Gersh Photo Post | Max Gersh | Multimedia Photojournalist

I try to practice what I preach. To improve almost any picture, try changing your angle. Generally speaking, interesting images are shot from an angle that we wouldn’t ordinarily view from.

Over the last few days, I have had a few opportunities to try things differently.

The first of those situations was a track and field meet. I find it easier to shoot the field events since I don’t have a super-telephoto lens.

I made my way to the long jump area. The typical photo we are exposed to with long jump is straight on as they land in the sand pit. It usually is very visually appealing. Instead of doing that, I went to the side of the sand pit just past the end of the runway. I got as low as I could, literally having my camera on the ground.

New Castle senior Thatcher Thomas competes in the long jump Thursday afternoon. Thomas jumped 19 feet and 9 inches, securing his victory in the event. (C-T photos Max Gersh)

This is by no means an original idea. It just shows long jump in a way it isn’t ordinarily portrayed.

It also makes you wonder what is going on in the background with the guy in the hoodie! Albeit it was 45 degrees out, give or take.

For my next assignment, I had to photograph mobs of first graders on a farm. Often times, they move so sporadically, it is hard to get a nice composition. When I saw a group standing around the pig display, I worked the scene until they left.

First, I got low to the ground and shot through the bars of the pig pen.

First-grade students from Blue River Valley Elementary School look at a pig display early Friday afternoon on the Trennepohl Farms in Middletown. (C-T photo Max Gersh)

While I was happy with this photo, I wanted to show more of the pen and more of the kids. I took out my fisheye lens - a lens I don’t use too often - and reached over the rail and put the camera very low to the ground. To fire my camera this way, I was holding it upside-down.

First-grade students from Blue River Valley Elementary School look at a pig display early Friday afternoon on the Trennepohl Farms in Middletown. (C-T photo Max Gersh)

My latest assingment was to shoot a baseball game for all alumni of the high school that played baseball. When I arrived, I found out that there would be a home run derby before the game. I went back to my car to get equipment to set up a low angle remote right at home plate. Again, I used my fisheye lens.

Rick Purvis swings during the New Castle baseball alumni home run derby Saturday afternoon. Purvis graduated in 1998 and scored 12 home runs during his career with the Trojans. (C-T photo Max Gersh)

There was only one close call where my camera almost took a hit.

Next time you’re out taking pictures, drop to a knee or stand on a chair. It helps spice up a boring situation every time.

Every now and then, I like to Google search my name. I used to just look for rank placement of my website. I am proud to say that if you Google search “Max Gersh,” my website is the first to appear.

Recently, I have followed the pages a bit deeper to see where my name and pictures are showing up. I have found my pictures being displayed on sites all over the web.

I first noticed this after I took a snow feature that has nearly become viral in the sporting world.

Wednesday January 28, 2009 — After an overnight snowfall in St. Louis, someone stomped out the words "Cubs Suck" in Ballpark Village, as seen from a view from the 19th floor of the Hilton St. Louis at the Ball Park. ©2009 Max Gersh | St. Louis Post-Dispatch

By no means do I consider this a “great” photo but it sure has stirred up Cardinals/Cubs rivalry. Both published versions of my shot made it on Urban Prankster. I appreciate the second commenter, Melissa. “There could not be better photography in this world.” I might disagree but thank you.

Again, both versions of my photo appeared on a baseball site called Home Run Derby. Another baseball site called Ball Hype ran one as well. And Yard Barker. And Sportsnipe. And MLB USA. And PopFi. And The Large Morning Show in the Afternoon. And so on.

Let’s not forget that it was first published on the St. Louis Post-Dispatch’s Website.

The most supprising link for the Cubs Suck photo was the Chicago Sun-Times. Their blogger, Kevin Allen (a Mizzou grad), thought the message in the snow was a bit harsh. I find it funny because I don’t even like baseball.

Another photo of mine I found on the web was one I shot in Rolla, MO of the Discovery Channel filiming a new show called The Detonators.

Friday January 16, 2009 — Explosive experts Dr. Braden Lusk (blue hard hat) and Dr. Paul Worsey are filmed by a Discovery Channel crew at an experimental mine in Rolla Friday morning. Lusk and Worsey are the hosts of a new 13-part series on the Discovery Channel called "The Detonators." ©2009 Max Gersh | St. Louis Post-Dispatch

The story and photo were picked up and ran in the Springfield News-Leader and the Kansas City Star.

I also found a portrait I shot of an environmental economist on the McClatchy-Tribune wire.

Tuesday February 10, 2009 — Professor Lea Kosnik poses for a portrait in Forest Park Tuesday afternoon. She has been teaching economics at UMSL for five years. Kosnik has expertise in environmental economics, public and regulatory economics and behavioral economics. ©2009 Max Gersh | St. Louis Post-Dispatch

As I dug deeper, I found a photo I shot of the Delmar Loop on a blog called Bad Black Girls.

On top of that, I found endless links to my work at the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, the Alton Telegraph, my personal website and my blog.

My web presence is constantly changing. It is interesting to see who picks up your work and who reads what you write.