YEARBOOK PHOTOGRAPHY

THEIR STORIES

&

What types of photos should we be using in our yearbook?• Yearbooks depend on photojournalism, which is

the art of telling stories using photos.• There are three types of photos in a yearbook:• Action, or candid photos, document an event

or story.• Reference photos include portraits, group

shots and team photos.• Scrapbook poses are used for story-telling

purpose.

Examples of the three types of photos in our yearbook.

Action Reference

Scrapbook

How can we shoot action photos that our readers will notice?• The story of the year comes alive in action

photos. These photojournalistic images tell the story in many ways:• Showing conflict or challenge• Showing action and reaction• Showing more than you could tell• Showing relationships• Capturing emotion• Taking the reader there

Action Photos 101

Conflict

Reaction

Relationship Emotion

What should I know besides point and shoot?• While shooting photos,

keep these suggestions in mind:• Hold the camera steady• Get as close as possible.• Be patient. Wait for a

moment.• Shoot verticals and

horizontals.• Consider unusual angles.• Consider the Rule of Thirds.

What is the Rule of Thirds?Good Use of Rule of Thirds No Use of Rule of Thirds

Let’s Discuss!What makes these photos

good or bad for the yearbook?

STORY TIME! Answer the questions that arise from photos.

What is an easy way to tell stories in the yearbook?• A caption is a mini-

story that answers the five Ws and H: who, what, when, where, why and how.• Captions require

research and interviewing just like a story.

What should we include in our captions to make them meaningful?• Most journalistic captions contain these components:• The lead-in is a mini-headline for the caption. It

should be catchy verbally and dynamic visually.• The summary sentence is written in present tense

and answers the five Ws and H about what is going on in the photo.• The descriptive sentence, if used, provides

background information the reader might not know and is best written in past tense.• Quotes from individuals in the photo can also add a

human touch to the story.

Bad Example of a Caption

Boring!

Good, not Great ExampleGood Lead-in!

Great Example of a Caption

Summary Sentence

Descriptive Sentence Quote