Tall Tails: How To Shoot an Allston Rat

Soon after we decided to have Chris Faraone write about Boston's rat problem for this week's cover story, we realized that we would need a picture of some Boston rats. Sure, we could just have someone draw a rat, or dip into the vast depths of clip-art hell, but ultimately, we wanted to someone to snap a photo of a Boston rat in the wild.

There was only one man for the job. 

Photographer DEREK KOUYOUMJIAN is the guy we call with the tough assignments. We sent him off. He came back with rat photos. And then we had to ask: Derek, how'd you shoot those rats?

The story was . . . well, it wouldn't make as much sense on the page as it would coming out of Derek's mouth, so we decided to let him tell you. Click below to listen to the story. "Let me just tell you," he begins, "Photographing rats is hell." He also says, "Rats are like cops: when you want one they're just not gonna be there."

LISTEN: Derek Kouyoumjian on How To Shoot An Allston Rat (mp3)

(Also, we promise: no more tail puns after this. Cross our hearts.)