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.