YLYB #8: Yearbook Company Rep. Visit

I had my second visit with my new yearbook company rep. today.  If you are new to the yearbook thing, your yearbook company (there are four/five main ones Jostens, Taylor, Herff Jones, Walsworth and Friesens) should provide you with a representative (sales rep.) who’s job it is to help you get the book done on time and under budget.

Not all reps. are good at those two things.  I’ve been lucky to have three reps. who have all done a good job and cared about my business.  It honestly doesn’t matter which company you are with, demand good service and prompt responses to your questions.  But I digress.

I met with my rep today, and it was a good visit.  She had good news for me on my 2011 book budget and some great ideas to help us try to sell more ads and books.  We met for about an hour and we set some goals, signed the 2011 paperwork and set a date for her to come back to work with the kids.

I’ve learned (it only took 15 years) that I don’t know it all.  I’m not good at everything – sales being the lowest on the totem pole.  Make sure you lean on your rep. when it comes to your weak areas.  When I started as an advisor, I barely knew how to do a yearbook and I leaned on my first rep. heavily.  Over the years, my needs have changed and I have learned to ASK my rep. to HELP me because I can’t do it all.

I also found out that they didn’t kill the newspaper class that one of the English teachers is going to start this year.  So far, there are zero students in that class.  But they are giving her time to recruit.

YLYB #7: Moodle Noodle Doodle

Today was another day of PD – this time it was tech training.  I was excited about it as soon as I signed up.  I’ve heard about Moodle for a long time, and I know so many teachers who sing it’s praises.  So, I was ready.

I was going to make a bad joke here, but no.   Moodle is everything it was sold as – a lesson planning tool to help you teach.  It is really going to be a big help.  You can embed videos, create quizzes, surveys and add assignments.  The students even have a drop box to place finished assignments.  I’m pumped that this will really help me once I’ve got my curriculum into the darned thing.

There will be work ahead, but I think I can even share my Moodle lessons with other teachers.  This is exciting.

And we got a free lunch too.  I like it when the technology department does PD.

YLYB #6: Schedules, Cables and Getting Along

Today was one of those days, where it seems like things moved in slow motion.  Nothing was terribly urgent, but you had a list of things to do.  And things got done, but the pace was relaxed.  I guess urgency will come on Friday, or maybe Sunday.  Could even wait until Monday morning.  Then it will be urgent.

Until then, the pace is moderate and things get done.  I also spent a lot of time talking with various directors and coaches today.  I was going over the dates of functions such as Prom, Homecoming, the school play, etc.  This is the time of the year, when everyone is staking out their territory on the calendar.  And I’m trying to get all the info.  This is stuff that goes in the yearbook.

I also spent a while dealing with a huge rats nest of cables –  Power cords, USB, Firewire 1.0, RCA, etc.  The bottom drawer of the cable cabinet was a place to toss stuff.  The cords have been sorted, rolled, tied, etc.  It takes time, that is something that will rapidly become a luxury after Monday.

And finally, I spent time just getting along.  It is so important to get along with the teachers who do the activities in your school.  You will be asking them for names for a photo on the day before that page is due at the plant.  You need to have them think of you as a nice person.  People will do stuff for nice people.  So, I spent a little time talking with the same people that I was discussing schedules and such.   I think this is important for yearbook teachers to remember – be nice.  It usually pays off in the long run.

YLYB #5: Get Into The Groove with PD

Just like all the other teachers in America, and maybe the world, the first day of Professional Development kicks off the preparation time before the first day of school.  I officially took the last before school photos for football season.  I am now ready to burn most of them to a CD tomorrow and send copies to the sponsors of the different organizations.

Despite all of the rumors of storm so far, the start of the year has been calm and pleasant for me.  Maybe I’m just taking everything in stride because I’ve been here before – like the Styx song says, and I’ve felt the nervousness of so many new things (new principal, new yearbook rep, new software).  Been there, done that.  Maybe for the first time, I feel like a veteran teacher – this is not the same as a master teacher by any means.  I think I will always feel like I can get better at my craft, and mastery implies you know it all.

We had a treat on the first day – motivational speaker Garrison Wynn spoke to us and since his own mother was a teacher, he was pretty knowledgable about what we do and how we think.  We also got a copy of his book and a new book bag compliments of our new principal.

YLYB #4: Photo Finish

Today was a pleasant, but busy day.  I got the individual photos taken for the football team and I also shot the group photo for the band.  The photos were spaced out enough that I was able to get the equipment packed, moved and set up on time.   I also was able to take advantage of the new wireless remote system we purchased last year for the large flash units we have.

Now that almost all of the photos are taken, I only have the slog of editing left.  The photos need to be toned, cropped and then organized.  CD’s will need burning and then it can all be put behind us for another year.  Now I can move on to the school web site that needs updating.  We’ve had a ton of administrative changes since last year and the site is woefully behind the times.

Cool Links #97: Back To School Edition

Here in Texas, most public schools start the week of Aug. 24.  It became state law a couple of years ago, that schools can’t start before then.  That means teachers return next Monday in many districts.  I’m ready to get back to work.  I really do feel the like the long, recently hot, summer is over.  So, let’s cool it down with links.

1 – The wonderfully named Robert Picard thinks Journalism is in Good Health.  I suppose in a Darwinian way, as the number of journalism jobs decrease, those who are serious about the craft will win out over those who are not.  Let’s hope that the Business of journalism will find some health too.

2 – This is something we’ve struggled with – HD video.  We have cameras that do SD, widescreen SD, 720p and 1080i HD.  The One Man Band Reporter tries to explain why using HD in the newsroom is difficult and slow going.

3 – What will happen if yearbooks disappear?  How will we find embarrassing photos of actors and politicians from their high school years?

Who's this good looking young guy?

4 – This is so true.  How can these kids show up looking like $1 million bucks at the first bell and look so bad when they get to picture day?

Yearbook Photo Day Readiness

5 – Adam Westbrook is running a series on Blogging.  How, why and everything else.  So far, my favorite one has been How To Build An Audience.  It’s really not just about blogging, but about appealing to those who want the content you’ve got.  The rest of the series is pretty good, worth putting into your RSS feed.

6 – This is a great little nugget – Lee Hood’s Broadcast Journalism Tips.

7 – This post really hit it right on the head.  So many adults today think that kids are born wired into the computer, but they are not born tech savvy, they are tech comfy.

8 – The JPROF has a super post – Seven Steps To An Audio Slideshow.  I think I will use this with my photojournalism kids this year.

9 – This is hilarious – a soccer team (football across the pond) in England banned photographers from their games and insisted newspapers buy the photos from their official photographer.  So a newspaper covered the game with an artist – like a court story here in the US.  Funny.

10 – PetaPixel has a fun video comparing the new Barbie Cam Doll with a Canon DSLR.

It's A Barbie World

11 – I’ve been trying to find a way to spice up a lesson on historical photographers.  This looks like the kids might enjoy it – A Historical Facebook Page for an historical figure.

12 – This post from Copyblogger – 60 Ways to Increase your Influence online would be worth it just for #1 – David Meerman Scott. “Stop talking about your products and services. People don’t care about products and services; they care about themselves.” -@dmscott

13 – Photo Agency head Neil Burgess says Photojournalism is Dead.  I think that is overstating it a bit.  What I think he is really trying to say is that quality photography is dead.  The tyranny of good-enough is here.

14 – Mindy McAdams has posted a superb example on how to teach the five shot method for broadcast journalism.

15 – This is bound to be useful – a Final Cut plugin to change multiple fonts at once.  Thanks Alex4d.

16 – Black Star Rising has posted part 3 of a series – Why The First Amendment Matters.

17 – The Denver Post has a great collection of images from the 1930s in color – yes color.  Great collection from a time when nearly all the photos are black and white.

America - 1930s in Color

18 – There are a number of good collections of journalism videos on YouTube including: How to Be a Local Sports Reporter with Jamal Spencer, How to Be a Local TV News Reporter with Bill Albin, YouTube’s own Project Report, and the YouTube Reporter’s Center.

Have a great back to school week!

YLYB #3: Photo Marathon Begins

Today I took a lot of photos – dance team and cheerleaders.  We did group shots and mugs.  It was an all day fun-a-thon.  My 10-year-old (still 9 actually) son came along and was a lot of help.  He hauled lights, drug cords and generally played photographer’s assistant.  He did great.

For the most part, things worked out.  We were fighting the Texas heat and humidity today.  As you might already know, when you take a camera from the air conditioned building to the humid, hot outdoor realm, it will fog over.  And then taking it back indoors may do it again.  So, make sure you keep the camera in a camera bag and with a lens cap on, until the last minute when you have to go in-out-in really quickly.  If you are going out to shoot, you may want to acclimate your camera for 30 minutes or more so it is ready when you need it.

We dodged the rain drops and said nice things to the volleyball coaches.  In the end we shot all the shots we needed and didn’t miss a beat.  I did have a moment of panic when I wasn’t sure where the memory card was for about one minute today.  It was right where it was supposed to be and photos are now copied to my desktop.  Backup will commence after this blog.   One more day of it tomorrow and then we begin teacher inservice all next week.

YLYB #2: The Oops

I’m not sure I can spell oops.  But today was a “do over.”  I was supposed to take photos of the administrators for the football program.  I got to work today and got the gear together.  I hauled it over to the front office and asked the new secretary if we were still a go for the photos.  It’s never a good sign if the secretary has no idea what you are talking about.  I asked if I could talk to the principal.  He told me we were no-go.  One of the Asst. Principals was not available and he HAD emailed me last night.  So, lesson learned – always check email in the A.M.   But I did get to hear a rumor that the master schedule is under reconstruction again!  OK, it wasn’t a rumor, a counselor told me so.  No actual projection for when it will be ready.  Roll with it, that’s my motto.

YLYB #1: Pre-Prep

Who goes to school before most teachers even think about school?  Yearbook teachers do.  Because we know that school starts before the school year begins.  Even before in-service days or professional development, there’s stuff going on out there.  Football practice has started and band camp too.  So that means photo days.  Starting tomorrow I have photos to take for all the teams, etc. for the football program – and the yearbook too.  It sure makes life easy when you only do it once.  But that means making sure the gear is ready.

So, today I was up at the school early, but not too early, getting my portrait equipment packed.  Softboxes, stands, flashes, synch cords, power strips, etc.  And then there are the email reminders to the directors, coaches, etc.   The replies to email from the same, begging to reschedule.  Sally May (not the real head cheerleader’s name) can’t make it on the originally scheduled day – she’s on vacation in the Bahamas (not really where they went – I don’t think.)

So, the daily grind/hell/adrenaline blast/fun/stress/best job ever that is yearbook begins.  Honestly, it never really stops.  Tomorrow, I gotta dress nice and get up early.  Administrators photos at 9:30 a.m.  And be on my best behavior, just like I tell my students.  I’ll probably even wear my ID.

And I ended the day at my senior photographer’s place.  I’ve been promising him copies of the yearbooks forever.  So, I dropped them by his office.

Year In The Life of Yearbook (YLYB)

I was inspired today by watching a Vlogger on Youtube – iJustine.  She is Vlogging every day in the month of August – VEDA.  I am going to do my best to Blog every school day/every yearbook day starting next Wednesday – first picture day, until the last day of the school year.  I hope to bring the good, the bad and ugly of yearbook.  So look for YLYB #1 coming soon.