Blog 19: Independent Component 2

a. I, Krystal Lam, affirm that I completed my independent component which represents 30 hours of work.

b. Sources used:

• Sanders, Dolores. "Photography." The Yearbook Bible. By Mimi Orth. 4th ed. Charlotte: Herff Jones, 2012. Print.
• Rothstein, Jandos. Designing Magazines: Inside Periodical Design, Redesign, and Branding. Allworth Communications, Inc., 2010. Print.

c. done.

d. I completed a half-hour presentation of "Yearbook 101," which is basicallygeneral and summarized concepts of the three areas yearbook, being design, photography, and copywriting. I broke down each area within themselves to further explain them to underclassmen who attended this lesson during a brief lunch period in Strand's room. I also included an activity that utilized what I taught in that time. Most of them are planning on becoming editors or more integral staff members, so getting the basics down are extremely vital in being able to advance in yearbook. I spent a lot of time planning out which concepts of those three areas I would teach, as well as practicing my timing and overall presentation skills. I also did outside research from the Cal Poly library in order to do this component.

This component really helped answer my EQ because it actually integrated all three of my answers into a real-life demonstration. It helped me see how all three answers support each other and work in tandem in order to produce a quality yearbook. By teaching the kids who sat in for my lesson, I was able to understand how important it is that an editorial publisher properly educate staff on foundational subjects to yearbook. By first teaching the basics, it allows me to further instill knowledge into staff members as well as guide them along in doing better and improving on what they've learned. In response, I've begun to truly see how producing a quality yearbook needs much groundwork and understanding of design, photography, and copywritng, in order to best direct the entire publication towards that goal of quality. 

On the side of my blog, I have the powerpoint presentation I used for this lesson.

THE YEARBOOK IS TECHNICALLY DONE WOW (and other updates)

TECHNICALLY as in we just turned in our final deadline last Tuesday... THE LAST DEADLINE. THERE IS A LIGHT AT THE END OF THE TUNNEL. Well actually we aren't completely, totally done until we turn in the fixed proofs of those 32 pages, which should be coming in the mail pretty soon.

I can't believe the book is finished this early in the year. That leaves us with a good month and a half or so of getting it printed, a few weeks to have it bound and shipped, and arrive right on time at the end of May. It's certain things like this that makes me realize how quickly senior year has passed. I mean, looking at the spreads on a computer is completely different from seeing it in an actual, beautiful, physical form. I might be a little too excited.

As for my senior project, I've been working on my powerpoint for my second independent component, which is a lesson I'll be teaching to future editors and returning staff members on the basics of yearbook design, photography, and copy writing. I'm in the works of securing a classroom during a lunch period hopefully in a couple of weeks. I'm hoping that what I'll be going over will benefit next year's yearbook team.

Well those are some quick updates on what's been going on. Other than that, I'm seriously ready for spring break...

Blog 18: Third Answer

EQ: How can an editorial publisher produce a quality yearbook?
Answer 3: Incorporate copy that reflects students' memories of the school year. 

1. "Copy" is the term for the type of writing that yearbooks use in order to accurately portray people's memories and quotes, without sounding too formal or informal. 
• Example: Pep rally is a really upbeat, exciting, and busy event. The copy should reflect that, by using students' accounts and direct words. 
2. The copy that goes in the yearbook should compliment the respective photographs used on each spread.
• Example: A spread on pep rally has a dominant photo of Bryan Posada getting wrapped in toilet paper. The copy should compliment the photo by explaining what is happening, what Posada thought about the activity, the point of view from someone watching, and more of that context.
3. Copy should be written in a relatable way to the audience, in order to make it more interesting and make them want to read it.
• Example: Teenagers 14-18 are the audience in this case, and the way they speak and write are specific. Therefore, the copy should be written how a teenager would like it, instead of sounding too much like an essay, or even too much like text message.

Resources: 

• Patterson, Benton Rain and Coleman E.P. Patterson. The Editor in Chief: A Management Guide for Magazine Editors. Second Edition. Ames: Iowa State, 2003. Print.
• Interview #3 with Rebecca Chai, advisor of Walnut High School's Cayuse Publication

Concluding Sentence: Incorporating copy that reflects students' memories of the school year will best portray people's accounts of various events, compliment photographs that will be in the yearbook, and relate to the audience's age group, school culture, and individual interests.

Blog 17: Fourth Interview Questions

1. How can an editorial publisher produce a quality yearbook?
2. Can you define what a quality yearbook is in your terms?
3. Can you name a yearbook or a few yearbooks that meet all criteria in making it a quality book?
4. What can deter an editorial publisher from producing a quality yearbook?
5. What characteristics in design should a quality yearbook have?
6. Why is graphic design necessary in a yearbook?
7. Where have you seen great design in a yearbook?
8. Why is typography important in designing a yearbook?
9. What should a designer avoid doing while designing a yearbook?
10. What advice do you have for beginning graphic designers who are designing for yearbooks?
11. Is there a specific design trend you would like to see or see more often in 2014 yearbooks?
12. What characteristics in photography should a quality yearbook have?
13. What are some techniques or practices that a photographer should know or learn?
14. What advice do you have for beginning photographers in order to take good photos?
15. Why are well-taken photos important in making a quality yearbook?
16. What should a photographer avoid when taking photos?
17. Where have you seen good use of photography in a yearbook?
18. What characteristics in copy should a quality yearbook have?
19. What techniques or common practices and habits should a beginner-level writer have when writing yearbook copy?
20. Where have you seen exemplary copywriting used in a yearbook?
21. What should a writer keep in mind while interviewing a subject for a potential story?
22. What should a writer avoid doing when writing copy?

Continuing Research for Second Answer

Hey all, just a quick update on how my second answer is coming along. So my second answer is: utilize best photography practices to capture peak moments that happened during the year. The wording is kind of in progress with my presentation teacher right now. Anyways, after interviewing Rebecca Chai and hearing her stress the importance of "photography first, then everything else," I was inspired to look up the ingredients as to what makes for quality photographs that can be used in the yearbook. That lead me to search up the basic techniques of photography. Here's a video explaining the rule-of-thirds, which to Rebecca and fellow yearbook photographer/pro Symphony Moreno (and pretty much every photographer), is essential in any sort of photography.

Rule-of-Thirds

Other than the rule-of-thirds, other techniques that should be used while taking photos are leading lines and cropping. Below are some videos that explain them.

Leading Lines

Cropping

Blog 16: Advisory Meeting #2

EQ: How can an editorial publisher produce a quality yearbook?
Answer #2: Utilize good photography techniques to capture peak moments that happened during the year.

1. Photography is a vital component in the yearbook, since a yearbook is more commonly or generally known for it's photos of the student body and what happens during the school year.
• Example: People want to see a photo of them or their friends, not a photo of, say, a desk or the teacher during a boring lecture.
2. Good photography techniques lead to better quality photos that will capture the peak moment of an event or events, that can later be used in the book.
• Example: Having a dynamic photo capturing a person mid-kick during a soccer game is better than a photo that doesn't display that type of action/dynamic. The reader should look at a photo and feel as if they are right there when the event happened. 
3. Using good photography techniques will benefit the staff in their photo-taking skills. In other words, using good photography techniques will help staff members develop creative skills that will help them in other projects aside from the yearbook.
• Example: Getting staff members used to using the rule of thirds, where an image is slightly off center. This can come in handy when taking photos in general, or is also when drawing, painting, and other creative mediums.

Resources:

• Sanders, Dolores. "Photography." The Yearbook Bible. By Mimi Orth. 4th ed. Charlotte: Herff Jones, 2012. Print.
• Interview #2 with Rebecca Chai

Concluding Sentence: Utilizing good photography techniques lead to better quality photos that will be vital in the composition of a yearbook, captures the peak moments and events that occur during the year, and benefits the staff's skill sets for future creative endeavors.

Blog 15: Independent Component 2 Approval

1. Describe in detail what you plan to do for your 30 hours.

• For my second Independent Component, I will be teaching a workshop lesson on the general basics of spread design, effective photography, and compelling copywriting for next year's editorial team and staff in the Yearbook elective, on a Friday or the weekend (most likely April 12, if I am given permission to use a classroom that Saturday) after our final deadline.  

2. Discuss how or what you will do to meet the expectation of showing 30 hours of evidence.

• Throughout this month and next month, I will be creating a visual PowerPoint, 3 activities corresponding to each section, and an oral presentation, where I will present to students coming back into this elective, and those in editor positions for the next year. Often, the Yearbook editor-in-chief/editorial publisher does this as tradition of "handing down the title" to the younger students, and must ensure that they have acquired the basic foundation of what makes a quality yearbook. I will be taking lots of photos and videos of what I will be doing; when I am making the visual, practicing in front of my current senior editors, doing research for the information I will be speaking of, making presentation speaker notes, etc.

3. And explain how what you will be doing will help you explore your topic in more depth.

• After creating my first answer, I figured that I should incorporate more of the teaching or directional aspect of editorial publishing (since I will also be rephrasing my first answer for later). It is important that an editorial publisher advise, direct, and instruct their staff members and editors. Of course, I am not creating the product, the yearbook, by myself. My job is to lead and maintain the creative vision and progress that goes into a quality yearbook. Teaching others how to execute it is key to creating a quality yearbook and proving for a piece of successful editorial publication. 

4. Post a log on the right hand side of your blog near your other logs and call it the independent component 2 log.

• Done.