Photographers have these things we like to call "crutches."

Similar to the actual medical tools, a trusty old crutch can be our best friend and worst enemy. It simply depends how often we need to use it.

A "crutch" is something we might fall back on to make an otherwise dull photo a bit more interesting.

For example, several years back, a mentor and friend of mine told me repeatedly, "You tilt your camera too much." By tilting the horizon, I was trying to make the photo something it most definitely wasn't: Interesting. I even remember I got a NastyGram e-mail from a local resident, saying it made her feel queasy every morning to look at my tilted photographs. People can be brutal. :)

Another crutch I'm 100 percent guilty of, brought to my attention by a former photo editor: "Get your camera off the ground." I was, am still am, too dependent on a low angle photograph.

Editors sometimes cringe at crutches, such as motion blur or fish eye lenses, because more often than not, we should instead be finding real moments, or expanding our horizons and attempting new photographic techniques.

When I was shooting down in Florida, my good friend Chris McGonigal (now a picture editor at AOL) told me one of his biggest pet peeves is when photographers use a flag as the crutch of their photo. Flags can be cliche, but flags are patriotic. There's a time to get the American flag in a photo and there's a time to leave the flag alone. Veterans Day: Appropriate. Wedding photos: Not-so-appropriate. (My brother was married a few weeks back, and needless to say, he and his new wife were a bit confused when the photographer took their photo standing by a flagpole on the golf course.)

As I shot these photos for Veterans Day, the American in me was grateful for all the sacrifices made by veterans of past and present, for without them, the First Amendment would not exist. And the photographer in me kept thinking, "What would Chris say?"

Nikon D3, 200 mm, 4000 ISO, f2.8, 1/800, Manual
John Hopkins, of the New Berlin Veterans Memorial Committee, prepares to accept a gift from New Berlin Eisenhower and New Berlin West middle school students Tuesday, Nov. 11, 2008, at the community-wide Veterans Day program, held at New Berlin Eisenhower High School. Veterans and active duty service members were recognized through songs and speeches presented by students, faculty members and community leaders. Next year's Veterans Day program will be held in the fieldhouse at New Berlin West High School.

Nikon D3, 200 mm, 4000 ISO, f2.8, 1/500, Manual
Danny Crane, a sophomore at New Berlin Eisenhower High School, plays, "Taps" Tuesday, Nov. 11, 2008, during the community-wide Veterans Day program, held at New Berlin Eisenhower High School. Veterans and active duty service members were recognized through songs and speeches presented by students, faculty members and community leaders. Next year's Veterans Day program will be held in the fieldhouse at New Berlin West High School.

Nikon D3, 200 mm, 1000 ISO, f2.8, 1/800, Manual
A member of the Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 8171 salutes Saturday, Nov. 8, 2008, during a Veterans Day Ceremony, held at ProHealth Care Regency, Muskego. Veterans and Regency residents gathered together to recognize and remember those who have served their country.

In last week's paper, we ran a story on two farmers with one common bond: Jack King, of Muskego, and Ray Saltzmann, of New Berlin, are the final two remaining dairy farmers left in their communities.

Nearly every day, I drive past Saltzmann's farm on the corner of Moorland Road and College Avenue. Oftentimes, as I'm stuck in the line of traffic approaching the corner's four-way stop, I look over to my left and see New Berlin's remaining "touch of country." I always wondered what type of family lived on the farm — the huge space of land amidst all the construction and city sprawl seemed to catch my eye every time.

I wondered how "that guy" felt about Muskego's upcoming Wal-Mart or traffic whizzing by on College Avenue. Soon enough, I'd find out.

Reporter John Schultz and I spent a little time with both Saltzmann and King. King's farm seemed to have an entirely different feel — possibly a bit more quiet, or unaffected, by the city life. (For now, at least.) And although Saltzmann intends to stay put for the time being, he has long-term plans of moving his dairy herd to Rock County.

The photos below are the types of pictures that tend to stay in the back of my mind for quite some time. The day I photographed Jack King cutting hay was a perfect, sunny, warm Wisconsin mid-summer day. Through these photos, I hoped to convey the peacefulness and independence a life of farming can bring. I wanted the photos to be simple and clean. I wanted these photos to record what the land was like for Muskego's last remaining dairy farmer. A few weeks later, when Ray called me and said one of his cows was about to give birth, I was there in a heartbeat: Saltzmann, whose farm has been in his family since 1867, says one of the things he enjoys most is witnessing the cycle of life. 

Nikon D2H, 17 mm, 200 ISO, f2.8, 1/4000, Manual
Jack King, who has been a farmer in Muskego for nearly 70 years, cuts some hay Wednesday, July 9, 2008, on one of his rented parcels, located just off of Parker Drive, Muskego.

Nikon D2H, 19 mm, 200 ISO, f2.8, 1/4000, Manual
Jack King, who has been a farmer in Muskego for nearly 70 years, climbs back onto his tractor to cut some hay Wednesday, July 9, 2008, on one of his rented parcels, located just off of Parker Drive, Muskego.

Nikon D2H, 17 mm, 500 ISO, f2.8, 1/6400, Manual
Jack King, who has been a farmer in Muskego for nearly 70 years, walks from his barn to his house Wednesday, July 30, 2008. King, who has help running the farm from both his children and grandchildren, is the last remaining dairy farmer in Muskego.

Nikon D2H, 200 mm, 200 ISO, f2.8, 1/2500, Manual
Jack King, who has been a farmer in Muskego for nearly 70 years, cuts some hay Wednesday, July 9, 2008, on one of his rented parcels, located just off of Parker Drive, Muskego.

Nikon D2H, 17 mm, 800 ISO, f2.8, 1/250, Manual, WITH FLASH
Ryan Brueggeman, an employee of Ray Saltzmann, helps deliver a calf Thursday, Aug. 14, 2008, on Saltzmann's New Berlin dairy farm, located on the corner of Moorland Road and College Avenue. The farm is the only working dairy farm left in New Berlin. The birth of the calf above went about as easy as it possibly could have, Saltzmann said.

Nikon D2H, 17 mm, 800 ISO, f2.8, 1/250, Manual, WITH FLASH
A mother cleans off her newborn calf just minutes after birth Thursday, Aug. 14, 2008, on Ray Saltzmann's New Berlin dairy farm, located on the corner of Moorland Road and College Avenue. The farm is the only working dairy farm left in New Berlin. The birth of the calf above went about as easy as it possibly could have, Saltzmann said.

If I weren't a photojournalist, I can't honestly say I would have attended a Memorial Day ceremony Monday. It's far too easy to sleep in on what would normally be an additional day off, or head off to the family barbecue an hour early. But that's exactly why I love my job: It forces me to experience and appreciate things I might otherwise pass on by. For those who have served our country or lost a loved one in war, no other day is more important.

As I approached a veteran in the crowd at Muskego's ceremony and asked him for his name, he actually thanked me for taking his picture. It caught me off guard for two reasons: First, it's rare for people to thank me for taking their photos. Some actually run away. Second, he shouldn't have been the one doing the thanking — it was HIS day to be recognized.

Nikon D2H, 170 mm, 400 ISO, f2.8, 1/5000, Manual
Joseph Streff (center), a member of the Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 488, salutes Monday, May 26, 2008, at a Memorial Day ceremony, held at Highland Memorial Park, New Berlin. Mayor Jack Chiovatero and Senator Mary Lazich addressed the crowd.

Nikon D2H, 17 mm, 320 ISO, f2.8, 1/8000, Manual
Dennis Duran, commander of the Veterans of Foreign Wars Post #8171, watches the red, white and blue balloons float into the air Saturday, May 24, 2008, during Muskego's Memorial Day Ceremony, held at ProHealth Care Regency, Muskego. The ceremony included several readings, songs, a Memorial Wreath, a salute by the Rifle Squad, and remarks by Tracy Snead, Muskego's Common Council president.

Nikon D2H, 200 mm, 320 ISO, f2.8, 1/4000, Manual
Members of the Veterans of Foreign Wars Post #8171 bow their heads in prayer Saturday, May 24, 2008, during Muskego's Memorial Day Ceremony, held at ProHealth Care Regency, Muskego. The ceremony included several readings, songs, a Memorial Wreath, a salute by the Rifle Squad, and remarks by Tracy Snead, Muskego's Common Council president.

Nikon D2H, 17 mm, 400 ISO, f2.8, 1/1250, Manual
Patryk Schlomann, 12, a member of Boy Scouts Troop 93, out of New Berlin, grabs a balloon Monday, May 26, 2008, at a Memorial Day ceremony, held at Highland Memorial Park, New Berlin. Names of deceased veterans were attached to the balloons and released at the conclusion of the ceremony. Mayor Jack Chiovatero and Senator Mary Lazich addressed the crowd.