The Californian has many fine photographers.

I am not one of them.

Still, from time to time, you'll find me credited for a photo in our newspaper along with the title "staff photographer" next to my name.

Our real photographers are spread out over a vast area ---- from Leucadia to Lake Elsinore and Poway to Perris ---- on various assignments each day.

Try as they might, and they try very hard, they can't be everywhere at once.

I am an old-school journalist ---- or just old, as my colleagues remind me ---- and keep a camera in my car all the time. This is done primarily because, when the Martians land, I don't want to be standing there with just a pen and a reporter's notebook in my hands.

One good close-up of ET and I'm set for life.

Recently, a brush fire broke out west of Murrieta and, as the urgency level on the emergency scanner in our newsroom increased, I decided to head out and take a look.

I did not know if any of our real photographers were in the area, so I had my camera when I got to the fire and started clicking away.

The Californian moved to digital photography about 15 years ago, so the days of us developing pictures in a "dark room" ---- which they taught in journalism school way back in the last century ---- are long gone.

I bought my first digital camera about six years ago.

Before that, if I took any photos for the newspaper, it meant a trip to the one-hour photo counter at the drugstore.

Thank goodness for technology.

At the Murrieta fire I took about 70 photos, thinking one or two of them might be used.

The following day, one of my fire photos was in our newspaper.

That same photo was also on our website.

On that site there also was tab to click to purchase the picture.

Was I curious?

You bet.

Curious about how I make money if someone buys a picture I've taken.

And, of course, I don't. The photo, taken on company time, was the property of The Californian.

Even if you may not want to purchase a photo of a field of grass on fire, it's nice to know you can.

But wait, there's more.

You can have a photo printed on a T-shirt or a coffee mug, made into note cards, a puzzle, a mousepad and even a Christmas ornament.

Our newspaper, like many others across the country, works with a company called Pictopia to produce all of these fun products.

Flames burning in a vacant field may not make a good mousepad, but our real photographers shoot hundreds of pictures each month. From high school sports, to moments of joy and sorrow and many points in between, their lenses are often pointed at the most important events here in Southwest County.

However, if I'm present when the Martians do land I'm going to be sure to punch off the company clock. I figure there's a few bucks to be made selling ET Christmas ornaments.

Call columnist John Hunneman at 951-676-4315, ext. 2603.