One Crop Ahead of the Others

If your staff has run into the problem of cropping a group shot at the necks of the people in the front row, or ended up with miles of grass and sky in front of and behind the group, try pre-cropping the group photograph before drawing the photo box on the layout.

You might plan two layout sizes for group photographs: a plan for square group arrangements and one for rectangular group arrangements. Be sure your photographer is aware of the dimensions.

The section editor or person in charge of the spread should be present with the photographer to help line-up the group and to get names. Bring a clip board with forms duplicated. What’s on the form?

Group name ________________________________
Officers:

President ______________________________
Vice President ___________________________
Secretary ______________________________
Treasurer ______________________________
Other __________________________________

Front row (left to right):

___________ lines follow on which students print their names.
The forms can vary. Small groups would have few lines for each row.

Second row (left to right):

Look in yearbooks from the last three years to decide how many rows you will average for your groups.

Back row (left to right):

If you have many groups scheduled with only an hour to photograph them, you might have only the front row on the main form. Create separate forms for each row. Always be sure that the club name is on the top of the sheet.

If you have many groups scheduled with only an hour to photograph them, you might have only the front row on the main form. Create separate forms for each row. Always be sure that the club name is on the top of the sheet.

OR

Ask the club sponsors to pass out a special name form for each member of the group. They must show it to go to the photo session. Yearbook staffers pick them up in order, staple a row and group ID label to the pack and type them that way. It eliminates interlopers who may try to get into many group photographs where they don 't belong.

— Linda Mercer and Carol Lange