📸 Mid-Semester Photography Tips for Yearbook Advisers
- Jessica Carrera
- 7 days ago
- 3 min read
As we near the midpoint of the school year, sports, spirit weeks, and fall events pack the schedule; the perfect season for meaningful, candid photography. October and November offer unique opportunities for your staff to build visual depth and emotional connection in your yearbook. Here are a few timely tips to help your photographers stay sharp, organized, and creative.
1. Audit Your Photo Coverage
By mid-semester, you’ve probably accumulated hundreds (if not thousands) of images. Now’s the time to:
Review your folders or galleries to identify gaps in coverage; have you missed any clubs, overlooked any staff members, or misrepresented grade levels?
Encourage photographers to label and tag their photos by event, date, and participants.
Create a coverage tracker spreadsheet to track what has been captured and where you have gaps.
Tip: Assign a student as the “coverage captain” to ensure that every class, club, and team has at least one strong storytelling image.
2. Level Up Your Technical Skills
This is the perfect time to refine technique before winter deadlines approach:
Remind students to check white balance and exposure. Indoor gym lighting can throw off colors.
Experiment with shutter speed and aperture to control motion blur during sports or assemblies.
Have students practice photojournalistic storytelling: one wide shot, one medium, one close-up per event.
Try This: Hold a 15-minute light bootcamp: set up scenes in different lighting (fluorescent classroom, outdoor shade, backlit hallway) and challenge photographers to adjust their settings accordingly.
3. Document Everyday Life
Not every great photo happens during big events. Encourage your staff to:
Capture classroom projects, lunchtime laughter, and teachers interacting with students.
Build a “Day in the Life” folder with authentic moments from different grade levels.
Remember: diversity in your imagery makes your yearbook more inclusive and personal.
Tip: Assign a “theme-based” week, e.g., “Expressions,” “Hands at Work,” or “Candid Laughter” to keep inspiration fresh.
4. Prepare for Winter Deadlines
With deadlines approaching, organization matters more than ever:
Back up all photos to a shared drive or Captura folder.
Rename files clearly (e.g., 2025_Homecoming_Dance_JohnD.jpg).
Keep an updated list of photo credits for accurate yearbook captions.
End-of-Month Goal: Schedule one team “editing day” to check for duplicates, select the strongest images, and flag key shots for spreads.
5. Celebrate Your Photographers
Photography is one of the most demanding (and rewarding) roles on a yearbook staff. Recognize your students’ hard work with:
A “Photo of the Month” showcase in your classroom or on social media.
A team pizza party or an Amazon eGift card incentive for the most improved photographer.
Peer review sessions where students can give constructive feedback and learn from one another.
Remember: The best yearbook photography isn’t just about taking pictures, it’s about preserving your school’s story through emotion, detail, and authenticity. Explore UYB’s photography resources, including workshops and curriculum. Contact us at info@unitedyearbook.net for more details.
Copyright © 2025. TSE Worldwide Press. All Rights Reserved.
Contributor: Jessica Carrera, Associate Editor at TSE Worldwide Press and Marketing Coordinator at United Yearbook, holds a B.A. in English with a concentration in writing from Biola University. She aspires to touch the lives of others through her words.
Editor: Donna Ladner obtained a B.A. in Education and a minor in English from California Baptist University, and a M.S. in ESL from USC, Los Angeles. After she married Daniel, their family moved to Indonesia with a non-profit organization and lived cross-culturally for 15 years before returning to the U.S in 2012. Donna has been working as an editor and proofreader for TSE Worldwide Press and its subsidiary, United Yearbook since 2015.
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