police Department make their way down a hall Wednesday, Aug. 10, 2011, during rapid deployment to an active shooter training at Harlem High School in Machesney Park. ©2011

MAX GERSH | ROCKFORD REGISTER STAR Officers cover a hallway Wednesday, Aug. 10, 2011, during rapid deployment to an active shooter training at Harlem High School in Machesney Park. ©2011

There were a few civilian volunteers to play hostages and sometimes the bad guy. However, when they wanted a multiple shooter scenario, some of the officers played the roll of the bad guy.

MAX GERSH | ROCKFORD REGISTER STAR Geoff Guzinski of the Dekalb Police Department plays the roll of a criminal while officers make their way up a flight of stairs Wednesday, Aug. 10, 2011, during rapid deployment to an active shooter training at Harlem High School in Machesney Park. ©2011

This was a seriously fun thing to cover. That being said, I hope I never have to see these guys use these techniques in the real world. But it does instill a certain level of confidence knowing that we have officers trained and ready, just in case.

MAX GERSH | ROCKFORD REGISTER STAR Ryan Fulton (from left) of the Cherry Valley Police Department, Ashley Calhoun of the Rockford Police Department, and Adrienne Horn of the Rock Valley College Police Department clear a hallway Wednesday, Aug. 10, 2011, during rapid deployment to an active shooter training at Harlem High School in Machesney Park. ©2011

My week started off innocent enough. It was the first day that it really felt like Spring outside. I went to Baker Park to make a warm weather feature.

I hadn’t been there for 20 minutes when some kids showed with toy guns - or so I thought.

Kids show up at Baker Park in New Castle, IN with airsoft weapons. (C-T photo Max Gersh) ©2010

No. They weren’t real guns. But they were airsoft guns and probably didn’t belong on a playground.

Kids load their airsoft guns on the playground in Baker Park. (C-T photo Max Gersh) ©2010

A kid takes aim and fires his airsoft pistol in the Baker Park playground. (C-T photo Max Gersh) ©2010

Some parents called 911 and reported these kids. While the kids weren’t shooting at anyone, I think parents were concerned with ricochet.

A New Castle police officer gives a group of kids a warning after concerned parents called 911 to report the use of airsoft guns in the Baker Park playground. (C-T photo Max Gersh) ©2010

That was Monday.

Wednesday brought something much more exciting, journalisticly speaking.

I was headed back into New Castle after spending the morning grabbing some shots in Knightstown (which is in the southern part of Henry County). My phone rang. It was my news editor letting me know that an armed robbery had just taken place (but of course it was in the northern part of the county).

I arrived in time to watch officers from Henry and Randolph counties along with Indiana State Troopers  search the bright orange truck that was used as a getaway vehicle and the surrounding property.

Officers from Henry and Randolph counties and state troopers stand in front of the house where two men were arrested Wednesday after a robbery. The truck in the background was allegedly the getaway vehicle. (C-T photo Max Gersh) ©2010

After deciding jurisdiction, both of the suspects were transferred into the custody of the Randolph County Sheriff’s Department.

John Michael Evans places his hands on his head as Henry County Sheriff's deputies and Indiana State Troopers transfer him into the custody of the Randolph County Sheriff's Department. Evans was caught at his residence after allegedly committing armed robbery in Losantville. (C-T photo Max Gersh) ©2010

The weapon wasn’t recovered until the next day.

While in a meeting with the newsroom earlier this week, I asked everyone if they had any upcoming stories that they would like me to try and add some multimedia to.

Our sports editor spoke up immediately with an idea. He was doing a feature story on a kid that shoots incredible basketball trick shots at the YMCA.

Yesterday, I met up with the sports editor and the trick shot champion, Michael Harsha.

Michael Harsha is a trickster on the court. He practices his shots at the YMCA in New Castle. He played for the Trojans and graduated from New Castle Chrysler High School in 2009. (C-T photo Max Gersh) ©2010

I have done backboard still shots like the one above but this was my first attempt at a backboard video.

I stayed on the ladder while he was shooting to keep the video camera from moving too much. I didn’t use a GOBO so you can see my head moving around a little in the reflection.

Aside from getting nailed with the basketball in the leg a few times while I was up on the ladder, I think the video came together pretty well.

This last weekend was busy for me. First I had the Republican candidate Senate debate on Saturday. On Sunday, I was sent to photograph a service at the St. Anne Catholic Church. I had a few pictures of the church in a post not too long ago.

This was special service. The church was burnt down by an arsonist nearly three years ago. It has taken all that time to raise funds and rebuild. This was the churches dedication ceremony and first service since the fire.

In the slideshow, you will hear from Father Joe Rautenberg, the church’s Sacramental Minister, and from Sister Shirley Gerth, the parish life coordinator.

Yesterday, I covered a debate among the  five Republicans running for U.S. Senate in Indiana. The candidates - Marlin Stutzman, Don Bates Jr., Richard Behney, Dan Coats and John Hostettler - are competing for Sen. Evan Bayh’s seat.

The debate was held at the Moose Lodge in New Castle, IN. Because of the relatively small venue, tickets to the event sold out almost immediately. It was a full house.

I had the difficult juggling act of shooting stills while simultaneously shooting video.

Audio at this event was less than desirable. I had a shotgun mic on my video camera but there was a lot of space between the debaters and myself. I also set my portable audio recorder up close to the debaters as a backup. That came in very handy. At one point, the audio on their mics went haywire. My portable unit picked up a lot less of the buzzing noise for some reason.

The debate was rather tame. The candidates agreed on many points, or only had slightly varying positions.

The one thing that stood out during the debate was when former U.S. Senator Dan Coats and former U.S. Rep. John Hostettler went back and forth on their differing opinions of the war in Iraq.

When I edit a video, I try to keep it short and to the point. This argument between Coats and Hostettler seemed to be a good key difference between the candidates.

I added some photographs to the video to offer more visually appealing imagery.

For those of you that enjoy the tech specs of all of this, I was using a Canon FS-100 camcorder with an Audio-Technica ATR55 Telemike attached. My secondary audio recorder was a M-Audio MicroTrack II.

Here are a few still images from the day.

State Sen. Marlin Stutzman, far right, speaks during the debate on Saturday, From left to right are Don Bates Jr., Richard Behney, Dan Coats and John Hostettler. (C-T photo Max Gersh) ©2010

Former U.S. Senator Dan Coats speaks during the debate. (C-T photo Max Gersh) ©2010

Former U.S. Senator Dan Coats speaks during the debate. Also pictured are (left to right) Don Bates Jr., Richard Behney, John Hostettler, Marlin Stutzman and Nate LaMar.Former U.S. Senator Dan Coats speaks during the debate. (C-T photo Max Gersh) ©2010

Former U.S. Rep. John Hostettler speaks during the debate. (C-T photo Max Gersh) ©2010