Gersh Photo Post | Max Gersh | Multimedia Photojournalist

I have shot many sports in my relatively young career. But today, I was given the opportunity to photograph something completely new to me. Disc dogs - a competition where dogs catch Frisbees thrown by their owner. There are competitions in distance and accuracy as well as a freestyle event which is somewhat choreographed to music.

I arrived at the event in time to photograph today’s expert freestyle competition. It was awesome and a little challenging to photograph. The dogs are running very fast. At a moments notice, they can jump up and push off of their handler and go upwards of six feet in the air. It is difficult to anticipate what is going to happen and how to have your shot framed.

Just like in any other fast paced sport, your motor drive on your camera can be your best friend. Do your best to frame your shot and then with a little timing and luck, you get an acceptable image or two.

Here are a few from my take.

Matt Bilderback of Columbus, Ohio competes in the expert freestyle event with his dog, Buddy, at the Skyhoundz North Central Regional championship in Osborne Park. (C-T photo Max Gersh) ©2010

Matt Bilderback of Columbus, Ohio competes in the expert freestyle event with his dog, Buddy, at the Skyhoundz North Central Regional championship in Osborne Park. (C-T photo Max Gersh) ©2010

Jeff Duff of Louisville, KY competes in the expert freestyle event with his dog, Jesse, at the Skyhoundz North Central Regional championship in Osborne Park. (C-T photo Max Gersh) ©2010

Chip Baker of Detroit, Michigan competes in the expert freestyle event with his dog, Seeker, at the Skyhoundz North Central Regional championship in Osborne Park. (C-T photo Max Gersh) ©2010

Chip Baker of Detroit, Michigan competes in the expert freestyle event with his dog, Seeker, at the Skyhoundz North Central Regional championship in Osborne Park. (C-T photo Max Gersh) ©2010

Matt Bilderback of Columbus, Ohio competes in the expert freestyle event with his dog, Bella, at the Skyhoundz North Central Regional championship in Osborne Park. (C-T photo Max Gersh) ©2010

Matt Bilderback of Columbus, Ohio competes in the expert freestyle event with his dog, Bella, at the Skyhoundz North Central Regional championship in Osborne Park. (C-T photo Max Gersh) ©2010

Last week, I received an assignment to cover the Hagerstown Flying Circus - a showcase of airplanes and antique cars. I thought this sounded pretty cool as is. Then I was told there would be biplane rides available. I was sold. I had to get a ride in a biplane.

Now I’m not a complete stranger to aerial photography. A few years ago, I mounted a remote camera on the outside of a Cessna. However, a biplane seems so much cooler.

Today, a reporter with my paper went to the show early in the afternoon. He didn’t have time to take a ride but did find out that they cost $60 per person for a 15 minute flight. Yikes. I was optimistic that they would let me on a flight for free since I was with the press.

My optimism paid off. There I was in the seat of a 1937 New Standard D-25 biplane. Behind me was the pilot. Next to me was a WWII vet. And in the front seat were a grandpa with his six-year-old grandson. We were all given goggles and ear protection.

We taxied down the grass runway and headed for the sky.

I was lucky. During my flight, the pilot decided to refuel his plane at a neighboring airport. Instead of the regular 15 minute flight, I was probably in the air for closer to 25-30 minutes.

With the wind blasting me in the open-air cockpit, I wrapped my camera strap around my wrist and started firing off some shots.

Ted Davis lets go of the stick on his 1937 New Standard D-25 biplane Tuesday afternoon during the Hagerstown Flying Circus. Davis was piloting 15-minute plane rides for $60 per person. (C-T photo Max Gersh) ©2010

Ted Davis lines up his 1937 New Standard D-25 biplane with the Hagerstown airport Tuesday afternoon during the Hagerstown Flying Circus. Davis was piloting 15-minute plane rides for $60 per person. (C-T photo Max Gersh) ©2010

Logan Drook, 6, looks out at Henry County farm land Tuesday afternoon while taking a biplane ride with his grandpa, Roger Peckinpaugh. (C-T photo Max Gersh) ©2010

What a ride.

I’m working on updating photos on my website. I started by adding a “Sportrait” category since I have shot so many in recent months.

One I added was of New Castle baseball player Caylor Escalante.

We first started in the dugout with the team name, Trojans, behind him. After we finished that shot, he told me that he spent about 50 hours painting that by himself.

Caylor Escalante (C-T photo Max Gersh) ©2010

Next, we went out to second base, his position on the field. I laid down in the dirt to get the right angle but the shot turned out pretty cool.

Caylor Escalante (C-T photo Max Gersh) ©2010

To see my new Sportrait gallery, head on over to my main website.

June seemed to be a good month for images. On top of some of the others that I’ve already posted, here are a handful more.

Without question, the newsiest thing to happen to New Castle this month was a roof collapse. Big Bounce Inflatables, a local children’s attraction, had its roof cave in one afternoon with people inside. No one was seriously injured but the building had to be bull dozed down to ensure there were no further collapses. I arrived on the scene about the same time as emergency responders.

City Building Commissioner Les Hall, right, walks around Big Bounce after its roof collapsed Thursday afternoon. There were five people inside at the time of the collapse. (C-T photo Max Gersh) ©2010

Jim and Bonnie Henson take photographs of Big Bounce as emergency workers barricade the streets after its roof collapsed. (C-T photo Max Gersh) ©2010

Wastewater Treatment Plant workers place barricade the roads around the Big Bounce Thursday afternoon after the roof collapsed. (C-T photo Max Gersh) ©2010

An Indianapolis based civil engineer searches through rubble at the site where Big Bounce Inflatables collapsed Thursday afternoon. He said that it is difficult to distinguish what damage was done during the collapse from what was done by bulldozers. (C-T photo Max Gersh) ©2010

As hard as I try to get to spot news quickly, sometimes I just can’t get there fast enough. For example, a motorcycle caught on fire one afternoon. My route was plagued with stop signs and red lights. By the time I got there, the bike was extinguished.

Vaughn Reid Jr. looks down at a motorcycle that had caught on fire Thursday night shortly after the bike had been extinguished. The motorcycle was supposed to be sold later the same evening.(C-T photo Max Gersh) ©2010

The last thing you think of with a parade is rain. During this year’s Memorial Day parade in Middletown, it hardly let up. Wet streets, diffused skies and umbrellas all can be beneficial to photo composition.

U.S. Marines carry flags down Main Street in Middletown Tuesday evening as part of the parade during the Middletown Lions Club Fair. (C-T photo Max Gersh) ©2010

A woman watches the parade from a balcony Tuesday evening as part of the Middletown Lions Club Fair. (C-T photo Max Gersh) ©2010

With Memorial Day comes the opening of swimming season. Of course I have to make the obligatory pool feature shot.

Jae Williams, six months, swims with her mother, Marquetta, and father, James Wednesday afternoon in the Aquatic Center at Baker Park. The Williams' moved to New Castle in January and this is Jae's first season in a pool. "We'll be out here every day it doesn't rain," said James Williams. (C-T photo Max Gersh) ©2010

I’ve started shooting more sportraits as the school athletic seasons winded down. Here was one of local track star J.T. Griggs.

Blue River Valley's J.T. Griggs leaps a hurdle June 25 at the BRV track. Griggs won three events in the Henry County track meet this year. (C-T photo Max Gersh) ©2010

With budget cuts running rampant, it came as little surprise that the New Castle Community School Corporation decided to close Greenstreet Elementary School after this school year. It wasn’t easy for many of the students or teachers on the last day of school.

Fourth grade Greenstreet Elementary School teacher Aaron Benson waits at the door to hugs students as they leave Tuesday after their final classes. Students are being spread between three area schools after budget cuts forced the school corporation to close Greenstreet after this school year. (C-T photo Max Gersh) ©2010

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.