With the current pandemic, yearbook teams are heavily restricted in how they can go about compiling photos for their book. However, it’s not impossible! Yearbook advisors Eileen Lay, Eric Hartman, Chris Edge, and Joon Kim brainstormed creative ideas on how they can gather photos with Covid-19 guidelines.
Selfies for Students
When the school has events outside of the classroom, though, she is able to get pictures from those events since students are allowed to have their phones there.
Eileen reports that her students enjoy taking selfies – however, her school is a small Catholic school that does not allow phones in the classroom. She says that, when the school has events outside of the classroom, though, she is able to get pictures from those events since students are allowed to have their phones there.
Photographs For Everyone
These passes would give the students special permission to be able to carry their phones with them, that way they’re ready to take a photo if they happen to come across anything interesting...
Eric, on the other hand, states that one of the things he’s been talking to his supervisors about is the possibility of creating “press passes” for the students on his yearbook team. These passes would give the students special permission to be able to carry their phones with them, that way they’re ready to take a photo if they happen to come across anything interesting that they think should be included in the yearbook. Advisors would definitely have to only include kids who could be trusted, though, since there’s always the possibility of a student deciding, “Hey, while I have my phone out, I might as well browse the internet or send my buddy the answers to the science test.” Eric believes that this will always be a risk with allowing students on your team to have access to their phones, but he thinks that it is an important part of teaching those students about responsible technology use.
Chris reports having already purchased a backdrop for portraits when lockdown started. His team hasn’t decided yet whether or not they’ll use their photographer, but Chris thinks he will possibly be taking the pictures himself – his plan is to have several days where he goes through the students in alphabetical order and has them come to the auditorium in small groups, and he’ll take their portraits there.
Nothing But the Best
The students will be guided through the process of taking photos of themselves for the yearbook
Joon’s recommendation, since it’s hard to compile good in-person photos with Covid-19 restrictions, is to have your yearbook team ask people for pictures and then guide them through what they need to do over Facetime. Tell the students where to go in the room to take the picture, what they should wear, where the best lighting is, what their best angles are, etc. The students will be guided through the process of taking photos of themselves for the yearbook, because if left to their own devices students would only be sending in selfies and webcam pictures. Joon reports being excited for the future of photo compilation because of the unknown, as well as all of the creative possibilities that can be carried out.
The pandemic has tested us in more ways than one, but more than anything it has tested our ability to adapt to changing circumstances. Your colleagues in the yearbook industry are a great resource – learn from one another and support one another during this time. You’ve got this.
Alyse Mgrdichian, Senior Editor
Alyse Mgrdichian holds a B.A. from Biola University, having majored in psychology and minored in philosophy. She is a senior editor for TSE Worldwide Press, the parent company of United Yearbook Printing, and she applies her expertise and love of stories to the role.
Eileen Lay, Content Contributor: Parent Volunteer at St. Didacus Parish School, San Diego, CA
Eric Hartman, Content Contributor: Yearbook Advisor at St. Anne School, Laguna Niguel, CA
Joon Kim, Content Contributor: Yearbook Advisor at Garden Grove High School, Garden Grove, CA
Chris Edge, Content Contributor: Yearbook Advisor at Sumter High School, Sumter, SC
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