There's been graduations. There's been floods. There's been more graduations. And there's been more floods.

Let's start with the graduations. I had five of them to shoot this month. When you photograph the same event five times within three weeks, you really start to work. This year, I struggled a bit. Hundreds of graduation photos taken by other news photographers kept flashing through my mind. "Look for something different. Avoid the typical getting-ready-in-the-bathroom-mirror shot." As close-knit as photographers are, we NEVER want to get the same photo. It's like, The Battle of the Photographer Ego, Times 100.

Week after week, I looked for different moments. Different details. Different expressions. A different type of centerpiece photo for each community. Sometimes, the events most catered to be perfect photo opportunities are the hardest assignments for photojournalists to put behind them.

Here is a sampling of what I found.

Nikon D2H, 200 mm, 800 ISO, f2.8, 1/100, Manual
Graduating seniors at Franklin High School receive their flowers and diplomas Tuesday, June 10, 2008, at the FHS Commencement Ceremony, held at the Milwaukee County Sports Complex. This year's ceremony — originally scheduled for Sunday, June 8, 2008 — was delayed two days, due to flooding in the Sports Complex. The FHS valedictorian for the Class of 2008 is Ryan Spott.

Nikon D2H, 200 mm, 400 ISO, f2.8, 1/1000, Manual
Josh Hintz, a graduating senior at Franklin High School, stands in a ray of sunlight Tuesday, June 10, 2008, shortly before the FHS Commencement Ceremony, held at the Milwaukee County Sports Complex. This year's ceremony — originally scheduled for Sunday, June 8, 2008 — was delayed two days, due to flooding in the Sports Complex. The FHS valedictorian for the Class of 2008 is Ryan Spott.

Nikon D2H, 185 mm, 800 ISO, f2.8, 1/100, Manual
Graduating seniors at Franklin High School face their friends and family members Tuesday, June 10, 2008, during the processional the FHS Commencement Ceremony, held at the Milwaukee County Sports Complex. This year's ceremony — originally scheduled for Sunday, June 8, 2008 — was delayed two days, due to flooding in the Sports Complex. The FHS valedictorian for the Class of 2008 is Ryan Spott.

Nikon D2H, 17 mm, 640 ISO, f2.8, 1/125, Manual
A graduating senior at Whitnall High School gets a drink of water Sunday, June 1, 2008, shortly before the start of the Whitnall High School Commencement Ceremony, held in the school's gymnasium. The WHS Class of 2008 valedictorian is Amy Strasburg.

Nikon D2H, 200 mm, 800 ISO, f2.8, 1/400, Manual
Julie Voelkel, a graduating senior at Whitnall High School, enters the gymnasium Sunday, June 1, 2008, during the processional shortly before the Whitnall High School Commencement Ceremony, held in the school's gymnasium. The WHS Class of 2008 valedictorian is Amy Strasburg.

Nikon D2H, 200 mm, 800 ISO, f2.8, 1/125, Manual
Some personalities could be seen through the shoes hidden underneath the gowns of graduating seniors at New Berlin West High School Saturday, June 14, 2008, during the school's Commencement Ceremony, held in the school's field house. The valedictorian for the New Berlin West Class of 2008 is Hilary Monaco.

Nikon D2H, 200 mm, 640 ISO, f2.8, 1/200, Manual
Tyler Valkoun, the salutatorian for the New Berlin West Class of 2008, addresses his peers Saturday, June 14, 2008, in the school's field house. The valedictorian for the New Berlin West Class of 2008 is Hilary Monaco.

Nikon D2H, 17 mm, 800 ISO, f2.8, 1/400, Manual
Graduating seniors at New Berlin West High School line up to accept their diplomas Saturday, June 14, 2008, in the school's field house. The valedictorian for the New Berlin West Class of 2008 is Hilary Monaco.

I don't have wings, but I spend a lot of time climbing and crawling with my camera in hand. Although, the photos below didn't require any climbing or crawling whatsoever. My feet never left the ground.

I used a simple and common technique we call the "Hail Mary." This technique involves holding the camera over my head and shooting "blind." (I was standing on an indoor running track built on the second floor of the gymnasium.) You oftentimes see sports photographers doing the Hail Mary when shooting post-game celebrations. Not too many of us are 7 feet tall, thus, this technique offers a view from up top. Sometimes, I use the Hail Mary to clean up my backgrounds. Digital photography allows shooters to do this and instantly receive feedback on the backs of our cameras.

Basically, it's a calculated guess. I get paid to take photos, and the least I can do is know how to work my camera, whether it's up against my face or four feet away.

These photos were taken at the new Community Center attached to Hales Corners Lutheran Church, located on Janesville Road. The center is complete with a gymnasium, indoor running track and fitness center.

I thought I'd update with a quick photo before I head off to Florida for a few days!

With Hales Corners being no larger than a couple square miles, you might never guess the community is now host to a traveling Smithsonian Institution exhibit, "Between Fences." A group of fourth-graders from Hales Corners Lutheran Elementary School took a trip to the Stahl-Conrad Homestead yesterday and checked out the exhibit with their curious eyes and wandering hands.

No matter how dark a room may be, there's always a patch of light to be found. Fourth-grader Claire Ungerecht happened to be in the spotlight. I shot this photo at 1/60 of a second, f.28 and 500 ISO. I rarely will go over 500 ISO — with the camera I use, photos get extremely grainy when I go any higher.

The exhibit is free and open to the public through Dec. 15 from 5 to 8 p.m. on Thursdays and Fridays and noon to 4 p.m. on Saturdays and Sundays.