Gersh Photo Post | Max Gersh | Multimedia Photojournalist

I’ve just about rounded out my first month at the Rockford Register Star in Rockford, Ill. This month has flown by. I love that I’m busy shooting again.

The first day on the job was a little sluggish. Paperwork. And lots of it. That is until a vehicle rolled over on a snow-covered bypass. I rushed out there and got photos of the firefighters using the jaws of life to free the man stuck inside.

MAX GERSH | ROCKFORD REGISTER STAR ©2010 Blackhawk firefighters work to free a man trapped in a gray Chevrolet Malibu Monday night on US Bypass 20 at near Simpson Road. Fire Chief Harry Tallacksen said the driver's injuries weren't critical.

And yes, that is snow still falling. I had to brush off my car after my brief time there shooting.

While that was a little bit of excitement on my first day, this time of year can be slow. Assignments have been thin. That has left plenty of time to explore the town and search for stand-alone art. I drove into a state park and found ice fisherman. For the first time in my life, I stepped out onto a frozen over lake and treaded softly.

MAX GERSH | ROCKFORD REGISTER STAR ©2010 Nick Lashock of Machesney Park fishes through the snow and ice Thursday, Dec. 27, 2010, on Pierce Lake at Rock Cut State Park in Loves Park. Lashock caught 8 crappie and tossed them all back.

As the new year approached, they wanted art to go with a story about how law enforcement would be stepping up their patrols. I met up with a sheriff’s deputy to get photos of him shooting radar.

MAX GERSH | ROCKFORD REGISTER STAR ©2010 Senior Deputy John Parry shoots a radar gun Thursday, Dec. 30, 2010, on South Main Street near the US 20 Bypass in Rockford.

Early in January, my editor called me while I was driving into work to divert me to the scene of a morning house fire. The flames were out long before I got there. However, the arson dog made for a decent frame.

MAX GERSH | ROCKFORD REGISTER STAR ©2011 State Fire Marshal Kenny Arnold walks out of a burnt Wren Circle home Wednesday, Jan. 5, 2011, with his dog, Ellie, who is trained to smell for accelerants. Rockford District Fire Chief Steve Bishop (not pictured) said the home was not currently being lived in and was undergoing renovations.

The next evening, I responded to a shooting at a shop in the city. Again, there was no “action” to get so a little bit of patience yielded a decent frame of police leaving the scene.

MAX GERSH | ROCKFORD REGISTER STAR ©2011 Police officers leave The Happy Shop Thursday, Jan. 6, 2011, after responding to a shooting on the 1500 block of Broadway in Rockford.

Working with the police and firefighters becomes routine for photojournalists. However, one of them helped me live out a dream while on assignment. I was photographing the firefighters training on a ladder truck at the fire station. Before I could finish thinking it, they invited me to go up the ladder. They didn’t have to ask me twice.

MAX GERSH | ROCKFORD REGISTER STAR ©2011 Firefighter Marcus Owens trains on an extended ladder truck Thursday, Jan. 6, 2011, at fire station 2 in Rockford.

It’s not every day that you get to spend a portion of your day at a liquor store. But I did when I was getting shots for a story on a “lucky” place to buy lottery tickets. This proved to be a challenge. A lot of people don’t want to be photographed while buying lottery tickets. This took a lot of patience and a little bit of sweet talking.

MAX GERSH | ROCKFORD REGISTER STAR ©2011 Barbara Kirchner (left) checks Angie Jackson's lottery tickets Thursday, Jan. 6, 2011, at Central Park Tap in Rockford. Jackson has been buying lottery tickets there twice a week for about 15 years, playing the same numbers every time. She won $150 on her Mega Millions ticket. "You can't win if you don't play," Jackson said.

Along the same lines, I had to get shots at an off-track-betting facility in town. I’m from Louisville, KY and everyone talks about gambling at “the track” (Churchill Downs). Apparently outside of Kentucky, many people like to keep their betting vices private.

MAX GERSH | ROCKFORD REGISTER STAR ©2011 Clarence Holmes watches horse races Monday, Jan. 10, 2011, at the off track betting facility at Don Carter Lanes in Rockford.

Many newspapers have pool lenses (no swimming pun intended) for the photographers, meaning a variety of lenses any shooter can take for the day when they need it. I decided to try out a lens I had never even seen in real life during a recent swim meet. Canon’s 200mm L f/1.8 lens. This lens isn’t even made anymore. The closest current lens is a 200 f/2. The aquatics center I was shooting in was incredibly dark. My camera was set to 1600 ISO and f/1.8 at 1/250th sec. That lens rocks.

MAX GERSH | ROCKFORD REGISTER STAR ©2011 Max Saichek of Jefferson High School competes in the 100 yard butterfly event Saturday, Jan. 15, 2011, at the Jefferson High School boys swim invitational in Rockford.

I look forward to a long career in Rockford. Many more things to come.

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