Walsworth Yearbooks

Theme

Reflection

The opening spread does more than just welcome the reader – it is a fantastic example of photography excellence and design savvy. Most people do not know how difficult it is to coordinate this type of time-lapse photograph. Consider that all of the seniors on staff are “painting” letters with light, moving at the same speed, aligned – and that does not even account for the photographer’s task of trying to snap the shot before the sun completely sets. Adviser Bas Wolf, who snapped the photo, said the students had to scramble out of the way of the photo to leave only a minimal impression.

Theme

How do you like us now?

The table of contents on the endsheet is clean, organized and visually pleasing. It is a great introduction to a book that has an overall clean, tight design. The attention to detail in the photo and text alignment, clever use of negative space, use of division-page images and limiting themselves to just two or three typefaces provides visual harmony.

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Driven

Using an actual schematic to plot routes and class destinations is an inventive way to both discuss an issue of campus traffic flow and employ additional student coverage. Using silhouettes of the featured students cut out from their individual text boxes makes a stronger visual impact than simply using a mugshot.

Theme

Absolutely

This yearbook staff came up with a great way to include discussion on serious topics. The “Absolutely Uncensored” section is a debate masterpiece, made even more special because non-yearbook staff students wrote the stories. The editor introduces the section, above, in a clear, yet passionate way. The design and clever titles make these pages sing, as shown next. An idea this well executed should become a staple section for this school in years to come.

Theme

Absolutely

This yearbook staff’s “Absolutely Uncensored” section is a debate masterpiece, made even more special because non-yearbook staff students wrote the stories. The editor introduces the section (previous spread) in a clear, yet passionate way. The design and clever titles make these pages sing. The choice of black and white photography lends gravity to the controversial topics; the clean, unfussy typography pays respect to the students’ differing opinions.

Theme

Live It

This staff did a terrific job of integrating student coverage within their student life stories, starting on the division spread. On every spread in the section is a sidebar entitled, “We are all part of the story,” which includes three to four student mug shots and quotes on the specific event or topic. This setup can be used in just about every section of the book to give students a voice.

Theme

Looking Back

To carry the theme “Looking Back” throughout the book, the division pages feature a student’s profile looking into the background (in this case, at the statue of St. Francis). Its poignant tenor adds a touch of nostalgia to the lively book. One meaningful spread that further underscores the theme is the “Seniors and their Fathers” story, where current seniors are pictured alongside their fathers’ St. Francis graduation mugshots from decades past. The essence of quiet tradition pervades.

Theme

Connections

One of the most underrated elements in publication design is illustration. This yearbook staff makes it the central part of their overall design concept. If done correctly, illustration can marry the two standard components of coverage (copy and photos) into a perfect union. The opportunities are endless — doodles can be used in rapid succession for a unique look, overlapped to create new shapes using transparencies, or, like on this spread, freeform drawing to help fill space.

Theme

From our point of view

The Crest staff used every inch of space to get as many students into the yearbook as possible. On the folio of nearly every page is a small mug shot of a student with a quote. The entire people section features sidebars entitled, “You thought you knew,” which highlights a unique story about a student. Some of the facts this staff dug up: a student who survived five days in a coma, a tae kwon do champ, and a student who spent a semester in Japan. Staffs always need to peel back the layers of their student body, because every student has a story to tell.

Theme

Spectrum

This opening spread is design with merit. It has visual interest, rhythm, a good use of color and clean type. The design is further enhanced by the crumpled paper background, which lends just the right amount of implied texture. The “scrapbook” look is tricky to nail, but this is a good example of not taking it too far.

Theme

Wired

Every division spread in this book boasts crisp design and eye-catching photography. Notably, the high-quality, close-up shots of students exhibit a professional air. The typography on the facing page is just as strong. Placing your title word front and center captures the attention, and the limited use of two colors (white and red) on a solid black background completes the composition. Keeping the design of division pages exactly the same gives your book visual flow and harmony.

Theme

Capture

This spread reports on a global hot topic: “going green.” It is important to remember to cover items of interest outside your school’s walls, but only if you make the connection back to your student body. The story informs the reader of the steps their school has taken to be more globally responsible. The design is clean, and the silhouettes combined with original artwork and good-quality photographs and captions make this a spread worth noting.

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Where everybody knows your name

Taking care to create beautiful ads makes the students and their families feel special while leaving a nice impression in the yearbook. On this spread, the three different sizes of ads, and the submission of a great photo, led to a beautiful dominant image on the page. Even the smaller ads are designed to give enough space for family members to offer their congratulations and words of encouragement.

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Battleground

Never underestimate the power of Adobe Photoshop. The effects used on these images successfully pique the reader’s interest and keep their eyes moving around the page. Choosing to remove all of the color in a photo might leave it a bit flat; but by adding a shot or two of color, you can bring a strong emphasis to the composition. This technique, coupled with a nice headline treatment, makes for a spread that is both engaging and reflective.

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See Also

This is a great way to make a bold statement. The use of a large profile silhouette is a bit startling, which is exactly the reaction you want your reader to have. The profile faces the gutter – a good trick to get folks to read your story, as opposed to the other direction, which would make the reader want to turn the page. The type treatment on the spread is tightly uniform. Take a cue from the photo captions — you do not need to use 12-pt. type anywhere in your yearbook. Seven- or eight-point is perfect for captions, 9.25-pt is a solid size for body copy.