Informative Articles on School Yearbooks

High School Yearbooks - Creative Photography Ideas

-John Huegel

Here are several tips to increase the impact and effectiveness of images used in your yearbook.

1. Covers. Encourage the submission or creation of custom cover photography. Last year, our high school yearbook cover was an abstract image of CD's reflecting light in rainbow colors - taken by a student member of the staff. A cover contest generates interest and personal stake in the yearbook, increasing the student body's participation.

2. Club and Team shots. Chess club? Try for an artsy shot of a chess table with the team behind and slightly out of focus. Debate club? How about a staged brawl? Think creatively and do some planning to come up with original and entertaining images.

3. Baby Match. Take candid baby shots and sprinkle them in the yearbook. It will be fun for the students to match up to the right kids.

4. DVD Insert. Consider putting a DVD slide show in a plastic jacket as an upsell. Make sure you use legal music for the soundtrack. Lots of programs can be used to take images and music and make a DVD. Proshow is my favorite.

5. Pro Photos for Ad Space. Consider sprinkling in photos taken by professionals, in exchange for ad space.

6. Faculty Shots. How about a hobby focus? Instead of the same dry shots, have the faculty dress or bring items that they use in a hobby or interest and make a mini-bio for their images.

7. Contributor Web. Consider a public website such as Winkflash where anyone can submit photos for consideration in the yearbook. Make sure you get their name and credit them on the page where the images are used.

8. School Shots. Take some creative shots of the architecture and features of the school, such as mascots or common areas. Choose some times when they are busy and filled with kids, and contrast when they are empty. This will create pride and good memories of the school buildings and property.

9. Town Images. Some images from the local towns will also be appreciated. Consider asking for ad sponsors and spice up their contribution by taking a photo of their business and including it in the book. Think product placement.

10. Assemblies and Events. Make sure someone from the yearbook staff has permission to shoot freely at assemblies, pep rallies, sports and art/music events. Try to capture all scholastic, recreational and athletic/music activities as candids so you capture the depth of the high school experience.

Have fun with your High School Yearbook!

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How to Make a School Yearbook

-Randy Dodson

Before starting to organize your yearbook, you will want to think about designing and printing. You can find plenty of yearbook software on the market, but you'll want to make sure the yearbook software you use is compatible with your publisher. You can also create your own yearbooks by using your own binding machine & supplies. Some binding systems allow you to make last-minute changes, adding and deleting pages even after your books are bound.

Once you've determined how you will make your school yearbook, you will need to form a yearbook committee and start thinking about the contents. Start by gathering lots of photos that students and staff have taken. You're looking for the most fun pictures of groups working and learning together. Most of your pictures will probably come from organized clubs and teams, but you'll want to find some pictures from unofficial gatherings as well. Baby photos are always a fun time too!

You'll want to include some words from the school's administrative staff. The principal and vice principal will probably want to write a message to the students. Other teachers and staff may choose to write introductions to their groups, grades, classes, or organizations. Be sure to ask for writing from these individuals early and give them plenty of time to organize their thoughts.

Next, start making a list of the year's activities. What field trips, sporting events and performances were most memorable? Did the school have a talent show or a big dance? You can organize a lot of the pages of your yearbook to these activities. Students will love looking through memories of the times that they prepared for and invested in the most. Be sure to check with your publisher about deadlines. A later printing date may allow you to include spring activities.

When it comes to designing your yearbook, you'll want to find your school's artists. See if you can get some talented students to create artwork for the covers of the book and the inside pages. This can add some extra fun and creativity to your project.

When it comes to actually putting together your yearbook, be sure to use that creativity throughout. Give your pictures funny and imaginative captions. Lay out your pages with energy and excitement. Let your yearbook committee go to town on paper and in your yearbook software. Most of all: have fun!

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Celebrity Yearbook Pictures!!!

Creating a Scrapbook For Your High School Reunion

-Audrey Okaneko

It’s been 30 years since you graduated from high school. You may have children of your own who have now graduated from high school, or you may have children who are in high school.

You’ve received the invitation to attend the reunion. You are so excited to see those you have lost track of over the years, those you’d love to catch up with and possibly rekindle friendships with.

You are actually on the committee working on the reunion. Why not ask everyone to send in a few photos of themselves, whether they plan on attending or not. If you have the photos in enough time, you can actually put the scrapbook online for everyone to see.

How fun to have folks send in both a photo as they looked in high school and also a photo of how they look today.

I know when I attended my 10 year reunion, they asked everyone a few questions on the registration form, such as your career field, how many kids you have etc. They then announced what they thought was the “most out there profession”, the person with the most kids and the person who had traveled the furthest to be there.

Getting all of this information and adding this data alongside the photo (s) and then putting this into an online scrapbook allows everyone to view the information and photos.

Pull out an old yearbook. Scan some of the photos from the football team, the band, the wrestling team, the theater and add these photos to your online scrapbook. My yearbooks are packed in boxes somewhere. I’ve not seen them in so many years, it would be so much fun to view all of this online.

During the reunion make sure plenty of photos are taken of old friends reuniting. These can be added to the online scrapbook for everyone to see, both those who did attend and those who did not.

If you are in charge of scheduling, plan a picnic the next day for families. There may be those who could not afford the cost of the reunion. Plan a picnic where everyone can come. Again, take lots of photos and add them to the online scrapbook.

For those who don’t live local and are not able to attend these events, it is so nice to be able to view the online scrapbook of friends from another time in life.

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