Yearbook Introduction

25 Things That Every Yearbook Should Have

1. A theme for that year's edition
2. An eye-catching title that coordinates with that theme
3. Colors to create an atmosphere (cool colors for nostalgia; bright colors for energy or excitement)
4. A table of contents for the sections
5. Separate sections for certain things
6. The volume, edition, and year of the yearbook
7. One section for Sports
8. One section for Clubs and Organizations
9. One section for Students 
10.  One section for Student Life (personal looks into the lives of students)
11. A section for Team, Club, or Organization photos
12. A "Student Most Likely To. . ." section
13. Also a section for the "Most so-and-so Student" (Ex. Most Athletic Student, Most Academic Student, Best Dressed, Everybody's Friend)
14. A dedication to students who may have departed during the year or to staff members who are leaving the school
15. Activities that the school participated in (Fundraisers)
16. Local activities that the students participated in (Marathon, Community Service, ect.)
17. A spread for Science Fair
18. A spread for Homecoming
19. One or more spreads for Senior Prom
20. A section for Theatre (plays, musicals, and that sort of thing) at the school
21. Senior quotes
22. Senior tributes
23. A summary or a photo collage with captions of everything that happened in that year at the school
24. A summary or collage with captions of everything that happened in that year outside of school (Memorials, deaths, Anniversaries, etc.)
25. Some sort of message at the end of the book that makes you feel very nostalgic. The whole yearbook should be nostalgic, but the end REALLY needs to wrap it up in a nice bow.

Q&A

1. What is the title of your book?

& Then Some

2. What school is it from?

Westlake High School

3.  What "thematic elements" do you see in your book? This means what elements are evident from beginning to end of the book?

The most consistent thematic element in the book was the phrase "& Then Some", which was the theme of the yearbook. The book started and ended with that phrase, and many of the sections started with "&". Other elements that were consistent throughout the book were the colors on each spread and the placement of the photos and description. A lot of theme were very similar.

4. How many sections are in your book? This could be tough to figure out, but do your best.

There were 6 main sections, and each section had a 2 subsections

5. What is your favorite "spread"? A spread is 2 pages about the same topic.

My favorite spread was where they included the "Students Most Likely To". A lot of the "most likely to"s were interesting, creative, and funny, and they included a lot of other ones other than the main attractions. A lot of the photos in that spread were really goofy too.

6. Is there an index in your book?

Yes

7. Are there photos of groups of people, like clubs and organizations?

Yes, of all the clubs and organizations.

8. Is there a table of contents?

There's a table of contents for what page each section starts in the book.

9. How many people go to the school whose book you have?

About 3,000 students, a little more or a little less

10. What state is your book from?

Texas

Magazine Cover Peer Review

Magazine Covers Set 1

http://bonniesphotojournal.blogspot.com/2016/01/magazine-covers.html


1. What is the name of the magazine that you looked at and who made it?

The name of the magazine was Monthly Music and Bonnie made it.

2. List two things you liked about the magazine cover

I really liked how the image was edited to black and white except for the cello. It made it seem aesthetic and it also brought the attention to the instrument, which is appropriate for this type of magazine.

3. Suggest something to the creator to improve the cover

Although this was probably done to fit the black and white theme of the magazine, the title doesn't stand out so well against the background. The cello attracts even more attention away from the title.

4. Why did you pick this cover? Specifically what attracted your eyes.

I really liked the angle of the photo and how the photo was made into black and white excluding the cello.

5. Is there a bar code? Is it appropriate in size and located in the correct place?

There is a barcode and it is in appropriate in size and location.

6. If you were walking by the magazines in Barnes and Nobles would you pick this magazine up and look at it? Why or Why not?

I probably would have picked this magazine up because of how the cello stands out so much against the background. And then I would have put it back down when I saw the price.

7. Can you tell if it was a portrait or self-portrait?

I'm pretty sure this is a portrait, since it would be hard to set up a self-portrait from that angle.

Magazine Covers Set 2

http://biancasphotojournalismblog.blogspot.com/2016/01/my-magazine-covers.html


1. What is the name of the magazine that you looked at and who made it?

The title of the magazine I chose is Self, and Bianca made it.

2. List two things you liked about the magazine cover

The black and white colors in this photo make it dramatic. It seems like there was more contrast against the light and the shadows put into the photo too and makes it even more dramatic. Kind of like an Adele cover.

3. Suggest something to the creator to improve the cover

For how dramatic the title and the picture look, the subheadings don't seem to quite match. I expected sort of a calming and alluring sort of theme for this magazine, but then the first subheading on the left is about the Kardashian Klan. Maybe have a theme that matches the atmosphere of the photo?

4. Why did you pick this cover? Specifically what attracted your eyes.

The contrast of the shadows and the lighting really caught my eye, and so did the calming and alluring atmosphere the photo gave off.

5. Is there a bar code? Is it appropriate in size and located in the correct place?

There is a barcode in a good size and located in a good place.

6. If you were walking by the magazines in Barnes and Nobles would you pick this magazine up and look at it? Why or Why not?

Yes, because the photo is really eye-catching. I probably wouldn't have actually looked inside the magazine though, because the subheadings don't quite catch my interest.

7. Can you tell if it was a portrait or self-portrait?

I can't really tell if this is a portrait or a self-portrait. It could be either.

Magazine Covers Set 3

http://jonahsphotojournalismblog.blogspot.com/2016/01/magazine-project.html


1. What is the name of the magazine that you looked at and who made it?

The name of the magazine is TX Austin Life and the creator is Jonah

2. List two things you liked about the magazine cover

I like the angle that this photo was taken at because it makes it look like a professional magazine for the local life in Austin, TX. I like how you can obviously tell that this photo was taken somewhere downtown based on the setting.

3. Suggest something to the creator to improve the cover

The subheadings match the theme of the magazine, but they're not particularly interesting or specific.

4. Why did you pick this cover? Specifically what attracted your eyes.

The angle of the photo really attracted my eye, and so did the brightness of the colors (especially the red). Also the bike. Bikes are cool.

5. Is there a bar code? Is it appropriate in size and located in the correct place?

Yes, there is a barcode in the appropriate location and of an appropriate size.

6. If you were walking by the magazines in Barnes and Nobles would you pick this magazine up and look at it? Why or Why not?

I definitely would have picked this up and read it. These type of magazines (where they talk about the local lifestyle and activities) interest me.

7. Can you tell if it was a portrait or self-portrait?

This was definitely a portrait.

Prompt shoot peer review

Prompt Shoot #3 Peer Review

http://wesleysphotojournalismblog.blogspot.com


1. Which photo do you like best? Why?

I like the third photo, which was for "The End" prompt, the best out of the four pictures because it looks like a well taken photo. The contrast of the words on the paper is enhances by the black and white colors, and the words 'The End' are more focused than the rest of the words to bring the attention to that. I'm a little curious as to what book they had taken a photo of, since you can't tell much by the little words that aren't blurred. Overall, it looks like a cool photo. 

2. Which is your least favorite image? Why?

My least favorite image is the last photo for the "Yummy" prompt. It fits the prompt nicely but the image itself isn't very creative. Plus, it breaks the "Black and White" theme that all the photos had been going with so far. 

3. Overall, make two positive statements about their pictures.

The consistent theme of black and white photos (excluding the fourth one) is nice and makes the photos more interesting. I like how a lot of these photos were also closeups that gradually blurred out. 

4. Overall, what is one area that this person could improve upon in your opinion.

Maybe working on more photos that aren't closeups? All the photos were closeups of the subject in front of a blurry background. There could've been more photos that weren't like that.

5. Which prompt do you think they did the best portraying, from your perspective?

"The End" prompt was portrayed the best. The other three prompts could fit other prompts and be more misleading as to which prompt they were paired to, but "The End" photo was spot on.

6. Which prompt do you think they did the least successfully portray, from your perspective?

The "Eight" prompt. While the photo does have the number 8 in it, someone who didn't know what the prompt was might've thought the photo was focusing on the entire number instead of just the 8.

Prompt Shoot #3

Connected; 8x10

Pose; 5x7

Yummy; 4x6

Eight

Magazine Covers

Welcome Back

Top 3 Photos of 2015

This photo looked absolutely compelling and alluring. The red-orange dunes and cream-colored ground contrast intensely against the deep indigo night sky. Photos of the stars and of galaxies have also taken my interest, and this starry photo, put together with the desolate orange desert, just adds to the beauty of the night sky. It's amazing how the dunes and the trees can come out so clear and bright despite the fact that it's obvious that it's beginning to get dark.

This photo of a rare total eclipse in Norway is intense and eye-catching, and probably wasn't even edited to be in black and white. The photo looks almost like a black hole, a black spot surrounded by a halo of light. This event also holds a personal experience of mine in which I was able to view the total eclipse, having been visiting Europe at the time of the eclipse. 

This photo holds both breath-taking beauty and emotion. In the event of the Paris terrorist shootings, parisians gathered at a cafe where one of the shootings took place. Flowers and candles were set in front of the cafe to mourn and honor the lives that were lost in the shootings. This photo is both beautiful as the flowers and candles contrast against the dark mass of the crowd, but also holds importance of one of the biggest tragedies that took place in 2015.

Best Song of 2015

I chose "Hello" by Adele as my top song of 2015. Not only are the lyrics emotional and easy to sing (except for those long notes), but they hold a deep and intense meaning to them as well. The song itself is beautifully sung, and the music video was just as beautifully constructed to perfectly fit the song. Adele has been one of my favorite artists for a long time, and she continues to be a favorite still.

Best Movie of 2015

Anyone who knows me knows that this was going to be my choice. When I first heard about the movie, I could not shut up about it, had reservations to go see it at the Alamo 3 months before the movie was actually out (I assure you though, there are people who probably got tickets the day after the trailer was released). Star Wars has been a memorable series in my family especially in my dad and I. It was amazing to see the compelling story of Star Wars brought back to life, and even better with returning and new characters. Though I won't spoil anything about the movie's plot line, it has definitely been among one of my favorite Star Wars movies.

Most Important Stories of 2015

I could not pick just one for this topic, and instead I chose three. The most memorable news stories of 2015 have been the legalization of gay marriage, the Syrian refugee crisis, and the Paris terrorist attacks. These three events are not just memorable in 2015, but will continue to be memorable later on in the future for having made history. This three events were possibly among the most emotional events of 2015 - some concerning love and others loss.

Most Important Person of 2015

The most important person of 2015 does not have to be someone who has done good, but they must be a person who led to great change. That is why I have chosen Abu Bakr Al-Baghdadi, the leader of ISIS, as the most important person of 2015. He has inspired many to follow his organization's example, and as a result, he has caused great loss, sorrow, and mourning in the world. He has caused violence to erupt among peaceful citizens, such as in the Paris Terrorist attacks, the war in Syria, and many other bombings in middle eastern towns. Not only that, but his influence has even caused violence to erupt in the US, as the case in the San Bernardino shootings. Because of this, he is the most important person of 2015, because the organization he leads and the people he has inspired to do harm have wounded the world, and that cannot be forgotten.

My Holiday

Most memorable event of Winter Break: I got a new mountain bike for Christmas and over the holidays, me and my family drove to Canyon of the Eagles, a national park by Marble Falls. My dad and I biked nearly all day around the bike and when it was getting dark, we went out to an open field with my mom and my brother and got to go stargazing. It's been a while since I saw so many stars.

My resolution for 2016: I'm going to try to take this year slow and not get too stressed out like I did last semester. I also want to try to save more money, so I'm going to save at least 5 dollars every week.

What I'm looking forward to in 2016:The end of the school year.

Well, okay, not just that. There are a lot of things coming up in my life this year, and depending on which choice I make, my life could turn out very different. It's unnerving and exciting at the same time.