How do you find out what students in your school like in their yearbook? The best thing to do is get out and talk to the students. They are the prime source and are able to tell you what they d like to see in Editing the yearbook. You can t guess or assume. Rachael Turner Co-Editor Mountain Pointe High School Phoenix, AZ FRAMED: Roaming the library looking for an interesting shot, this photographer used the rows of books to frame the subjects. While it is generally important to get as close as possible, in this case, stepping back slightly allowed the books to be included, providing a context for the action. AGONY: Sporting events provide opportunities to capture emotion in motion. Win or lose, there is human drama in sports. The more important the game, the more emotion. The reactions of the players on the bench or the fans in the stands often communicate as much as does the action on the court. photo by Jenny Marshall Minnetonka High School, MN 92A photo by Brian Cahalan/Duncanville High School, TX Photojournalism 92B Yearbooks depend on PHOTO- JOURNALISM, Typography the art of telling stories with Design 1 Design 2 1 2 3 photos. Photography 2 PHOTOS SHOW WHO, WHAT, WHERE, WHEN, WHY AND HOW. CONFLICT OR CHALLENGE: The photographer anticipates the moment, place or interaction that illustrates the struggle or pain or determination important to the story. CHARACTERS: The people who are important to the story are introduced. SETTING: The photographer takes the reader there, to the where for a story with a strong where angle. DETAILS: Photos show the details that would be difficult to explain in writing. EMOTION: Photos show expressive body language, close-ups of eyes and mouth, interaction between people. PHOTOS SHOW ENERGY. ACTION: Photos capture the action; they stop it close-up. REACTION: Photos show expressions and include subjects that tell the story. Sometimes a reaction is more interesting than the action just before it.
PHOTOGRAPHY 2 TRIUMPH: You don t need to be a sports analyst to understand the significance of the smiles and embraces of these volleyball players. The triumphant guy in the background frames the girls in the foreground. Because the ball is included in the photo, the emotion is placed within the context of a volleyball game. photo by Jason Kindig/Duncanville High School, TX photo by Brittany Taylor/Ridgewood Prep, LA CENTER OF ATTENTION: Unaware of the photographer, the subject is framed by the playground equipment, creating a strong center of interest. Sometimes photographers have to sit in position anticipating a photographic moment. In this case, the persistence paid off when the subject popped out of the opening, sporting a big smile. 93A RELATIONSHIP: Photos show the interaction between subjects. The photographer looks for eye contact. A VARIETY OF SHOTS ALL CONTRIBUTE INFORMATION TO A STORY. PERSPECTIVE: A wide shot shows an overall picture of an event or scene. It introduces the reader to the story. A medium shot brings readers closer to the action and tells more of the story. A close-up or detail shot focuses on a single, interesting subject. FORMAT: A variety of both horizontal and vertical photos covers a story more effectively. SUBJECTS: Varying the number of people in the photos tells different stories. A photo might show a single person, a couple, a small group or a large group. SEQUENCE: A complete visual story results by shooting before, during and after the event or activity. 93B
)) Everyone on staff has a folder in our filing cabinet. Since we have two yearbook classes, it s great to be able to pass things to people in the other class using the folders. We encourage our staff members to give each other warm fuzzies. Katherine Cutler Co-Editor Hillcrest High School Idaho Falls, ID Editing photo by Jeremy Bemis/Mills University Studies High School, AR DETAILS: Using selective focus, the subject in the background is a vital part of the photo even though the girl s hands and the lab equipment are in sharper focus than her face. Focusing on the experiment provides detail and showcases the learning that takes place in the lab. SLICE OF LIFE: Life is full of everyday moments that make outstanding opportunities for alert photographers who take the time to study what is happening. The contrast between the young boys and the older varsity football players captures an image that will be valued by the football players while providing insights that might have gone unnoticed to the fans across the field in the stands. 94A photo by David Springer/Westlake High School, TX Photojournalism 1 2 3 Photography 2 Strong photos are carefully COMPOSED. Typography Design 1 COMPOSITION REFERS TO THE ARRANGEMENT OF THE ELEMENTS IN A PHOTO. Photos should be composed with the same care taken in reporting, writing and editing. Three simple guidelines are key to good composition: FILL THE FRAME: Moving in close gets rid of all elements that take away from the subject. CONTROL THE BACKGROUND: If the background adds something it should be kept. If not, the WAIT FOR THE MOMENT: The photographer tries to capture the decisive moment. PHOTOGRAPHERS HAVE AN EYE FOR COMPOSITION TECHNIQUES. CENTER OF INTEREST: The primary subject catches readers attention first and should be the focal point within the photo. LEADING LINES: Real or imaginary lines in a photo direct attention to the center of interest. photographer should change angles or use REPETITION OF PATTERNS: Texture or line repeats 94B Design 2 shallow depth of field to toss it out of focus. in the foreground or background in a photo.
DATA DOWNLOAD PHOTOGRAPHY 2 photo by Steve Doan/Hazelwood Central High School, MO RULE OF THIRDS: Dividing the image area into thirds vertically and horizontally guides the placement of the main subject. Where the lines intersect, visual hot spots are created. By striving to have the subject fall in a hot spot, a more dynamic photo results. Avoid centering a subject in the center boxes of the grid. This Rule of Thirds technique is helpful to keep in mind when shooting photos and later when cropping and placing images on the page. 95A FRAMING: A photo is composed so the subject is surrounded by content sky, ground, people that highlights the subject. RULE OF THIRDS: When a photo is divided into thirds vertically and horizontally, four intersection points are created. The primary subject should hit near one of these intersection points, a little off center. OTHER ELEMENTS ADD TO WELL-COMPOSED PHOTOS. EYE CONTACT: When readers see the eyes of the primary subject, a photo s impact is greater. ACTION MOVING TOWARD CAMERA: When action moves toward the camera, it moves toward the reader, involving the reader more. A DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVE: When a photographer shoots from an unexpected angle, it gives the reader another point of view. Readers see the world at eye level so another angle offers the unusual or unexpected. SELECTIVE FOCUS: Sometimes selective focus can be effective, as in when the foreground is in focus and the background is out of focus. 95B
Our yearbook lab is like a second home. Even when it wasn t our class time, you could spot at least one person from staff in there. Sometimes they d be working hard. Other times they d be hardly working. I think the reason everyone likes to be in our lab is the terrific environment it has. photo by Candis Massingill/Midway High School, TX TEXTURE: The white cream adds texture and dimension to this image captured at a pie toss. The photo s impact is enhanced because part of the face is exposed, showing the subject s reaction to the action. REPETITION: The repeating colors and shapes of the band members in uniform, all having the same happy reaction, add interest to the photo. A clean, simple background focuses attention on the subjects. 96A Liz Peacock Editing Co-Editor Laramie High School Laramie, WY photo by Karis Townsend/Hawkins High School, TX Photojournalism 1 2 3 Photography 2 The TECHNICAL QUALITY Typography of photos is as important as the content. Design 1 HIGH QUALITY PHOTOS DO A BETTER JOB OF STORYTELLING. Readers remember good photos. Good photos reach out and grab readers, force them to look and keep the images in their minds. The technical quality of a photo is important because poor quality can detract from a photo s storytelling effectiveness. Several factors contribute to a photo s technical quality: Contrast refers to tonal gradations between and a full range of mid-tone grays. Good contrast adds depth to a photo because the primary subject stands out from the background. Muddy photos don t appeal to readers. Focus refers to the sharpness of the subject of a photo. Focus should be sharp and clear. Details should be crisp and defined. Readers tend to pass right over out-of-focus photos because these photos don t call attention to the storytelling details. black and white areas in a photograph. A high- Grain refers to the texture of a photo. Generally, 96B Design 2 quality photo has black blacks, white whites the less grain or texture, the better the photo.
PHOTOGRAPHY 2 ROPE LINE: The rope acts as a leading line, drawing the eye to the main subject as he struggles to avoid getting pulled into the water. Creative positioning makes it appear as though the photographer might have been in the water to capture the shot. photo by Nicole Arend/Golden West High School, CA CONCENTRATION: By moving close, the subject fills the frame. The photographer s angle allows for the paper and pen to be included for detail. Waiting patiently for just the right moment, concentration is evident as she rests her head on her hand. photo by Jeremy Bemis/Mills University Studies High School, AR 97A Print quality refers to the cleanliness of the photo when it s reproduced. There should be no spots or scratches. TECHNICAL QUALITY IS RELATED TO THE PHOTOGRAPHER S KNOWLEDGE OF TOOLS. When photographers understand the operation of their cameras and the power of light, they take better photos. Lighting and the shutter speed are important factors in creating good contrast. Sharp focus depends on correct shutter speed, a steady camera and time spent on careful focusing. PHOTO EDITING SOFTWARE OFFERS MORE OPTIONS. If film cameras and a darkroom are used, care must be taken with negatives and prints to ensure the best image quality. And, it s now possible to electronically enhance the technical quality of an image. It s also possible to electronically manipulate the content. Ethical considerations dictate that enhancement is acceptable, indeed desirable, while manipulation is not. Enhancing a photo s quality is a service to readers. 97B