The Yearbook World of Scott Geesey
from Jostens Yearbooks of central/northern Pennsylvania
ARCHIVE - NOVEMBER 3, 2019
YOUR PORTRAIT SECTIONS: How to Make Them GREAT This Year
Hello! Well there it was one day last week - snow flurries. Once that big wind blew through on Halloween night, some northern areas got REAL snow. Some weather experts are predicting a nasty winter for our neighborhood, let's see if it pans out. For our yearbook efforts that means don't waste time now, get things covered and completed before that snow shows up. Speaking of which...
We're now just three weeks to Thanksgiving break, WOW. Make it a goal to push your yearbooking staff to get as much done as they can in these next three weeks so all can relax and have a great holiday break. Fall sports (except for those in playoffs) are now completed so let's get those pages or spreads done shortly. Winter sports practices are underway soon, time to start thinking about how those teams will be covered. There is plenty to do, how much can be done by Thanksgiving?
And a HUGE congratulations to my friend and adviser Wanda Vanish and her newspaper crew at Altoona Jr. High. Last week they were listed as a Crown Award finalist for digital media this year by the Columbia Scholastic Press Association (CSPA.) Wanda's Livewire staff was one of just 21 staffs recognized nationwide, and the ONLY junior high staff to be noted. The Crown awards will be presented at the annual CSPA convention in New York in mid March. Wanda is also the adviser for the Altoona High yearbook and I can't wait to see what that staff does with their Horseshoe yearbook this year!
Are your portrait pages fun and readable? Or just pictures and names?
Many schools are now receiving their portrait images from their school photographer (or will soon hopefully) and they will be flowing their class spreads in this year's book. But before you really tackle this effort, here's are some things to watch and some ideas for this year's book...
LOAD YOUR IMAGES AND NAMES: For my YearTech and Monarch software users, last week I emailed some simple directions on how to transmit your images and info files to Jostens. Find that email and transmit away once you receive your material from your photographer.
An increasing number of photo companies are now sending a download link to get all of your material - just forward that link to us and we'll take it from there. But if you still get a CD/DVD just follow the directions emailed last week to gather those files and transmit them to us.
But TAKE NOTE - be sure to send in your YEARBOOK images. Your photo company will also send what are usually called Administrative images for use on ID cards and by your office. These are LOW resolution images that we can't use for yearbook. For whatever reason some photo companies send the Admin images first (which them mistakenly go to the yearbook adviser) before the yearbook images - no idea why, and really annoying. Watch what you get.
CHECK YOUR IMAGES: The first thing you do once all material is loaded. For YearTech Online users, check the portrait section in the Image Library. For software users check the images loaded in your computer system. Look for duplicates of some students, the original and retake. We only need one so mark the "wrong" image not to be used or delete it. Check name spellings as well, make corrections as needed.
And hopefully your photographer provided you images with the same background behind every student. Multiple colored backgrounds, popular with some photo companies in recent years, make your pages look like rainbows. If that is your situation, give your photographer a quick call this week and see if they can provide images with just ONE background for all students.
PAGE DESIGNING: What have your portrait pages looked like in past years? For most schools it's all pictures and names, pictures and names. Portrait sections may be the most "boring" section of most yearbooks with no candids, no writing, no real originality. Let's change that this year.
Check out our many Jostens portrait templates in the Page Surfer book and category. Some are rather plain but many include extra elements to liven up your portrait pages and make the more readable - quote boxes, photo strips, survey modules, etc. Use those templates verbatim on your pages or change them around but watch out for changes in the actual portrait areas that could mess up your flowing. And DON'T type in names, your portrait flowing does that for you.
TRY DIFFERENT IDEAS: Here are some possibilities to consider...
- Find some way to get different content on EVERY portrait page, not just pictures and names. Even if it's only candid images, it breaks up the monotony. Maybe arrange a strip of images down the side of your pages or across the top or bottom of your spread, leaving the rest of the area for portraits and names.
- One interesting idea before flowing is to use a template filling your page with portraits and names, then take out selected portrait photo blocks and replace them with a text box telling a story about someone on the page. Definitely makes the page more readable. Or take out several photo blocks and replace with a candid image box with an image of students in that class inserted.
- Vacate some space on the pages for survey or poll questions of students. Include candid images of student respondents if you can to find another way to get them in the book. Or create some infographics to display the info and show more faces.
- Portraits don't have to be large on the pages. Consider smaller portrait images with more space for candids, writing and graphics. Portraits are needed in every yearbook but are rarely read. Perhaps go smaller and leave more page space for storytelling about students.
- Check the Design Gallery on your YBA website for terrific ideas on portrait sections from top yearbooks across North America. And if you're a YTO user you can probably copy those page templates into your own template library to use on YOUR pages. Why reinvent the wheel when you don't have to?
HOW TO FLOW?: It's easy for both software and online. Use the directions in your editor's kit bag or via your Yearbook Avenue website in the Digital Classroom. We even have online videos there showing you everything to do. But if you need extra help, please let me know. Another option is to contact Micah Martin in State College.
Or if you're having difficulty or just looking for help, call our Jostens Tech Support crew anytime at 800-328-2435. Don't be alone on this, call and get their quick assistance.
Bottom line - let's do something different this year. Don't do the "same old same old" all the time, let's try some new looks and ideas!
NEW OPTION NEXT YEAR: I've written before about our new JostensPIX portrait photo service which will begin service in PA next summer. An increasing number of schools are showing some interest in JostensPIX, especially after reports about more errors by other companies such as artificially blue hair on some images and missing ears or a chunk out of someone's head because of software mistakes.
Imagine - less hassle at school, no photo packets to hand out, no one needs to make an order BEFORE any photos are actually taken, three photo poses of each person, parents see images just three days after photo day, parents choose from 20 different backgrounds but the yearbook adviser can choose just ONE, definitely LESS cost for parents and materials are shipped home just days after an order, and the yearbook staff has their images just ONE WEEK after retake day. Portraits and ID cards, with the possibility of earning some extra $$$ for your staff or school.
The advantages are enormous for all parties - school, parents, students, and yearbook adviser and staff. Check out more about JostensPIX at www.jostens.com/jostenspix. Let me know if you want to learn more about this cool new service.