Questions
 |
Answers
| What is the importance of photography
in the yearbook?
|
The essence of any yearbook is its photography. Even
if the yearbook is packed with dynamic design, fun stories and detailed
captions, students will still look at the photos first. No doubt, the
yearbook is foremost a "look" book. You'll be reminded of
this each delivery day when students flip through the yearbook eyeing
every photo, often without reading a single caption (at least on the
first run-through).
Almost 80 percent of every page in your yearbook will be devoted
to photographs. Good photography is about learning how to be in the
right
place, at the right time with the right equipment. Understanding
the basic considerations for film and equipment selection enable students
to effectively plan for each photo assignment. To get the most of
your photographers you’ll want to apply sound guidance, planning
of photo assignments and careful photo-editing.
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| How are photos printed in the book?
|
Printing photographs in any publication is based upon
fooling the eye. A printing press can only lay down ink full strength
--not in the multiple levels of tone that are inherent to a photographic
print. A printed area can either be black or white. Gray tones are achieved
by printing a grid of very small dots of ink precisely placed to fool
the eye into perceiving gray tones. Lighter tones are made up of smaller
dots, darker tones use larger dots. This process of converting continuous
tone images to printable dots is called halftoning, and printed pictures
are called halftones.
Modern halftones are created by scanning photographs and converting
them to halftone dots by computer. The number of dots used can vary,
but there are usually between 133 and 150 printing dots per inch. This
number is more commonly called the line screen or lines-per-inch. Be
careful not to confuse the term lines-per-inch (lpi) with the image
resolution term, dots-per-inch (dpi).
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| How do we organize our photo assignments?
|
A photo planning system helps everyone communicate clearly
and work efficiently. Here's one system that can serve as a guideline:
| • |
Staff members fill out work orders for their
assigned pages giving complete information on the content. Specify
if the photos should be horizontal or vertical and the number of
pictures needed. A photo work order is printed on the back of every
mini rough-draft form found in your GearKit. Include a rough layout
on the other side so the photographer knows how the pictures will
be used. |
| • |
The photo editor uses the work orders to develop a schedule
for both professional and student photographers. The photo editor
should allow enough time to return photos to staffers for cropping,
labeling and caption writing prior to deadlines. |
| • |
The photo editor makes a photo assignment chart and posts
it for the photographer's reference. You may order additional copies
through Taylor's supply department at 800-947-0401 or click here
to order supplies. |
| • |
The photo editor gives the work orders to the photographer
and keeps the photocopies for his/her records. |
| • |
The adviser or photo editor contacts the professional
photographer to set up photos. You'll want to use the professional
photographer's time wisely, so have the day's photos organized.
Make sure announcements and reminders have been sent to teams, organizations
and individuals involved. It's also a good idea to notify teachers
whose classes will be affected. |
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| What are some tips for making photo
assignments?
|
If you plan to have color photos, assign your best photographer
to shoot all of them, with other photographers as back-ups. It's always
a good idea to assign two or three photographers to important, one-shot
events. Nothing can replace the lost photograph of the homecoming queen's
coronation or the opening night performance. Position photographers
in different places to achieve full coverage and at varying angles.
For example, never send only one person to shoot a sports event. Discuss
which aspects of the game should be covered. Each photographer can cover
something different (the game, locker room, drill team, band, spectators,
warm-up drills, etc.).
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| What are some tips for shooting
group photos?
|
Getting groups of students together for photos can be
tough. If possible, schedule group photos with your professional photographer.
| • |
Make a list of all clubs, organizations and
sports teams that will appear in your book. |
| • |
Shoot sports teams by season. Obtain a copy of the sports
calendar from the athletic director. The photographer can then come
to a home game and shoot both the team and the sports candids. |
| • |
Set aside a day for clubs and organizations. Give advance
notice to students and advisers of their scheduled times. Arrange
to shoot before, during and after school. |
| • |
To identify everyone in the picture, pass a notepad down
each row before the picture is taken, and have students print their
names clearly. Don't try to ID everyone after the shot -- students
scatter too quickly. |
| • |
For captions, avoid using "first row," second
row," etc., in favor of "front row," "center
row," back row." It's much clearer to the reader. |
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| How do I choose the correct camera
for an assignment?
|
When choosing what camera to take on your assignment,
consider the following: distance from subject, amount of available light
and type of activity. These factors will determine the type of camera
you can use. If you are shooting in a fairly normal classroom, any camera
will do (SLR or point & shoot). The greater the distance from subject,
the lower the light and the higher the level of activity, the more you
will have to rely on your SLR camera.
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| How do I teach students to shoot
great candid photographs?
|
Individual portraits and group photos aside, candid
photos are the essence of the yearbook. Candids tell the story of a
person or event and capture the heart of student life. They capture
emotion, expression and actions. But most importantly, they capture
moments. When students open their yearbooks on delivery day, the candid
photos are what they’ll look for first…and remember most.
 |
Because candid photos preserve school memories in such a unique and
special way, they make up the majority of the yearbook and should be
taken and selected for publication with care.
Great candid photos don’t happen accidentally. Train your photographers
to think of themselves as storytellers without words. Ask them to imagine
how they would tell of an event they covered if their photos were all
that remained. Challenge them to capture the meaning of the event.
Here are some good basic tips that will improve your odds for good candid
photos:
| • |
Be prepared. Encourage photographers to
always carry their cameras with them at all times, not just for
specific assignments. This is helpful for two reasons. First, you
just never know when a photographer will stumble across a photo-worthy
moment. It’s best to be prepared. Second, photographing often
will improve the photographer’s work. The more comfortable
the photographer is, the better the photos will be. |
| • |
Arrive on the scene early. Encourage photographers to
scout the location of each photo assignment beforehand and to arrive
a little while before the event begins. Determine good angles and
where the action is likely to be. Check the equipment (film, batteries,
lenses, notepad) and be able to access supplies quickly. Arriving
early also allows the photographer to get his or her bearings before
having to jump into photographing the event. |
| • |
Get close. Most novice photographers shoot from much
too far away. Close-ups are usually far more powerful than wide
shots. This may take a lot of coaching since it can feel awkward
moving into the subject’s space. Just keep encouraging photographers
to get close, and eventually doing so will come naturally. |
| • |
Vary your angle. A story has more than one viewpoint
or perspective. Photograph the participants, onlookers and symbols
of the event. Always photograph a few close-up or detail photos,
a few medium photos and a few overall or wide photos. But emphasize
close-ups. Often it is the detail or close-up photo that best captures
the moment or communicates the story. |
| • |
Look for the unexpected. Often photo assignments can
be the same year after year. Encourage photographers to photograph
something different, a different angle for covering an annual event.
Seek out those showing emotion or action. Look for irony, humor,
side stories. |
| • |
Express yourself. Expressions tell so much about the
subject. And a key part of those expressions are the subjects’ eyes.
Encourage photographers to look for telling expressions, and to
look for that expression in the subjects’ eyes. This doesn’t
mean, however, the subject should always be looking into the camera. |
| • |
Pay attention to technicalities. Are you clearly focused?
Using the right film, flash and lens? How is the lighting? Are you
at the best angle? If using digital equipment, have you set your
desired resolution correctly? |
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| What kinds of film should we use?
|
The type of film you need depends upon the environment
in which your photo assignment takes place. The film speed, or International
Standards Organization (ISO) number, indicates how sensitive a film
is to light. With higher film speeds/larger ISO numbers, less light
is needed to expose the film. Lower speeds require more light for exposure.
The film speed also plays a role in photo enlargement. When a photo
is enlarged, the grain of the photo becomes more visible. The grain
pattern is even more visible in enlargements made of photos made with
high-speed film (400 ISO and higher). When choosing a film, consider
the type of photos you'll be taking and the conditions under which you'll
be taking them: indoor/outdoor, posed/action or day/night. Remember,
the higher the film speed number, the more sensitive it is to light.
So, a 100 speed film needs more light than a 400 speed film.
Most indoor photography without a flash will require at least 400 ISO
and possibly 800 or higher. Outdoors during the day use a low-speed
film such as 100 or 200 ISO.
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| What is meant by the term "film
speed?"
|
The type of film you need depends on the environment
in which your photo assignment takes place. The film speed, or International
Standards Organization (ISO) number, indicates how sensitive a film
is to light. With higher film speeds/larger ISO numbers, less light
is needed to expose the film. Lower film speeds require more light for
exposure.
For example, a 100-speed film needs more light than a 400-speed film.
For indoor photography without a flash, use a 400 ISO film or higher.
One drawback to high ISO films is that the film's grain becomes more
apparent. So try to shoot where the light is best or use a flash. In
situations where there's minimal movement in the scene, a tripod can
be used to steady the camera for longer exposures (1/30 of a second
or longer).
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| What kind of photo prints should we
submit?
|
You should submit only glossy finish color or black-and-white
prints, either from a professional photo lab or your school's darkroom.
Matte finish or embossed photo papers and photos printed from ink jet
or laser printers result in significantly less quality reproduction
because their quality isn't compatible with most digital scanners.
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| What are contact sheets and
how do I use them?
|
A contact sheet is a photographic print made by placing
negatives from a roll of film in direct contact with a sheet of photographic
paper. This is sometimes called a proof sheet. It lets you examine all
the photos so you can cull the outtakes and print only the good photos.
Here are a few tips for working with contact sheets:
| • |
The photo editor should create files for
all contact sheets and negatives. Organize them by subject matter
and keep them in a three-ring binder. Some staffs prefer to organize
by date. If they know when an event occurred, they can find photos
easily. |
| • |
Select pictures on the contact sheet to be printed by
circling them with a grease pencil. |
| • |
When the finished print is received and approved for
the section, place a diagonal line through that frame on the contact
sheet so its use is recorded. |
| • |
If working with digital images, you can create a digital
contact sheet using a feature in Adobe Photoshop. |
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| How do I work with our professional
photographer?
|
Nothing beats a good working relationship with your
professional photographer for getting things done on time. Planning
and organization are the keys to photo management.
Keep these tips in mind when planning:
| • |
Schedule a meeting with each professional
photographer as soon as possible to arrange a shooting schedule.
Discuss photo specifications including print size and how prints
will be identified as well as whether or not you will receive your
portraits on a CD rather than traditional diecuts. |
| • |
If using Taylor’s EZ Pix technology for your panel
portrait pages, discuss specifics with your photographer in advance.
EZ Pix portraits are reproduced directly from images submitted on
a photo CD provided by your photographer and photo lab. The specs
for these CDs are available at www.tayloryearbooks.com/ezpix. You
have to be certain you have clearly explained your final output intentions
to your photographer in advance – color, black-and-white, which
grades will be done via EZ Pix, etc. Refer to your EZ Pix Users Guide
for a checklist of topics you should discuss with your photographer
when planning your panel portrait section. You can check this same
web page to see if your photographer’s photo lab is certified
by Taylor to produce an EZ Pix photo CD.
|
| • |
Check the school calendar to see if student portraits,
both senior and underclass, have been scheduled. If not, schedule
them right away. |
| • |
Review your current contract to determine sitting fees
and gratuities (film, rebates, etc.). If your photographer is going
to shoot candid photos for you, determine the number of days he or
she will shoot candids and group photos. Consider contracting for
special events like prom and graduation where it may be difficult
to arrange for student photographers. |
| • |
Ask about developing services and processing times for
black-and-white and color film. |
| • |
Make coverage assignments for the first two weeks of school.
Schedule all color photography early in the year, because most color
pages are due to the plant in early fall for spring delivery books
and early winter for summer/fall delivery books. Ask your representative
for your exact dates. |
| • |
Schedule portraits and retakes. |
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| How do I handle senior portraits?
|
If you're working on a high school yearbook, then you
know seniors are busy people. That's why planning senior portraits months
in advance can be a lifesaver. Schedule senior portraits for the summer
or no later than the first yearbook production month. But first:
| • |
Establish dress codes and backgrounds for
formal portraits to ensure a consistent look for yearbook photos.
If you're a new adviser, review the school's tradition for this and
decide if it should be retained. |
| • |
Find out the studio's procedures for handling proofs,
returning proofs and sending prints. |
| • |
If senior portraits will be in color, make sure your photographer
knows and can supply the prints in plenty of time to meet the color
deadline. |
| • |
After portraits have been taken, get a list of the student
photos and check it against your senior list. Follow up with students
who have not had portraits taken. If possible, schedule a make-up
photo day for students who were not photographed on the original
portrait day. |
| • |
If using Taylor’s EZ Pix technology for your panel
portrait pages, discuss specifics with your photographer in advance.
EZ Pix portraits are reproduced directly from images submitted on
a photo CD provided by your photographer and photo lab. The specs
for these CDs are available at www.tayloryearbooks.com/ezpix. You
have to be certain you have clearly explained your final output intentions
to your photographer in advance – color, black-and-white, which
grades will be done via EZ Pix, etc. Refer to your EZ Pix Users Guide
for a checklist of topics you should discuss with your photographer
when planning your panel portrait section. You can check this same
web page to see if your photographer’s photo lab is certified
by Taylor to produce an EZ Pix photo CD. |
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| How do I take care of underclass
portraits?
|
You'll need plenty of time to organize underclass portraits,
so be sure to schedule the shoot early. And don't forget retakes. Schedule
a retake day for students who miss the original portrait-taking opportunity.
Also, find out when the photographer will have the prints to you, and
check with the photographer on a system for identifying the pictures.
Taylor's EZPix program makes it possible to use a portrait CD provided
by your photographer. This process will make your job significantly
easier by not having to type student names, organize or place ID stickers
on pictures.
If using Taylor’s EZ Pix technology for your panel portrait pages,
discuss specifics with your photographer in advance. EZ Pix portraits
are reproduced directly from images submitted on a photo CD provided
by your photographer and photo lab. The specs for these CDs are available
at www.tayloryearbooks.com/ezpix. You have to be certain you have clearly
explained your final output intentions to your photographer in advance – color,
black-and-white, which grades will be done via EZ Pix, etc. Refer to
your EZ Pix Users Guide for a checklist of topics you should discuss
with your photographer when planning your panel portrait section. You
can check this same web page to see if your photographer’s photo
lab is certified by Taylor to produce an EZ Pix photo CD.
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| What about faculty portraits?
|
Schedule faculty portraits early in the year. If you
choose formal faculty portraits, take them at the same time as student
portraits.
Group photos or informal candids are other ways to cover faculty photos.
If you choose group or informal photos, schedule them on days the professional
photographer is taking other photographs.
Remember, the faculty section is a good one to complete for meeting
early deadlines.
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| Can we scan our own pictures
and submit them electronically?
|
Yes. Using scanned pictures in your yearbook is a
great way to further your students’ skills in desktop publishing and
it’s also a lot of fun. Keep in mind that this is a learning
process and the more you know about the topic, the more pleased you
will be
with the results.
Learning how to correctly use digital images is an on-going learning
process. Scanning requirements are different for every medium -- meaning
scanning for yearbooks is different than scanning for newspapers or
the Web. The best thing you can do before beginning to scan is buy a
book on the subject. Taylor carries several resources to help you on
this topic that are available from the Supply Desk (do you want to insert
a link here?).
You'll need lots of disk space, removable media (such as Zip or CD-Rs),
and a computer with plenty of RAM.
The keys to quality reproduction in the yearbook are to start with a
quality negative, use the best scanner you can get, and stay as close
to the original as possible. Since the original in most cases will be
the negative, every step you take your image away from the negative,
such as to a print, scan of print, scan of a laserprint of a print,
will reduce the image quality.
The proper settings for yearbook scanning are:
| • |
Grayscale or RGB mode for color printing
(files will be converted to CMYK in pre-press at Taylor) |
| • |
Grayscale photo resolution is 300 dpi |
| • |
Four-color photo resolution is 300 dpi |
| • |
Lineart resolution is 600 dpi |
| • |
Save all files in EPS format with JPEG (High Quality)
compression |
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| Can I use a digital cameras
to cover yearbook photo assignments?
|
Digital photography is quickly becoming the preferred
way to photograph. The pros of digital photography include: saving money
on processing and printing and saving time by having a file that can
be placed directly into your yearbook spread. The initial cost, however,
of investing in quality digital equipment is a drawback of going to
digital photography. The cons include possible poor photo quality and
printing problems if the digital files don’t have the resolution
needed to produce a clear, crisp photo.
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| How do I choose a digital
camera?
|
Two things to consider when purchasing a digital camera
are cost and purpose. What kind of budget do you have for this purchase?
Keep in mind that although digital cameras eliminate the need to purchase
film and pay for processing and printing, they still require batteries
and memory cards, which can be costly. You will most likely want to
purchase a camera with a zoom to cover both close up and wide shots.
It is important to look at the optical zoom ratings of the camera, not
the digital zoom.
The technology with digital cameras changes so quickly, it is important
to buy the newest model when you purchase a camera. When you are shopping
for a digital camera, you may find two similarly priced cameras -- the
closeout model with more features, and the newest model with less features.
With the advancement of the technology and the constant improvement
of image quality, you are better off buying the new model.
For more information on digital equipment, visit: www.dpreview.com.
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| What is resolution and how
does it impact my digital photos?
|
The optical resolution of a digital camera is determined
by how many pixels it can capture horizontally and vertically. Most
digital camera makers use the total number of pixels of the sensor (width
x height) as an indication of the camera’s resolution. The more
pixels an image has, the higher the quality it typically will be. The
term you often hear – megapixel - equals roughly one million pixels
(1,024,000). A camera referred to as a “3 megapixel” camera
captures images containing roughly 3 million pixels at its highest setting.
Digital camera resolution is measured in megapixels. The higher this
number, the higher the resolution available for the image. A higher
resolution is key for printing digital images in a large size on your
page. Most digital cameras are set to photograph at 72 pixels per inch
(ppi) and 300 ppi is required in order to print a digital image in your
yearbook. You can increase the resolution of your image by decreasing
its physical size (for example a 20x27 inch image at 72ppi will be 5x6.5
at 300ppi), but it is best to set the resolution before you make the
photograph. Basically, more pixels means better quality.
The chart below shows the most common digital camera resolutions with
image sizes and disk space requirements for each. Use this chart as
a general guideline only – camera images and sizes vary, and your
camera’s user manual should include this type of information specifically
for your equipment.
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| What's the difference between
lines-per-inch and dots-per-inch?
|
Understanding these two concepts is important, especially
for YB!Pro customers who scan and submit digital photos or graphics
for print reproduction. If not, Taylor takes care of all this for you.
Dots-per-inch (dpi) actually refers to the number of computer pixels
which define an image in a linear inch. In fact, many experts now prefer
the term pixels-per-inch (ppi) in place of dots-per-inch.
Pixels are the smallest unit of resolution for defining a computer graphic.
When you scan a photo its varying tones are converted to pixels. Unlike
halftone dots which are always black or white, pixels can be any of
256 shades of gray, which, while limited, is more than enough to render
almost any image accurately. But pixels are only useful for imaging
on a computer monitor. You cannot "print" gray pixels because
a press can only print solid ink. Pixels must be converted to halftone
dots through a process called rasterizing. This is the key to imaging
any page for printing.
For photos to look good on the page you need at least one and a half
to two pixels to define each halftone dot -- a 11/2:1 or 2:1 ratio.
So when scanning a photo for a 150 lpi reproduction you need a resolution
of 225 to 300 ppi (dpi).
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| How do I resize my digital
photos for the yearbook?
|
It is best to resize your digital photos by using a
photo manipulation program such as Adobe Photoshop. See the software
manual for specifics on photo size or resolution manipulation. Or you
can refer to your YB!Pro or EliteVision manuals for more information
on digital images. Keep in mind that changing the physical size of a
digital image changes the image's resolution. Increasing the physical
size decreases the resolution and decreasing the physical size increases
the resolution.
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| How do I prepare my digital
photos for publishing?
|
All digital files should be saved either in grayscale
for black & white images or RGB mode for color. (Taylor will convert
these to CMYK in pre-press at Taylor.) Resolution should be 200 dpi
for grayscale and 300 dpi for color. If submitting non-vector line art,
resolution should be 600 dpi. Save all files in EPS format.
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| What are some tips
for using digital photography?
|
| • |
Shoot at Highest Resolution: When capturing
images for your yearbook, ALWAYS shoot at the highest resolution your
camera will allow. Images can be downsized later if needed. You never
know how you will eventually use the photo you are taking – if
it is in a larger format than you envisioned, you’ll want the
image to be the best quality possible. If the resolution is not high
enough, the image will be pixelated when printed. |
| • |
Take Backup Batteries: Make sure your batteries are fully
charged before going out to shoot, and ALWAYS carry a set of back-up
batteries. |
| • |
Never Turn on Digital Zoom: Digital cameras reference zoom
usually in two ways: optical and digital. Optical is how much zoom
is physically possible with the lens built into the camera. Digital
zoom is usually a larger number, but uses an internal computer in
the camera to “make up” the pixels as you zoom in. Digital
zoom will make pictures look fuzzy and noisy when printed in your
book. |
| • |
Protect your ports: Keep the cover on the USB or Firewire
output ports to protect them from exposure to dust and/or moisture. |
| • |
Lock your camera’s settings/lock your camera’s
keypad (if applicable) to prevent accidental changes to camera settings
during a shoot. |
| • |
Quality-check the first image: Each time you are shooting
pictures, check the first image on your camera’s display (preferably
somewhere away from bright lights like the sun or stadium/gym lights).
This will allow you to detect problems and correct your exposure before
shooting the remaining photos in the session. |
| • |
If in doubt, underexpose: If you are faced with having
to under or over-expose an image, under-expose it. Minor corrections
to under-exposed images can be made more readily in Photoshop or a
similar image editing software. |
| • |
Have sufficient storage media: If storage space on your
camera’s memory card is limited, consider investing in an additional,
larger card. If you can’t get extra storage space, downloading
images from your camera more frequently is a better solution than
shooting at a lower resolution. |
| • |
Save edited images in EPS: If correcting/editing images
in Photoshop or another image editing application, save the corrected
image in EPS (encapsulated PostScript) format. Do not re-save images
in JPEG format -- repeated saves in JPEG format will cause your image
to have “jaggies” and will lose significant quality, making
them look pixelated. |
| • |
Keep a copy of all your originals in original form. It
is important to keep all your pictures directly from the camera. These
work best when backed up to removable media such as CD-R disks. This
is important because if you need to recrop or change the size of the
finished picture, you can go back to the original. Another advantage
to this is the outtakes. Somebody may have been pictured from an earlier
assignment that wasn’t used, but is then needed for a later
assignment. |
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| What is cropping?
|
Cropping is a technique used to resize and recompose
photographs to fit layout picture areas. You can also crop to emphasize
a photo's center of interest or eliminate unappealing backgrounds. Since
layouts are often drawn before photos are selected, it's unlikely the
prints you receive from your photographer will fit the picture areas
on your layout. For that reason, photos can be enlarged, reduced and
altered in shape.
Cropping relates to the concept of proportionality. To be in proportion,
the dimensions of a photo and its layout area must have the same width-to-height
ratio. For example, a small square, if expanded, will fit exactly into
a larger square. And, a 2 by 6-inch photo will reduce exactly into a
1-by-3-inch picture area.
Note: Enlarging a photograph more than 200 percent may cause the photo
to lose clarity.
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| What is the Cropper
Classic?
|
The Cropper Classic is the tool you and your staff will
use to crop and mark your photos. It enables you to resize, recompose
and improve the quality of photographs. Taylor’s former cropping
tool – the UltraCropper – is also OK to use if your staff
prefers to use those.
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| What are the degree markings
on the Cropper Classic?
|
The Cropper Classic includes a set of degree markings
that describe the diagonal slope of a photo. This angle is directly
related to the width-to-height ratio of any photo. And you can use these
markings to make cropping easier and faster. For example, if you're
cropping several photos to the same size picture area, note the degree
marking for the first photo you crop and simply return the diagonal
cropping arm to that degree marking for remaining photos without going
back to your layouts. Also, if you note the degree marking while cropping
a photo, you can easily move the cropping arm back to the correct degree
marking if it is bumped out of place.
EliteVision users will find the degree markings particularly helpful.
When drawing an EliteVision layout, the degree marking for a photo area
is displayed on screen, so all you have to do is set the cropper to
that degree mark to crop your photo.
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| How do I crop photos?
|
| 1. |
Cropping from your layout: Lay the Cropper Classic
over the picture area of your layout. Line up the Cropper's top-left
and lower-right brackets so the inside edges (not the 1/2" cutout
notch) align with the top-left and bottom-right corners of your picture
area. |
| 2. |
Note the degree of the picture area on your computer screen.
Using the 0-90 degree markings on the lower-right bracket of your
Cropper, set the bracket pointer so it points to the same number as
the picture area's degrees. Next, set the top-left bracket by rotating
it until its long edge is at a right angle to the long edge of the
lower-right bracket. |
| 3. |
Place the Cropper on your photo. Compose by placing the brackets
at the top-left and bottom-right corners of the desired composition.
NOTE: The edge of your composition area will be along the inside edges
of the brackets, NOT the 1/2" notches cut into the brackets (these
are for making your crop marks, so the crop marks fall outside of
your composition). Don't worry if the lower-right bracket slides in
or out a bit -- so long as the brackets are not rotated, you are maintaining
the same proportion of the photo. |
| 4. |
To mark your crop points use a grease pencil to make an "L" in
the upper-left and lower-right bracket notches. Use only a grease
pencil for this -- do not use a lead pencil or pen of any kind. 1/8" inside
these marks define the top-left and lower-right corners of the cropped
photo. |
| 5. |
Remove the Cropper and look at the photo. Your photo should
have two "L" shaped crop marks: one at the upper-left corner,
another in the lower-right corner. The area contained between the
two crop marks will be in proportion to the picture area on your layout. |
Cropping tips:
| • |
Try to crop photos as near to the reproduction
size as possible. Cropping photos so that they are greatly enlarged
or reduced in size will reduce the quality of their reproduction. |
| • |
If you're cropping a number of picture areas with the
same proportions, it's helpful to note the degree marking on the
lower-right bracket of the Cropper. That way, if the diagonal arm
is accidentally bumped, you can quickly reset it by pointing the
bracket at the correct degree. |
| • |
When cropping pictures or picture areas larger than the
length of the cropping arm, you can use a ruler or straight-edge
as an extender. Be sure to place the ruler in line with the cropping
arm opening. |
Cropping in Taylor's EliteVision or YB!Pro:
If you're using Taylor's EliteVision or YB!Pro, you can crop directly
from the degree shown for each picture area on your computer screen.
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| Should I cut my pictures
to the exact sizes and shapes of the layouts' picture areas?
|
No. Use the Cropper Classic to indicate crop marks for
each photo's composition. Never cut photos to the exact size and shape
because it leaves no room to correct miscalculations.
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| How do I crop photos
to be printed in four color?
|
Cropping color isn't difficult. In fact, there is little
difference between cropping color and cropping black-and-white photos.
With color, you still use the Cropper Classic and your grease pencil
to make two marks on the photo, one in the upper-left corner and one
in the lower-right corner. However, when cropping color, place your
crop marks one pica outside the desired composition. This allows room
for adjustment when your color photo is placed on the page for printing.
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| Do I have to submit photos to be printed
in four color to size?
|
No, unless you are a EliteVision customer. This ability
comes from Taylor's process of scanning pictures for production.
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| We have some old, one-of-a-kind
photos we want to use. How should we submit them?
|
The direct answer is don't. Taylor strongly recommends
scanning or duplicating these photos for submission. Taylor safely handles
millions of pictures each year, but risk of loss or damage is always
a possibility. Valuable photos, such as baby pictures, should be photographically
copied and the copy sent in lieu of the original. Most photo processing
labs or quick-print businesses can make these photographic "stats" for
you.
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| Can I use a pen to make
my crop marks?
|
No. Use a grease pencil and not ink when placing crop
marks on photos. Ink crop marks cannot be removed. If re-cropping at
the plant is needed, those crop marks may show in the yearbook.
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| Can I submit color
photos to be printed in black and white?
|
Yes. In fact, Taylor has unique technology in place
that ensures color prints maintain a high level of detail and tonal
range when converted to black and white images. There's no need to specify
that color prints are to be printed in black and white -- that is always
assumed unless the page is marked as four color.
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| What are some photo
design techniques?
|
Gutter-bleed photos
A gutter-bleed photo is one that extends across the gutter on a double-page
spread. The gutter is the center margin of a double-page spread, where
the book folds. Although any photo can be designed to bleed across
the gutter, such photos work best when designed on the natural double-page
spread in each signature. Be careful to avoid photos with faces that
might fall into the gutter itself.
Ghosted photographs
This technique can be used to form a photographic background for type
or artwork. The process involves screening a photograph back to a density
approximately 50 percent of the original so only a faint image appears,
allowing black type to be readable on top of it. Ghosted photographs
are seen most often on ad pages, where ad copy is printed over the ghosted
photo. Plan ghosted photos carefully and use sparingly on special pages.
Keep in mind that overburned type may still be difficult to read on
dark areas of the ghosted photograph.
Knock-out photographs
Knock-out photos remain a publication design trend and usually work
best on special pages or division pages. A knock-out photo is one in
which the background of a photo has been removed, isolating a person
or object. Although they are an interesting design technique, knock-outs
are only effective when used sparingly and work best on white backgrounds.
Also, knocking out the background of a photo will incur an art charge.
Don't attempt to knock-out the photo by cutting out the image or using "white-out" (e.g.,
Liquid Paper™). Quality knock-outs must be performed using special
masks or electronically through image-editing programs like Adobe Photoshop.
If you want Taylor to create a knock-out for you, tape tissue paper
over the print and draw an outline of the area you want to keep. Identify
the photo as a knock-out on your layout.
Duotones
If you're using spot color you may want to consider duotones. These
are black-and-white pictures which also contain a second printing of
spot color ink. One use of duotones involves using black and brown ink
to achieve an antique look common to old photos. To request a duotone
on a spot-color page, write the instruction in the photo area.
Drop shadows
Setting a black or screened area or box behind your photo that shows
along two sides of the photo creates what appears to be a shadow. This
is an easy way to make your layout a little different by giving the
photo a 3D look. You can also create soft-edged drop shadows using an
image manipulation program such as Adobe PhotoShop.
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| What are some factors
that make a good composition?
|
Good photographers take the time to consider good composition
-- the arrangement of elements in a photograph -- and good technical
quality. Here are some general photo tips for yearbook photographers:
| • |
Center of interest: Every photo needs a
dominant element that pulls the reader's eye to a certain part of
the picture. In yearbook photos, the center of interest is usually
a person or group captured in some action. |
| • |
The rule of thirds: Imagine a frame divided into thirds
horizontally and vertically, like a tic-tac-toe board. When shooting
a photo, place the center of interest at one of the intersections,
also called the golden mean points. This provides a sense of space
and motion and allows for the subject's action. |
| • |
Angles: Changing viewpoints makes people and objects
look different, so try shooting from different angles. Take pictures
from above or below, from the side or from behind the subject. It's
always good to have a variety of photos from which to choose. |
| • |
Framing: Framing creates an illusion of depth by using
people or objects around the edge of a subject to frame, or highlight,
the subject. |
| • |
Implied movement: Always leave room in front of a subject's
movement. This allows the viewer to see where the action in a photo
is going. |
| • |
Leading lines: Leading lines direct your attention to
the center of interest in a photo. A pointing arm, a row of trees,
lines on a person's shirt, etc., can serve as leading lines that
draw attention to the main subject in a photo. |
| • |
Contrast: The background in a photograph should not compete
with the subjects. For example, a subject with dark hair will blend
into a dark background because there is no contrast. The contrast
in your photos is enhanced during the scanning process; however,
you always want to start with the best possible quality in the original
photo. You can improve photo contrast by watching the relationships
between subjects and their backgrounds during shooting, and by using
photo paper and processing techniques that improve tonal range. |
| • |
Focus: You want photographic images to be as clear and
sharp as possible, so make sure that an image appears sharp as you're
viewing it through your camera lens. A photo sent to Taylor out
of focus will appear out of focus in the yearbook. |
| • |
Head room: Avoid excessive headroom by shooting close-up
and placing the subject's head off-center in the photo. Putting
the subject's head in the center of the frame usually breaks the
rule of thirds and creates wasted space above the head. Avoid excessive
head room in photos. Help your photographers notice unnecessary
space overhead and how to move in on the subject before clicking. |
| • |
Posed photos: If taking posed photos, position
subjects in natural-looking ways. Have the subject fold his or
her hands
and cross their arms or legs, or have them sit and hold some
type of object. |
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