CAPTION: Bishop Guertin’s Holly Zaharchuck spikes one past Nashua North’s Kyla Gustavson Saturday, Oct. 31 at Bishop Guertin High School Division I quarterfinals. The Cardinals came back from a 2-0 deficit to edge the Titans 3-2.

THOUGHTS: Today I had the privilege of shooting in the Bishop Guertin High School gymnasium. Yes, it’s a dungeon. Unfortunately the only decent place to plug in lights is at the south end of the bleachers. The other bad thing is that the nice backdrop is also on that end. While it could have been a problem, I decided to go with it and explore lens flair. Using my 70-200mm, I used a different range of zoom lengths. It appeared that around 100mm was the most interesting lens flair. The circular rainbow is caused by pointing the lens exactly at the light source. Rainbows high enough in an airplanes experience this circular rainbow effect. You can also see it too on full moons if you look close enough. Anyhow, I shot about 70 frames or so of this trying to perfect it the best I could. In the end my gut told me this was the best one. It might be a stretch for some but to me it’s a relief to see volleyball differently. And no I did not add anything heavy in Photoshop, that’s all in camera.

On a side note, I’m really enjoying this “shooting for me” mentality on assignment. I don’t know why I didn’t focus on it sooner but I think it’s yielding some pleasing results.

CUTLINE: Conor Williams, 3, of Londonderry, adorned in a Captain America Halloween costume, handles a 13-foot, 55-pound python, Thursday, Oct. 29 at the Radisson hotel in Nashua. Hundreds came out to celebrate The Telegraph’s 2nd Annual Kids Fair with games, food, prizes, music and more.

THOUGHTS: I was on assignment today to cover our promotional event. They are effective because they keep our presence in the community and build relationships, business and communicative. I suppose while some cringe at such events, I like them because I understand them and, yes, I’m a sucker for animals. Besides kids are cool and say the darnedest things. Derek Small, the wildlife educator for the Wildlife Encounters traveling zoo based out of Rochester, brought out this huge python. I like snakes, not the small ones because those seem to be the most feisty. I like the big ones like this one shown because they are slow, surly and know they are the bomb. They have nothing to prove. All day I was continuing to say to myself mentally, “Breathe, feel, focus on emotions, shoot.” As he handed the snake this young boy looked up. The light was horrid and I underexposed for the light. When he did, I came off with this frame. It didn’t run because I gave the desk the more crowd-pleasing shot. But for me it was a small victory as it was for Captain America.

Last Friday, Nashua Telegraph reporter, Karen Lovett and I ventured to Buttonwood Park Zoo in New Bedford, Mass., to see Ruth, a 51-year-old Asian elephant who once lived at Benson’s Wild Animal Farm in Hudson, N.H. The former animal farm is being restored into a park. You can read story here.

Photos by Bob Hammerstrom

The first thing I noticed when Ruth walked up to me was her little eyes. Although they were about two inches wide, they seemed so lost in her massive body. The skin was rough and wrinkled. And her hair was like a wire brush. In fact, paint was scraped off the bars that separated us from her itching herself. She blinked each time the camera’s shutter went off.

Ruth is a bit curious of visitors, and wrapped her long truck around my leg as if to give me a hug. With more than 150,000 muscles in that huge trunk, I suggest wearing an athletic cup when approaching an elephant, or you may be singing soprano! We were told Ruth is a “swinger,” always swinging that trunk around looking for food, cameras and anything else she can pick-pocket from you.

After touching her huge tongue, I was amazed at the expressions she makes with her eyes and mouth. She seemed to smile as the elephant keeper massaged her tongue, which looked like a big liver. You can check out my video of Ruth speaking “elephant language” on The Nashua Telegraph’s web site as well.

-Bob Hammerstrom

I photographed Rachel Caliguiri back in July for a story about the youngster receiving a custom three-wheeled bike to help her strengthen her lower body. Since my subject was a very shy young lady, I spent some time watching and taking candid pictures during her physical therapy. It’s my way of putting the subjects at ease. You can read a former blog posting of mine to learn about Rachel.

Photo courtesy of Rachel's family

I received a thank-you note from her back in August that included some pictures. After her p.t., and while we were waiting for other media to show up for the bicycle event, I showed her the images I made of her on my camera. I rarely meet a kid who doesn’t want to see their picture. Then I showed her how to use the camera.

She snapped a few nice portraits of me. Instantly, cameras were clicking as the staff and others at the pediatric center were taking pictures of us. What a great time we had. I enjoy teaching kids how to take pictures. Nice job Rachel, and thanks for the pictures!

Your Friend,

Bob Hammerstrom

Here’s the link from the Associated Press: http://www.comcast.net/video/baby-falls-underneath-moving-train/1297370052.

This is another reason to keep your attention focused on your small children at all times in public.

-Bob Hammerstrom

-Bob Hammerstrom

Telegraph photographers Don Himsel, left, and Corey Perrine sort through entrant's clips from the Vermont Press Association photo contest.

Most of the entries came from small dailies or weekly newspapers, so the caliber of images wasn’t what we would find coming from larger daily papers. We quickly sorted through the four categories and chose our favorites, noting a few comments about each award winner.

Having very different styles of photography, the three of us looked for different aspects of each photo. I tend to look for strong composition and emotions in pictures. Good composition and lighting are a must for my picks, and emotional photographs will draw my attention to a winning image.

-Bob Hammerstrom

I looked up while writing down the names of a couple students, and this is what I saw. Kind of out of the ordinary for me, although a few sixth-graders from the Mont Vernon Village School interviewed me following the candlelight vigil last week at the fire station.

I just had to get a quick picture of this fella too, and left him a business card so he could find the story about his group on our web site www.nashuatelegraph.com. The young lady on the right is a nursing student at the University of New Hampshire.

-Bob Hammerstrom